Best Practice Tips for Windows Server 2003 Cluster Service (MSCS)
We have a few windows 2003 clusters. Just found out this weekend that one of the nodes isn’t working. its complaining of bad disk signatures so right now the cluster can only run on the one node. I’d also like to know the best practice for add another drive (LUN) to the cluster. I need a larger disk for our exchange db, I could add another LUN or move the LUN to a larger one and use diskpart to extend it in windows. I just don’t know how well that works in a cluster 
1. Under no circumstance should any other resource be created in the Cluster Group other than the default ones which are Quorum, Cluster IP Address and Cluster Network Name. (ref: KB168948) If MS DTC is installed in the Cluster Group using the cluster’s resources and it’s not going to be used heavily by SQL, then this is the only exception that is supported as long as the MS DTC resource has the “Affect the group” box on the Advanced tab unchecked.
Ask the Core Team : TOP 10 Best Practice Tips for Windows Server 2003 Cluster Service (MSCS)
Popularity: 2% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, cluster, exchange, IT, microsoft, network, sql, tags, windows, workRelated posts
April 13, 2008 No Comments
Group Policy Best Practice Analyzer
These Best Practice Analyzers are some great tools from Microsoft. I’ve used the Exchange one before and its found issues we didn’t even know about. Now they have one from group policies. I know what I’m going to do next week!
Hi, Tim here. Ever heard of a Best Practice Analyzer , otherwise known as a ‘BPA’? It’s a type of tool that many of our product or support teams have been creating the last few years which can be used to gauge the general health of a…(read more)
Group Policy Best Practice Analyzer
NedPyle
Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:32:30 GMT
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: active directory, AD, blog, exchange, group policy, IE, IM, IT, microsoft, tagsRelated posts
April 11, 2008 No Comments
Best Practices for ESX Host Partitions
Setting up a new ESX 3 server, here’s a good place to start with the type and size of your partitions.
Installing ESX is fast and simple. By default you could click through the installer GUI changing only your local time zone and end up with a stable, dependable host. However, there are some recommended partitioning best practices that should be followed in order to make sure you minimize possible future headaches and create a repeatable and scalable environment.
VM /ETC » Blog Archive » Best Practices for ESX Host Partitions
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, esx, IM, IT, tags, vmwareRelated posts
April 5, 2008 No Comments
Potential Problem with ESX 3.0.x and VirtualCenter 2.5
We are still running ESX 3.0.x and VC 2.0.x. I thought about upgrading vcenter first and then just upgrading the servers has time permits. But if there’s going to be odd issues like this, even if its only when you install some patches. I think I’ll try to put together a much shorter timeline to move to 3.5
Heads up—I’ve been alerted to a potential problem when using ESX Server 3.0.x with VirtualCenter 2.5. Quoting from this VMware KB article:
ESX Server 3.0.x hosts managed by VirtualCenter 2.5 must have their Host Agent (hostd) specially configured to work with VirtualCenter 2.5. This configuration is done automatically during the initial installation of the VirtualCenter Agent (vpxa). If an ESX Server patch is subsequently applied that includes the esx-hostd RPM package, like ESX Server patch 1002435, the patch replaces the existing Host Agent (hostd) configuration file (/etc/vmware/hostd/config.xml) and undoes vpxa’s changes. This reverting of the Host Agent configuration file breaks connectivity with VirtualCenter 2.5.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, esx, IE, IM, IT, lan, search, servers, site, storage, tags, vcenter, vmware, workRelated posts
April 5, 2008 No Comments
SharePoint - across the extranet
More information about sharepoint, this time its how to use to as an extranet.
SharePoint - across the extranet
It’s about time we released details of how to effectively collaborate with people across different companies.
Eileen Brown’s WebLog : SharePoint - across the extranet
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, IE, IM, IT, sharepoint, tags, windowsRelated posts
March 29, 2008 No Comments
Adding Disk to Cluster on Windows 2008
The Cluster Guys have a nice post about a few ways to add a disk to a windows 2008 cluster. I would like to see a similar post for windows 2003 clusters. They don’t seem to allow comments so I’m creating my own post and sending them a pingback
Windows Cluster 2008 provides multiple ways of adding a disk to an existing cluster. This article will walk you through all the available choices.
Clustering and High Availability : Adding Disk to Cluster
Popularity: 4% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, cluster, comments, IM, IT, microsoft, tags, windows, windows 2008Related posts
March 21, 2008 No Comments
Virtualized Automaton: Ultimate VMware link guide
wow, this list in incredible if you are looking for links about vmware, checkout this site.
Virtualized Automaton: Ultimate VMware link guide
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, esx, IM, IT, site, tags, vmwareRelated posts
March 9, 2008 1 Comment
Added a few plug-ins
I added Increase Sociability , Comment Relish and Commentluv tonight.
I think I’ll also add the myavatar plugin next time I update the site.
Enjoy.
jb
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, IM, IT, plug-ins, RDP, site, tags, word, WordPressRelated posts
March 6, 2008 2 Comments
16,000 Exchange Mailboxes, 1 Server - VMware VROOM!
Even with all that horse power, they didn’t talk about network traffic running all exchange 2007 roles on the same box. I wonder how long one of these boxes takes to vmotion. Also I’d like to know the details on how they setup the luns and if they used vmdk files
We recently finished a large Exchange 2007 capacity test on VMware ESX Server 3.5. How large? Well, larger than anything ever done before on a single server. And we did it from start to finish in about two weeks.
We did this test because we have felt for a while that advances in processor and server technology were about to leave another widely-used and important application unable to fully utilize the hardware that vendors were offering. Microsoft has guidelines on what environment works well with Exchange, and a system with more than eight CPUs and/or 32GB of RAM is beyond the recommended maximums.
16,000 Exchange Mailboxes, 1 Server - VMware VROOM!
Popularity: 5% [?]
Tags: AD, blog, esx, exchange, IM, IT, microsoft, network, tags, vmotion, vmware, workRelated posts
March 5, 2008 1 Comment
Transitioning your Active Directory to Windows Server 2008
We’ve talked about starting from scratch again with our AD forest. This post has some great information about the new features of a 2008 AD and options you have to get there.
You might be running Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 Domain Controllers at the moment and you’re looking to replace these servers with Windows Server 2008 Domain Controllers to utilize the new features of Windows Server 2008. You might also be looking to replace your aging Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 Domain Controllers with spanking new Windows Server 2008 Domain Controllers, while keeping your Active Directory running smoothly.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: active directory, AD, blog, IT, microsoft, servers, tags, windows, windows 2008Related posts
March 4, 2008 No Comments
