Tag: Windows 7

Using MAP in a Messy Network

I’ve been doing an assessment for a Windows 7 deployment in a network that’s not had any regular maintenance in a long time.  For example, there are 400+ computer accounts with around 100 real machines.  I can’t even use oldcmp to clean up because some of those “stale” account are associated with machines that are archived/stored for old projects that might need to be recovered.  I also have an issue where machines are not responding as expected to MAP, despite all the policies being in place.  Solution?  The Swiss Army Knife of systems management: System Center Configuration Manager.

I set up a ConfigMgr (licenses are there) and deployed an agent to all machines.  That had limited success as expected (see above).  I then set up a start up script to hit the machines when the reboot – which is not very often (it is a bit of a “wild garden” network).  The perk of this is that I get a client install that will audit machines are report back information, regardless of firewall, etc.

Over time the number of managed agents has doubled, giving me a good sample to work with.  I was able to run a report to get the computer names of all the desktop machines.  Now I took that CSV and converted it into a text file, each line having a computer name.  That’s perfect for a text file discovery in MAP.

I ran a discovery and assessment using that and got much better results than before.  It’s still not perfect and that’s because we are in the real world.  Many of the machines are offline, either out of the office or turned off.  Some machines haven’t been rebooted or powered up to get the ConfigMgr agent.  So there will be some sneaker net to take care of that. 

And that’s how I’ve done an assessment in a wild network that a simple MAP deployment would not have succeeded in.

Newest Book: Mastering Windows 7 Deployment

No sooner than Mastering Hyper-V Deployment is done, I’m working on Mastering Windows 7 Deployment.  I’m contributing 6 chapters to this one and I’m half way through writing the draft editions.  This book is providing all the steps and all the methods to do a Windows 7 deployment project using the MS product set.  I don’t know what the schedule is at the moment.  I’d suspect early next year will be the RTM.

 

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Springboard Learning Portal

Doing a Windows 7 deployment project?  Heck, are you doing a Windows Server 2008 R2 build project (the deployment and imaging solutions are the same)?  Get yourself over to the Microsoft Springboard site where you can learn all about the deployment technologies and solutions.  Springboard has added a new site: the Springboard Learning Portal:

springboardlearningportal

Quoting Stephen L. Rose: “The Springboard Windows 7 Learning Deployment Portal is designed to guide IT Pro’s deployment education by:

  • Enabling individuals to measure their proficiency and knowledge against key benchmarks
  • Identifying specific skills gaps or areas of weakness to address
  • Create personalized learning plans through direction to resources based on the areas and scope of knowledge gaps
  • Provide informal knowledge checks through learning and re-assess areas initially identified as knowledge gaps
  • Recognizing critical Windows 7 deployment skills and helping to build IT Pro confidence to deploy Windows 7

The Deployment Learning Portal content and methodology helps to bridge the gap between Springboard’s online managed experience content and formal training”.

Internet Explorer 9 Beta

The IE9 beta has been launched by Microsoft.  I just read a review that says it brings features that have been long needed.  One of those si a download manager.  Yup, IE badly needed this.  In the age of wifi networking (prone to interruption) and mobile computing (who hasn’t had to hibernate the laptop in the middle of a download) IE has needed this since … well … 1996 maybe?  Plenty of people have used other browsers or independent download managers to compensate.

I’m told the UI is smaller because, like with Office, many of the browser features aren’t used by most people.  That gives more viewing space for the content.  I’ll wait and see.

A nice new bit takes advantage of the way people work with Windows 7.  You can grab a tab, apparently, and drag it to a location where the shortcut can be tabbed.  Lots of people do this with programs so they can be quickly launched.  We’re moving to browser based SaaS so this makes sense.

Something very cool was demonstrated by MS Ireland’s DPE, Martha Rotter, at our user group event last week.  IE9 can use a graphics card in a client machine to process graphics.  You can see this in action using the test drive website.

Stuck on XP?  Sorry folks, MS aren’t exactly going to be developing much (if anything) new for you folks anymore.  You’ll need Vista or Windows 7 for IE9.

I’m hoping to download and install IE9 on my Windows 7 netbook today.

P2V Migration for Software Assurance

This just appeared in my inbox, regarding a new beta available on Connect:

“P2V Migration for Software Assurance uses the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit and Sysinternals Disk2VHD to convert a user’s existing Windows XP or newer client environment to a virtual hard disk then automates the delivery of an updated and personalized Windows 7 operating system containing a virtual machine with the user’s previous Windows environment, applications and Web browser. The user’s previous virtual desktop retains its existing management components, domain membership and policies. The process also publishes applications and the browser for the user to access them seamlessly within Windows 7’s start menu.

Help Reduce Windows 7 Deployment Times: The ability to perform P2V conversion of Windows XP or newer 32-bit systems as part of Windows 7 and/or 64-bit deployment means that IT organizations do not need to wait as long to get value from Windows 7. IT organizations will deliver the new Windows 7 operating system builds while preserving the old environments of a limited set of users that would otherwise delay production deployment.
Extend the Timeframe to Mitigate Application Compatibility: Using this solution, targeted users can have access to their previous set of applications, just in case something was not provisioned as part of the Windows 7 deployment. Accessing previous applications is also easy for end users, as those applications are published to the Windows 7 start menu.

Users can Access Incompatible Legacy OS Applications: Using this solution, targeted users can have access to their previous set of applications, just in case something was not provisioned as part of the Windows 7 deployment. Accessing previous applications is also easy for end users, as those applications are published to the Windows 7 start menu”.

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.6

Microsoft released a new version of ACT, 5.6, last week.  ACT will provide you with the tools to help “fool” incompatible applications into working on Windows Vista or Windows 7.

When doing an upgrade, you’ll identify those applications that won’t work on your new OS.  You would try to either fix the application or get a new version that won’t work. Maybe you’ll try to find an alternative application.  If that’s not possible (no budget, vendor is gone, developer is gone, etc) then you would try to get the application working.  ACT works by providing shims that sit between the OS and the application.  For example, an application may not be UAC aware and you make it aware via a shim.  It might explicitly check for Windows XP so you use a shim to lie to the application about the version of the OS.  It is pretty cool stuff.

Companies Delaying on Windows 7 Will Face Staff Shortages

TechCentral has posted a story where Gartner is advising companies not to delay on the deployment of Windows 7.

Gartner says that “”We estimate that large and mid-size organisations worldwide will migrate approximately 250 million PCs to Windows 7” between 2011 and 2013.  They think this will drive up demand for OS deployment skills, not seen with Vista, and will lead to a shortage of those skills.  That will drive up staffing prices, and force laggards to hire lesser skilled people who will perform a lower quality job.

Nice timing!  It just so happens that my current (already!) writing project is centred in this space.  I’ll talk more about that later when I can.

Use Wim2VHD to Quickly Build a Lab Network

WIM2VHD has been around for quite a while now but I don’t know that many people realised what it could offer.  Mikael Nystrom (Server deployment MVP) has blogged a reminder.  You can use WIM2VHD to quickly create a VHD from a WIM file, e.g. the install.wim file in the Vista/Windows7/Server 2008/Server 2008 R2 installation media, and then attach that VHD to a Hyper-V virtual machine.  This is a quicker way to build a set of lab machines than doing an installation, e.g. WDS, MDT, sneakernet, etc, if you don’t have a set of library images (VMM).  I’ve been guilty of not doing this … reminder to self: use WIM2VHD in the future when I need to build a lab template.  Mikael has the notes you’ll need to do the job in his blog post.

Analysis: Windows 8 Wish List of Features and Functions

I’ve just read an IDG article on the Reuters website where there is some wishing on what would appear in Windows 8.

“I really hate seeing that a copy will take 13 minutes, no four hours, no 25 minutes, etc., etc.”

Agreed.  The problem is that the copy time is a result, not just of the amount of data to copy, but of the physical storage media, network, removable media interfaces, contention, and fragmentation.  It’s impossible to accurately predict the time it will require.  But I still want some sort of clue rather than an empty copy status box.

Features such as “map a network drive”, “uninstall or change a program” or “burn to DVD” are buried or keep getting moved around from one Windows version to the next.

I 100% agree with this.  Windows Explorer needs a complete reversal back to Windows XP.  Get rid of that annoying breadcrumb trail and give me back the actual path.  I should not have to click “just so” to see it or quickly type over it.  And fix the Folders pane on the left.  I want it to show where I currently am in the file system.  Stop hiding information from me and making my job more difficult.  Actually, let’s do an FRS on this: scrap Windows Explorer and start again (FRS -> DFS-R).

I attended a focus group event on Windows 7 and I wasn’t alone in this sentiment about Windows Explorer.  Pretty != better.

“An important feature I would like to see is simply a timely release of the next version”

I completely disagree.  That’s the sort of attitude a salesman or marketing person will have.  We techies would rather have the product released when it is right.  Give the devs and testers a chance to finish the job (while keeping the objectives ata  reasonable level).  Let’s compare two products:

  • Windows Server 2003: It took its time coming out.  It was ready when it did.  It pretty much had widespread acceptance.
  • Exchange 2007: We were back in the bad old days of SP1 fixing it.  I’ve heard some comment that Exchange is still in that quagmire: SP1 is fixing Exchange 2010.

The “wait for SP1” syndrome helps no one.

Use Roles in Windows 8

The idea here is that a machine could be better tuned for the device or environment.  I don’t know that MS can do with Windows 8 or not.  But I love the idea.  A very modular version of Windows where roles/features (like in Windows Server 2008/R2) would be enabled/disabled depending on the product edition that was licensed would be great for businesses, end users, and MS.  Think about it: a netbook, tablet, slate, or workstation could all be based on the same image but be tuned according to an answer file.  Unwanted components could be disabled manually.  New components could be added manually.  Mobile devices could start up in seconds if tuned correctly, depending on the hardware.  Kiosks could be locked down, not (just) by policy but by what is installed.  I like this.

“An interesting side effect of adding roles might be faster start-up times,”

Anyone with a mobile device wants faster startup times.  It reduces the battery and it reduces the amount of time it takes to quickly check that email, check those directions on a map, make a note, etc.  Ideally you want the process of waking up a mobile device to be as easy and as quick as opening up a notebook (paper, not computer).

Integrate Windows Phone 7 UI

The idea here is to use the touch interface that you are familiar with on the newest generation of smartphones.  Hmmm, this seems like it would be a nice-to-have.  I can definitely see it being useful for kiosk/appliance types of installations and media centres but little else.

Windows error messages are often cryptic, showing hexadecimal error code such as 0xe0000100.  “You end up having to put code in a search engine to find out what the problem is.  If you can’t explain in an error message what went wrong and clearly indicate what to do about it, then you shouldn’t have an error message.”

Sorry; I cannot agree with this one.  I would rather get a cryptic message than not be told there is a fault.  At least I can search for the reason behind a cryptic message.

Here is what I do want: I want the links in Evenrt Viewer to actually lead to a page that is useful, e.g. the support page where the search eventually leads you to.  I expect this will not happen because it hasn’t happened since the links started appearing many versions ago.

More Powerful Power Management

The commentator spends more time talking about startup times than actual power management.  I have to say, a Windows 7 machine does wake up from hibernation pretty quickly when it’s a clean installation.  My netbook suffers because of the Live Mesh beta (a process called MOE.EXE).  I reckon AV scanning of files doesn’t help either.

For real power management, I think we do have a good solution now.  I wouldn’t be surprised if MS squeezes out a few more minutes here and there out of a laptop battery in Windows 8.  Windows 7 gives me more than Vista did.  BTW, MS’s corporate power management solution is System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 (or later) or Group Policy.

Windows User Group Ireland, September 10th 2010

The Windows User Group is back with a day-long event featuring updates on the latest in Microsoft IT infrastructure. Join us on Friday, September 10th in the Microsoft Auditorium in Leopardstown to hear expert speakers talking about Windows Server, virtualization, Exchange, unified messaging, and System Center for the small/medium enterprise. This day will give you valuable information that will educate you on what benefits new technologies from Microsoft will bring to your business.

The agenda is

Start

Finish

Session

Speaker

08:45

09:15

Registration

09:15

10:45

Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX

Aidan Finn (MVP), System Dynamics

10:45

11:00

Break

11:00

12:30

Service Pack 1 for Exchange 2010

Nathan Winters (MVP), Grey Convergence

12:30

13:15

Lunch

13:15

14:45

Communications Server 14

John McCabe (MVP), CDSoft Limited

14:45

15:00

Break

15:00

16:30

System Center Essentials 2010: Enterprise Management for the SME Customer

Wilbour Craddock, Microsoft

You can register and attend the event for free.

Date: Friday, September 10th, 2010

Location: EPDC-2, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18

Registration: 08:45 to 09:15 with a strict start time of 09:15

The detailed agenda and speakers’ bios are as follows:

Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX (90 Minutes – 09:15 until 10:45)

Speaker: Aidan Finn (MVP: Virtual Machine), Infrastructure Team Lead with System Dynamics

Webcast: LiveMeeting

Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is around the corner. It introduces some new features that will be of huge interest to anyone that is interested in Hyper-V or Remote Desktop Services (including Citrix software). Memory is often the main constraint in virtual machine to host density. Dynamic IT provides a new mechanism for configuring virtual machines with a variable amount of memory. Aidan will discuss what over commitment is and how it is bad. He’ll then introduces you to the mechanics behind Dynamic Memory and show it in action. Aidan will also introduce you to RemoteFX. This is a new solution to provide high quality graphics, such as 1080p video, to Remote Desktop clients. This will be used in Remote Desktop Services and compatible Citrix solutions.

About Aidan Finn:

Aidan is the Infrastructure Team Lead with System Dynamics, a consulting services company located in Dublin that provides IT infrastructure and business intelligence expertise. He has been working in IT since 1996 and has specialised in working with Microsoft infrastructure solutions including Server, desktop, System Center and virtualisation. Aidan is an MCSE and a Microsoft Valuable Professional with an expertise in virtualization. Aidan co-wrote Mastering Windows Server 2008 R2 (Sybex), is the lead author of Mastering Hyper-V Deployment (Sybex), and is contributing to Mastering Windows 7 Deployment (Sybex). You can find his blog at https://aidanfinn.com.

Service Pack 1 for Exchange 2010 (90 Minutes – 11:00 until 12:30)

Speaker: Nathan Winters (MVP: Exchange), Unified Communications Lead with Grey Convergence

Webcast: LiveMeeting

Exchange 2010 SP1 was announced at TechEd US 2010 and contains some exciting enhancements to Exchange 2010. This session will first set the context for these new features and then walk you through what is now possible:

· Reminder of the Exchange 2010 core tenets

· An update on where Microsoft is with Exchange Online

· Introduction to the Feature Enhancements of Exchange 2010 SP1 such as:

· The New Exchange Control Panel Management UI

· Improved High Availability and Disaster Recovery functionality

· Improved Outlook Web App UI and Performance

· Better Mobile Device Experience

· New Information Protection and Control

Ø Personal Archive Enhancements

Ø Retention Policy Management Enhancements

Ø Multi-Mailbox Search Enhancements

· Demo

· Questions & Answers

About Nathan Winters:

Nathan Winters is the unified communications lead at Grey Convergence, a specialist Microsoft partner for unified communications and collaboration. Nathan has been working in IT for eight years and specializes in unified communications with a focus on Microsoft Exchange and Office Communications Server. Nathan has consulted at numerous Fortune 100 companies across a variety of vertical markets.

In 2006, Nathan founded the Microsoft Messaging and Mobility User Group UK, which holds regular meetings in the UK to discuss topics related to Exchange. In 2007, Nathan was named an MVP (Exchange Server) for his work with MMMUG and his regular contributions to the Mark Minasi Forum, and he has received the same honour each year since.

Nathan’s articles have been published on leading websites and magazines, including Windows IT Pro Magazine, MSExchange.org, Simple-Talk.com, Microsoft (TechNet Industry Insiders), and the MMMUG website.

You can contact Nathan at nathan@clarinathan.co.uk or through his blog at http://www.nathanwinters.co.uk

Communications Server 14 (90 Minutes – 13:15 until 14:45)

Speaker: John McCabe (MVP: Unified Communications), Technical Consultant with CDSoft

Webcast: LiveMeeting

Communications Server 2010 (Wave 14) is Microsoft’s Next Generation Unified Communications Platform. It brings many new features including a completely new UI. John will bring you through the main features and some of the new supported scenarios available in this platform and discuss how you can even use it now to replace your PBX! This really will be a serious contender for businesses of all sizes.

About John McCabe:

John currently works as a Technical Consultant for CDSoft Limited providing solutions to the Irish Market Place across multiple industries. John has over 12 years in the IT Industry ranging different disciplines from security, networks and of course Microsoft Infrastructure. John has attained MCITP/MCTS/MCP in various tracks as well as a multiple other professional certifications. John was awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in October 2009 for extensive community work and promoting the Microsoft Product Group.

System Center Essentials 2010: Enterprise Management for the SME Customer (90 Minutes – 15:00 until 16:30)

Speaker: Wilbour Craddock, Partner Technical Specialist, Microsoft

Webcast: LiveMeeting

The aim of this session is to provide a technical overview of the key capabilities of SCE 2010, and how it provides an integrated management solution for SMB customers, from hardware right through to the virtual OS’s running on Hyper-V and applications/services in these VM’s. Attendees will gain valuable information around differentiating SCE with the other System Center technologies, which form part of the Server Management Suites, from both a technical, and pricing perspective. We’ll also cover DPM 2010; part of the new SCE Plus SKU, and how it provides a centralized, powerful SMB-friendly application protection and DR solution, protecting both virtualized servers, application workloads, and desktop data.

To help attendees understand the solutions better, we’ll be constructing a customer scenario to provide a complete solution that can be adapted for specific customer and partner engagements. This solution will include both licensing, and pricing information, to give a better idea of the overall solution cost, and ROI. We’ll focus on delivering a demo of this scenario, concentrating particularly on the virtualization management, PRO functionality, hardware integration, and overall management of the environment.

About Wilbour Craddock:

Wilbour is a former Windows Server MVP and Canadian User Group lead now working for Microsoft Ireland in the Partner Team and frequent speaker on the TechNet Ireland tours. Wilbour’s background is not that dissimilar from most IT Professionals, having started on a help desk and progressed through system administration to leadership roles in government organizations serving as a solutions architect overseeing development and deployment teams and helping set long-term IT strategies. He blogs with the TechNet Ireland team on the IEITPro blog.