Network Audit and Documentation, CENTREL Solutions Blog

With XIA Configuration Server we are now adding SAN support. You can automatically document NetApp Filter and Hewlett-Packard MSA systems including the following information Name Description ARP cache Network Interfaces Base MAC address Routing table Serial number Model Firmware Software Version Product Number Management URL Or manually document any SAN. Network storage devices can be manually linked to disk shelves and servers. For more information see the Network Storage Device page. While this is a small start, we're looking to increase the depth and scope of this agent. If you're interested in the support for other manufacturers and models please email requests@centrel-solutions.com .

If you're looking to find out how Windows determines the execution for PowerShell the following maybe helpful. Regardless of the version of PowerShell the following registry key is used. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\1\ShellIds\Microsoft.PowerShell ExecutionPolicy REG_SZ This can be set to one of the following values and you can set this value remotely using regedit. Restricted AllSigned RemoteSigned Unrestricted        Bypass Undefined However if Group Policy (either through the local Group Policy editor or using Active Directory) is  used the following setting override this. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell ExecutionPolicy REG_SZ It makes sense where possible to use the Group Policy template to modify the PowerShell execution settings There are a couple of caveats to take into account when reading the setting remotely If the Group Policy key exists and is set to a valid va...

A database availability group (DAG) is a group of Microsoft Exchange mailbox servers that host a set of databases and provides automatic database-level recovery from failures that affect individual servers or databases. With XIA Configuration Server you can now automatically document your Exchange database availability group configuration on Exchange 2010 or Exchange 2013. The system can document the following Name Member Servers Last Modified Date Allow Cross Site RPC IP Addresses Witness Directory Witness Server   Alternative Witness Directory Alternative Witness Server Database Availability Group Networks Interested? Why not check out the FREE trial or buy now !

With XIA Configuration Server you can easily detect the installed PowerShell versions on remote machines in your environment. The XIA Configuration Windows machine agent automatically detects and documents the following PowerShell versions regardless of whether they are installed as part of the operating system or independently. PowerShell 1.0 PowerShell 2.0 PowerShell 3.0 PowerShell 4.0 PowerShell 5.0 The system displays Whether PowerShell is installed PowerShell version  Installation Directory Runtime Version Compatible Versions Interested? Why not check out the FREE trial or buy now !

If you're using a new HP ZBook notebook and find that the system is slow to type don't assume that you've got a problem with the keyboard. It's very strange feels like you're really uncoordinated! Don't panic, there seems to be an issue with Windows 8.1's keyboard "helpers". Check out the following article.  http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=5387800&docId=emr_na-c03738933&docLocale=en_US In addition to the document I went to Setup Repeat Keys and Slow Keys and change the How long do you have to hold down a key before Windows accepts the keystroke to "0.0 seconds".   Why not check out our Windows Workstation Documentation Tool

A server-side database availability group administrative operation failed with a transient error. Please try the operation again. Error: An error occurred while attempting a cluster operation. Error: Cluster API failed: "CreateCluster() failed with 0x57. Error: The parameter is incorrect" [Server: ClusterNode ] This can be caused by cluster issues on the node you are trying to add. On the specified ClusterNode start PowerShell Run the command Clear-ClusterNode Delete the cluster name object from Active Directory Prestage the object http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff367878%28v=exchg.150%29.aspx Grant access to the mailbox servers to the cluster name object Remove any unresolved SIDs from the access control list http://david-homer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/error-creating-database-availability_6.html Recreate the database availability group

When creating a new database availability group in Exchange Server 2013 you may see the following error. Add-DatabaseAvailabilityGroupServer -Identity DagName -MailboxServer ServerName WARNING: An unexpected error has occurred and a Watson dump is being generated: Some or all identity references could not be translated. Some or all identity references could not be translated.     + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Add-DatabaseAvailabilityGroupServer], IdentityNotMappedException     + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.Security.Principal.IdentityNotMappedException,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Syste    mConfigurationTasks.AddDatabaseAvailabilityGroupServer     + PSComputerName        : demo-ex13-02.demonstrationex13.int Download and install CU5 and this should solve the problem. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?i...

When creating a new database availability group in Exchange Server 2013 you may see the following error. In this case open Active Directory Users and Computers and find the Computer Account that matches the name of the database availability group and edit the security of this account and ensure that the computer account of the mailbox server you are trying to add has permissions to this object. A server-side database availability group administrative operation failed. Error The operation failed. CreateCluster errors may result from incorrectly configured static addresses. Error: The computer account ' DAGNAME ' could not be validated. Access was denied. Check that the current user (NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM) has permissions to create computer accounts in the domain or to claim the computer account.. [Server: DEMO-EX13-01.demonstrationex13.int]     + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Add-DatabaseAvailabilityGroupSe...

When you're auditing Active Directory using "Directory Service Access" auditing and viewing the corresponding event log entries you may see the property names of the values that have changed as GUIDs. An operation was performed on an object. Subject :     Security ID:        DEMOEX13\DEMO-EX13-01$     Account Name:        DEMO-EX13-01$     Account Domain:        DEMOEX13     Logon ID:        0x1C8791 Object:     Object Server:        DS     Object Type:        msExchMDBAvailabilityGroup     Object Name:        CN=SampleDag,CN=Database Availability Groups,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=First Organization,CN=Microsoft Exchange,...

We've been asked recently about being able to determine what .NET Framework versions and service packs are installed on a Windows workstation or server. This is something that we've added into XIA Configuration Server v7 where we've added automatic detection for the following .NET Framework versions. Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 1 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 For more information see the following XIA Configuration Server capability page .