Daily SCCM Administrative Activities: ConfigMgr'07 Inboxes to Monitor

   Listed here is a list of the ConfigMgr 2007 inboxes that should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that your site(s) function as expected.

Auth\Dataldr.Box

A backlog of files can indicate problems accessing the site database.

Auth\Dataldr.Box\Process

A backlog of files can indicate problems accessing the site database.

Auth\Ddm.box\Bad_DDRs

A backlog of files can indicate a network corruption problem or a problem with the DDM

Auth\Sinv.Box

A backlog of files can indicate that the Software Inventory Processor cannot connect to the site database or that too many files were received.

Auth\Sinv.Box\Orphans

A backlog of files can indicate problems with specific clients, with management points, or with the network that could cause data corruption.

Compsumm.Box

A backlog of files can indicate that the Component Status Summarizer cannot process the volume of messages.

Dataldr.Box

A backlog of files can indicate problems accessing the Systems Management Server (SMS) database

Dataldr.Box\Badmifs

A backlog of files can indicate a bad custom MIF file or that a client computer cannot transfer the file correctly.

Ddm.Box

A backlog of files can indicate a bad DDR is preventing other DDR’s to process.

Ddm.Box\Bad_DDRs

A backlog of files can indicate a network corruption problem or a problem with the DDM

OfferSum.Box

A backlog of files can indicate a performance problem that is caused by a large number of messages.

Policypv.Box

A backlog of files in the policypv.box folder indicates that the policy provider component is not running.

Replmgr.Box\Ready

A backlog of files can indicate that the Scheduler is backlogged or is already processing files of the same priority

Schedule.Box

A backlog of files can indicate that the Sender cannot connect to or cannot transfer data to another site.

Schedule.Box\Outboxes

A backlog of .srq files indicates that the sender cannot process the number of jobs scheduled for that sender or that the sender cannot connect to or transfer data to another site.

Schedule.Box\Tosend

A backlog of files can indicate that many send requests are not completed or that the Scheduler has not yet deleted the files.

Sinv.Box

A backlog of files can indicate that the Software Inventory Processor cannot connect to the site database or that too many files were received.

Sinv.Box\BadSinv

A backlog of files can indicate problems with specific clients, with management points, or with the network, causing data corruption.

SiteStat.Box

A backlog of files can indicate a performance problem. Examine status messages for the Site System Status Summarizer for possible problems.

Statmgr.Box\Futureq

A backlog of files can indicate that some site systems' clocks are not synchronized with the site server.

Statmgr.Box\Queue

A backlog of files can indicate a problem with the Status Manager or that the component is trying to process too many messages.

Statmgr.Box\Retry

A backlog of files can indicate problems with the connection to the computer that is running SQL Server.

Statmgr.Box\Statmsgs

A backlog of files can indicate a problem with the Status Manager or that the Status Manager is trying to process too many messages

Swmproc.Box

A backlog of .sum and .sur files can indicate that the Software Metering Processor component cannot connect to the SMS database.

SCCM and SQL Reporting Services

   With the R2 release, SCCM now supports the use of SQL Reporting Services as a reporting solution.  This will be the direction for reporting going forward and offers a good number of exciting possibilities for building impactful custom reports.  In the January edition of Technet magazine Steve Rachui published an article discussing this feature and showing a sample method for building custom reports.

Create a Robust, Integrated Reporting Solution - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ee914611.aspx

Difference between WQL and SQL in SCCM

Below are few points which make difference between WQL and SQL :

1. WMI provides its own query language that allows you to query managed objects as data providers
2. WMI Query Language (WQL) is essentially a subset of SQL (Structured Query Language) with minor semantic changes.
3. Unlike SQL, WQL does not provide statements for inserting, deleting, or updating data and does not support stored procedures.
4. WQL does have extensions that support WMI events and other features specific to WMI. WQL is the basis for Configuration Manager queries, whereas SQL is used for ConfigMgr reports.
5. One important advantage of WQL is that a WQL query can return WMI objects as well as specific properties.
6. Because management applications such as the Configuration Manager console interact with WMI objects, WQL queries can return result sets that you can use within the ConfigMgr infrastructure.

Eg: Configuration Manager collections are based on WQL queries.

Ref: http://systemcentersupport.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-is-wmi-query-langauge-or-wql.html

ConfigMgr Patch Installer Tool/Script

   The ConfigMgr Patch Installer is a tool (vbscript) which can be used for installing updates which are advertised from SCCM. If the updates are advertised without a deadline. Especially it is useful for Windows Server 2008 Core edition as they do not have a GUI and so the updates can't be installed. This tool will query SCCM for each Update which is advertised to the System and will install it. The result can be displayed in a output logfile.

The Tool can be downloaded at:

• systemcentercentral.com - http://www.systemcentercentral.com/tabid/144/indexId/64192/Default.aspx

• winoneclick.com - http://www.winoneclick.com/

Ref: http://pleasepressanykey.blogspot.com/2010/08/configmgr-patch-installer.html

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