In this blog post, a virtualization and storage expert encounters a problem with Exchange 2010 disconnections and delivery delays in various global offices. He investigates and resolves the issue by modifying the default throttling policy and failing over DAG volumes to one server that did not have the problem. However, the expert notes that there is still no official explanation from Microsoft regarding the cause of the issue, despite researching Windows updates and the KB2393802 patch.

The post provides a detailed account of the troubleshooting process, including the discovery of Event ID 2915 on CAS servers, the correlation with the default throttling policy, and the use of PowerShell to modify the policy temporarily. The expert also describes how he tested the solution by sending test messages and disabling cache mode on Outlook clients to confirm that the problem was resolved on the server side.

The post highlights the expertise of the author in both virtualization and messaging technologies, as well as their willingness to share their findings and seek further understanding from readers. Additionally, it underscores the importance of keeping up-to-date with Windows updates and actively troubleshooting issues as they arise to ensure optimal performance and reliability in a datacenter environment.

This blog post would be beneficial to anyone working with Exchange 2010 or other messaging technologies, as well as those interested in virtualization, storage, and troubleshooting techniques. By sharing their experience and knowledge, the author demonstrates the value of collaboration and continuous learning within the IT community.

The Story of a Virtualization and Storage Guy’s Journey to Resolve Random Exchange Disconnections and Delivery Delays

As a virtualization and storage expert, I have found myself involved in every performance troubleshooting session and new project lately. Recently, my boss approached me with a problem regarding our new Exchange 2010 environment. Users worldwide were experiencing random disconnections and delivery delays of up to four hours. The issue was not limited to any specific device or platform, and Activesync devices and OWA users were unaffected by the delays.

I began my investigation by reviewing event logs on all servers in the Exchange 2010 environment. I found numerous errors related to running Exchange 2010 SP1 without any update rollups. Corresponding KB articles from Microsoft confirmed these fixes in various update rollups. One event that stood out was Event ID 2915 on our CAS servers, indicating “Session Limit Over Budget” due to the default throttling policy.

To better understand the default throttling policy, I recommend reading Understanding Client Throttling Policies. To resolve the issue, I created a PowerShell script that set the throttling policy defaults to null, effectively removing any restrictions. After making this change, reported disconnections stopped, but delivery delays continued globally.

I decided to go back to basics and began troubleshooting by sending test messages to colleagues. All messages were promptly delivered without any issues, except for one colleague who was experiencing delivery delays of up to four hours. I turned off their cache mode on the Outlook client, and the problem magically disappeared. This led me to note the differences between the two servers.

To stop the global issue from occurring while I resolved the problem, I failed all DAG volumes over to the server that did not seem to be having the problem. Reports quickly confirmed that the issue was resolved. Then, I compared differences between the two servers and found one significant difference: Microsoft KB2393802 was applied to one server but not the other. After removing the patch and rebooting, testing with a test mailbox database showed that the problem was fixed.

Despite my research, I could not find any information from Microsoft regarding this patch causing issues in Exchange 2010 mail delivery. If any of you readers have an idea about what could be causing this problem, please comment and share your thoughts. I have attempted to contact Microsoft regarding this issue, but they have not replied yet.

In conclusion, my journey to resolve random Exchange disconnections and delivery delays was a fruitful one, with many lessons learned along the way. As virtualization and storage experts, we must be prepared to adapt to new challenges and embrace new technologies. In this case, I had to dig deeper into troubleshooting techniques and learn more about Exchange 2010, leading me to discover a potential issue with Microsoft KB2393802.

Reducing Friction in On-Site Installations

As a pre-sales engineer, a significant part of my job involves on-site installations of newly purchased equipment. In this blog post, I will share some insights and best practices for reducing friction during these installations, based on my own experiences and lessons learned.

Planning and Preparation

Before the installation, I schedule a meeting with the customer to plan the project and create a project plan, milestones, and goals. This meeting is crucial as it allows us to define all work packages, activities, and configuration details with the customer. We use mind maps to structure the project and ensure that we have covered all aspects of the installation.

Using Digital Media

During the kickoff meeting, I use digital media to take notes and sketches. I prefer using my iPad with a Bamboo Stylus Duo and Mindjet MindManager on Windows. This helps me to keep track of all information and ensure that I have everything I need before starting the installation.

Ensuring Readiness

Before beginning the installation, we should ensure that we have all necessary software, licenses, and information. It’s essential to avoid downloading software during the installation process, as this can cause delays and increase friction. Additionally, we should ensure that our laptops are fully charged, and we have all necessary tools and cables with us.

Keeping Track and Documenting Work

During the installation, it’s crucial to keep track of our work and document what we’ve configured. We should explain each step to the customer and ensure that they understand what we are doing. This helps to build trust and shows that we are experienced professionals who know what we are doing.

Organizing Our Work

To avoid disorganized work, I use a medium-sized box with everything I need for on-site installations. The box includes an HP 6450b laptop with Windows 7, tools, serial cables, a Juniper 5GT firewall, power supplies, and an antistatic mat. This helps me to stay organized and focused on the task at hand.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reducing friction during on-site installations is essential for delivering successful projects and maintaining customer satisfaction. By planning and preparing thoroughly, using digital media, ensuring readiness, keeping track of our work, and organizing our tools and equipment, we can minimize delays and errors and ensure a smooth installation process. As professionals, it’s up to us to ensure that our customers have a positive experience with our company, and these best practices can help us achieve that goal.

As an IT specialist, I have been testing the migration of our android devices to Intune. One of the features we are exploring is the Kiosk mode, which allows us to lock down the device to a specific application or set of applications. While setting up the Kiosk mode, I encountered an issue with deploying shortcuts to the Managed Home Screen.

After successfully integrating a device and activating the Kiosk mode, I tried to add a shortcut to the Managed Home Screen using the Shortcut Creator application. However, as soon as I activated the Kiosk mode, the shortcut disappeared, and I was unable to access it or deploy it with Intune.

I began searching for solutions to this issue and found a few workarounds. One possible solution is to manually set a shortcut on the Managed Home Screen. This can be done by adding a new item to the home screen and specifying the URL of the Remote Desktop application. However, this solution is not ideal as it requires manual intervention and may not scale well for larger deployments.

Another possible solution is to set Remote Desktop to launch the application rather than the desktop environment. This can be achieved by using a custom policy in Intune to configure the Remote Desktop settings. By setting the “Launch as application” option to true, the Remote Desktop will only launch the specified application instead of the entire desktop environment.

Finally, I discovered that it is possible to fold a shortcut with Intune. This can be done by creating a custom policy in Intune that includes the shortcut as a resource. When the policy is applied to the device, the shortcut will be added to the Managed Home Screen.

In conclusion, while deploying shortcuts to the Managed Home Screen in Intune can be challenging when using Kiosk mode, there are several workarounds that can help resolve the issue. These include manually setting a shortcut on the Managed Home Screen, setting Remote Desktop to launch the application rather than the desktop environment, and folding a shortcut with Intune. By exploring these solutions, IT specialists can ensure a successful migration of their android devices to Intune.

Future-Proofing Your Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure with Hyperconverged Infrastructure

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, enterprises need to constantly evolve and adapt to stay ahead of the competition. The cornerstone of this evolution is the hybrid cloud infrastructure, which provides a flexible and scalable foundation for supporting a mix of legacy and cloud-native applications. At VMworld 2019 Europe, we explored how hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) can help future-proof your hybrid cloud infrastructure.

The Rise of Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure

As enterprises continue to embrace digital transformation, the need for a robust and agile IT infrastructure has become more important than ever. Traditional data centers and legacy infrastructure are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of modern applications and users. This is where hybrid cloud infrastructure comes in, providing a seamless blend of on-premises and public cloud resources that can be easily scaled up or down as needed.

The Key to Future-Proofing: Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) is at the forefront of this evolution, offering a software-defined approach to managing your hybrid cloud environment. HCI combines compute, storage, and networking into a single, integrated platform that can be easily scaled out or up as needed. This flexibility is essential for supporting the diverse range of applications that modern enterprises rely on.

The Benefits of Hyperconverged Infrastructure

There are several benefits to using HCI in your hybrid cloud infrastructure:

1. Scalability: With HCI, you can easily scale out or up as needed to support changing business demands.

2. Flexibility: HCI supports a wide range of applications, from legacy systems to cloud-native apps.

3. Simplification: By integrating compute, storage, and networking into a single platform, HCI simplifies your IT environment and reduces complexity.

4. Cost-Effectiveness: HCI can help reduce costs by eliminating the need for separate storage, network, and compute silos.

5. Enhanced Security: With HCI, you can implement advanced security features such as encryption and access controls to protect your data.

The Role of VMware vSAN

VMware vSAN is a leading HCI solution that is widely adopted by enterprises around the world. vSAN provides a software-defined approach to managing your hybrid cloud environment, allowing you to scale out or up as needed to support changing business demands. With vSAN, you can:

1. Simplify IT management: By integrating compute, storage, and networking into a single platform, vSAN simplifies IT management and reduces complexity.

2. Increase scalability: vSAN supports easy scaling out or up as needed to support changing business demands.

3. Improve application performance: With vSAN, you can optimize application performance and ensure that your users have the resources they need to be productive.

4. Enhance security: vSAN provides advanced security features such as encryption and access controls to protect your data.

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, future-proofing your hybrid cloud infrastructure is essential for staying ahead of the competition. Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) is the key to achieving this goal, offering a flexible and scalable foundation for supporting a mix of legacy and cloud-native applications. With VMware vSAN leading the way, you can simplify IT management, increase scalability, improve application performance, and enhance security to support your business goals. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to future-proof your hybrid cloud infrastructure – start exploring HCI today!

Upgrading RAM on My Dell Latitude E4310: A Successful Journey with Windows 7

I recently had the opportunity to upgrade my corporate-built laptop, a Dell Latitude E4310, from Windows XP to Windows 7. As I was using the laptop for various tasks and projects, I realized that the 4GB RAM installed on it was not enough to handle the demands of the newer OS. Therefore, I decided to upgrade the memory to take full advantage of the features offered by Windows 7. In this blog post, I will share my experience of upgrading the RAM on my Dell Latitude E4310 and the lessons I learned along the way.

Preparation is Key

Before starting the upgrade process, I made sure to back up all my important files and data to an external hard drive. This precautionary measure ensured that I could restore my files in case anything went wrong during the upgrade process. Additionally, I purchased two 4GB RAM modules to replace the existing 2GB modules, which were originally installed on the laptop.

Removing the Old Memory Modules

The memory slots on the Dell Latitude E4310 are located underneath the laptop and can be accessed by simply undoing two screws and lifting the flap. Once I had released the clips that held the old memory modules in place, I carefully removed them and prepared the new RAM modules for installation.

Installing the New Memory Modules

Slotting the replacement modules into their respective slots was a straightforward process. I simply inserted the new 4GB RAM modules into the empty slots, ensuring that they were securely seated in place.

Rebooting and POST Screen

Upon rebooting the laptop, it displayed the POST (Power On Self Test) screen, which informed me that the amount of memory had changed. Windows 7 booted up showing the new memory, and I was ready to start using my upgraded laptop.

Downside to the Upgrade

While the upgrade significantly improved the performance of my Dell Latitude E4310, there was one downside to this upgrade. When you increase the available RAM, the size of the hibernation file (hiberfil.sys) increases accordingly. This is because the hibernation file stores the contents of the memory onto the hard disk so that the laptop can resume where it left off upon restarting. As my laptop came with a 64GB SSD drive, the increase in the size of the hibernation file resulted in a shortage of disk space.

Dealing with the Downside

To address this issue, I had to budget for a replacement, larger, SSD drive or make use of the USB/eSATA ports for additional storage. While this may not be a major issue for some users, it is essential to consider this aspect when upgrading the RAM on your Dell Latitude E4310. In my case, I decided to use the USB/eSATA ports for additional storage, which proved to be an effective solution.

Conclusion

Upgrading the RAM on my Dell Latitude E4310 from Windows XP to Windows 7 was a successful journey, providing me with a significant performance boost and improved multitasking capabilities. While there were some downsides to the upgrade, such as the increase in the size of the hibernation file, I was able to address these issues effectively. Overall, I am pleased with the results of this upgrade and would recommend it to anyone looking to enhance their laptop’s performance.

Copenhagen Atomics and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) are collaborating to validate and gain experience with salt melt reactor technology, which could potentially provide a solution for future energy needs. The Swiss company is working on the principle of salts melting reactors, which have been in development for almost a decade. The technology uses fluoride salts containing lithium, thorium, and slightly enriched uranium as fuel, which can be manufactured in modules the size of a standard 40-foot container. According to Copenhagen Atomics, these reactors could potentially operate as breeder reactors with electricity generation costs of around $20 per megawatt hour.

The salts used in these reactors are capable of stable operation at temperatures up to 1400°C, which enables high efficiency and the ability to heat industrial processes at high temperatures. Additionally, the use of salt as a coolant and fuel carrier allows for much smaller reactor sizes compared to traditional gas-cooled reactors, reducing financial risk and potential radioactive released in case of an accident.

However, this new technology also poses new risks, such as strong corrosive properties that must be taken into account when designing coolant systems. The Swiss government has been cautious about allowing new nuclear power plants to be built, with a 2017 vote rejecting the construction of new atomic reactors. However, there are ongoing efforts to allow and build new nuclear power plants in Switzerland, and the government is reportedly considering such a scenario.

The collaboration between Copenhagen Atomics and PSI aims to gather data for commercial use and open-source data for validating reactor modeling tools. The experiments will focus on thorium fluoride salt melt reactors, which have already been prototyped in Copenhagen with original scale circulators. If successful, this technology could provide a sustainable solution for future energy needs while minimizing the risks associated with traditional nuclear power plants.

Automating ESXi Deployments: A Mobile and Remote-Ready Solution

Introduction:

Deploying and managing an ESXi infrastructure can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to remote or mobile environments. However, with the right tools and a bit of creativity, it is possible to automate the process almost entirely. In this article, we will explore how to deploy ESXi hosts on vessels worldwide using a combination of PowerCLI, PXE-based installations, and a custom deployment VM.

Background:

Our environment consists of a fleet of vessels that require an ESXi infrastructure for various applications. However, these vessels are not static and are instead floating around on large oceans. This presents a unique challenge when it comes to deploying and managing the ESXi hosts. Traditional deployment methods, such as using vCenter and Host Profiles, were not feasible due to the lack of a centralized management system and the remote nature of the environment.

Solution:

To address these challenges, we turned to PowerCLI and PXE-based installations. By using a custom deployment VM, we can provide DHCP and PXE services to the physical hosts, allowing us to automate the installation process. Once the ESXi host is installed, we use PowerCLI to configure the host and copy initial VMs to the new host.

Components:

The “complete package” consists of the following components:

1. Deployment VM: This is a custom VM built to provide DHCP and PXE services to do the actual ESXi installation.

2. PowerCLI: We use PowerCLI scripts to configure the ESXi host post-installation and copy your initial VMs to the new host.

3. PXE-based installation: The physical hosts boot off the network using PXE, allowing us to automate the installation process.

Process:

Our current process looks like this:

1. Connect the physical host to the deployment laptop via Ethernet.

2. Start the deployment VM on the deployment laptop.

3. When the deployment VM is finished booting, start the physical host.

4. The physical host boots off the network and PXE, installing ESXi.

5. Once the ESXi installation finishes, run PowerCLI scripts against the host.

6. Disconnect the deployment laptop and physical host, and connect the physical host to the vessel network.

7. Connect vSphere Client to the ESXi install and start server VMs.

Scripts:

We use a combination of PowerCLI scripts to automate the setup of the ESXi hosts. These scripts configure the host, copy initial VMs to the new host, and perform other tasks as needed. Here are some examples of the scripts we use:

1. Kickstart script (ks.cfg): This script sets the root password, automatically deletes all partitions, and sets up a new vmfs. It also tells the installer that it will find the installation files via HTTP on the server.

2. PowerCLI script: This script is used to configure the ESXi host post-installation and copy your initial VMs to the new host.

Tips and Tricks:

1. Use a custom deployment VM to provide DHCP and PXE services. This allows you to automate the installation process and provides a centralized management system.

2. Use PowerCLI to configure the ESXi host post-installation and copy your initial VMs to the new host. This allows for a more streamlined and automated deployment process.

3. Consider using vSphere.next, which promises to provide even more features and improvements for remote and mobile environments.

Conclusion:

Automating ESXi deployments can be a challenge, especially in remote or mobile environments. However, by using a combination of PowerCLI, PXE-based installations, and custom deployment VMs, it is possible to create an automated deployment scenario that works well for our unique environment. With this solution, we have been able to streamline our deployment process and provide a more reliable and efficient infrastructure for our vessels worldwide.

Automating ESXi Deployments with PowerCLI and PXE

In this article, we will explore how to automate ESXi deployments using a combination of PowerCLI and PXE-based installation. We will also discuss the requirements and limitations of this approach, as well as some of the unique challenges that come with deploying ESXi on vessels at sea.

Background

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Automating ESXi installations was made much easier after the release of vSphere 4.1, which introduced the Scripted Install feature. However, this feature requires that you have vCenter and Host Profiles in your environment, which in turn requires Enterprise Plus licenses. This can be a barrier for some organizations, especially those with limited budgets or remote offices/branch offices (ROBOs).

Another approach to automating ESXi deployments is to use VMware Auto Deploy from VMware Labs. This feature allows you to automate the installation and configuration of ESXi hosts using a combination of PowerCLI and a deployment VM. However, this approach also requires vCenter and Host Profiles, which can be a limitation for some organizations.

Solution Overview

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Our solution uses a combination of PowerCLI and PXE-based installation to automate ESXi deployments without the need for vCenter or Host Profiles. The basic setup consists of a deployment VM, PowerCLI scripts, and a custom ks.cfg file.

The deployment VM is a custom Windows Server 2008 R2 with IIS installed. We use Tftpd32, a free and open-source application, to provide DHCP and PXE services for deployment. The basic ks.cfg script sets the root password, automatically deletes all partitions, sets up a new vmfs, and tells the installer to find the installation files via HTTP on the server.

The PowerCLI scripts configure the ESXi host post-installation and copy your initial VMs to the new host. Our current process looks like this:

1. Connect physical host to deployment laptop via ethernet

2. Start deployment VM on deployment laptop

3. When deployment VM is finished booting, start physical host

4. Physical host boots of network and PXE and installs ESXi

5. When ESXi installation finishes, run PowerCLI script against host

6. Disconnect deployment laptop and physical host, and connect physical host to vessel network

7. Connect vSphere Client to ESXi install and start server VM

Requirements and Limitations

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The following are the requirements and limitations of this approach:

### Requirements:

* A deployment VM with Tftpd32 installed

* PowerCLI installed on the deployment laptop

* ESXi free version, which only allows PowerCLI in read-only mode

* vSphere Client to connect to the ESXi install

### Limitations:

* The free version of ESXi only allows PowerCLI in read-only mode, so you will need either licenses or trial licenses.

* This approach requires a mobile deployment model, as the locations where the deployments are taking place are not static and are actually floating on large oceans.

Challenges with Deploying ESXi on Vessels

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Deploying ESXi on vessels at sea presents some unique challenges:

### Physical Environment

The physical environment on vessels at sea can be harsh and unpredictable, with constant motion, vibration, and temperature fluctuations. This can affect the reliability and stability of the deployment process.

### Network Connectivity

Network connectivity is limited or non-existent on vessels at sea, making it difficult to manage and monitor the ESXi hosts remotely.

### Power and Cooling

Power and cooling are also limited on vessels at sea, so you need to carefully plan and manage your power and cooling resources.

Conclusion

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In this article, we have explored how to automate ESXi deployments using a combination of PowerCLI and PXE-based installation. We have also discussed the requirements and limitations of this approach, as well as some of the unique challenges that come with deploying ESXi on vessels at sea. This solution can be a good fit for organizations with limited budgets or ROBOs, as it eliminates the need for vCenter and Host Profiles. However, it requires careful planning and execution to ensure success in this unique environment.

Renewing SSL Certificates during vSphere 5.0 to 5.5 Upgrade

During an upgrade from vSphere 5.0 to 5.5, you may encounter a message that the SSL certificate for this product is expired. This issue arises due to the fact that the out-of-the-box self-signed certificates are valid for only two years (for VirtualCenter 2.5) or 10 years (since vCenter 4.x), depending on the version. To continue with the installation, you need to renew the certificates.

KB1009092 provides detailed instructions on how to renew the certificates, and I will not repeat what is already written there. However, I would like to highlight a few important points that you should be aware of before proceeding.

Firstly, it is essential to note that you cannot use the ESXi busybox to renew the certificates. The necessary OpenSSL binary is not included, and KB1009092 recommends using OpenSSL on Windows. I simply used my Linux root server, but you can also use a small Linux VM.

Secondly, it is crucial to understand that the deployment of CA-signed certificates is planned. You need a CA (this can be your own CA) and the vCenter Certificate Automation Tool to make the deployment of your own certificates much more manageable. There are several excellent posts on this topic, such as Derek Seaman’s four-part series and Craig Kilborn’s posting, which provide valuable insights into the usage of the vCenter Certificate Automation Tool.

Lastly, dealing with certificates can be challenging for unexperienced administrators. It is essential to understand how certificates work, the job of a CA, and how everything works together before proceeding. As a trusted advisor, it is crucial to take your time and not rush into deploying a CA without fully understanding the requirements and implications.

In conclusion, renewing the SSL certificates during an upgrade from vSphere 5.0 to 5.5 is a straightforward process once you understand the requirements and have the necessary tools and knowledge. Remember to take your time, plan carefully, and deploy CA-signed certificates for better security and management.