My information Resource (blog.mir.net)

I was hunting for some information and came across this post on a blog on TechNet, by YongRhee at Microsoft. I am copying his post here because it such a great idea to share.

Applies to:

Windows Server 2012

Windows 8

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows 7

In Windows Server’s, if you wanted to capture network packets (for those coming from a Unix background, Packet sniffer or protocol analyzer, or TCPDump), you would have to install an add-on such as Network Monitor (Netmon) or Wireshark (used to be known as Ethereal). In order to install these products, you would have to go thru a change control process.

Starting with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, network capture has been built-in and native to the Windows O.S.

Start, CMD (Run as admin)

Type “Netsh trace start scenario=NetConnection capture=yes report=yes persistent=no maxsize=1024 correlation=yes traceFile=C:LogsNetTrace.etl” without the quotation marks and then press Enter.

Note: Details of all the options are available in the links to more information.

Note 2: You always want to take network traces from both sides (sending and receiving).

Reproduce the issue.

Open a second CMD (Run as admin)

When you have the repro, to make the network trace with a ‘marker’ that you are done.

Type “ping 127.0.0.1” without the quotation marks and then press Enter.

To stop the network capture

Type “netsh trace stop” without the quotation marks and then press Enter.

Once you have the nettrace.etl file, you could copy it off the server to your Windows client.

In your Windows client, you would use Microsoft Network Monitor 3.4 to analyze the network packets.

More information:

Scenarios
Troubleshoots what type of related issues?

AddressAcquisition
address acquisition

DirectAccess
DirectAccess

FileSharing
common file and printer sharing problems

InternetClient
Diagnose web connectivity

InternetServer
server-side web connectivity

L2SEC
layer 2 authentication

LAN
wired LAN

Layer2
layer 2 connectivity

NDIS
network adapter

NetConnection
network connections

RPC
RPC framework

WCN
Windows Connect Now

WFP-IPsec
Windows Filtering Platform and IPsec

WLAN
wireless LAN

Network Tracing in Windows 7
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee918726(v=ws.10).aspx

Network Tracing in Windows 7 (Windows)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd569136(v=vs.85).aspx

Netsh Commands for Trace
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878498(v=WS.10).aspx

Netsh Commands for Network Trace in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878517(v=WS.10).aspx

Event Tracing for Windows and Network Monitor
http://blogs.technet.com/b/netmon/archive/2009/05/13/event-tracing-for-windows-and-network-monitor.aspx

For those administrators that want to learn more and their company has a Premier contract. There is a workshop available called “Netmon for Enterprise Troubleshooting”. Please contact your Technical Account Manager (T.A.M.) about availability in your neck of the woods.

Microsoft Services – Premier Support Proactive Services – Proactive Education

Link to his original Post

 

You can download at PDF version of this book.

Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 includes 10 chapters:

PART I DATABASE ADMINISTRATION (by Ross Mistry)

1. SQL Server 2012 Editions and Engine Enhancements

2. High-Availability and Disaster-Recovery Enhancements

3. Performance and Scalability

4. Security Enhancements

5. Programmability and Beyond-Relational Enhancements

PART II BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE DEVELOPMENT (by Stacia Misner)

6. Integration Services

7. Data Quality Services

8. Master Data Services

9. Analysis Services and PowerPivot

10. Reporting Services

Information was supplied by MS Press

Download the book here

 

I’m honored to have been nominated for the SMB 150 list, but I can’t win by myself. I need your vote! You can express your support for me and what I’ve accomplished in the SMB technology field by voting at smb150.com (you can vote once per day). Thanks in advance for your support for this distinguished industry award! #smb150

"I’m both honored and humbled by my inclusion in the SMB 150. Some of the channel’s heaviest hitters are on this year’s list, so I look forward to seeing how I fare against them. Whatever happens, I’m thankful to all the colleagues and clients who have shown their support for me."

"It’s always great when people you respect from your own professional community recognize the contributions you’ve made to the field. I’m thankful to everyone who votes for me and can’t wait to see who the channel picks as this year’s top influencers."

Thank you all Jay…

 

 

SplashData.comrecently published the following information regarding the most popular 2012 passwords on the web. The ranking was based on password information from compromised accounts posted by hackers online. The article was also featured on blogs.avg.com.

This year, the list is back! So it’s time to see how, if at all, users have learned their lessons about what makes a strong password.

Here’s the full list and how it compares to last year’s:

#	Password	Change from 2011
1.	password	Unchanged
2.	123456	Unchanged
3.	12345678	Unchanged
4.	abc123	Up 1
5.	qwerty	Down 1
6.	monkey	Unchanged
7.	letmein	Up 1
8.	dragon	Up 2
9.	111111	Up 3
10.	baseball	Up 1
11.	iloveyou	Up 2
12.	trustno1	Down 3
13.	1234567	Down 6
14.	sunshine	Up 1
15.	master	Down 1
16.	123123	Up 4
17.	welcome	New
18.	shadow	Up 1
19.	ashley	Down 3
20.	football	Up 5
21.	jesus	New
22.	michael	Up 2
23.	ninja	New
24.	mustang	New
25.	password1	New

As you can see, people haven’t changed their password habits a whole lot in a year.

If your password is included on that list, or is a close variation of these passwords, it’s really important to take action now!

Fixing your password problem can be very simple;

Long is strong: The longer the password, the more difficult it will be for someone to try and crack it using brute force. So, instead of a single word, with a jumble of symbols, numbers and characters, try a string of words. Use a line of your favorite poem, song or just something memorable. Feel free to add your lucky number at the end if you like.

Something like: "withnodirectionhome1085"

This is a copy of a post at SplashData.com. I have posted this here as a Public Service

 

As you move in your journey to Windows Server 2012 certification, you need to understand the path to get certified, This is a tool that will assist you in choosing the type of training that fits your learning style and schedule and prepare for your first—or next—exam to reach your certification and career goal.

Click here for a bigger copy

What’s New in Windows 8 Security Explore the new and changed functionality in Windows 8 security from BitLocker, AppLocker, and smart cards to security auditing and Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and IPsec.

Windows 8 Security Demonstrations Watch short, technical demonstrations of key Windows 8 security features for IT professionals and learn how to better secure your Windows 8 PCs while enabling the mobile productivity users have come to expect. BitLocker in Windows 8 – Learn how, with the BitLocker improvements in Windows 8, you can now protect valuable data on often easy-to-lose USB drives in less time and thereby increase end user acceptance of this form of data protection. Secure Boot – Explore Secure Boot, also referred to as Trusted Boot, a new security feature in Windows 8 that leverages the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) to block the loading and operation of any program or driver that has not been signed by an OS-provided key, and thus protects the integrity of the kernel, system files, boot-critical drivers, and even antimalware software. Windows to Go – Explore this new feature for enterprise users of Windows 8 that enables users to securely boot a full version of Windows from external USB drives on host PCs.

Security Events and Training

Windows 8 Jump Start: Recovery and Security Learn how to better control, secure, and manage Windows 8 PCs with BitLocker, UEFI, Secure Boot, and Measured Boot. This course will go over the security features integrated into Windows 8 and then walk you through the process of leveraging complementary technologies such as the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) and Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM).

Microsoft Virtual Academy: Operating and Managing a Secure Windows 8 Environment Find out how to keep your users safe and protect your infrastructure by using advanced Windows 8 technologies like AppLocker, BitLocker, and Windows Firewall. In this course, you will explore the security and privacy options in Windows 8 and learn how to manage a more secure Windows 8 environment.

This is a repost off the Microsoft security newsletter .

Mitch Tulloch has updated his very popular free ebook on Windows Server 2012 based on the RTM version of the software. 

A key feature of this book is the inclusion of sidebars written by members of the Windows Server team, Microsoft Support engineers, Microsoft Consulting Services staff, and others who work at Microsoft. These sidebars provide an insider’s perspective that includes both “under-the-hood” information concerning how features work, and strategies, tips, and best practices from experts who have been working with the platform during product development.

 

Based on final, released-to-manufacturing (RTM) software, this book introduces new features and capabilities, with scenario-based insights demonstrating how to plan for, implement, and maintain Windows 8 in an enterprise environment.

Topics include:

• Performance, reliability, and security features

• Deployment options

• Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit

• Windows PowerShell™ 3.0 and Group Policy

• Managing and sideloading apps

• Internet Explorer® 10

• Virtualization, Client Hyper-V, and Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

• Recovery features

  get the ebook  here

 

We’re pleased to announce the return of Second Shot, the highly popular offer that gives you a free second chance to pass your IT pro, developer, and Microsoft Dynamics certification exams.
Second Shot is available now through May 31, 2013.
Read more about Second Shot on Microsoft Learning.

How it works

1. Register to receive a Second Shot voucher for either a single exam or a certification pack. Click the appropriate link in the table on the Second Shot page on Microsoft Learning to get started.
2. Using the Second Shot voucher number, schedule and pay for your initial exam through our testing provider, Prometric, at http://www.register.prometric.com.
3. Take your exam.
4. If you do not pass your exam the first time, you may register to take the same exam again at no charge, via http://www.register.prometric.com. Provide Prometric with the same Second Shot exam voucher number when registering the second time.
   NOTE: Please wait one day after taking the initial exam to register for the retake to allow for test results to be entered into the system.

If you’re getting ready to earn another certification, make sure you register for Second Shot so you can retake your exam, if necessary, for free!

I have been nominated as a SBS influencer, an SMB 150 influencer is a person that has made a meaningful and lasting impact on the worldwide SMB channel. Impact may mean (i) providing products widely used by significant numbers of MSPs, SMB channel partners and resellers, or (ii) influencing significant numbers of MSPs, SMB channel partners and resellers by being a thought leader, or (iii) providing information or services of note to significant numbers of MSPs, SMB channel partners and resellers.

The SMB 150 honors individuals who have made a significant impact on the worldwide small and medium business (SMB) channel . You and an all-star judging panel will vote for the top 150. It all culminates with honoring the SMB 150 Influencers in late-April 2013, with an awards gala in May at the iconic Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles, CA!

by clicking here