Class Spotlight: MS-6421 Configuring and Troubleshooting a Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure

This class compares to the MS-2277 Windows 2003 course.  It is a good course for students who are responsible for the maintenance and troubleshooting of DNS, DHCP, NAP and WINS. 

It also covers how to install and configure roles and services in Windows Server 2008.  It contains information on IPv6 and shows students how to set up IPv6 transition technologies.  It also teaches DFS, backup, File Server Resource Manager and WSUS.  It also covers Microsoft-based VPNs.  This course helps to prepare students to take the 70-642 exam.

For more information on this course or to find upcoming dates this course is offered, view the course outline here.  

- Janet Nichols, Windows Server Expert; MCT, MCSE, MCITP: Enterprise Admin, Server Admin; Windows 7 EDA, MCTS LinkIn with Janet

ASP.NET Tips

Looking for more robust and dynamic controls for your ASP.NET application? Check out the new DexExpress “ASPxperience” suite of controls ( http://bit.ly/cOPYz9 ) or the suite from Obout ( http://www.obout.com ). Both suites include great AJAX (and non-AJAX) controls for displaying data, managing navigation, and providing a richer experience for your site users.

What about a great hosting company for your ASP.NET applications or  SqlServer databases? Discount ASP.Net ( http://www.discountasp.net ) is one of the best ASP.Net and SQL Server hosts on the planet. I  have been using DiscountAsp.net to host applications since 2003, and I could not be happier with their reliability and the options available.

Have questions on ASP.NET? Send them my way!

-Neill Horton, ASP.NET Expert; MCTS, MCP, CTT, Sun Certified Java Programmer LinkIn with Neill

Class Spotlight: MS-6419 Configuring, Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Servers

 This class is a good foundational Server Administration course for people already familiar with 2003.  It compares to the 2273 Windows 2003 course.  If students need to learn how to manage users, groups and group policy it is a great class!

The course also discusses file permissions, file sharing and Active Directory permissions.  It does a good job of explaining group policy.  It also discusses Distributed File System, fine grained password policy, WSUS and network policy server.  It also discusses trusts.  It is a great class for students who are responsible for user, group management and group policy.

View the upcoming dates MS-6419 is offered on the course outline here.  

- Janet Nichols, Windows Server Expert; MCT, MCSE, MCITP: Enterprise Admin, Server Admin; Windows 7 EDA, MCTS LinkIn with Janet

Remote Training: The solution you may be missing out on

When it comes to today’s IT training customers have several options from companies nationwide. Instructor led training, mentored learning training, self-based learning and remote training all have their place in training.  Some students prefer to learn at their own pace and others like instructor led so they can ask questions and receive feedback.  Here at Centriq we offer 3 main training solutions to our customers as part of our Centriq Choice Program including Local Instructor Led Training, Remote Instructor Led Training and High Definition Instructor Led Training.

Local instructor led training has always been the favorite training type for most students.  Local ILT gives the opportunity for the student to have interaction with the instructor and receive feedback on questions and comments.  As an instructor of 15 years, my own opinion is biased.  I believe Local ILT provides the best opportunity for students to learn.  However in today’s environment, Local ILT is not always available because of time constraints of work and the cost of travel.  Also for some students there is the time away from the office.  In most of my classes today, corporate students are connected to work by either a laptop or cell phone still working even while attending classes.  It might not be the best learning opportunity but it is better than no training at all.  So is there a way for students to still get the training they need, be able to still be in touch with work and save money on travel and other expenses?  Remote ILT may be the answer for you and your company. 

With the increase in bandwidth, speed of internet links and new tools and methodologies, Remote ILT has come a long way.  Here at Centriq Training we are currently providing 2 ways to provide students with access to remote training—Remote ILT and HD ILT. 

Remote ILT is where a student can access a live class remotely from their work or home.  The class will have both students in the class as well as students remoting over the internet.  Just like a student in the class, each student will have access to the following: 1) their own host pc with their own virtual pc or VMware machines and 2) access to the instructor as well as other students via two way audio, one way video and internet chat.  The remote student can ask questions in class of the instructor or class so they feel a connection as if they are right in the class.  As an instructor I have been through extensive training to ensure remote students are encouraged to participate in class and feel at home. 

Along with my training, we also have tools that ensure that the remote student has a great experience.  First, Centriq sends out prior to the first day of class a check list of items for the student to complete to ensure proper and efficient connectivity to the classroom.  The student will also receive a headset with a microphone to ensure the two-way audio for the class.  Once the student has completed the checklist, they will be ready to attend the first day of class.  Also to ensure a good experience, we provide the best tech support should the student have any connectivity issues before and during class.  Centriq utilizes tools such as Microsoft Office Live Meeting for audio, video and chat, Citrix’s Go To My PC for the host connection and NetSupport for classroom management.  Consider, for example, a remote student having an issue with a lab. All they have to do is tell the instructor what they are having a problem with, then the instructor can use NetSupport to see the students host (which by the way is in the classroom, not in a rack somewhere out of sight) and help them.  Also if they are experiencing problems with the host, the instructor can go over to the host pc and fix the problem or have our support team fix the issue.  As you can see, using these tools along with a qualified remote instructor, the remote student will feel like they are right there in the classroom.

Our second remote solution, HD-ILT, utilizes a two audio-video solution.  We have a 60 inch High Definition TV with camera in the classroom at Centriq.  This currently is available for high-end Cisco classes only.  The student will come to Centriq and actively participate in a Cisco certified class remotely with a Cisco Certified Instructor and authorized curriculum.  The instructor from the remote classroom will see and hear all the students in the Centriq class and vice-versa.  The big benefit is that the student will be working on live Cisco equipment and not simulators or virtual machines.  Need a Cisco class that Centriq is not teaching locally? Check our schedule for remote Cisco VOIP, Security and Wireless classes.  We will still be teaching Cisco classes such as CCNA and CCNP locally, but for those who need more advanced Cisco training make sure you check out our HD-ILT solution.

I think the best benefit from Centriq’s remote training solutions is the cost and time.  No more does a company have to spend money on travel expenses to Kansas City for a week to take a course, now the student can be at work or home to and still get the training they need. 

I encourage you to check out our course schedule at http://www.centriq.com/CentriqSchedule.aspx and I hope to see you in a local or remote class.

- Tom Pruett, Cisco & Security Expert; MCT, CTT+, CISSP, CWNA, CEH, CHFI, CCSI, CCNA, MCSE LinkIn with Tom

She's a little runaway (query)

Stop that runaway query!

Have you ever noticed how SQL Server likes to just take over the CPU and memory of the box it is installed on? It just says, in it’s little SQL brain, “Gee, I think 90% of the CPU should be sufficient to run this query, and maybe I will just keep this memory in case I need it for something else.” Meanwhile, all other queries and/or applications start turning blue from lack of resources and die on the way to the query optimizer.

Are you ready to take back control of the CPU and memory and force applications or users to only use their fair share of the server’s resources? Well, another great, new feature of SQL Server 2008 is called the Resource Governor. You can set limits on how much CPU and memory can be used by creating functions that define an application name, a user name, a host name, a server role name, and so on.

You start by creating Resource Pools and assign minimum and maximum CPU and memory percentages to each pool. For example, you create a pool called Pool1 and assign it a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 30% CPU. This means that anything assigned to the pool will always have some CPU available (20%) but will never exceed 30%.

You also create Workload Groups which are assigned to specific pools. These workload groups can be assigned a high, medium or low priority within that pool. At this point, it would be fair to mention that all unclassified work is dumped into the Default Workload Group. This pool has UNLIMITED access to system resources, the reason that so many of us have seen runaway applications.

The third part is to create Classifier Functions. This defines which users, applications, roles, etc. (workloads), go into which workload groups. Now, we have control!

Just so you know, SQL Server 2008 reserves some CPU and memory for itself that is never given to any user or application. Didn’t you ever wonder how you could access a locked up server using the “SQLCMD –A” utility? There is always CPU and memory on reserve just to keep the motor running like the well oiled machine that SQL Server is. 

And if you like, I can show you how to build one of these Resource Governor contraptions right here in my MS 6231 class which runs from October 18-22 (it’s actually covered on Friday, usually). And if all else fails…

“Just hit it with a hammer!”

- Peter Trast, SQL Expert; MCITP DBA, MCITP EA, MCT LinkIn with Peter

Security+: Do you really need this certification?

In the past year I have been asked a couple of questions regarding the Security+ certification.  "I already have experience, why do I need to get Security+ certified? or "Is the Security+ certification worth anything anymore?"  The answer to both questions is a definite yes.

Over the past 10 years security has become a very prominent part of IT.  The need for well qualified individuals in security has increased.  There is not not one company that is not thinking about security.  Security has come to the forefront of IT due to the increased exposure to networks.  The exposure comes from the internet.  With all of this exposure comes the need to protect our personal and company assets.

So, how does the Security+ certification play a role helping protect our personal and private networks?  Knowlege knowledge and more knowledge.  That is the answer.

IT security is not just limited to single area of knowledge.  It actually encompasses all areas of IT.  Think about all the different systems, applications and OS's your company has running?  All of those have different needs for security.  So to be in security means to be knowledgeable in a lot of areas of IT.

Security+ certification provides you with exposure to all of the different areas of security for different systems, application and OS's.  No, it does not mean you will be an expert in security for all of these systems, but it does mean you will have exposure and an understanding of what it means to secure these systems.

Security is a journey not a destination.  There is not one person who knows everything about security.  Security knowledge comes from knowing how to defend your systems against different types of threats.
However for some, network defense comes from knowing how a system or OS works.

Security+ provides that base knowledge for security, network defense and hardening systems.  You could say it is a mile wide and a 2 inches deep.  Once you have the exposure to this knowledge then you can go into one of many areas of security such as: ethical hacking, firewalls, IDS, IPS, security policies, Cisco routers and switches or internet security.

As for the question is the Security+ certification worth anything?  Just ask anyone in the military or government who has to work on a secure system.  They are now required to be Security+ certified to work on said systems.

So if you are looking to get into security or need to start getting certified in security for other areas.  The Security+ certification is the place to start.

If you have any questions about Security+ certified, please feel free to contact me.

For more information on Security + click here.


- Tom Pruett, Cisco & Security Expert; MCT, CTT+, CISSP, CWNA, CEH, CHFI, CCSI, CCNA, MCSE LinkIn with Tom

Class Spotlight: MS-6416 Updating your Network Infrastructure & Active Directory Technology Skills to Windows Server 2008

This class should be considered for certification. The class has evolved.  There is now less information on the upgrade and more information on topics such as Federation Services, Rights Management Services and Lightweight Directory Services as opposed to the older version of this course.   

These three topics were taught in a single chapter less than 35 pages and is now taught in three separate chapters each a minimum of 35 pages.  More emphasis has been placed on the Network Policy Server.  DFS and File Server Resource Manager have been added.  Less emphasis is now placed on performance – information on Windows System Resource Manger has been dropped.  Server Core is now barely mentioned in this course. The section on Active Directory planning has been removed.  

 It is a great class and will help to prepare students for the 70-648 Exam. 

- Janet Nichols, Windows Server Expert; MCT, MCSE, MCITP: Enterprise Admin, Server Admin; Windows 7 EDA, MCTS LinkIn with Janet

Tired of slow SQL queries?

Getting tired of those poorly performing queries or stored procedures? Getting even more tired of the phone calls that result from those poorly performing queries or stored procedures? Obviously, disconnecting your phone and huddling in the corner crying is not the answer (take it from me). Maybe what you need to do is look at the structure of your database and consider a little modification. First, a few questions.

Is at least one of your tables the size of (insert favorite Hollywood actor’s name)’s ego? And does that titanically (not a movie reference) humongous table have at least one column that could be used to divide the data into smaller chunks, like a date column in a Sales table with many months or years of data with hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of rows? Can you add (would your budget allow) more physical disks to your SQL Server solution? And the biggest question, can you afford, or do you already have, the Enterprise edition of SQL server?

Well, if you were able to answer yes to all of those questions, it is possible that you might be able to tweak that lumbering hulk into exhibiting a few more miles per hour by making a few simple, if not inexpensive, changes.

The short version (level 000) is that you create new physical drives, define ranges of data and assign those ranges of data to different disks (or RAID 5 arrays). This is called table partitioning. Read on only if you really want to know how it is done (level 100)!

First, you must decide where to divide your data. For example, if you have about 10 million rows of Sales data for the last 5 years, you need to choose how to break that data down into smaller pieces. This decision is really based on how many physical disks you can add to your system. If you like keeping your data on RAID 5’s and you can get your hands on 5 more RAID 5 arrays,  you can divide you data into 5 parts (which just happens to nicely match 5 years of data).

So you create 5 new RAID 5 arrays. And in your database properties you create 5 new filegroups with at least one file each, one filegroup per RAID 5 array. Then, we are going to use these 5 different filegroups residing on 5 different arrays to create our partitioning strategy.

Now, we use a Transact SQL statement like this one

CREATE PARTITION FUNCTION [myDateRangePF1] (datetime)

AS RANGE RIGHT FOR VALUES ('20030101', '20040101', '20050101',

                           '20060101', '20070101');

to define the range of values for each portion of our table that will be stored separately from the rest. In this case, all sales for the year 2003, date 20030101 thru 20031231 (RANGE RIGHT starts with date 20030101 and ends before the next date, 20040101) will be assigned to the first partition in our function. Then 2004 is assigned to the next and so on. The last partition, 20070101, being the last listed, includes all subsequent dates, unless the function is later modified, which it can be.

Next, each range is assigned to a filegroup with a statement that looks like this

CREATE PARTITION SCHEME myRangePS1

AS PARTITION myRangePF1  --the name of the function we just created

TO (test1fg, test2fg, test3fg, test4fg, test5fg, test6fg); --these are our filegroups

Now, all of the data for 2003 will be stored in the first filegroup on the first RAID 5 array, the data for 2004 will be stored on the second new array, and so on. This will give you more actual disks supporting queries for a single table, reducing (theoretically) disk I/O and increasing (keep your fingers crossed) query response times. Yeah, I know I mentioned 6 filegroups in my scheme but I need to leave at least one mystery hanging out there for you to explore on your own or read on http://msdn.microsoft.com (or learn about in my class!!)

If you really need more info, and you want me to give it to you (because who wants to take advantage of all that great free info on the internet?), connect to me on the LinkedIn link below and send me your questions. Or comment on this blog. Or come to my week long class MS 6232 starting November 15!

“Seeya at tha pahty, Richtah…”

- Peter Trast, SQL Expert; MCITP DBA, MCITP EA, MCT LinkIn with Peter

Ask Your Instructor: SQL Server FAQ's Part II

Got SQL Server questions? I love them! Even when I don’t have the answer right then!

I recently delivered a class on “Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database” and I promised my students that I would capture their ad-hoc questions (and even some answers) in a document and, thinking that it was possible that someone else out in the web ether might have had the same question, decided to share them.

So here they are in all their glory. Enjoy!

8) Can you have multiple replication types going INTO one database?
Yes, but you must manage objname collisions manually.

9) Can you replicate from a mirror? 
Sort of… http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms151799.aspx  My understanding of the question is can you replicate from the database that is the CURRENT mirror. So far all of my tests have proven to me that I cannot, (but I am sure someone out there is up to the challenge). Never say it can’t be done unless you can prove it!

10) Does the restore of a database require re-initializing of a publication? 
Yes, if you want to move all copies of the data BACK to the restore point. Otherwise use synchronization to bring the restored database up to date with the subscribers.

11) Will changing the root of my IIS installation break Reporting Services?
No, IIS is handling the connection to the root of the web service so Reporting Services will simply be redirected to the new location.

12) Can you use SQL Server Express Edition as a WITNESS in a Mirror? 
Yes, you can use Express, Workgroup, Standard or Enterprise (SQL Server 2005 and later) as a WITNESS, although the Mirror and Principal can only be created on Standard and Enterprise. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175191.aspx

13) What is the heartbeat setting of a Mirror and can I change it?
The default time is 10 seconds but it can be modified using this statement on the Principal: ALTER DATABASE SET PARTNER TIMEOUT 

14) Can I run the SQL Server 2008 Profiler on SQL Server 2000? 
Yes

The questions I get from students keep these courses interesting for me and I would love to hear your questions through this blog or in my class. After all, as a long time veteran Microsoft employee told me a few years ago, “After 10 years of work on Microsoft products with a dozen certifications, you can only attain about 1% knowledge of the Microsoft technologies.”

Ok, I gotta go hit the books. My next class is probably going to ask about the other 99%... again. Stay tuned for Part II of this post!


- Peter Trast, SQL Expert; MCITP DBA, MCITP EA, MCT LinkIn with Peter