Microsoft Information Worker Management Pack

Applies To: Microsoft Office, Operations Manager 2007, Operations Manager 2007 R2.

   The Microsoft Information Worker Management Pack monitors the health, reliability, and performance of Microsoft Office applications and certain Microsoft Windows applications such as Microsoft Windows Explorer, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Microsoft Mail and Outlook Express.

Objects Discovered by the Information Worker Management Pack

   The Information Worker Management Pack discovers the object types described in the following list in this section. All the objects are automatically discovered by default. You can use overrides to disable objects you do not plan to monitor.

Information Worker Applications	Application Versions
Internet Explorer	5 through 7
Media Player	6 through 11
MSN and Windows Messenger	3 through 7
Outlook Express	Internet Explorer 5 through 7
Windows Explorer	Windows 2000 and Windows XP
Access	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007
Communicator	2005 and 2007
Excel	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007
FrontPage	Office XP and Office 2003
Groove	Office 2007
InfoPath	Office 2003 and Office 2007
LiveMeeting	Internet Explorer 7 and Office 2007
OneNote	Office 2003 and Office 2007
Outlook	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007
PowerPoint	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007
Project	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007
Publisher	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007
Visio	Office 2003 and Office 2007
Word	Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007

The Information Worker Library Management Pack provides generic monitoring capabilities that work for all the applications, and specific monitoring capabilities for individual applications.

• Generic monitoring:
• Crash detection
• Hand detection
• CPU utilization
• Memory utilization
• Individual application monitoring:
• Outlook mail access
• Web access
• Data source access

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/es-es/library/dd351475.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd351478.aspx

Configuration Manager (SCCM) Features

   If you install a Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 site but do not configure any of the features, the site is essentially useless. Features provide the actual functionality of Configuration Manager 2007. You can install just one feature or several features. Some features have dependencies on other features, for example Network Access Protection requires the software updates feature be operational first.

   The following features are provided in Configuration Manager 2007:

• The administrator console
• Collections
• Inventory
• Queries
• Reporting
• Software distribution
• Software updates
• Software metering
• Mobile Device management
• Operating system deployment
• Desired configuration management
• Remote tools
• Network Access Protection
• Wake On LAN
• Out of band management
• Client Status Reporting
• SQL Reporting Services
• Power Management

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb693873.aspx

Teredo - Windows

   Teredo is an IPv6 transition technology that allows automatic IPv6 tunneling between hosts that are located across one or more IPv4 NATs. To traverse IPv4 NATs, IPv6 packets are sent as IPv4 User Datagram Protocol (UDP) messages. If the NAT supports UDP port translation, then the NAT supports Teredo. The exception is a symmetric NAT.

   Teredo allows nodes located behind an IPv4 NAT to obtain IPv6 unicast connectivity by tunneling packets over UDP/IPv4. This service has 3 entities: the "Teredo Server", the "Teredo Relay" and the "Teredo client". A Teredo Server is stateless whereas the Teredo Relay keeps a state of each peer.

   Teredo is designed as a last resort transition technology for IPv6 connectivity. If native IPv6, 6to4, or Intrasite Automatic Tunnel Addressing Protocol (ISATAP) connectivity is present, the host does not act as a Teredo client. As more IPv4 edge devices are upgraded to support 6to4 and IPv6 connectivity becomes ubiquitous, Teredo will be used less and less until finally it is not used at all.

   Note: Teredo interface is primarily supported by Windows Vista & Windows Server 2008. Limited functionality of Teredo Interface supported (solicited traffic can be received) by Windows XP SP2 & Windows Server 2003.

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457011.aspx

Active Directory Certificate Services - Command Reference

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

   Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) provides customizable services for issuing and managing public key certificates used in software security systems that employ public key technologies. The following commands allow you to issue and manage public key certificates used in software security systems that employ public key technologies.

Certreq

Certreq can be used to:

1. Request certificates from a certification authority (CA).
2. Retrieve a response to a previous request from a CA.
3. Create a new request from an .inf file.
4. Accept and install a response to a request.
5. Construct a cross-certification or qualified subordination request from an existing CA certificate or request.
6. Sign a cross-certification or qualified subordination request.

Certutil

Displays certification configuration information, and configures Certificate Services.

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772497%28WS.10%29.aspx

Active Directory Domain Services - Command Reference

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

   Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) command-line tools are built into Windows Server 2008. They are available if you have the AD DS or Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) server role installed. To use these tools, you must run them from an elevated command prompt. To open an elevated command prompt, click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

• Adprep - Extends the Active Directory schema and updates permissions as necessary to prepare a forest and domain for a domain controller that runs the Windows Server 2008 operating system.
• Csvde - Imports and exports data from Active Directory using files that store data in the comma-separated value (CSV) format. You can also support batch operations based on the CSV file format standard.
• Dcdiag - Analyzes the state of domain controllers in a forest or enterprise and reports any problems to help in troubleshooting.
• Dcpromo - Installs and removes Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).
• Dsacls - Displays and changes permissions (access control entries) in the access control list (ACL) of objects in AD DS.
• Dsadd - Adds specific types of objects to the directory.
• Dsamain - Exposes Active Directory data that is stored in a snapshot or backup as a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server.
• Dsdbutil - Provides database utilities for Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS).
• Dsget - Displays the selected properties of a specific object in the directory.
• Dsmgmt - Provides management facilities for Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS).
• Dsmod - Modifies an existing object of a specific type in the directory.
• Dsmove - Moves a single object in a domain from its current location in the directory to a new location or renames a single object without moving it in the directory tree.
• Dsquery - Queries AD DS according to specified criteria.
• Dsrm - Deletes an object of a specific type or any general object from the directory.
• Ldifde - Creates, modifies, and deletes directory objects on computers running Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP Professional operating systems.
• Ldp - Makes it possible for users to perform operations against an LDAP-compatible directory, such as AD DS. These operations include connect, bind, search, modify, add, and delete.
• Netdom - Makes it possible for administrators to manage Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 domains and trust relationships from a command prompt.
• Net computer - Adds or deletes a computer from a domain database.
• Net group - Adds, displays, or modifies global groups in domains.
• Net user - Adds or modifies user accounts, or displays user account information.
• Nltest - Performs network administrative tasks.
• Ntdsutil - Provides management facilities for AD DS.
• Redircmp - Redirects the default container for newly created computers to a specified target organizational unit (OU) so that newly created computer objects are created in the specific target OU instead of in CN=Computers.
• Redirusr - Redirects the default container for newly created users to a specified target OU so that newly created user objects are created in the specific target OU instead of in CN=Users.
• Repadmin - Makes it possible for administrators to diagnose Active Directory replication problems between domain controllers running Windows operating systems.
• Setspn - Makes it possible for administrators to read, modify, and delete the Service Principal Names (SPN) directory property for an Active Directory service account.

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771131%28WS.10%29.aspx

Terminal Services - Command Reference

The following is a list of Terminal Services command-line tools.

• Change - Changes terminal server settings for log-on, COM port mappings, and install mode.
• Change logon - Enables or disables log-on from client sessions on a terminal server, or displays current log-on status.
• Change port - Lists or changes the COM port mappings to be compatible with MS-DOS applications.
• Change user - Changes the install mode for the terminal server.
• Chglogon - Enables or disables log-on from client sessions on a terminal server, or displays current log-on status.
• Chgport - Lists or changes the COM port mappings to be compatible with MS-DOS applications.
• Chguser - Changes the install mode for the terminal server.
• Flattemp - Enables or disables flat temporary folders.
• Logoff - Logs off a user from a session on a terminal server and deletes the session from the server.
• Msg - Sends a message to a user on a terminal server.
• Mstsc - Creates connections to terminal servers or other remote computers.
• Qappsrv - Displays a list of all terminal servers on the network.
• Qprocess - Displays information about processes that are running on a terminal server.
• Query - Displays information about processes, sessions, and terminal servers.
• Query process - Displays information about processes that are running on a terminal server.
• Query session - Displays information about sessions on a terminal server.
• Query termserver - Displays a list of all terminal servers on the network.
• Query user - Displays information about user sessions on a terminal server.
• Quser - Displays information about user sessions on a terminal server.
• Qwinsta - Displays information about sessions on a terminal server.
• Rdpsign - Enables you to digitally sign a Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) file.
• Reset session - Enables you to reset (delete) a session on a terminal server.
• Rwinsta - Enables you to reset (delete) a session on a terminal server.
• Shadow - Enables you to remotely control an active session of another user on a terminal server.
• Tscon - Connects to another session on a terminal server.
• Tsdiscon - Disconnects a session from a terminal server.
• Tskill - Ends a process running in a session on a terminal server.
• Tsprof - Copies the Terminal Services user configuration information from one user to another.

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725766%28WS.10%29.aspx

Print - Command Reference

The following is a list of Print command-line tools.

• Lpq - Displays the status of a print queue on a computer running Line Printer Daemon (LPD).
• Lpr - Sends a file to a computer or printer sharing device running the Line Printer Daemon (LPD) service in preparation for printing.
• Net print - Displays information about a specified printer queue, displays information about a specified print job, or controls a specified print job.
• Print - Sends a text file to a printer.
• Prncnfg.vbs - Configures or displays configuration information about a printer.
• Prndrvr.vbs - Adds, deletes, and lists printer drivers.
• Prnjobs.vbs - Pauses, resumes, cancels, and lists print jobs.
• Prnmngr.vbs - Adds, deletes, and lists printers or printer connections, in addition to setting and displaying the default printer.
• Prnport.vbs - Creates, deletes, and lists standard TCP/IP printer ports, in addition to displaying and changing port configuration.
• Prnqctl.vbs - Prints a test page, pauses or resumes a printer, and clears a printer queue.
• Pubprn.vbs - Publishes a printer to the Active Directory directory service.

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771846%28WS.10%29.aspx

Windows Server Backup - Command Reference

   The following sub-commands for wbadmin provide backup and recovery functionality from a command prompt.

   To configure a backup schedule, you must be a member of the Administrators group. To perform all other tasks with this command, you must be a member of the Backup Operators or the Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate permissions.

   You must run wbadmin from an elevated command prompt. (To open an elevated command prompt, click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.)

• Wbadmin enable backup - Configures and enables a daily backup schedule. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin disable backup - Disables your daily backups. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin start backup - Runs a one-time backup. If used with no parameters, uses the settings from the daily backup schedule.
• Wbadmin stop job - Stops the currently running backup or recovery operation.
• Wbadmin get versions - Lists details of backups recoverable from the local computer or, if another location is specified, from another computer.
• Wbadmin get items - Lists the items included in a specific backup.
• Wbadmin start recovery - Runs a recovery of the volumes, applications, files, or folders specified. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin get status - Shows the status of the currently running backup or recovery operation.
• Wbadmin get disks - Lists disks that are currently online. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin start systemstaterecovery - Runs a system state recovery. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin start systemstatebackup - Runs a system state backup. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin delete systemstatebackup - Deletes one or more system state backups. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin start sysrecovery - Runs a recovery of the full system (at least all the volumes that contain the operating system's state). (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008, and it is only available if you are using the Windows Recovery Environment.)
• Wbadmin restore catalog - Recovers a backup catalog from a specified storage location in the case where the backup catalog on the local computer has been corrupted. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)
• Wbadmin delete catalog - Deletes the backup catalog on the local computer. Use this command only if the backup catalog on this computer is corrupted and you have no backups stored at another location that you can use to restore the catalog. (This sub-command applies only to Windows Server 2008.)

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770340%28WS.10%29.aspx

'Insert' key not working (on MS-Office products)

Office Button - Snapshot

   Click the ‘Office’ Button – click on ‘Word Options’ – then click on ‘Advanced tab’. Under the Section for ‘Editing options’, there is a check box to select “Use the Insert key to control overtype mode”. Just check that box one alone.

Refer picture: 

   Now you can use the “Insert” key in your Keyboard when you want to overtype words.

-ScorpITs

DNS Servers

   On the client side, a DNS resolver is used to send queries to DNS servers. The resolver is normally part of a library routine or it is built into the application. DNS uses zone files to keep name and IP address database information for the internet domain or hierarchical set of domains. Zones are storage of information in a file for a DNS domain or DNS sub-domains (DNS domains are not the same as Windows domains). DNS does not yet support dynamic configuration but has been modified for Windows systems to do so. Different aliases may be created by the administrator for the same host. Three types of name servers as defined by how it relates to the zone information:

• Primary - Locally stored files exist on the name server data base. The master zone file copy is stored here.
• Secondary - Gets data called a zone transfer from another server that is the zone authority.
• Caching Only - Caches name server information and does not contain its own files.

• Primary - Locally stored files exist on the name server data base. The master zone file copy is stored here.
• Secondary - Gets data called a zone transfer from another server that is the zone authority.
• Caching Only - Caches name server information and does not contain its own files.

   A primary and secondary name server should be used on a network. When a zone is defined, some server must be configured to be a master name server for the zone. There can be different master name servers for different zones. The master server provides copies of the zone information to the secondary DNS server. Name servers can be configured to get information from other name servers when the information is not found in the local database. These types are forwarders and slaves. Name servers as categorized by function:

• Master - The zone authority that contains the master zone files.
• Forwarders - A name server that passes name resolution requests to other name servers. This configuration is done on a per server basis.
• Slaves - Slave name servers are configured to use forwarders.

Windows introduces additional terminology:

• Standard primary - The same as a primary DNS server listed above. This is a master server by function.
• Active Directory Integrated (primary) - DNS entries are stored with Active Directory data rather than a normal zone file. More than one of these Active Directory primary servers may exist due to Active directory replication. This term is used to refer to both the Active Directory Integrated zones and files that support the zone.
• Standard secondary - The same as a secondary DNS server listed above. This is a slave server by function.
• Root server - The server that has the DNS data for the root zone. The root zone is the organization internal network root zone or internet root zone. It is used when a private network is not directly on the internet (no connection or via proxy server).

   If the DNS server is connected to the internet, the DNS Server Wizard will not allow the DNS server to be configured as a root server.

DNS Zones

Possible zones include:

• Forward lookup zone - Name to IP address map.
• Reverse lookup zone - IP address to name map.
• Standard primary zone (primary zone) - A master copy of a forward or reverse lookup zone.
• Active Directory integrated zone - A copy of a standard primary or Active Directory integrated zone. The IP address and computer name is stored in Active Directory and replicated to all local domain controllers. DNS information is not replicated to domain controllers outside the domain.
• Standard secondary zone (secondary zone)

Monitoring DNS

   Select "Start", "Programs", "Administrative Tools", "DNS". Highlight the DNS server name, select "Action", "Properties" and click the Monitoring tab. Tabs include:

• Interfaces
• Forwarders
• Advanced
• Root Hints
• Logging - Used to set logging options to be sent to the file SystemRoot\system32\dns\dns.log. Options representing DNS events are Query, Notify, Update, Questions, Answers, Send, Receive, UDP, TCP, Full packets, and Write through.
• Monitoring - Select and perform tests such as a simple query to this DNS server or a recursive query to another DNS server.

The Event Log will also show and DNS problems. The "Event Viewer" is an administrative tool.

Zone Properties Dialog Box

Tabs:

• General - Sections:
• Status - The status is indicated and a "Pause" button allows DNS to be paused.
• Zone type - Has a "Change" button that allows setting the zone type to one of standard primary, standard secondary, and Active Directory integrated.
• Allow dynamic updates - Updates can be allowed from DHCP servers.
• Start of Authority (SOA) - Correspond to the SOA properties listed above.
• Serial number - If less than master's SN, the slave will get a new copy of this file from the master.
• Primary server
• Responsible person
• Refresh interval - The time in seconds between when the slave compares this file's SN with the master.
• Retry Interval - The time the server should wait before asking again if the master fails to respond to a file update (SOA request).
• Expires after - Time in seconds the slave server can respond even though it cannot get an updated zone file. Needs to be longer than the refresh interval.
• Minimum TTL - The time to live (TTL) in seconds that a resolver will use data that was received from a nameserver before it will ask for the same data again.
• TTL for this record - Defines the TTL for the SOA record.
• Name Servers
• WINS - Controls whether WINS is used to resolve names in this zone.
• Zone Transfers - Determines how requests for zone transfers from other servers are handled. These are the choices:
• No zone transfers.
• Allow zone transfers only to specified servers listed in this tab.
• Allow zone transfers to servers listed in the name servers tab only.
• Allow zone transfers to any server.
• Security

Configuring DNS

   Characters allowed in DNS names are:  A-Z a-z 0-9 -

The characters /. _ are illegal. Configuration keywords:

• Interfaces - Specifies interfaces to use on a multi-homed host.
• Forwarders - Specifies other name servers to use as a forwarder.
• Boot Method - Display whether the boot method is through the use of the registry or data files.

DNS files are stored in: \WINNTROOT\System32\DNS

Hosts File

   The Hosts file at \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\etc can act as a replacement for DNS which is a file containing IP addresses and DNS names for hosts. Files in this directory include:

• Hosts
• Protocol
• Lmhosts - NetBIOS name to IP address.

DNS Tools

NSLOOKUP - It is run from the command prompt. 
Syntax: nslookup [-options] [searchname] [-server]

To see options, "Help" can be typed at the NSLOOKUP command prompt.

DNS Record types:

• A - Address record allowing a computer name to be translated into an IP address. Each computer must have this record for its IP address to be located. These names are not assigned for clients that have dynamically assigned IP addresses, but are a must for locating servers with static IP addresses.
• AAAA Host resource record for IPv6 protocol.
• AFDSB - Andrew File System Database resource record
• ATMA - Asynchronous Transfer Mode resource record.
• CNAME - Canonical name allowing additional names or aliases to be used to locate a computer.
• HINFO - Host information record with CPU type and operating system.
• ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network resource record.
• MB - Mailbox resource record.
• MG - Mail group resource record.
• MINFO - Mailbox mail list information resource record.
• MR - Mailbox renamed resource record.
• MX - Mail Exchange server record. There may be several.
• NS - Name server record. There may be several.
• PTR - Pointer resource record.
• RP - Responsible person.
• RT - Route through resource record for specifying routes for certain DNS names.
• SOA - Start of Authority record defines the authoritative server and parameters for the DNS zone. These include timeout values, name of responsible person,
• SRV - Service locator resource record to map a service to servers providing the service. Windows 2000 clients will use this record to find a domain controller.
• TXT - Test resource record for informative text.
• WKS - Well known service resource record.
• X25 - To map a host name to an X.25 address.

http://www.comptechdoc.org/os/windows/win2k/win2kdns.html

WBAdmin

   WBAdmin is a command-line utility built into Microsoft’s latest Windows operating systems: Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 as well as Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The command is used to perform backups and restores of operating systems, drive volumes, files, folders, and applications from a command-line interface.

   WBAdmin replaces the previous Microsoft Windows Backup command-line utility, NTBackup, which came built into earlier versions of Microsoft Windows: Windows NT, 2000, XP, and 2003. WBAdmin is essentially the command-line version of the backup applications that come with the new versions of Microsoft Windows: Complete PC Backup on Windows Vista and Windows Server Backup on Windows Server 2008.

   System administrators use WBAdmin in scripts to schedule and automate backup and restore operations, as well as to overcome some of the limitations inherent in Complete PC Backup and Windows Server Backup.

   WBAdmin includes several command-line switches, but a number of these commands have been disabled in Windows Vista, and are only available in Windows Server 2008.

Note: You must run wbadmin from an elevated command prompt. (To open an elevated command prompt, click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.)

Features

   With WBAdmin’s block-level backup technology, Microsoft provides users with a high performance, flexible and integrated backup utility that is more scalable than Microsoft’s previous command-line backup utility, NTBackup.

Subcommands: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754015%28WS.10%29.aspx

AD Restoration - Authoritative & Non-Authoritative

Non-Authoritative Restoration

   Used most commonly in cases when a DC because of a hardware or software related reasons, this is the default directory services restore mode selection. In this mode, the operating system restores the domain controller’s contents from the backup. After this, the domain controller then through replication receives all directory changes that have been made since the backup from the other domain controllers in the network.

Authoritative Restoration

   An authoritative restore is most commonly used in cases in which a change was made within the directory that must be reversed, such as deleting an organization unit by mistake. This process restores the DC from the backup and then replicates to and overwrites all other domain controllers in the network to match the restored DC. The especially valuable thing about this is that you can choose to only make certain objects within the directory authoritative. For example, if you delete an OU by mistake you can choose to make it authoritative. This will replicate the deleted OU back to all of the other DC’s in the network and then use all of the other information from these other DC’s to update the newly restored server back up to date.