I’m proud to say that I’ve recently passed the SBS 2008 configuration exam and can add another Technology Specialist qualification to my CV.
Tag: Windows
SBS Course starts tomorrow
My Introduction to SBS course starts tomorrow at Macquarie Community College begins tomorrow. For more information or to enrol please go to:
http://www.macquarie.nsw.edu.au/index.php?action=course&course_action=detail&code=408M297
It is held over 3 weeks and will give you a better understanding about what SBS is and how you can achieve the best results from the product. You’ll learn how to set it up, configure and administer SBS. Although the course is focused on SBS 2003 there will be content covering SBS 2008.
So if you want to learn more about SBS I encourage you to attend.
SBS2008 Best Practices analyzer
New from Microsoft:
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Best Practices Analyzer
The Windows Small Business Server 2008 Best Practices Analyzer examines a server that is running Windows Small Business Server 2008 (Windows SBS) and presents a list of information and errors that administrators should review.
The Windows SBS Best Practices Analyzer examines the server and collects configuration information from many sources including:
• Active Directory Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
• Registry
• Metabase
After collecting information about server configuration, the Windows SBS Best Practices Analyzer verifies that the information is correct and then presents administrators with a list of information and issues sorted by severity. The list describes each issue and provides a recommendation or possible solution.
Haven’t run it myself yet but will be doing it soon.
Pimp my infrastructure
Found this over on Sean Daniel’s blog.
It’s part of a Pimp My Infrastructure promotion being run in the US (only for businesses in US as well). Nice if we could have something like this over here eh?
A poster for every SBS’ers wall
Here’s a nice download from Microsoft. It’s a two page poster that covers the installation and setup of SBS 2008. It also has links to other information you’ll need to get SBS 2008 operational.
I’ve been telling people about this for ages
I remember reading a long time ago about this sort of technology but now I’ve actually got some images I can show.
Looks like a pen right?
It’s a pen and a PC all in one!
And even with my fat little fingers I’ll be able to use a mobile device properly. No more keyboards, the device projects a keyboard image onto the surface in front of you, where your fingers cut the beam is the letter it reads. Smart stuff!
Truly amazing but given the rate at which things are changing now days it won’t be long before Dell and HP will be selling pens and giving you a free PC eh?
Basic user operations in SBS 2008 video
Here’s a new video I’ve created that steps you through some of the basics for working with users in SBS 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG9njO97iv
I appreciate that it is very simple but I wanted to give people who haven’t yet seen SBS 2008 a quick overview of how easy it is. Going forward I plan to create more SBS 2008 videos and start to dive deeper into the capabilities of the product. Till then enjoy
Login errors after Trend upgrade
Recently, I did an upgrade from Trend CSM Suite for SMB 3.6 to Trend Worry Free Business Security v5.0 on an SBS 2003 R2 Premium system using ISA 2004 as the firewall. The update went fine and no errors were encountered. That was until I received the server report logs the following day.
I got thousands of failed logins and the login process appears to be random junk as you can see above. Turns out that when you do an upgrade to the latest version of Trend, which includes a new feature called Web Reputation, you don’t get prompted for the proxy details for that component.
So previously with SBS 2003 Premium you probably had the proxy settings working under Preferences > Global Settings, problem is, with the new version of Trend you also need proxy settings for the Web Reputation and Behaviour monitoring. Once I had entered the same proxy login settings as I had for the Product updates area above I expected to see no more failed logins.
Oh how wrong I was! I now started seeing tens of thousands of failed login attempts instead of just thousands. What the hell? When I called Trend support they pointed the finger at Microsoft. Ahhhh no, the Trend update was the only thing that has been done to the server. Trend’s response? Sorry, we can’t help, have a nice day.
So after discovering some other SBS people who had the same issue I worked out (through the shared error experience) that the username and password fields for the Web Reputation proxy setting MUST BE less than 14 characters each! Yes, you read right, less than 14 characters for the login name AND the password. Anything over that and there will proxy login failures. In my case I actually had to create a new server user and remove the login domain\username and change it to simply username. The login for the product update area can remain as domain\username and be longer than 14 character but the details for the Web Reputation can’t.
Now really how can this sort of issue happen in this day and age? Clearly it does and it is us poor IT support people who are left to sort the crap out, in my case WITHOUT assistance from Trend. So if you experience the same issue, this solution worked for me and I hope it also works for you. Roll on Trend Worry Free Business Security 5.1.
CIAOPS 