RECOVERING HUB TRANSPORT SERVER

Understanding Setup /M:RecoverServer

Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1

One of the tools available for server recovery in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 is the Setup /m:RecoverServer switch. Running Setup /m:RecoverServer on a server tells Setup to read the configuration information from the Active Directory directory service for a server with the same name as the server from which you are running Setup. The Exchange files and services are then installed on the server, and the roles and settings that were stored in Active Directory are then applied to the server.

Note:
Setup /m:RecoverServer is for recovery only. Do not use it as a repair tool, to recover from a failed install, to recover from a failed uninstall, or to reconfigure a server. It is only for recovering a server that was once fully functional, or to move a server to new hardware and maintain the same name.

Important:
Setup /m:RecoverServer cannot be used across operating systems. A server that was originally running Windows Server 2003 can be recovered only on Windows Server 2003, and a server that was originally running Windows Server 2008 can be recovered only on Windows Server 2008.

 When You Should Run Setup /m:RecoverServer

There are several situations where the /m:RecoverServer switch can be of help to the Exchange administrator. Some of these situations are as follows:

• When your server is no longer available, and you must prepare a new or existing computer to replace the failed Exchange server. This could be situations where:
  
  • Your hardware has failed.
    
  • You are performing a dial-tone recovery, where Active Directory is intact.
    
  • You are performing a site recovery, where Active Directory is intact.
    
• When migrating a Client Access server, Hub Transport server, Unified Messaging server, or Mailbox server to new hardware.
  

  Note:
  Setup /m:RecoverServer will only migrate setting information stored in Active Directory. Any local customizations or databases are not migrated with this method. For information about where Exchange stores data outside of Active Directory, see What Needs to Be Protected in an Exchange Environment.

  Note:
  If the virtual directories in Internet Information Services (IIS) have been modified, there are additional steps to migrate a Client Access server to new hardware. For more information about what needs to be backed up on a Client Access server, see Client Access Server Data.

 When You Should Not Run Setup /m:RecoverServer

There are situations where it is not possible, or not a good idea, to run Setup /m:RecoverServer. Some of these situations are as follows:

• The Edge Transport server is not a supported role for the /m:RecoverServer switch. The Edge Transport server does not use Active Directory, so there is no setting information to be applied to the server from Active Directory. Instead of running /m:RecoverServer, you can install a new Edge Transport server and restore settings from backup.
  

  Note:
  The Edge Transport server includes a backup and recovery script to capture Edge Transport server configuration data. For more information about this script, see Using Cloned Configuration Tasks for Edge Transport Server Disaster Recovery.

• When the server information is no longer in Active Directory. If the server object is missing from Active Directory, there is no information that can be applied to the server.
  
• When a server with the same name as the server you are trying to recover still exists on the network.
  
• To repair a failed install. The Setup /m:RecoverServer option assumes a consistent configuration in Active Directory for the server. If Setup failed, the information in Active Directory might not have been fully written. In this situation, you should run Setup again.
  
• To change the availability configuration of your Mailbox server. You cannot run /m:RecoverServer to convert any of the following:
  
  • A non-clustered Mailbox server into a clustered mailbox server, or vice versa.
    
  • A single copy cluster into a cluster continuous replication Mailbox server or a non-clustered Mailbox server, or vice versa.
    

 What to Do After Setup /m:RecoverServer Has Completed

Setup /m:RecoverServer restores the Exchange server configuration data from Active Directory, copies the Exchange files to the server, and sets default settings when alternate settings are not found in Active Directory. It does not restore customized settings that were stored on the server or end-user data stored in the Exchange databases on the server.
Each server role requires different post-recovery steps to bring it into a pre-recovery state. For a detailed list of items that need to be restored per server role, see What Needs to Be Protected in an Exchange Environment and read the topics that apply to each server role. In general, the following items must be restored:

• The mailbox and public folder databases on a Mailbox server. If the public folders on the server are all replicated on another server, you could create a new empty public folder database and backfill it from other replicas.
  
• Unified Messaging prompts and custom audio files on a Unified Messaging server, if the server was the prompt publishing point for a dial plan. Otherwise, the files are restored from the prompt publishing point server.
  
• If the database is not restored and a dial tone database is used, Unified Messaging users will need the following:
  
  • A new personal identification number (PIN) must be issued.
    
  • A new greeting must be recorded.
    

    Note:
    The audio recording of the user's name is stored in Active Directory. As long as Active Directory is intact, the recorded name will still be there.

• Any custom Office Outlook Web Access files or virtual directories on a Client Access server must be re-created.
  
• After you recover a Hub Transport server, there may be additional steps to perform such as:
  
  • Restoring a saved queue database
    
  • Enabling agents
    
  • Configuring send connectors
    
  If you are performing one or more of these tasks, the Hub Transport server should be stopped after a server recovery by default. Otherwise, the Hub Transport server will start with settings and agents in a backed-up state. The backed-up state might not represent what you had configured on the server right before the issue occurred that required the restore. Also, if you are restoring a saved queued database, you will need to place the database in the correct folder while the transport service is stopped. We recommend that you use the /DoNotStartTransport switch when restoring a Hub Transport server. The syntax for the command is as follows:
  
  Setup /m:RecoverServer /DoNotStartTransport

• Any custom registry settings that were configured on the servers must be re-configured.

INSTALL WINDOWS 7 THROUGH PEN DRIVE

                               HOW TO MAKE YOUR PEN DRIVE BOOTABLE

Dear folks, here is step by step guide to make your pen drive bootable for installing windows7:-

(1)    Insert pen drive on any one of the use port at the back panel of your computer and verify that it is detected in my computer.

(2)    Click on start-all program-accessories-command prompt-right click-run as administrator

(3)    In user account control dialog box click yes

(4)    Follow these steps:- 

         C:\diskpart

             Diskpart>list disk

             Diskpart>select disk 2     (where disk 2 is indicating usb flash device)

             Diskpart>clean

             Diskpart>create partition primary

             Diskpart>format fs=fat32 quick

             Diskpart>active

             Diskpart>exit

C:\d:\boot\bootsect /NT60 E:     (Where d:\=cdrom drive letter,e=pen drive drive letter)

(5)    Open my computer and copy windows 7 dvd in pen drive

(6)    Modify BIOS setup and boot your machine from pen drive

Thanks,

Mukesh Kumar Singh

MOVING MAILBOX ACROSS FOREST

How to Move a Mailbox Across Forests

Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2008-05-15
This topic explains how to use the Exchange Management Shell to move a mailbox across different forests.

Note:
You cannot use the Exchange Management Console to move mailboxes across forests. You must use the Exchange Management Shell.

You can use this procedure to move mailboxes in the following scenarios:

• Moving from an Exchange 2007 server in one forest to an Exchange 2007 server in another forest.
  
• Moving from a server running Exchange Server 2003 in one forest to an Exchange 2007 server in another forest.
  
• Moving from an Exchange 2007 server in one forest to an Exchange 2003 server in another forest.
  
• Moving from an Exchange 2000 server in one forest to an Exchange 2007 server in another forest.
  

In the case where you want to move mailboxes from one forest to another without interrupting the user's access to the mailbox, you should use the Move-Mailbox cmdlet with the AllowMerge parameter. For more information, see How to Merge Mailboxes.

Before You Begin

---

To perform the following procedures, the account you use for the source forest must be delegated the following:

• Exchange Recipient Administrator role for the source Exchange organization
  
• Exchange Server Administrator role and local Administrators group for the source server
  

Note:
You must specify this account by using the -SourceForestCredential parameter

The account you use for the target forest must be delegated the following:

• Exchange Recipient Administrator role for the target Exchange organization
  
• Exchange Server Administrator role and local Administrators group for the target server
  

  Note:
  You must specify this account by using the -TargetForestCredential parameter

All multiple forest topologies containing Exchange 2007 require directory servers in each forest running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later.
The account you use to run the command must be delegated the Exchange Server Administrator role on the server where you run the command.
For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, see Permission Considerations.
Also, before you perform this procedure, be aware of the following:

• This procedure moves only the mailbox to the target forest. It does not move the user account. If you want to move both the user account and the corresponding mailbox to the target forest, you must first use a tool such as the Active Directory Migration Tool version 3.0 (ADMT v3) to move the user account to the target forest, and then move the mailbox to the target account. For more information about ADMT v3, see Active Directory Migration Tool v3.0.
  
• If you move a mailbox across forests, items in the dumpster will not be moved unless you are merging mailboxes by using the AllowMerge parameter. Items in the Deleted Items folder will be moved. For more information about configuring deleted item retention, see Configuring Deleted Mailbox and Deleted Item Retention.
  
• To move contacts or distribution groups from one forest to another, you must use a tool such as the Active Directory Migration Tool version 3.0 (ADMT v3). For more information about the ADMT v3, see Active Directory Migration Tool v3.0.
  
• If you have a forest with a previous version of Exchange that contains only Windows 2000 Server  domain controllers (not Windows Server 2003 domain controllers), you cannot use the Move-Mailbox cmdlet to move mailboxes to an Exchange 2007 server in another forest. The Move-Mailbox cmdlet can communicate only with domain controllers running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later. To move mailboxes, you must have at least one domain controller in both the source and the destination forests running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later.
  
• To enable cross forest moves, you must open the following ports:
  

  Port	Protocol
  53 (TCP)	Domain Name Service (DNS)
  88 (TCP)	Kerberos
  135 (TCP)	Microsoft Remote Procedural Call (MS-RPC)
  389 (TCP)	Light Weight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
  445 (TCP)	Microsoft-DS Service
  3268 (TCP)	LDAP
  >1024 (TCP)	If the Exchange store is statically configured, you must also open at least one port greater than 1024.

Procedure

---

Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

---

This section contains the SP1-specific Exchange Management Shell procedure.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to move a mailbox across different forests

---

1. Move the user account to the target forest by using ADMT v3. For more information about the ADMT v3, see Active Directory Migration Tool v3.0.
   
2. On the Exchange 2007 server where you will run the Move-Mailbox cmdlet, in the Exchange Management Shell, run the following command to create a credential object:
   
   Copy

   $SourceCredential = Get-Credential

   You will be prompted for credentials. Specify an account that has permissions to move the mailboxes in the source forest.
   
3. On the Exchange 2007 server where you will run the Move-Mailbox cmdlet, in the Exchange Management Shell, run the following command to create a credential object:
   
   Copy

   $TargetCredential = Get-Credential

   You will be prompted for credentials. Specify an account that has permissions to move the mailboxes in the target forest.
   
4. On the Exchange 2007 server, in the Exchange Management Shell, run the Move-Mailbox command to move the mailbox. For example:
   
   Copy

   Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential

   Note the following:
   
   • In this example, the contoso domain is in the source forest and the fabrikam domain is in the target forest.
     
   • In this example, the command is run on a Mailbox server in the target forest.
     
   • If any parameter values contain a space, you must enclose the value in quotation marks.
     
   • The GlobalCatalog and SourceForestGlobalCatalog parameters are used to locate the mailbox in the target and source forests. If you do not specify a source forest global catalog or a target forest global catalog, the forest for the local computer on which you are running the Move-Mailbox command will be used to determine a global catalog server to use. For mailbox moves across different forests, you must specify at least one of these two parameters.
     
   • The DomainController parameter is used to identify a specific domain controller in the target forest for the mailbox move. The domain controller will be used during the migration for Active Directory write operations. If you do not specify a target forest domain controller, the local forest on which you are running the Move-Mailbox command will be used to determine a domain controller to use.
     
   • The NTAccountOU parameter is used to specify the organizational unit in the target forest where the user account for the mailbox will be created, if it does not exist, or where the user account is located, if it already exists.
     

     Note:
     You cannot use the NTAccountOU parameter if you use the AllowMerge parameter. The AllowMerge parameter specifies that you want to merge the mailbox with a mailbox that already exists in the target forest.

   • If you want to specify the time-out limit for moving a mailbox, use the RetryTimeout parameter. If a mailbox move takes longer than the specified time, the move will fail. You can also specify the interval for displaying mailbox status information by using the RetryInterval parameter. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential -RetryTimeout 1:00:00 -RetryInterval 5:00

   • If you do not want to keep recipient policies on the mailbox after it is moved, use the IgnorePolicyMatch parameter. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential -IgnorePolicyMatch:$true

   • If you want to filter the messages that are moved to the target mailbox, you can use any of the following filter parameters: AttachmentFilenames, ExcludeFolders, IncludeFolders, ContentKeywords, SubjectKeywords, RecipientKeywords, or SenderKeywords. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential  -AttachmentFilenames *.doc -ExcludeFolders \Inbox\Personal,\Inbox\OldProjects -ContentKeywords merger -SubjectKeywords Important -RecipientKeywords christine@northwindtraders.com

   • By default, the Move-Mailbox command does not delete the source mailbox or the source user account. If you are moving a user's mailbox to a new forest, and you have already moved the user account to the new forest using the ADMT, and you want to delete both the source mailbox and the source user account after the mailbox is moved, you can use the DeleteSourceNTAccount option of the SourceMailboxCleanupOptions parameter. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential -SourceMailboxCleanupOptions DeleteSourceNTAccount

5. Check the command's output to verify that the move completed successfully.
   
6. If the user whose mailbox was moved uses Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or a previous version of Outlook, you must modify the Outlook profile of that user so that it accesses e-mail messages from the target Exchange server.
   
7. Verify that the user can access e-mail messages from an e-mail client computer.
   

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see the Move-Mailbox reference topic.

Exchange Server 2007 RTM

---

This section contains the release to manufacturing (RTM)-specific Exchange Management Shell procedure.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to move a mailbox across different forests

---

1. Move the user account to the target forest by using ADMT v3. For more information about ADMT v3, see Active Directory Migration Tool v3.0.
   
2. On the Exchange 2007 server where you will run the Move-Mailbox cmdlet, in the Exchange Management Shell, run the following command to create a credential object:
   
   Copy

   $SourceCredential = Get-Credential

   You will be prompted for credentials. Specify an account that has permissions to move the mailboxes in the source forest.
   
3. On the Exchange 2007 server where you will run the Move-Mailbox cmdlet, in the Exchange Management Shell, run the following command to create a credential object:
   
   Copy

   $TargetCredential = Get-Credential

   You will be prompted for credentials. Specify an account that has permissions to move the mailboxes in the target forest.
   
4. On the Exchange 2007 server, in the Exchange Management Shell, run the Move-Mailbox command to move the mailbox. For example:
   
   Copy

   Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential

   Note the following:
   
   • In this example, the contoso domain is in the source forest and the fabrikam domain is in the target forest.
     
   • In this example, the command is run on a Mailbox server in the target forest.
     
   • If any parameter values contain a space, you must enclose the value in quotation marks.
     
   • The GlobalCatalog and SourceForestGlobalCatalog parameters are used to locate the mailbox in the target and source forests. If you do not specify a source forest global catalog or a target forest global catalog, the forest for the local computer on which you are running the Move-Mailbox command will be used to determine a global catalog server to use. For mailbox moves across different forests, you must specify at least one of these two parameters.
     
   • The DomainController parameter is used to identify a specific domain controller in the target forest for the mailbox move. The domain controller will be used during the migration for Active Directory write operations. If you do not specify a target forest domain controller, the local forest on which you are running the Move-Mailbox command will be used to determine a domain controller to use.
     
   • The NTAccountOU parameter is used to specify the organizational unit in the target forest where the user account for the mailbox will be created, if it does not exist, or where the user account is located, if it already exists.
     

     Note:
     You cannot use the NTAccountOU parameter if you use the AllowMerge parameter. The AllowMerge parameter specifies that you want to merge the mailbox with a mailbox that already exists in the target forest.

   • If you want to specify the time-out limit for moving a mailbox, use the RetryTimeout parameter. If a mailbox move takes longer than the specified time, the move will fail. You can also specify the interval for displaying mailbox status information by using the RetryInterval parameter. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential -RetryTimeout 1:00:00 -RetryInterval 5:00

   • If you do not want to keep recipient policies on the mailbox after it is moved, use the IgnorePolicyMatch parameter. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential -IgnorePolicyMatch:$true

   • If you want to filter the messages that are moved to the target mailbox, you can use any of the following filter parameters: AttachmentFilenames, ExcludeFolders, IncludeFolders, ContentKeywords, or SubjectKeywords. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential  -AttachmentFilenames *.doc -ExcludeFolders \Inbox\Personal,\Inbox\OldProjects -ContentKeywords merger -SubjectKeywords Important

   • By default, the Move-Mailbox command does not delete the source mailbox or the source user account. If you are moving a user's mailbox to a new forest, and you have already moved the user account to the new forest using the ADMT, and you want to delete both the source mailbox and the source user account after the mailbox is moved, you can use the DeleteSourceNTAccount option of the SourceMailboxCleanupOptions parameter. For example:
     
     Copy

     Move-Mailbox -TargetDatabase "Target Server\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database" -Identity john -GlobalCatalog GC01.fabrikam.com -SourceForestGlobalCatalog GC02.contoso.com -NTAccountOU "OU=OrgUnit01,DC=fabrikam,DC=com" -SourceForestCredential $SourceCredential -TargetForestCredential $TargetCredential -SourceMailboxCleanupOptions DeleteSourceNTAccount

5. Check the command's output to verify that the move completed successfully.
   
6. If the user whose mailbox was moved uses Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or a previous version of Outlook, you must modify the Outlook profile of that user so that it accesses e-mail messages from the target Exchange server.
   
7. Verify that the user can access e-mail messages from an e-mail client computer.
   

Centralized Licensing Management for Microsoft VDI

This blog post introduces the new Centralized Licensing Management work, implemented in Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) as a part of the RemoteFX feature, for centrally managing the licensing configuration in a Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) deployment.
This post assumes that you have a basic understanding of the following:

• Windows PowerShell
• Various Remote Desktop Services role services
• Remote Desktop Licensing
• Microsoft VDI with Remote Desktop Services

What is Centralized Licensing Management?

Centralized Licensing Management is a new sub-feature that has been implemented in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, as a byproduct of RemoteFX work. It enables Microsoft VDI administrators to specify licensing configuration for the entire VDI deployment centrally from one place; that is, from the RD Connection Broker server.

Why is centralized licensing management required?

Until Windows Server 2008 R2, in a VDI deployment the RD Virtualization Host server was not aware of licensing settings because only the RD Session Host server participated in licensing and performed license validations for the client session/connection requests. But the new licensing model for Microsoft VDI (in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1) requires that the Remote Desktop licensing mode and the list of Remote Desktop license servers must be specified in all RD Session Host servers (configured in VM redirection mode) as well as in all the RD Virtualization Host servers (with RemoteFX enabled), because the RD Virtualization Host servers can also participate in VDI licensing. Therefore, an option was provided for the admins to specify licensing configuration on the RD Connection Broker server. This would address the following concerns:

1. Lack of a GUI interface for specifying a licensing configuration on an RD Virtualization Host server, which makes it difficult for VDI administrators to configure this on multiple RemoteFX-enabled RD Virtualization Host servers.
2. Licensing mode mismatch across the RD Session Host server configured for VM redirection and RD Virtualization Host servers. (Licensing mode inconsistency across the deployment leads to license wastage and/or potential service denials.)

How does centralized licensing management work?

As a part of this feature, the licensing settings (Remote Desktop license type and the list of specified Remote Desktop license servers) can be specified on the RD Connection Broker server. This feature also provides an option to turn centralized licensing management ON or OFF (in case the VDI administrator decides to configure licensing separately on different servers). A VDI administrator can configure centralized licensing management on the RD Connection Broker server by using one of the following:

• Remote Desktop Connection Manager UI
• The Remote Desktop Services module for Windows PowerShell

Configuring licensing through the RD Connection Broker UI

1. On the RD Connection Manager (sbmgr.msc) home page in the middle pane, there is an entry for RD Licensing under the Virtual Desktops: Resources and Configuration table. Click the Specify link that corresponds to RD Licensing to open Virtual Desktops Properties.
2. When accessing centralized licensing for the first time, because it is disabled by default, all the other fields and buttons will be grayed out except the Apply the following settings to all servers check box.
3. Enable central mode by selecting this check box, if it is not already enabled.
4. Select the desired licensing mode, add the Remote Desktop license servers that you want to specify, and then click OK or Apply.
5. These settings will be propagated to the RD Session Host server in redirection mode and all the RemoteFX-enabled RD Virtualization Host servers which are added on the RD Connection Broker server.
6. As mentioned in Virtual Desktop Properties, the servers configured later will automatically inherit these licensing settings.

If these licensing settings need to be modified later, just open this Properties page again, update the licensing mode or the list of Remote Desktop license servers, and then click OK or Apply. The modified settings will be applied on all the servers that are configured on the RD Connection Broker server.
If the administrator decides that the licensing settings should not be centrally managed and wants to specify different licensing settings manually on different RD Virtualization Host servers, he can simply clear the Apply the following settings to all servers check box and specify licensing settings separately on all the RD Virtualization Host servers which have RemoteFX enabled.

Configuring licensing through the Remote Desktop Services module for Windows PowerShell

1. On an elevated Windows PowerShell command prompt, execute the following command: ‘import-module remotedesktopservices;cd RDS:\connectionbroker\VirtualDesktops\LicensingSettings; ’
2. This node displays licensing settings configured on the RD Connection Broker server.
3. The UseCentralLicensingSettings property specifies whether to use the centralized licensing settings. The LicensingType property denotes the licensing type for the VM redirectors and RD Virtualization Host servers. The LicenseServers container contains the list of license servers to be used.
4. Because central licensing is disabled by default, UseCentralLicensingSettings will be 0, LicensingType will be 5, and LicenseServers will be empty when accessing it for the first time.
5. Execute the command set-item UseCentralLicensingSettings 1 to enable the central management of licensing settings. If enabling central management for the first time, the licensing type also needs to be specified in this command: set-item UseCentralLicensingSettings 1 –LicensingType <value>, where <value> is the desired value of the licensing type.
6. Execute the command set-item LicensingType <value>, where <value> can be 2 (Per Device mode) or 4 (Per User mode).
7. Execute the command new-item .\LicenseServers <value>, where <value> is the name of the license server, for each of the license servers that you want to specify.
8. These settings will be propagated to the RD Session Host server in redirection mode and all the RemoteFX-enabled RD Virtualization Host servers that are added on the RD Connection Broker server.
9. The servers configured later will automatically inherit these licensing settings.

If these licensing settings need to be modified later, in an elevated Windows PowerShell window, execute import-module remotedesktopservices; cd RDS:\connectionbroker\VirtualDesktops\LicensingSettings; and update the licensing mode or the list of Remote Desktop license servers as desired. The modified settings will be applied on all the servers that are configured on the RD Connection Broker server.
If the administrator decides that the licensing settings should not be centrally managed and wants to specify different licensing settings manually on different RD Virtualization Host servers, he or she can simply execute set-item UseCentralLicensingSettings 0 and specify licensing settings separately on all the RD Virtualization Host servers that have RemoteFX enabled.

Windows 7: Boot from VHD First Impression

Hello,
In my previous post i.e. Windows 7: Boot from VHD First Impression: Part 1 we seen creating and attaching the VHDs. Using the Disk Management or Diskpart utility we can attach the existing VHDs. In this part we will actually cover the boot from VHD feature.
We will cover the different ways by which we can actually boot from VHD file. In order to boot from VHD, the bootloader needs to support boot from VHD file. So, what are the basic benefits of having VHD Booting.
You can use Boot for VHD feature in your test environment or development where you want to try out different applications or devices, which is not possible in Virtual Environment.
Booting from VHDs means booting the machine as if running from primary hard disk so your operating system will leverage all the hardware available in your system like Graphics, Wireless, USB etc. which is not possible in most of the virtual environment.
This is good for multi-boot environment where you want to run multiple operating systems on same machine without losing the performance. This is possible by VHD booting. As every VHD is like a Hard disk with primary partition; so you can create multiple VHDs with operating systems installed onto it.
In this discussion we will cover the following key points.

• Booting a Windows 7 VHD or Windows Server 7 (aka Windows Server 2008 R2) VHD
• Preparing VHD file using Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 Media or existing VHD running Hyper-V
• Adding the VHD entry in Boot Menu for VHD Boot and then Boot from VHD

Booting a Windows 7 VHD or Windows Server 7 (aka Windows Server 2008 R2) VHD
This feature is only supported by the Windows 7 client VHD and Windows Server 7 aka Windows Server 2008 R2 VHD.
In order to boot from VHD we need to prepare the VHDs using any of the two methods.

1. The first method is obtaining the existing Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 DVD VHD and make sure it is sysprepped to clear all the hardware information. So why sysprep ?

   Benefits of Sysprep

   Sysprep provides the following benefits:
   
   • Removes system-specific data from Windows. Sysprep can remove all system-specific information from an installed Windows image, including the computer security identifier (SID). The Windows installation can then be captured and installed throughout an organization.
   • Configures Windows to boot to Audit mode. Audit mode enables you to install third-party applications and device drivers, as well as to test the functionality of the computer.
   • Configures Windows to boot to Windows Welcome. Configures a Windows installation to boot to Windows Welcome the next time the computer starts. In general, you configure a system to boot to Windows Welcome immediately before delivering the computer to a customer.
   • Resets Windows Product Activation. Sysprep can reset Windows Product Activation up to three times.
   For more information about sysprep visit How sysprep works ? and What is Sysprep ? that will give you clear idea about sysprepping a system.
   
2. Applying a WIM Image directly to the VHD file using ImageX utility. The ImageX utility can be used to extract the required operating system edition directly to the attached VHD file in Windows 7

The ImageX utility is part of WAIK. i.e. Windows Automated Installation Kit. You can download the WAIK for Windows 7 from here

Preparing VHD file using Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 Media or existing VHD running in Hyper-V

From my previous post create a new VHD and attach it using Disk Management. Now, you will have newly attached X: created with label 'Windows7', which is of size 20 GB.
Now, you will require the 'install.wim' file from the Windows 7 Media or Windows Server 7 Media. Along with that we will require ImageX utility.
In order to extract image to the X: we will use the following syntax.


d:\imagex>imagex /apply d:\install.wim 1 x:\
In the above syntax we can see we have used 'd:\install.wim' followed by '1' and 'X:\' (this is the attached VHD.)  Now this 1 denotes Image Index i.e. edition of the Operating System.
As you can see I have used the 'install.wim' file from the Media of Windows Server 7 Beta and 1 denotes Enterprise Edition.
In order to check the Image Index we will use the following command
d:\imagex>imagex /info "d:\Download\Windows Server 7 R2\install.wim" (i.e. the location of the install.wim file)

Once finished the extracting the OS using ImageX it will look like this

Once the image is applied to particular drive in our case X:\. Detach the X: Drive from the Disk Management. Now your VHD file is ready to boot.

Preparing the VHD file using Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V
If you have Windows Server 2008 running Hyper-V, launch the virtual machine running Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 aka Windows Server 2008 R2 and the run the following command
c:\windows\system32\sysprep>sysprep /generalize /shutdown

After running the above command in the virtual machine, this will launch the System Preparation Tool 3.14. Select the checkbox for 'Generalize' and click on OK.
Once the sysprep is completed the virtual machine will be shutdown and ready for booting. You can copy that VHD now.
Note: Sysprep does not work on upgrade. You need to have Clean Installed Windows 7

Adding the VHD Entry in Boot Menu and then Boot from VHD
Now that we have successfully created VHD files. The last step is adding boot entry for the VHD file in your Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 using BCDEdit.exe tool.
For this step open the Elevated Command Prompt with Administrator Privileges and type the following commands.
C:\>bcdedit /copy {current} /d "My New VHD Description"
Note: This will Return the GUID of the Loader Object that you will use to replace <guid> below
C:\>bcdedit /set <guid> device vhd=[driveletter:]\<directory>\<vhd filename>
C:\>bcdedit /set <guid> osdevice vhd=[driverletter:]\<directory>\<vhd filename>
Note: vhd=[driveletter:]\<directory>\<vhd filename> is the new syntax supported for BCDEdit.exe to locate VHD File and Bootmgr will locate the partition containing the VHD File to boot from.
C:\>bcdedit /set <guid> detecthal on
Note:
Following is the attached screenshot of the my machine. In this case I have Windows 7 as the default OS and I have added the VHD File in the Boot Entry.

Well just after that run the following command to test if your boot entry is successfully created using C:\>bcdedit /v


Similarly, if you want to add multiple VHDs into Boot entry you can use the following lines to the command prompt
C:\>bcdedit /copy {current} /d "New VHD Description"
C:\>bcdedit /set <guid> device vhd=[driveletter:]\<directory>\<vhd filename>
C:\>bcdedit /set <guid> osdevice vhd=[driverletter:]\<directory>\<vhd filename>
C:\>bcdedit /set <guid> detecthal on
Note:  detecthal is used to force windows to auto detect the Hardware Abstraction Layer.
If you want to delete any existing VHD entry from the Boot Menu you can always use the command C:\>bcdedit /delete <guid> /cleanup This deletes the specified operating system entry from the store and removes the entry from the display order.
Well, we are ready to Boot from VHD. Once you restart the computer you will see additional entry in Boot Menu along with the default Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 OS.
Here is the screenshot from newly booted Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta from VHD. I have installed Desktop Experience Pack and enabled Aero Glass.

How to Become an Exchange MVP

How do I become an Exchange MVP?

This is a question that both current Exchange MVPs and Microsoft employees get quite often.  The fact is, there's really no answer to this question.
The MVP Award recognizes exceptional technical community leaders from around the world who voluntarily share their deep, real-world knowledge about Microsoft technologies with others.
Potential MVPs are nominated by other technical community members, current and former MVPs, and Microsoft personnel who have noted their leadership and their willingness and ability to help others make the most of their Microsoft technology.
To receive the Microsoft MVP Award, MVP nominees undergo a rigorous review process. A panel that includes members of the MVP team and Microsoft product groups evaluates each nominee's technical expertise and voluntary community contributions for the past 12 months. The panel considers the quality, quantity, and level of impact of the MVP nominee's contributions. Active MVPs receive the same level of scrutiny as other new candidates each year.
MVPs are independent of Microsoft, with separate opinions and perspectives, and are able to represent the views of the community members with whom they engage every day.

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Tips on becoming an Exchange MVP

There’s no golden recipe to follow in order to archieve an MVP award on Exchange, but the following list of activities  can help improve your chances of being nominated:

·         Be active in Exchange forums  Go help out your peers in online forums. The most popular Exchange related forums are the ones on Microsoft TechNet (find them here and here) and MSExchange.org. Both are being monitored for potential MVP nominees by both current MVPs as well as Microsoft personnel.

·         Share your knowledge via blogs and articles  In order to see how exceptional  you are when it comes to Exchange, you must be visible. A good idea is to share tips and tricks with your peers via a blog or by writing articles. But please don’t think you will earn an MVP award simply by blogging Exchange content originally authored by other individuals or by blogging Exchange related news. You must create your own unique content.

·         Speak at conferences and/or Exchange user groups  Another way to show you’re exceptional when it comes to Exchange is to deliver sessions in local Exchange user groups or at conferences such as Microsoft TechEd or Exchange Connections.

Exchange 2010 Overview

Welcome to the Exchange Server 2010 section of the Exchange TechNet Wiki, your source for guidelines and information written by the community for the community.

Note
If you're looking for the official Exchange 2010 product documentation, please follow this link.

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About Exchange Server 2010

Now, more than ever, your organization requires cost-effective and flexible communication tools. With Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 you can achieve new levels of reliability and performance with features that simplify your administration, help protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater mobility.

Microsoft Exchange Server, the cornerstone of Microsoft’s Unified Communications solution, is a flexible and reliable messaging platform that can help you lower your messaging costs, increase productivity with anywhere access to business communications, and safeguard your business with protection and compliance capabilities that help you manage risk.

What's New
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1 helps you achieve new levels of reliability and performance by delivering features that simplify your administration, protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater business mobility. With new deployment and storage options, enhanced inbox management capabilities, and e-mail archiving built-in, Exchange Server 2010 SP1 helps you lower costs and enhance business outcomes.

Exchange Server 2010 SP1 includes a host of new features customers will benefit from, including new integrated e-mail archive and discovery functionality, new user features to battle inbox overload, voice mail management enhancements, and improvements that simplify administration. There are also New Features in Exchange Server 2010 and Rights Management Services, which are explained in the linked video on the TechNet Edge site.

For businesses, highlights include:

• New integrated archiving and discovery capabilities.
• New unified mailbox resilience model that provides high availability, disaster recovery, and back up capabilities.
• Ability to easily delegate administration to specialized users, such the help desk or a compliance officer.
• Comprehensive information protection capabilities—from e-mail moderation to automatic e-mail encryption.
• The choice to run Exchange on-premises, as a service hosted by Microsoft or as a hybrid of both.

For users, highlights include:

• A consistent inbox, calendaring, and contacts experience across the PC, browser and phone.
• Integrated conversation view bringing together information across all folders, inbox and sent and deleted items.
• Ability to ignore irrelevant conversations with the click of a button.
• Text preview of voice mail messages in the inbox.
• New Call Answering Rules to easily create customized voice mail rules, such as call transfer options.
• Mail Tips to notify users about potential mistakes before they send e-mail.