http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc164350(EXCHG.80).aspx
Add-ADPermission -Identity <name of distribution group> -User <name of user> -AccessRights WriteProperty -Properties "Member"
Configure Terminal Server/Remote Desktop Services Load Balancing/Failover with TS Session Broker Using DNS
Install the TS Session Broker role service:
Must be 2008. Can be installed on a TS Server but would be better on a Server that is not running TS. Can also be installed on a DC.
Backing Up vCenter SQL 2005 Express Database
Download SQLScheduler from here or here
Follow the instructions from ntpro.nl to configure the backup process or the steps below.
Extract the zip file to a folder SQLMaintenance – SQLScheduler_LatestVersion – Service.
Run – InstallService.bat to install the Windows Service.
Create a shortcut from SQLMaintenance – SQLScheduler_LatestVersion – SQLScheduler – SQLScheduler.exe to the desktop.
Run SQLScheduler.exe
Right click Servers – Select New Server…
Schedule a Server/Workstation Reboot
Create a batch file and add this command: at 1:00 cmd /c shutdown /r /f /t 120
Deploy BGInfo with a Group Policy and WMI Filter
Create a new WMI Filter from the Group Policy Management Console.
Add a new filter using Namespace root\CIMv2
Select * from Win32_OperatingSystem Where Caption Like "%Windows% %Server%”
Test the WMI filter – Example: wmic path Win32_OperatingSystem Where Caption Like "%Windows% %Server% get Caption
Create a new batch file in the netlogon folder and save the file.
@ECHO OFF
REM * Deploy and Config BGINFO *
if exist %systemroot%\bginfo.exe goto tools
copy "\\DOMAINNAME\netlogon\bginfo\BGINFO.EXE" %SYSTEMROOT% /Y
:tools
start %SYSTEMROOT%\bginfo.exe /i"\\DOMAINNAME\netlogon\bginfo\bginfo.bgi" /timer:0 /silent /NOLICPROMPT
Copy BGINFO.EXE to a folder named BGINFO on the NETLOGON share.
Save the BGInfo.bgi config to the same folder.
Create a new GPO for a User Logon Script and point to the batch file created above and use the WMI Filter on this GPO.
How to Power off an unresponsive virtual machine
SSH or PowerCLI to the ESX host with the unresponsive VM
vmware-cmd -l (List current VMs)
Copy the path for the VM that will not power off
vmware-cmd "(VM path)" getstate
Example:
vmware-cmd "/vmfs/volumes/…../Windows 2003/Windows 2003.vmx" getstate
Output will be: getstate – on
Power off the VM
vmware-cmd "(VM path)" stop
Example:
vmware-cmd "/vmfs/volumes/…../Windows 2003/Windows 2003.vmx" stop
Verify if the VM powered off
vmware-cmd "(VM path)" getstate
If the VM is still on it will need to be hard stopped.
vmware-cmd "(VM path)" stop hard
Clear Dell PowerEdge NVRAM from the BIOS
Boot the server – Press <F2> to enter BIOS
Activate/Press – <Scroll Lock>, <Caps Lock>, and <Num Lock>
Press <Alt><E>
Build a 2003 Template
1) Download the latest version of sysprep for Windows 2003 from Microsoft or from Deploy.cab on the Windows 2003 CD under the Support folder.
2) Copy the extracted sysprep files to the Virtual Center server.
Place the files in this location:
For 2003 – C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003 or For 2008 – C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep
This location is specific to the 2003 version of Windows.
3) Install Windows 2003 as a guest OS in VMware
Apply latest Service Pack
Install latest updates from Microsoft
Install VMWare Tools
Custom install
Install all VMware Device Drivers
Do not install Share Folders
Do no install Wyse Multimedia Support
Use DHCP to obtain IP Address
Delete all ServicePack and Hotfix uninstall directories from %systemroot%.
They are usually $NTUnistallxxxxxx$ and $NTServicePackUninstall$
Disable Windows Screensaver
Enable Remote Desktop for administration
Remove IE Security Enhancements
Tasks that cannot be done because of Sysprep
The follow items have been found to be undone by sysprep
Changing drive letters for CDRom, secondary HD, etc
Renaming or customizing Network Connections
Notes:
Windows 2003 R2: Use the same customization specification for this OS as your regular Windows 2003. Do not use the Windows 2003 R2 license key in the customization specification.
Align Windows Disks:
(Use this on additional disk drives added to VMs. Does not apply to 2008 or above)
From a command prompt:
CMD>diskpart
DISKPART> list disk (disks should be listed)
DISKPART> select disk # (This selects the disk drive)
DISKPART> list partition (This step should result in a message stating “There are no partitions on this disk to show.” This message confirms the disk is blank)
DISKPART> create partition primary align=64
Format the disk
vCenter on Server 2008 – Sysprep file locations
On Windows 2008 this location is now in C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep
Find Your Exchange 2010 Version
From the Exchange Blog
So I just installed RU1 on my brand new Exchange 2010 server and then I issue a Get-Exchangeserver -Identity MyExchangeServer and get the following output for AdminsDisplayVersion and ExchangeVersion:
Ok that looks a little familiar for some reason. I go to my Exchange 2010 RTM server and issue the same CMDlet and get:
…The same result! But one server has RU1 installed and the other is RTM. Shouldn’t I get a different version number back?
Well… no. Exchange 2007 and forward do not reflect the version number either in the value for AdminDisplayVersion, ExchangeVersion, or at this registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\v8.0\<Role>\ConfiguredVersion as influenced by roll ups. This is a common misconception.
The most conclusive way to get the version of your exchange server, rollup and all, is to check the file version of ExSetup.exe in the BIN folder.
Here is Exchange 2010 RU1 version:
And here is Exchange 2010 RTM:
Another way of getting this information is to run the following PowerShell one-liner:
GCM exsetup |%{$_.Fileversioninfo}
The below output is from an exchange 2010 server running RU1:
Here is an exchange 2010 RTM server:
You can then correlate the version number you find with those listed here, here or on the actual rollup update download pages.