Version: 3.3 1641
Date Published: 4/21/2009
Network Monitor 3.3 is a protocol analyzer. It allows you to capture network traffic, view and analyze it. Version 3.3 is an update and replaces Network Monitor 3.2. Network Monitor 3.x is a complete overhaul of the previous Network Monitor 2.x version.
I used this when I worked on the farside, but internally it was time bombed. But now it’s free and it still rocks! .. multi threaded copy!
Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx
.. RichCopy is a free utility that comes to us from Ken Tamaru of Microsoft. The tool was first developed in 2001 and has been updated regularly to keep pace with evolving needs. Trust me when I tell you, this is the answer to all your file copying needs. What you’ll find most striking the first time you take RichCopy out for a spin is that it’s a multithreaded copying tool. That means that rather than copying one file at a time in serial order, RichCopy can open multiple threads simultaneously, allowing many files to be copied in parallel and cutting the total time required to complete the operation several times over. You can also pause and resume file copy operations, so if you lose network connectivity at any point, you can just pick up where you left off.
..
so 30th September saw some updates to some systinternals tools:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545027.aspx
Contig v1.55
There are a number of NT disk defraggers on the market, including Winternals Defrag Manager. These tools are useful for performing a general defragmentation of disks, but while most files are defragmented on drives processed by these utilities, some files may not be. In addition, it is difficult to ensure that particular files that are frequently used are defragmented – they may remain fragmented for reasons that are specific to the defragmentation algorithms used by the defragging product that has been applied. Finally, even if all files have been defragmented, subsequent changes to critical files could cause them to become fragmented. Only by running an entire defrag operation can one hope that they might be defragmented again.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897428.aspx
Process Monitor v2.0
Process Monitor is an advanced monitoring tool for Windows that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity. It combines the features of two legacy Sysinternals utilities, Filemon and Regmon, and adds an extensive list of enhancements including rich and non-destructive filtering, comprehensive event properties such session IDs and user names, reliable process information, full thread stacks with integrated symbol support for each operation, simultaneous logging to a file, and much more. Its uniquely powerful features will make Process Monitor a core utility in your system troubleshooting and malware hunting toolkit.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.asp
Sigcheck v1.54
Verify that images are digitally signed and dump version information with this simple command-line utility.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897441.aspx
ZoomIt v2.11
ZoomIt is screen zoom and annotation tool for technical presentations that include application demonstrations. ZoomIt runs unobtrusively in the tray and activates with customizable hotkeys to zoom in on an area of the screen, move around while zoomed, and draw on the zoomed image. I wrote ZoomIt to fit my specific needs and use it in all my presentations.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897434.aspx
At last a Web Update Pack for ExBPA. You can get it from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4F2F1339-CBCD-4D26-9174-F30C10D7EC4C&displaylang=en
Basically this download contains the latest XML and ExBPA.chm files. Use this package to update your existing installation of the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer.
You only need to apply it (if like almost every production server in the world) the server does not have internet access to download the update automatically.
It’s 3,348kb and contains 6 files
eula.rtf
ExBPA.chm
ExBPA.Config.xml -> v2.11.18.0
ExBPA.Permissions.xml -> 2.6.2.1
ExBPA.Readiness.xml -> 2.8.5.0
ExBPA.Transport.xml -> 2.6.1.2
So typically, on an Exchange 2007 Server, you will drop these in to C:Program FilesMicrosoftExchange ServerBinen
What is STRANGE is that if you have an Exchange Server 2007 on the Internet the latest files are as follows:
ExBPA.config.xml -> 12.11.15.0
ExBPA.E12.UnifiedMessaging.xml -> 12.0.1.0
ExBPA.Readiness.xml -> 2.8.4.0
ExDRA.Config.xml -> 1.5.3.0
ExMFA.Config.xml -> 1.2.19.0
ExTRA.config.xml -> 1.0.0.2
So what does one do? The ExBPA.config.xml is a totally different version? Should you apply it? Should I update everything except ExBPA.config.xml?
WHY do two different versions exist?
Okay so we all know that Test-SystemHealth is basically ExBPAcmd with a nice wrapper.
What I find interesting is that when I run it, it always “Mailbox Role Checks” even if it’s run on a CAS or Hub Transport server. Well Test-SystemHealth does have a -roles but the help file says it’s Reserved for internal use.
However, you can use the following:
Gateway -> Edge role
Bridgehead -> Hub Transport role
ClientAccess -> Client Access role
UnifiedMessaging -> Unified Messaging
AdminTools -> Management Tools role
ClusterMailbox -> Active Mailbox role
Mailbox -> Mailbox and Passive Mailbox roles
Now make sure you match the case of they won’t work. Not too sure what the tests do, but it works okay
Also you know about the -DownloadConfigurationUpdates:$false to stop it trying to download from the internet.
So this is what I have been using on my servers with the Hub Transport role server
Test-SystemHealth -Roles:Bridgehead -DownloadConfigurationUpdates:$false
Okay I’m confused. I started with this
Application Version: 3.2.685.18
Configuration File Version: 12.11.11.0
If I download the ExBPA update files from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4F2F1339-CBCD-4D26-9174-F30C10D7EC4C&displaylang=en and copy them to C:Program FilesMicrosoftExchange ServerBinen
My BPA from the Exchange 2007 Toolbox shows:
Configuration File Version: 2.11.16.0
BUT if I connect my 2007 server to the internet and click on update when I launch ExBPA, it gives me:
Configuration File Version: 12.11.14.0
So what the deal? Anyone seen this? You “normally” don’t let your Exchange servers anywhere near an internet connection, so how do you update the file versions
12.11.14.0 seems to fix the issue with Test-SystemHealth
Come on Boys and Girls sort you stuff out!
This is interesting. So I ran ExBPA & Test-SystemHealth on my Exchange 2007 box and they give the same answers (Phew!)
But, I just copied this: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4f2f1339-cbcd-4d26-9174-f30c10d7ec4c&displaylang=en
to c:Program FilesMicrosoftExchange ServerBinen and now Test-SystemHealth says this:
[PS] C:>Test-SystemHealth
Test-SystemHealth : This specified Role (Mailbox) is not defined in the configu
ration file.
Parameter name: Roles
At line:1 char:17
+ Test-SystemHealth <<<<
Found this on the download site today … looks interesting. Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=bf9eb3a7-fb91-4691-9c16-553604265c31&DisplayLang=en
The Microsoft Cluster Configuration Validation Wizard, a.k.a. “ClusPrep”, is a validation tool that does a complete system inventory and runs focused tests on servers that are configured and ready for Microsoft Server Cluster installation (in other words, before the servers are a cluster). ClusPrep will also run the inventory and many of these same tests after clustering is installed, however, because of their potentially disruptive nature, most storage tests are not run if the servers are already a cluster.
ClusPrep will validate that your system is configured properly by taking inventory of your system configuration and highlighting discrepancies in service pack levels, driver versions, etc.; evaluating and testing your network and storage configuration.
If the results of your ClusPrep execution do not show errors (viewable in detail from the XML report) then you can have a high level of confidence that your subsequent cluster installation and/or operation will be successful.
ClusPrep is a “client/server” tool: you install it on one machine (must be installed on a 32-bit architecture machine), and it drives tests on a collection of server machines (can be any architecture). All drivers and test agents are automatically installed on the servers as part of ClusPrep operation. In other words, the only install you do is on the machine from which you initiate the testing.
flaphead.com 