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[Keith] Welcome to the Mind Of Root. I'm Keith Albright

[Steve] and I'm Steve Murawski and this is Episode 128 streaming live on Ustream.tv on Wednesday January 13, 2010. Today's show is sponsored by Quest Software; Helping you rule your domain.

Chit-Chat - What's going on with you?

[Steve]

  • No Rich tonight. He had some other commitments that are keeping him away tonight.
  • Went to the SQL Server user group. They had a presentation on using source control, which was a lot of review for me, but good information to have reinforced. You should not script without source control of some sort!! I also went to the .NET User Group (which was immediately after the SQL Server Group) for their presentation on automating user acceptance testing. Interesting stuff.

[Keith]

  • Still waiting for iPod Touch
  • Fun day at hospital

Housekeeping Items

[Steve]

[Keith]

____________________________READ QUEST AD COPY____________________________

Before you acquire power, you must acquire knowledge – and Quest Software has what you need! In Jeffery Hicks’ e-book, “Managing Active Directory with Windows PowerShell,” learn how PowerShell helps you master local accounts and groups, password management, security and permissions and much, much more. You’ll also learn about the PowerShell extras and out-of-the-box features that will help you control Active Directory.

Don’t wait – visit www.quest.com/powershellbook to register for your free copy and see why PowerShell and Quest Power GUI are the ultimate Windows management tools. today.

____________________________READ TPN PROMO____________________________

  • Promoting Scripting - With Jeff Hicks
-About Jeff
-Jeff is a certified Microsoft professional (MCSE,MCSA,MCT), a Microsoft MVP, and an IT veteran with almost 20 years of experience, much of it spent as an IT consultant specializing in Windows server technologies. He works today as an independent author, trainer and consultant. He has co-authored or authored several books, courseware, and training videos on administrative scripting and automation. His latest book is Windows PowerShell 2.0: TFM (SAPIEN Press 2009).
-Potential Questions
-Why should administrators look at scripting tasks in their environments?
-What type of tasks lend themselves to using a command line versus a GUI?
-Is there a tipping point where scripting a task is better than using a GUI?
-Why PowerShell and not batch files or vbscript or GUI tools?
-How is an interactive management console (PowerShell) different than a GUI tool, other than requiring you to remember commands, and not looking as cool?
-So, which is more important - the interactive command line or the scripting?
-Link: http://jdhitsolutions.com/blog/2010/01/promoting-powershell/
-Link: http://redmondmag.com/Articles/2010/01/01/PowerShell-2-Why-It-Matters.aspx
  • ESXi? Performance Monitoring[KEITH]
-ESXi? Performance Charts come in handy when diagnosing and troubleshooting a problem with a VM. But, you need to extend the data collection interval.
-Link to VM-Help.com shows you how to do this, but you need SSH access.
-VirtualizationAdmin?.com has a neat trick on a hidden console. Make your changes and enable SSH. Then hit the other article for a tutorial on Performance Charts.
-Link: http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/extending_performance_data.php
-Link: http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/vmware-esx-articles/general/understanding-and-customizing-vmware-esx-server-performance-charts.html
-Link: http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/vmware-esx-articles/general/how-to-access-the-vmware-esxi-hidden-console.html
-Link: http://
  • Iomega vClone[STEVE]
-Similar to Mojopac
-Available with any Iomega portable drive.
-based on VMWare player.
-Link: http://ww2.iomega-web.com/vclone/
-Link: http://www.mojopac.com
  • Make an RSS Sharepoint Web Part[KEITH]
-Really nice little site
-Put in the feed, the number of entries, some UI parameters, and voila...instant web part.
-Speaking of web parts. Quest has a ton of web parts that you can get in a couple bundle variations.
-Google Search web part. I'm finding it a very manual process to add web parts. No standard MSI-like format for packages. Castle Rock, maker of the Google Web Part even has their own web part installer. I would think Sharepoint is mature enough to have addressed a standard.
-Link: http://www.sharepointrss.com/
-Link: http://blogs.crsw.com/mark/articles/1009.aspx
-RSSBus? is another option, though it is a paid product.[STEVE]
-Lance Robinson has a blog series about using that RSSBus? Sharepoint Web Part to create 10 DIY web parts - an image rotator, recently modified docs and libraries, run custom sql queries, list AD Users and groups, integrate with quickbooks, track shipments, search email, twitter, integrate with dynamics crm, and sync your sharepoint calendar with google calendar.
-Link: http://www.rssbus.com/products/sharepoint/
-Link: http://www.lancerobinson.net/articles/10-diy-sharepoint-web-parts.aspx
-Link: http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/blogs/zach/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=54
  • Two quick and dirty ways to determine which version of IIS is on a server[KEITH]
-Look at the MajorVersion? key in the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet?\Services\W3SVC?\Parameters (Thank You Stack Overflow)
-Examine the header of your IIS Log files...typically found at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32?\LOGFILES\W3SVCx?
-First line of the log file will have something like this: #Software: Microsoft Internet Information Services 6.0
-Most other ways are programatic, but tihs seemed to be the quickest for me with console access.
-Link: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/435050/how-to-determine-installed-iis-version
  • Mail Retention Policies[KEITH]
-Setting up Mailbox retention policies and using myself as a test subject. I have the managed content settings, the policy, applied it to my account, then scheduled the Managed Folder Assistant to run at 4AM every day. So, now I want to test, but I don't want to put a test schedule in, etc. Easy, drop to the Exchange Management Shell and run the cmdlet Start-ManagedFolderAssistant?. The managed folder assistant stops as soon as all mailboxes are processed.
-Link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123958.aspx
  • Technet Forums Direction [STEVE] [DISCUSSION]
-Are forums dying/dead?
-
-Link: http://blogs.technet.com/keithcombs/archive/2010/01/05/invitation-for-comment-technet-forum-direction.aspx

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Listener Feedback

From listener....

Website Picks

Rich - http://

Steve - http://

Keith - http://

Last Call

Anyone....Anyone....Buehler.....Buehler....

Closing Test- I'd like to thank everyone in the chat on UStream?.tv we always enjoy the additional comments and interaction. everyone should remember that there are numerous ways one can interact with the show. For listener feedback post comments on the main show site, or email us at feedback[at] MindofRoot?.com.

It's always fun to see where our listeners live, put a pin on our frappr map there is a link to this on the main show site.

To become even more involved you can leave suggestions for future shows on the topics request wiki. Again a link to the wiki can be found on the main show site.

There is a link to the wiki on the main show site. If you would like to participate in the show; either through an interview, a segment contribution, or any other way, please let us know. We are also a member of the Techpodcast network. Check out some other great shows by going to Techpodcast.com.

test end-

All right, well that is it for the show. For listener feedback; you can email us at Feedback [at] mindofroot.com or post a comment on the main site at mindofroot.com. If you use iTunes, you could write a review. If you just want to show us your listening, drop a pin on the Frappr map...there's a link on the show site.

Lastly, you can drop any show ideas or topic requests on the wiki. There is a link to the wiki on the main show site. If you would like to participate in the show; either through an interview, a segment contribution, or any other way, please let us know. We are also a member of the Techpodcast network. Check out some other great shows by going to Techpodcast.com.