I will still work with Microsoft technologies, but will not be limited to management products. So the profile of my blog content might change slightly. I don't know when this "old" blog will be retired, hopefully it will stay for some time. But any new posts will be posted only to wordpress.

The good news is, that all old content (except zip attachments (they are moved as links to old blogs) and comments) is migrated! This is thanks to my wife. Shameful to say - I couldn't have done it myself! Maja: lots of kisses and a big thank you!!!

So please redirect your RSS readers to: http://alipka.wordpress.com/feed and your browsers to: http://alipka.wordpress.com.

To encourage you, I posted a new blog entry there: "Displaying distributed application state via SDK in OpsMgr".

It occurs ONLY when upgrading from SMS 2003 SP2/SP3 to ConfigMgr 2007 SP1.

Note: Upgrading from SMS 2003 SP2/SP3 to ConfigMgr 2007 RTM is not affected by this issue.

Work around (2 options available):

1. Remove the Service from the command line:

sc delete SMS_SQL_MONITOR

2. OR remove these registry keys from the command line:

REG DELETE “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\COMPONENTS\SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER\Component Servers\B21S1M13A\Components\SMS_SQL_MONITOR”

REG DELETE HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\SMS_SQL_MONITOR

1. Discovery discovers E2k3 clustered backend servers as Ex.Common and All Exchange 2007 roles.

To resolve this follow:

1. Create a group in OpsMgr consisting of all the E2003 cluster instances (the target is Windows Server so you need those instances)

2. Disable the Microsoft.Exchange.2007.Microsoft_Exchange_2007_All_Servers_Installation.Discovery for the group

3. Disable the Ex.Common discovery for the group

4. Run remove-disabledmonitoringobject to remove the discovered instances (note that this will remove all instances with discovery disabled, not just the Exchange specific ones). This should remove the all server installation instances and remove the monitoring from the servers.

2. The disk space monitoring rules do not have alert suppression and have a 60seconds frequency. This will result in alert storms when an E2k7 server runs out of disk space.

I worked around it by disabling the disk space related rules and monitors bound to Ex.Common/Exchange 2007 All servers object types.

Since Base OS MP ships with good disk monitoring logic, I decided this is sufficient.

The script I created is a script that saves, exports VMs (and then starts if VM was running prior to starting the script) to a target local folder. Additionally in the batch file you can add a robocopy command to copy that to a remote location if you need.

The script works currently only locally (though with psexec it should be able to modify it to run remotely as some commands are local folder/file operations) and requires powershell.

Another script I found on the internet is available here: http://mindre.net/file.axd?file=CreateVmBackups.ps1. Unfortunately this was AFTER I worked on mine;)

A ps1 and batch file to launch it are attached.

BackupVMsHyper-V.zip

• Using second person instead of third.
• Example of second person: "When you use Hyper-v to create a Virtual Machine, you ..."
• Example of third person: "When using hyper-v to create a Virtual Machine, ..."
• Third person is more formal and objective
• More details on this: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/What-are-the-first-person-second-person-and-third-person-points-of-view-Which-is-used-for-formal-essays-.id-305408,articleId-7622.html
• Using passive voice instead of active too often.
• Example of passive voice: “There are several ways in which VMM and Hyper-V can move a virtual machine depending on the underlying storage infrastructure and technologies.”
• The same sentence in active voice (sounding way better): “VMM and Hyper-V move Virtual Machines in many ways, depending on the storage infrastructure and technologies."
• So why active voice is better? Active voice seems to be more action-oriented and generally needs less words to describe the same. Which means it is easier to read. Of course there are some uses of passive voice, but people writing documents tend to abuse the passive voice (and the same happened with me).
• More details on this: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/passive-vs-active-voice/

Remembering those two rules, can make your documents more objective and clear. At least that helped me a lot.

The news is I am getting married:) to my long-time fiancee Maja. Actually I still think that its not that big of a change, because we have been living together for a long time. But others seem to point that it still is a more then just a formal change. We'll see;)

As for work, I finished an internal Hyper-V virtualization training. During preparing of this training I learned a lot about Hyper-V and Virtual Machine Manager 2008. Unfortunately I had little time to blog about these technologies. Below I share couple of things:

• List of useful blogs and resources on virtualization that I used while preparing the training (listed below - note that some of the links may become outdated as I used them over the last 4 months, and in that time Hyper-V went from BETA through RC0, RC1 to RTM)
• A VMM 2008 simple backup script that saves VMs, copies them to a disk and starts (I used external USB) - attached (bat that fires the powershell can be used in Task Scheduler).
• A VBScript shared by David Shiflet that allows setting and getting AzMan scopes on VMs in Hyper-V. (GetSetScopeScripts contains 2 vbscripts). First create an AzMan scope (give it some name, say SCOPENAME) and then use the scripts in this way:
• Get Scope: cscript //nologo GetScope.vbs VMNAME
• Set Scope: cscript //nologo SetScope.vbs VMName SCOPENAME

Hyper-V and VMM resources:

Blogs regarding virtualization:

http://blogs.technet.com/virtualization

http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy

http://blogs.technet.com/vm

http://blogs.technet.com/jhoward

http://blogs.technet.com/rakeshm

http://blogs.technet.com/m2

http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/natashamocke

http://blogs.msdn.com/mikekol

Architecture:

Microsoft Virtualization short podcast series http://weblog.infoworld.com/podcasts/2007/10/microsoft/

Open Virtual Machine Format (OVF) initiative: http://xml.coverpages.org/ni2007-09-11-a.html

HyperCall API: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=91E2E518-C62C-4FF2-8E50-3A37EA4100F5&displaylang=en

VHD Specification: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/techinfo/vhdspec.mspx

Planning

Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide – Windows Server Virtualization http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb897507.aspx, http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=100915

Core IO Team Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/io/default.aspx

Microsoft IO websites: http://www.microsoftio.com/coreio.aspx, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/infrastructure/default.aspx

Microsoft Virtualization ROI Tool: http://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/ROItool/default.mspx

Deployment

Implementing Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Release Candidate 0 (RC0) on HP ProLiant servers" Integration Note: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01286554/c01286554.pdf

Microsoft Assessment and Planning

MAPS Team Blog (Virtualization) http://blogs.technet.com/mapblog/archive/2008/04/23/how-to-series-for-microsoft-assessment-and-planning-part-1-server-virtualization.aspx

Storage

Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) Primer http://www.snia.org/education/storage_networking_primer

SNIA Storage Tutorials http://www.snia.org/education/tutorials

Storage options for Hyper-V blog entries: http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2008/02/14/storage-options-for-windows-server-2008-s-hyper-v.aspx, http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2008/03/06/more-on-storage-options-for-windows-server-2008-s-hyper-v.aspx

Microsoft Storage Technologies: https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/default.mspx

Deploying iSCSI SANs http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/4/b/94ba64d1-959e-44b8-b221-206297e832bb/Deploying iSCSI SANs.doc

Deployment Automation

How sysprep works: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/fd2f79c9-3049-4b8c-bcfd-4e6dc5771ace1033.mspx?mfr=true

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008 download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=112437

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Team Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/msdeployment/

TechNet Web Cast: Windows Server 2008: Server Virtualization Solution Scenario (Level 300) http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032336484&CountryCode=US

Storage IT Toolbox: http://storage.ittoolbox.com/

Introduction to SAN IBM Redbook: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg245470.pdf (352 pages of information on SAN concepts)

Implementing Hyper-V on HP ProLiant Servers http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01286554/c01286554.pdf

Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide (including VMM 2008 IPD) – still BETA at 17/06/2008: https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?SiteID=14&DownloadID=7925

Windows Server 2008 Performance Tuning Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/sysperf/Perf_tun_srv.mspx

Manage and Automate

WMI resource center: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa286547.aspx

Hypervisor Design Guide: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb969686.aspx

Blog with many samples on how to use powershell to manage hyper-v VMs: http://blogs.technet.com/jamesone/

VMM 2008 General Overview: http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/f/8/6f8a7125-041a-46f9-a9ec-362b13fe0445/VMM2008_White_Paper_Draft3.6_FINAL.pdf

VMM Video: http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/scvmm/flash/SCVMM.html

Interoperability

VHD Compatibilty blog entry: http://blogs.technet.com/jhoward/archive/2008/02/28/are-vhds-compatible-between-hyper-v-and-virtual-server-and-virtual-pc.aspx

Hyper-V vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 hypervisor: http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/5/f/95f42c38-8095-48ed-ba9a-716387b0719e/Comparing_Hyper_V_to_RHEL_Hypervisor.pdf

Security

Delegate permissions to hyper-V with AzMan: http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2008/01/17/allowing-non-administrators-to-control-hyper-v.aspx

How to install Hyper-V on Server Core: http://blogs.technet.com/jhoward/archive/2008/03/30/how-to-add-the-hyper-v-role-to-a-windows-server-2008-server-core-machine.aspx

Security Configuration Wizard Documentation: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=903FD496-9EB9-4A45-AA00-3F2F20FD6171

Virtual Computing Security Technical Implementation Guide: http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/draft-stigs/Virtual-Computing-STIG-V1R01.doc

Bitlocker Hyper-V recommendation podcast: http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/c/b/5cb1943c-751d-4fd4-a897-38926e90a86f/BrandonBakerHyperVSecurity2Podcast.wma

High Availability

Build a HA cluster for Hyper-V step-by-step instructions: http://blogs.technet.com/roblarson/archive/2007/12/17/building-a-host-cluster-with-hyper-v-beta-1.aspx

Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Software v2.06: https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=12CB3C1A-15D6-4585-B385-BEFD1319F825&displaylang=en

Quick Migration with Hyper-V http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/B/5/3B51A025-7522-4686-AA16-8AE2E536034D/Quick%20Migration%20with%20Hyper-V.doc

How to setup a failover cluster with Server 2008 core:

http://blogs.technet.com/aralves/archive/2008/03/31/building-a-failover-cluster-with-server-core-part-3.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/aralves/archive/2008/03/31/building-a-failover-cluster-with-server-core-part-2.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/aralves/archive/2008/03/31/building-a-failover-cluster-with-server-core-part-1.aspx

Hyper-V Clustering step-by-step guide: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=CD828712-8D1E-45D1-A290-7EDADF1E4E9C

WS08 Cluster setup: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/bb9ab149-6585-423b-9d24-e68fb116d8291033.mspx?mfr=true

Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program information http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=71684

Certified for Windows Server Logo Program for Software http://www.innovateonwindowsserver.com/

List of application vendors who meet Certification requirements http://www.windowsservercatalog.com/results.aspx?bCatId=1372&ocID=20

Hyper-V Guest clustering setup http://blogs.technet.com/pfe-ireland/archive/2008/05/16/how-to-create-a-windows-server-2008-cluster-within-hyper-v-using-simulated-iscsi-storage.aspx

BackupVMsAndScopeScripts.zip

So this year I already managed to start in 5 races. What can I say? I'm totally "hooked" into MTB marathons. And it's just beginning. In a week I am going to Istebna for a 4-day, probably polish toughest MTB marathon: http://www.mtbtrophy.com/ in a really magical place on the border of 3 countries.

One of the more fun races was in Karpacz, 1st of May, but we even had some snow on the way! What was also cool, was that professional cameramen where taking pictures during the race, and the end effect is really nice. You can check my photos at: http://alipka.spaces.live.com/photos/cns!FDED5C90960743BD!370.

I hope to write short story soon, but it will probably be in Polish and posted at our team site: http://www.xbox360biketeam.pl.

It normally works well, but there are a few gotcha's:

1. if you want to delete old management groups. You can find the RMS computer object in AD and from there find the corresponding SDKServiceSCP:

If you delete the SDKServiceSCP the server and corresponding management group will be gone from the registered servers view

2. If you have a clustered RMS you will notice that you have the SDKServiceSCP ONLY for the 1st node of the cluster. To have the correct cluster RMS name in the registered server, go into the SDKServiceSCP and modify these two attributes to the proper cluster instead of node name:

serviceBindingInformation and serviceDNSName

I was told unofficially that this should be fixed in next SP release for OpsMgr.

I thought I would post the above, as it seems this is nowhere documented.

I must say I fully agree with it and can add some additional input.

1. Responsibility and accountability

OpsMgr is a tool that is very powerful. With OpsMgr administrator privilege and agents installed on all Windows servers in the enterprise the OpsMgr administrator could easily halt the whole enterprise to a stop by malicious or inexperienced action, especially if the agent action account is local system or local admin (which is often the case due to overhead in maintenance when using domain accounts).

Therefore OpsMgr administrator must be a trusted, accountable and responsible individual

2. Communication and collaboration skills

Since OpsMgr monitors a lot of technologies the OpsMgr administrator should be able to communicate fluently with other Administrators that administer monitored services (AD, web applications).

Moreover he/she should also communicate well with external partners (consider external MPs) as well as in-house development teams (consider developing custom in-house MPs)

And finally communication with executive IT personnel should be good, since they often require specific reporting on IT services availability, performance and operations metrics.

3. Technical capability to use development techniques

OpsMgr is not only a product, it is a platform. OpsMgr administrator should understand the whole platform and be able to extend it. Building custom monitors, MPs, reports, tools, scripts requires:

• knowlege of scripting technologies (Powershell, VBscript, WMI)
• knowledge of XML (all MPs are XML based)
• knowledge of SQL Reporting Services (for developing custom reports)
• understanding of object oriented design and basics of .NET (OpsMgr is itself object oriented plus the OpsMgr SDK is a .NET library)

4. Knowledge and understanding of processes around Operations - ITIL and/or MOF

Implementing and running OpsMgr also means understanding ITIL/MOF processes related to IT management, mainly (but not exclusively) in ITILv3 terminology in these areas:

• Service Operation: Problem Management
• Service Strategy: Event Management
• Service Design: Availability Management, Capacity Management, IT Service Continuity

So just as Walter mentioned this role requires not only "depth" but also "breadth" of knowledge + quite a lot of "soft skills" (communication, collaboration, responsibility).

Haven't yet time to test it. If it is half as good as the AD Topology Diagrammer (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=cb42fc06-50c7-47ed-a65c-862661742764&displaylang=en) it will be really helpful.

Currently the tool supports alerts and computers for OpsMgr and system information, user groups and patch information for ConfigMgr. It looks to be a good framework for extending it further to other information or systems.