November 2004 - Posts
Well we have been here for just over 7 years and now it's time to move on. So, trying to packing and move stuff into storage, as we have not found a new pad yet. Yup you guessed it moving in with the outlaws
Only problem with that is they dint have an Internet connector or Sky TV :-|
Any how, blog posting maybe a bit sparse for the next few weeks while we pack up our house and get it into storage.
If I have time I'll blog the experience, as we have found some interesting things on our way
Humm
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=51E6EF23-0BA3-4F55-BFC0-7727DD1E74E8&displaylang=en
The Solution Accelerator for Exchange Consolidation and Migration helps you accelerate the design, planning, and deployment of Exchange Server 2003 messaging systems deployed as upgrades to, or replacements for, your existing Exchange Server 5.5 or Exchange 2000 Server messaging systems. Business agility and efficiency depend on messaging systems deployed by organizational IT operations; to deliver the required functionality, IT operations themselves must be able to quickly adapt to changing business requirements, then implement secure, efficient solutions to meet these requirements. These solutions require not only great technologies, but also efficient and effective operations with all application and system services driven by mature processes and delivered to the business at an acceptable cost.
Needed this today and thought I would share it ;-)
Windows Server 2003 Supported Upgrade Paths
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/whyupgrade/supportedpaths.mspx
Found this post from Dana and thought I should share it ... Like the website with all the default password :-o. Also kinda topical if you saw Spooks on BBC 1 on Monday!
Source: http://silverstr.ufies.org/blog/archives/000746.html
I have never been a supporter of default passwords in a 'manufactured shipping state' piece of hardware. Why? Because most people are either to lazy to change it, or don't even know you need to.
I saw this and thought it deserved sharing
Source: http://seanda.blogspot.com/2004/11/understanding-volume-snap-shot.html
Lots of people have asked, so here the short overview on how it works.
Source: http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/#00000365
This is the problem: Spamming works. Spammers make good money out of it.
Which mean spammers can invest into their operations - making the problem worse.
One of the few spammers ever sentenced, Mr. Jeremy Jaynes (aka Gaven Stubberfield) is a good example on how well this works. This spammer from North Carolina was making excellent money by sending out up to 20 million spam emails a day. Only few hundred of those would actually lead to a sale (reply rate would be just fractions of a percent). However, even that would be enough to create him an income of up to $750,000 a month.
Eventually, Mr. Jaynes built a fortune worth as much as $24 million - including several cars and several houses, with one mansion having 16 separate T-1 data lines connected to it to provide spamming bandwith.
The good news is Mr. Jaynes was arrested, charged and convicted. He's now serving nine years in a jail, which is in fact a surprisingly long sentence. His defense attorney argued that the prosecutors never proved the e-mail Jaynes sent was unsolicited.
The bad news is that there are hundreds of other spammers more than happy to jump in on this lucrative business.
We here at F-Secure also have evidence which would suggest that some spammers have succesfully recruited individual employees from anti-spam software developers. Which is like a plot from a bad sci-fi movie - 'come to the dark side - we'll double your salary'.
People who design antispam software would be the best experts to figure out how to make spam messages get through antispam filters. Spammers are also known to hire linguistics to assist them in developing spam emails that better evade antispam traps.
Such trends are disturbing, of course. What's next? Virus writers hiring anti-virus researchers?
Humm, this could be interesting
Source: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1731118,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532
In the '80s and most of the '90s, Novell ruled the roost for PC network operating systems. In fact, a term was coined, NOS (network operating system) to describe Novell's flagship product. But the Redmond juggernaut eventually overcame Novell's efforts. Novell shops still exist, but they're getting to be few and far between.
As Microsoft consolidated its gain in servers, Novell's Linux began to make inroads on what had seemed to be secure territory. Even larger companies like IBM and HP offer Linux-based servers today. Meanwhile, Novell's purchase of Suse and Ximian, both leading Linux vendors, has opened up new doors for the company. With the release of Novell Linux Desktop (NLD), Novell's acquisitions have already begun bearing fruit. We take a closer look at NLD in this review and we consider whether or not it has a place on the desktops of non-corporate users.
Doh!
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2207229.stm
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has climbed back to the top of the games charts, after being knocked off the top spot for one week by Halo 2.
Sci-fi shooter Halo 2 - released on 11 November - has now been pushed down to fourth in its second chart week.
November's other mammoth release, Half-Life 2, has taken third, behind new entry Need for Speed: Underground 2.
The official games charts are compiled by the UK's Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association
Microsoft has better watch out
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4037833.stm
The proportion of surfers using Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) has dropped to below 90%, say web analysts.
Net traffic monitor, OneStat.com, has reported that the open-source browser Firefox 1.0, released on 9 November, seems to be drawing users away from IE.
While IE's market share has dropped 5% since May to 88.9%, Mozilla browsers - including Firefox - have grown by 5%.
Cool article and easy to follow .. even I managed it!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/virtualserver/deploy/cvs2005.mspx
Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 enables use of virtual machines for sophisticated computing configurations like clustering. Clustering is valuable to businesses as it provides high availability for mission critical business applications and computing processes. Using virtual machines to cluster server computers has the added advantage of allowing a server to take advantage of its full computing power by running multiple virtual machines on a single hardware device, thus providing redundancy without requiring the quantity of computer hardware and associated cost that could be required for conventional clustering configurations. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for creating and configuring a typical, single quorum device, two-node server cluster. The configuration uses a shared disk on servers with Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 Enterprise Edition installed in virtual machines on Microsoft Virtual Server 2005.
A little update to tell you much easier it is now ;-)
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=841652
This article describes how to configure a managed remote procedure call (RPC) over HTTP topology on computers that are running Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1). After you configure an RPC over HTTP topology, you can use Exchange System Manager to designate computers that are running Exchange 2003 with SP1 as front-end servers or as back-end servers for RPC over HTTP.
What, something Free ... yeah but only to Genuine Microsoft Software Users!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/offers/details.aspx?displaylang=en&OfferId=7AC8A932-68A5-4147-B303-9C3456DAE568
Breathe life into your digital photos by adding music, narration, motion, and more
Sean blogged this and it just rocks!
Source: http://seanda.blogspot.com/2004/11/dont-just-use-outlook-conquer-it.html
Outlook 2003 does so many tiny things to aid your productivity. I wanted to share with you a few tips that I use to move around Outlook (which is really the application I spend the majority of my time in).
Interesting article!
Source: http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Designing-Active-Directory-Exchange-2003-Best-Practices-Analyzer.html
A lot of companies are willing to implement Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 as their primary messaging and collaboration system. And therefore these companies need an Active Directory implementation. The question then often is: What’s the best way to design an Active Directory environment for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003? Within this article we will try to delve a little bit deeper in this designing process itself and will have a look at the best practices for implementation.
Didn't know that - suppose Microsoft TV isn't really available in Europe
Source: http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/quotes_news.asp?cpath=20041108\ACQPRN200411081530PR_NEWS_B_NWT_SF_SFM066.htm&symbol=MSFT&selected=MSFT&kind=&mode=stock&formtype=&mkttype=&pathname=&page=news
SEATTLE and REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Comcast Cable and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that the country's leading cable operator plans to begin deployment of Microsoft(R) TV Foundation Edition software in Washington state on Nov. 15. The launch of Microsoft TV Foundation Edition in Washington will support the advanced digital cable services that Comcast offers to more than 1 million cable customers. Today marks the first major U.S. deployment of Foundation Edition and Comcast's launch of dual-tuner digital video recording (DVR) services in Washington.
With the launch of dual-tuner DVRs supported by Foundation Edition, Comcast customers can enjoy the ultimate control of their home entertainment experience by recording their favorite programs digitally. They also can pause and rewind live television broadcasts, build a customized list of recordings by using the DVR's repeat-recording capability to record multiple episodes of favorite shows, and record high-definition television programming.
Wonder if they will have wings?
Source: http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=31584
This is how the new Red Bull Racing cars will look when they start testing later this month.
The Austrian energy drinks company completed their takeover of Jaguar on Monday and have wasted no time in stamping their identity on the team.
I know that a lot of people have been looking for this feature for ages
Source: http://www.slipstreamsolutions.co.uk/products/mGALSync.htm
Automatically synchronize your Outlook GAL to your Pocket PC!
mGALSync allows you to synchronize your Outlook Global Address List (GAL) to the Contacts folder on your Pocket PC device. Benefits include:
- Filtering by Company / City / Department / State / Office / Country / Manager to support GALs with many entries.
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Contact details include all standard Microsoft Exchange Server fields, including: Name, Job title, Department, Phone numbers, Email address, Notes and many more.
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Contact details are stored in your Pocket Contacts database.
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Email addresses are displayed using SMTP format not X400.
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Distribution Lists and Custom Recipients are also Sync'ed.
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GAL Contacts can either by Sync'ed direct to Pocket Contacts on your Pocket PC, or into your Outlook Contacts folder for Sync'ing via ActiveSync.
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GAL Contacts are added to a new 'GAL' Category, making them easier to manage.
It looks like a load of "self help" stuff coming out from Microsoft at the moment for exchange! Here is another one!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/wontmount.mspx
When one of your Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server stores won’t mount, users cannot access data and mailflow is interrupted. This article will help you investigate a situation where you have an unmounted store that you need to get up and running. For more information about Exchange stores, see the Working with the Exchange Server 2003 Store guide (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=33049).
By answering the questions posed here, you can begin to isolate the problem so that you can investigate further, using Microsoft Knowledge Base articles, newsgroups, and third-party sources, or with the help of Microsoft Product Support Services.
As with any troubleshooting situation, begin by eliminating as many variables as possible and check the event log for any clues about the failure. Then, use the rest of this article to investigate some of the more common causes of stores that won't mount. If you only have one store on your server, work through both of the following sections. If you have multiple stores and some mount and some don't, you can skip to the section "The Problem is Affecting a Limited Number of Stores."
This is damm cool - better go and print it out now!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/drchecklist.mspx
The following checklist helps you to prepare for disaster recovery. For detailed disaster recovery planning information, see the Exchange Server 2003 Disaster Recovery Planning Guide (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=21277). For specific step-by-step procedures for backing up and restoring Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 using the Windows Backup tool, see the Exchange Server 2003 Disaster Recovery Operations Guide (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=30250).
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;883408
A new feature in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 lets you start multiple instances of the Migration Wizard on the same computer. By using several accounts and control files, you provide automatic input to the different instances of the Migration Wizard program.
This article describes steps to use the multiple instances feature of the Migration Wizard when you are migrating mailboxes from an Exchange Server 5.5 organization to an Exchange Server 2003 organization. This feature may speed up the migration of mailboxes to Exchange Server 2003.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=BC1881C7-925D-4A29-BD42-71E8563C80A9&displaylang=en
SmtpDiag is a troubleshooting tool designed to work directly on a Windows server with IIS/SMTP service enabled or with Exchange Server installed. It utilizes the same APIs as Windows and Exchange in order to diagnose configuration and connection issues involving SMTP and DNS.
This is a must read doc <as long as you have the time>! You get a >3mb 139 page word doc
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=A58F49C5-1190-4FBF-AEDE-007A8F366B0E&displaylang=en
Originally posted May 2004. Reposted June 9, 2004. See Additional Information for details. This guide explains how to back up and restore the critical data in your Exchange organization.
This guide explains how to back up and restore the critical data in your Exchange organization. It covers how to use the backup utility in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (Backup), how to back up Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, and how to restore Exchange Server 2003. This guide explains how to perform backup and restore procedures so that you can prepare for (back up) and recover from (restore) a failure that causes some or all of your data to become unavailable. This guide is intended for information technology (IT) professionals who perform backup and restore procedures or who write customized backup and restore procedures for their organization.
Now this is a damm good idea
Source: http://www.sitecom.com/index.php?prod_id=308&grp_id=1
This USB On-The-Go-Copy Box provides you with a very simple way of copying data between USB devices without having to use a PC. This makes it possible, for example, to copy data from a digital camera to a memory card or hard disc from any location with a single press of a button.
WHAT!? ... domain controllers running in virtual machines can also be used in a production environment
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=64db845d-f7a3-4209-8ed2-e261a117fc6b&displaylang=en
On servers running Windows Server 2003 and Virtual Server 2005, you can install multiple domain controllers in separate virtual machines. This platform is well suited for test environments. With strict adherence to requirements described in this paper, domain controller virtual machines can also be used in production.
This is a 21 page word document that explains the requirements and conditions for running domain controllers in Virtual Server 2005 virtual machines
Check this out - and it runs WinXP Pro!
Source: http://www.flipstartpc.com/default.asp
- Microsoft® Windows® XP Home/Professional operating system
- Dimensions: 5.8" x 4" x 1" (148mm x 101mm x 26mm) Weighs 1lb (450g)
- 1 GHz processor
- 256MB system RAM
- 30GB internal hard drive
- 3D graphics w/ 8MB video RAM
- Full-function, QWERTY thumb keyboard w/ hotkeys for commonly used commands
- 5.6" HDTV-quality display (1024 x 600)
- Lithium-ion Polymer battery (2-6 hours battery life*)
- Integrated 802.11b (11 Mbps) /g (54 Mbps) Wi-Fi
- USB 2.0 port
- Internal microphone/speaker with headphones and ear bud jacks
- Integrated 1.3MP digital camera
Is nothing safe from Virus Writers!
Source: http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/#00000360
We've received a new trojan that affects the popular new phones running Symbian Series 60 .
SymbOS/Skulls is a malicious SIS file that installs copies of Symbian system components on the C: drive of the device, and includes corrupted AIF (Symbian application info and icon file) for each file.
These installed System files then override the ROM versions in the start order, and prevent any of the symbian system tools being used.
This trojan has been distributed on some Symbian shareware download sites as "Extended Theme Manager" by "Tee-222". If you see it, don't install it on your phone. It will make the smartphone features of your phone useless, so you can still make calls with the phone but that's it, no messages, no web, no applications. Recovery could get tricky, especially if you don't have a third-party file manager software already installed on your phone.
Interesting
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=240080B4-986E-4AFB-AB21-3AF2BE63508B&displaylang=en
This download will enable you to send SMS text messages through most GSM mobile phones connected to your PC using Outlook 2003.
You can enter your SMS text within a Outlook-type entry form and have it sent to your mobile phone for delivery through your mobile phone network service. There is no requirement to install third-party software or to subscribe to additional mobile network services if your mobile phone can be connected to your PC. This is typically via an infrared connection, Bluetooth technology, or a USB/serial cable.
The SMS messages can be saved as a draft, grouped, and forwarded like standard Outlook 2003 e-mail.
Go get it NOW!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4F2F1339-CBCD-4D26-9174-F30C10D7EC4C&displaylang=en
1.6.0.1 - Introduced over 30 new rules covering the following areas: Content Indexing, LeakDiag, Active Directory Connector, deleted objects, PAE extensions, Simpler-Webb ERM, large databases, and server name mismatches. This version also correctly detects and skips failed Exchange cluster nodes.
The update contains two folder EN and JA with 3 files in EN eula.rtf, ExBPA.chm and ExBPAConfig.xml. You should extract the contents into the folder that ExBPA was installed into which is typically C:\Program Files\ExBPA
So the time has come then .. but i don't see many people rushing out to buy DVD recorders :-|
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4031223.stm
The death of the video cassette recorder appears to be in sight after the UK's largest electrical chain said it is to stop selling them. P>
Dixons will phase out VCRs due to the boom in DVD players, sales of which have grown seven-fold in five years.
Humm, maybe not the most interesting two page word document you will ever read :-|
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=010e3a9f-1040-4edf-bd5a-7cd87dc5945b&displaylang=en
Microsoft corporate information at a glance.
I have been slowly catching up with LCS, so here are some resources and downloads that I have found so far:
This is a good looking LCS blog: http://tomllcskid.blogspot.com/
Live Communications Server 2005 Document: Active Directory Preparation Guide
This document guides you through the process of preparing Active Directory for Live Communications Server 2005. The Live Communications Server 2005 Active Directory process extends the Active Directory schema and creates the necessary objects, groups and permissions required to deploy and operate Live Communications Server 2005.
Live Communications Server 2005 Document: Business Value of Presence
This document describes the business value of presence within an organization and how this vital information has been integrated into the programs used by most information workers.
Live Communications Server 2005 Document: Active Directory Schema Extensions
This download contains the Live Communications Server 2005 XML Schema used to extend the Microsoft Active Directory directory service
Live Communications Server 2005 Document: Feature Guide
This document provides an overview of the features in Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 and the features found in Microsoft Windows Messenger and Microsoft Office System programs, such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003.
Live Communications Server 2005 Standard Edition Document: Deployment Guide
This document guides you through the deployment of a Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 Standard Edition.
Live Communications Server 2005 Enterprise Edition Trial Version
Live Communications Server 2005 Standard Edition Trial Version
Live Communications Server 2005 Standard Edition improves business efficiencies by enabling information workers to find and communicate with people in real time, through a security enhanced, enterprise-grade, integrated environment.
Humm, can't find much else about this, except the download location
Download it from http://www.google.ie/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/%3FLinkId%3D38060&e=9901
Today’s information workers depend on computers and networks to perform many of their job duties. In the past, IT departments have focused on helping you become more productive and providing easier access to the data and network resources you need. As business networks have become more complex and interconnected, a new priority has emerged: securing the computer systems you use and the information that is stored on them and on the network.
....
This document provides, in plain language, the needed background information on how computer networks work and the specific security risks they face. It also provides real-world actions you can take to better secure your own computer and help preserve the security of the network as a whole. This document focuses on the needs of information workers whose computers are an integral part of their job duties, but who are not trained as technology professionals. If you use a computer that connects to a business network — either on-site or remotely — and connects to the Internet, this handbook is for you.
.. and it really does Rock. Wanna beat me up, my online gametag is flaphead
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3990201.stm
Halo was the game that anyone with an Xbox had to have. Widely acclaimed when it come out in 2001, it went on to sell more than five million copies worldwide.
It was one of those games that took on a life beyond the confines of the console, spawning a legion of devoted disciples.
Three years on, with expectations at fever pitch, the pressure is on game developers Bungie to deliver a masterpiece.
Fortunately Halo 2 largely lives up to the hype. Bungie has taken all that was great about the original and gone one better, to produce a polished and accomplished first-person shooter.
Cool!
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4018117.stm
Nasa has flown an unmanned experimental jet to a speed that preliminary data suggested was just short of 10 times the speed of sound - a record.
The X-43A - a supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) - made the run over a naval test range in the Pacific Ocean.
The 3.7m-long vehicle had already set a world best for an "air breathing" jet of Mach 6.83 - nearly seven times the speed of sound - on a flight in March.
The latest feat is the culmination of decades of work by many researchers.
Mach 10 is in the region of 11,000km/h or 6,800mph for the altitude at which the X-43A was being flown (33km or 111,000ft). The vehicle performed "flawlessly".
Source: http://isatools.org/
ISAInfo for ISA 2004
11/09/04
1.0.2161.3
Jim Harrison
Scans ISA 2004 to collect important data about the server for troubleshooting
ISAInfo for ISA 2000
06/17/04
1.9.7
Jim Harrison
Scans ISA 2000 to collect important data about the server for troubleshooting
A few people have asked me about Always Up To Date, so I thought I would blog something for you all.
Always-Up-to-date Notification (AUTD) is a new feature in Exchange Server 2003 that provides a user with the ability to automatically synchronize the mobile device with the server as new items are received on the server. AUTD requires Pocket PC running Windows Mobile 2003 or a SmartPhone running Windows Mobile 2003.
UTD is a feature of ActiveSync that is installed with every Exchange 2003 server. An event is generated in a user’s exchange account when a new mail is received in any of the selected folders. This event results in an Short Message Service (SMS) notification being sent to the user’s device. The device synchronizes in the background using Server ActiveSync, so your data is updated to the most current information with no intervention on your part. The notification is sent as an SMS control message to the device. It is different from a regular SMS in that it does not appear as an SMS message in the inbox. The SMS router and ActiveSync on the device process the notification. The notification itself does not carry any sensitive data.
How Does it work?
When a user with a device running Windows Mobile 2003 synchronizes for the first time with an Exchange 2003 server that supports AUTD, there is a bubble (prompt) on the device to setup AUTD.
The PocketPc sends an
OPTIONS command during the sync and if the response contains the NOTIFY command, a bubble is shown. If the user is disabled for AUTD notifications, NOTIFY is not included in the response and therefore the bubble does not come up. If the device is cradled, the bubble is not triggered until the device is disconnected from the desktop.
When you setup AUTD on your PocketPc a store event bindings (This Exchange Store Event .dll is OmaSink.dll) is created in your mailbox on the folders that the user has specified for AUTD (By default this is your Inbox, Calendar. Bindings can be created in all email folders, calendar and contacts). After the first sync you will get the folder hierarchy, after which any mail folder can be selected for AUTD.
When a store event binding is created, a WirelessOnSave hidden message is saved in the folder and the folder is monitored for new items. Information about the user’s devices, folders that are setup for notifications and the device state information is stored in the user’s mailbox. If you choose No on the AUTD prompt, you can setup AUTD at a later stage by configuring the Schedule to “When new items arrive” and specifying the Device Address.
When a user with a device running Windows Mobile 2003 synchronizes for the first time If you did not see the above bubble, you will need to check that your device is enabled for AUTD. To do so, simply go to: Start ActiveSync Tools Options Mobile Schedule.
After Setup, when a message arrives in yourmailbox, the store event binding will trigger an event with the store event sink (OmaSink). The store event sink creates a new message in the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Pickup directory. The message is then processed by the Outlook Mobile Access Categorizer. The Outlook Mobile Access Categorizer modifies the message body and adds the users device address as the recipient. Exchange 2003 can then send the SMTP message to the appropriate carrier by using the standard routing mechanism. The carrier creates and sends a Short Messaging Service message to the device. The device synchronizes in the background. The user data is updated to the most current information with no intervention on their part.
The only other things you need to do are:
- Make sure your mobile device can receive SMTP SMS Text messages (You may need to pay for this)
- Your Exchange Org has a route to send these message to the internet
Troubleshooting
Two perfmon counter exist that will help you. Basically every time a event binding is activated these counters will increase
You can also enable diagnostic logging in Exchange System Manager, and this generates detailed events on what AUTD is doing
This looks good!
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=889539
This Support WebCast presents an update on new content about Microsoft® ActiveSync® troubleshooting and Always-up-to-date Notification configuration. The presentation will also include a brief discussion of Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Software Second Edition configuration.
This is a Level 200 session that will be presented by Will Duff and Vanitha Prabhakaran.
Will Duff is a support engineer for the Enterprise Business Applications group. He specializes in Exchange client/server integration within Product Support Services. As a content champion, he works closely with the technical writers and specialty teams for Exchange within Enterprise Business Applications and Escalation Services to maintain and creat content. Will has been with Microsoft for more than five years and has worked with MSN, with Windows/Internet Explorer Consumer Support, and with the Outlook team in both Consumer and Enterprise Support.
Vanitha Prabhakaran is a support escalation engineer with Enterprise Business Applications. She specializes in Exchange client/server integration within Product Support Services and has specialized in mobility issues for five years. In her current role, she works closely with the Product group to troubleshoot issues, to provide customer feedback to development, and to collaborate on new functionality for future releases. Vanitha holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Computer Science. She has been with Microsoft for more than eleven years.
This put a smile on my face
Could be handy
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=886623
When you use the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Backup or Restore Wizard to back up your server, you can save the backup files to a network share. This network share must be correctly configured for the Backup or Restore Wizard to successfully write the backup files.
MORE INFORMATION
To use the Backup or Restore Wizard to save backup files to a network share, the following conditions must be true:
- The Domain Admins security group must have Full Control permissions on the network share and on the NTFS file system where the backup files are saved.
- The network share computer must be a member of the Small Business Server domain.
Note When you configure a backup job, the Small Business Server Backup or Restore Wizard displays a dialog box that notifies you what permissions must be configured on the network share. However, the Small Business Server Backup or Restore Wizard does not display this dialog box if the server has a tape backup drive installed.
To make sure that the Domain Admins security group has Full Control permissions on the network share and on the NTFS file system where the backup files are saved, follow these steps:
- Log on to the network share computer as a user with administrator rights.
- Right-click the shared folder, and then click Sharing and Security.
- Click the Sharing tab, and then click Permissions. Make sure that the Domain Admins security group has complete Full Control permissions.
- Click the Security tab. Make sure that the Domain Admins security group has complete Full Control permissions.
Friend has worked over 15 hours yesterday on an SMTP resource failing on a cluster and ended up building a stand-alone Exchange to move his databases to. Then because of everything that was done on the nodes, he rebuilt them from scratch and installed Exchange fresh and brand new to. But was still having the issue. It appears the new McAfee 8.01 (or 8.0.0) client blocks port 25 from malicious WORM attacks which is great for a client desktop and catastrophic for a server!
By simply un-checking the box circled below, the Microsoft Cluster Service is now able to communicate on port 25 which is SMTP. With it checked, nothing can go through port 25 and it is blocked. You cannot telnet to it, even to localhost. May want to see if this occurs with other anti-virus as well
This looks kinda interesting. Once extracted it's a 67 page pdf doc
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=FF313B60-C3D7-410E-B1DC-1A4BAB7D8BA6&displaylang=en
This document is an introduction to enterprise computing capabilities offered by Microsoft as compared to UNIX technology. Its goal is to disclose how the Microsoft Windows platform can be an effective alternative to UNIX. For each of the criteria that are traditionally associated with successful UNIX installations—high reliability, robust security, and high performance—, the text:
- Describes how each of these features is traditionally delivered in the UNIX environment
- Explains how the features are provided in the Windows Server System at either the same or a higher level of service
- Mentions the tools available to achieve the desired service level
Readers will get an overview of the Microsoft enterprise platform that focuses on the Windows Server System and the Windows development environment. Final sections of the document point to available prescriptive guidance and available support for platform migration and subsequent operation.
The primary intended audiences for this guide are IT business and technical decision makers who are considering a migration, and technical and solution architects, UNIX developers, and UNIX system administrators who may be involved in its design and implementation.
It looks like updates to exchweb (loads of .js, logon.asp and logoff.asp). The KB doesn't seem to exist yet either.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5F1BAB2D-1096-416C-BC5C-1FA19739DBB7&displaylang=en
This update resolves problems that were found in Exchange 2003 since Exchange 2003 SP1 was released.
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=884547
On your Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 computer, the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service may quit unexpectedly. You may experience this problem soon after a version conflict is detected in a public folder post.
This problem occurs because of heap corruption in Exchange. This problem may occur if the following conditions are true:
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The Exchange diagnostics logging level is set to 5 on the MSExchangeIS\Public Folders\Replication Conflicts object.
-
| | Exchange detects a version conflict in a public folder post. However, only one change number is associated with this version conflict.
|
This problem occurs in the Exchange event logging code. In this scenario, the event logging code incorrectly expects two change numbers to be involved in every version conflict. If only one change number is involved in a version conflict, the heap becomes corrupted. Soon after the heap becomes corrupted, the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service may quit.
Typically, a version conflict does involve two change numbers. Each of these two change numbers corresponds to an uncommitted change to the information store. However, in the following sample scenario, only one change number is involved in a version conflict:
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| Two Microsoft Outlook users modify the same message. However, one Outlook user modifies this message while the user is connected to the Exchange computer. The second Outlook user modifies this message while the user is not connected to the Exchange computer. |
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| The offline Outlook user synchronizes Outlook with the Exchange computer. |
In this scenario, the online Outlook user's change to the message is committed to the information store. Therefore, there is no change number for the version conflict for this message. The second Outlook user's change is not committed to the information store until that second user synchronizes Outlook with Exchange. Therefore, there is only one change number that is involved in the version conflict for this message.
Saw this tooo .... I want one! ... My Christmas list is starting to get a bit big now ;-) Not sure if I can get one in the UK :-(
Source: http://www.planon.com/docupen.php
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Planon's newest scanner, the DocuPen R700, includes a rechargeable feature that allows the DocuPen to remain perpetually charged without utilizing a separate charging unit. Once a user plugs the DocuPen R700 into a computer's USB port to download the scanned information, the scanner's batteries are automatically recharged.
The DocuPen R700 also features a dual-roller guiding system and optical registration technology to enhance the user experience by creating a smoother scanning operation and a more accurate scan. The dual-roller guiding system includes strategically placed rollers around the scanner lens to distribute operator's pressure evenly for smooth and easy scans. Using optical registration technology, the DocuPen R700, can create a highly accurate scan using its optical timing and registration system.
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Saw this link the other day and thought - oh yeah baby - I want one
Source: http://www.metronaps.com
MetroNaps™ is proud to introduce the MetroNaps™ pod. The MetroNaps™ pod was designed with one thing in mind: the Powernap. Its contours are perfect for napping; its mechanical processes are perfect for waking.
The MetroNaps™ pod is the culmination of three years of research. It is built with the highest quality materials and workmanship.
1. A room within a room. The spherical shape of the MetroNaps™ pod's upper body creates a semi-private acoustical and visual environment. The cocoon offers protective privacy without overly enclosing.
2. Ergonomic perfection. The MetroNaps™ pod inclines forward to allow for easy entry, and then reclines to allow for optimal positioning. The slight elevation of the feet and knees promotes blood circulation and reduces pressure on the lower back.
3. A full-body alarm clock. The mechanical processes of the MetroNaps™ pod facilitate powernaps. Setting the timer aches the Model 7's ambient sound system. At the timer's expiration, a programmable logic controller orchestrates a gentle waking with a combination of lights and vibration.
4. Solid foundation. The MetroNaps™ pod rests on a powder-coated symmetrical steel base. A powerful and silent electro-mechanical recliner allows for further elevation of the feet and legs.
In NewYork? .. Give it a go ... MetroNaps is in the Empire State Building, Suite 2410
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=873362
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=443BE584-0F50-43A0-A943-29F58F95D6DA&displaylang=en
This optional update provides the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 with a more current definition of which e-mail messages should be considered junk e-mail. This update was released in November 2004
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=42D3600B-E015-4CBF-8F56-F46EAD6696EC&displaylang=en
This white paper supplements the Office 2003 documentation and the SMS 2003 software distribution documentation by providing information specifically targeted at deploying Office 2003 to SMS 2003 clients in your organization.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7A4C318F-5AC9-4CF2-8792-A4A62076EBE7&displaylang=en
This vulnerability could enable an attacker to spoof trusted Internet content. Users could believe they are accessing trusted Internet content when in reality they are accessing malicious Internet content, for example a malicious Web site. However, an attacker would first have to persuade a user to visit the attacker’s site to attempt to exploit this vulnerability.
Proxy 2.0 Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=55643141-91E3-4474-8134-72887BC6FC18&displaylang=en
Okay, so I blogged about it yesterday and then I installed it.
It actually seems to be quite a bit quicker than IE and the layout looks crisp and neat. I love the tabs and just the feel of it. Dunno if I'll use it as my default browser yet, but lets see how things go
Some issues I found:
- windowsupdate.microsoft.com doesn't work
- officeupdate.microsoft.com isn't too happy either
- When writing this blog, I should see a formatting tool bar - Firefox doesn't show it :-|
- It doesn't seem to be able to use your "logged on credentials" to authenitcate you for intranet sites
Need THE book on Windows .. It's coming
Source: http://www.sysinternals.com/windowsinternals.shtml
The definitive book on the internals of Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003 and the revision to Inside Windows 2000 is now at the printer! Find out what's in it and preorder your copy today.
I had to mention this blog too, and correct Nino, as the Exchange version also collect cluster infomation too. It also runs exbpa too!... How do I know ... I wrote it ;-) so it's all my fault!
Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/exchange/archive/2004/11/10/255133.aspx?Pending=true
So - if you have not used MPSReports, you might like it! This tools packages all sorts of different server information up very neatly into a .CAB file. Note that there are different versions of the tool for different situations. For example, if you are running this on an Exchange server, you should use the Exchange version of the tool - and you can get it here:
870640 How to install the Exchange edition of the Microsoft Product Support
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=870640
I have to mention this blog, as I wrote of the tools :-D listed
Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/exchange/archive/2004/11/05/252979.aspx
OutlookFolders
Available at: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/pss/tools/Exchange%20Support%20Tools/Outlook_Folders/
Used for: exports permissions in pfadmin 1.3 command syntax
Works with: Exchange 5.5, 2000, 2003
Description: This utility accesses Exchange via a MAPI profile, and thus it works with any version of Exchange. It generates permissions exports in pfadmin 1.3 SETACL command syntax.
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/05/mod_oks_win2k_warships/
Windows 2000 represents the "lowest risk choice of operating system" for Royal Navy destroyer Combat Management, and "any residual risks associated with reliability [are] well understood by the contractor", Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram told the Commons yesterday.
Now I actually saw this yesterday - I had to go to Brussels and left from T4. I spoke to a friend of ours and he said that in the original trials the machine is so good that they had to make changes so everyone was A sexual like Action Man ... as it could tell how well .. or not. endowed you are!!! It would seem that you walk toward it with your hand up and it takes a picture of you :-o to check if you have any dodgy stuff on your person!
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/08/heathrow_scanner_pilot/
A security scanner that sees through clothes and produces a nude image of passengers has made its debut in a trial at Heathrow Terminal 4, according to a report in the Sunday Times. And was it just the other week we we were saying, "We'll save what happens when people learn these have gone in at an airport for another day"? Yes it was, and that other day has dawned.
It's not clear who the supplier of the Heathrow trial machine is, but it could well be a Rapiscan Secure 1000, which uses a low-energy x-ray beam together with its reflection, or "backscatter", together with imaging software to build a mono picture of the subject's body, complete with guns, knives etc, but not with clothes
Before you go clicking to the website Lookout 1.2.6 is an Experimental Version
This version is for those users that really want the latest-and-greatest, bleeding-edge Lookout Software. This version has not yet been released generally, but is ready for general testing. You must uninstall prior versions of Lookout before installing this one.
Source: http://www.lookoutsoft.com/Lookout/download.html
Oh yes, the day has arrive ... and gone :-o. Not got my copy yet, but it's coming ..... Ohhh all this cold weather is making me feel a bit ill ... Hey boss, if your reading this .. only joking!
Source: http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1722324,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535 & http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1722290,00.asp
NEW YORK—Cough. Cough. The "Halo Flu" may be striking businesses today. That's because the long-awaited Version 2 of "Halo" went on sale at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday at 6,500 stores around the United States.
Just think of the hours of fun you could have making up your own answers!
Source: http://www.jobserve.com/News/W2163.news
It is inevitable that you will be asked for your opinion of your current/last employer or the reason why you want to leave (or have already left). It is well worth considering your response to ensure you give the best possible answer.
The golden rule to remember is: never criticise or blame your present or previous boss.
Q. What is your current/last boss like? What is their greatest weakness?
Q. Why do you want to leave your present job?
Strange, I would have said money! or maybe that is just me
Source: http://www.jobserve.com/News/W2721.news
Over 90% of British workers regularly put more effort into our job than is expected of us. So what is our motivation?
Surprisingly, we’re not all in it for the money. Only 10% of those questioned said financial reward was the reason they put in extra effort at work. But what really gets the majority of us Brits going is the prospect of promotion. Over half of respondents to Manpower's survey highlighted career progression as the underlying motive behind working extra hard.
But it seems there are still people out there who are not so self-seeking. Over a third of employees cite their colleagues as the reason they put in additional effort in the workplace: many work hard in order to gain the respect of colleagues, while others feel a responsibility to not let their colleagues down.
Charles Ashworth of Manpower UK said, “Whilst it’s great to see that people are focused on their long term career goals, what is really interesting is that over a third of people put in extra effort for the benefit of their colleagues and team mates.”
This is quite a cool tip!
Source: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1713241,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532
I am trying to change the starting point of Windows Explorer to simply
C:/ instead of "My Documents" I have tried the remedy found on the Microsoft site
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /root, C:
and it doesn't work.
God, talk about everyone getting on the band wagon ... bang wagon - get it ...!
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3990695.stm
Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket chain, is launching an online music service on Monday which it hopes will rival Apple's market-leading iTunes.
Demand has grown for music available over the internet and Tesco estimates the UK market is now worth £25m.
Tesco said its digital music store will use Microsoft's Windows Media Player and will charge 79 pence per song.
Thought this was interesting - we give you a load of money and you help us with the EU?
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3994319.stm
Microsoft is to pay $536m (£289m) to software maker Novell to resolve a long-standing complaint over alleged anti-competitive practices.
The case centred on Novell's Netware software and releases of Microsoft's Windows operating system in the 1990s.
Novell is to withdraw from a European Commission action against Microsoft.
I have seen load of articles about this recently - anyone downloaded it and had a play ... think I might give it a go tomorrow. I'll post my findings :-D
One of many Sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3993959.stm
Microsoft's Internet Explorer has a serious rival in the long-awaited Firefox 1.0 web browser, which has just been released.
Few people get excited when some new software is released, especially when the program is not a game or a music or movie player.
You can get it from: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
Damm, it nearly been a week since my last blog .... sorry for the outage today, managed to pull the power supply out of my hub ... doh
Any way, get ready for load of new blogs coming your way today
BTW: I bumped into a few of the UK Exchange MVP's last week - nice bunch of guys .. strange no girls :-(
Wanna know more about MVP's, check out http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Justice at last!
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6401091/
LEESBURG, Va. - A brother and sister who sent junk e-mail to millions of America Online customers were convicted Wednesday in the nation’s first felony prosecution of Internet spam distributors.
Jurors recommended that Jeremy Jaynes be sentenced to nine years in prison and fined Jessica DeGroot $7,500 after convicting them of three counts each of sending e-mails with fraudulent and untraceable routing information
A third defendant, Richard Rutkowski, 30, was acquitted of similar charges.
This made me smile :-D
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3977351.stm
For farmers in the eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh it is cheaper than pesticides and gets the job done just as well. The product? Pepsi or Coca-Cola.
Agricultural scientists give them some backing - they say the high sugar content of the drinks can make them effective in combating pests.
Unsurprisingly, Pepsi and Coca-Cola strongly disagree, saying there is nothing in the drinks that can be used in pest control.
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/01/apple_store_uk/
Apple has formally announced that it will open its first UK - nay, first European - Apple Store on Saturday, 20 November.
On that day, at 10am, the doors at 253 Regent Street, London, W1 will open to the public for the first time and "extend Apple's reputation for innovation and flair... bringing a totally new retail experience to Europe".
More from the register
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/01/shuttle_launch/
NASA has announced that the Space Shuttle will take to the skies once more next year, in a launch window that lasts from mid May to early June. It will be the first mission in more than two years after all flights were grounded in the wake of the Columbia shuttle disaster in which seven astronauts died.
The space sgency had originally planned to get Shuttle back in orbit early in 2005, but the (already tight, possibly too tight) schedule slipped somewhat thanks to Florida's busier-than-usual hurricane season. Several of NASA's facilities had to shut down because of the storms.
William Readdy, Space Flight Leadership Council co-chair and associate administrator for Space Operations commented: "After four hurricanes in a row impacted our centers and our workers, it became clear, we needed to step back and evaluate the work in respect to the launch planning date."
Eileen Collins, NASA's first and only female commander, will take the helm on flight STS-114. She previously commanded mission STS-93, on which the Chandra X-Ray Observatory was deployed.
Around 28 more shuttle missions are planned, NASA says, most of which will help with the construction of the International Space Station
You can find the launch schedule here: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/schedule/schedule.htm It looks like it's going to be Discovery (OV-103)
The schedule actually lists 4 launches, but only one with a date.
Here some additional facts about the different space shuttles too! http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/factoids/orbiter.htm
Found this on the register yesterday and thought I would share it with you all
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/01/bt_wifi_quid/
BT is trying to drum up business for its Wi-Fi broadband service by offering an entry-level package for just £1 a month. Snag is, you have to be an existing BT Business Broadband, BT Broadband or BT Yahoo! Broadband customer to take up the offer.
That aside, anyone signing up to the time-limited promo before the end of the year can get 500 minutes of wireless broadband access for three months for just a quid. After that, the 500 minutes will cost £5 a month. BT's Wi-Fi "Openzone" service - which has some 7,000 access points in the UK - usually starts at £6 an hour.
Chris Clark, chief exec of BT Wireless Broadband, reckons the UK's dominant fixed line telco is trying to "fuel growth of the Wi-Fi market".
Had a look on the website, but can't see anything yet!
http://www.btopenzone.com/index.jsp
Interesting ...
Source: http://news.com.com/PalmSource+takes+hit+on+investment+report/2100-1045_3-5435211.html?part=rss&tag=5435211&subj=news.1045.5
Shares of PalmSource, the handheld operating system developer, dipped Monday on an investment bank's report that said key licensee PalmOne will use Microsoft's OS in its Treo line of devices.
The research note from Needham & Co. said PalmOne "tacitly admitted" it was working to make Microsoft's handheld OS available on the popular Treo line of phones. The devices currently use PalmSource's Palm OS, and PalmOne is PalmSource's biggest customer. The two companies recently split from each other, allowing them to be more flexible.
Shares of PalmSource fell $2.09 per share, or 9.32 percent, to close at $20.33. Shares were unchanged in after-hours trading.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=17DC35AD-8BA1-48B1-91F3-563313EE878A&displaylang=en
Detailed discussion on how Microsoft IT manages the large quantities of unwanted e-mail (a.k.a. spam) and malware-infected messages in its inbound Internet e-mail traffic. The paper documents how Microsoft IT uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 technologies, Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, and third-party solutions to both reduce the quantity of spam routed through the corporate messaging infrastructure by filtering at the gateway layer and then remove the threats in remaining messages posed by viruses, worms, and their common distribution vectors, such as file attachments
You get two files, a 28 slide powerpoint with loads of speaker notes, and a 30 page technical whitepaper
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835992
SYMPTOMS
When a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 recipient sends an e-mail message to another Exchange recipient, the e-mail message may not be formatted correctly.
CAUSE
This problem may occur when all the following conditions are true:
- The e-mail message is relayed by a smart host from one Exchange computer to another.
- The e-mail message contains a line of text that has more than 998 characters.
- The Exchange Server 2003 computer uses 7-bit encoding to send messages in MIME format.
- One of the following character sets or code pages is used to compose the e-mail message: ISO-2022-KR, ISO-2022-JP, csISO2022JP, or UTF-7.
This problem occurs when some Asian character sets are used to compose an e-mail message, and the message is sent in MIME format by using 7-bit encoding. The problem occurs because the lines in the text that are longer than 998 characters cannot be wrapped, and the characters are labeled with incorrect 7-bit encoding during transport to the final mailbox server.
The default MIME encoding in Exchange Server 2003 is 7-bit transfer encoding. The MIME encoding in some Asian languages must be set to an encoding method that is different from 7-bit encoding. The lines of text that contain more than 998 characters can then be wrapped.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/regcomp.mspx
Achieving regulatory compliance is a complex and ongoing process. By using a solution comprised of Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003, KVS Discovery Accelerator, and KVS Enterprise Vault, you can help your organization meet regulatory requirements by implementing a data life-cycle management system for 3,000 or fewer information workers. Your organization can retain its e-mail messages and documents, model the retention against corporate guidelines, and quickly and easily discover content as needed. Follow the instructions in this white paper to find out how you can integrate KVS Discovery Accelerator and KVS Enterprise Vault into an existing Exchange Server 2003 environment.