SCOM - Backup - Veeam Management Pack for System Center v8

Today I would like to mention this Veeam Management Pack for System Center v8 that provides complete app-to-metal visibility for both your virtual and physical environments, creating the “big-picture” view of your entire virtualized infrastructure – and all from within the native System Center Management console.
This kind of monitor will include insights into Veeam Backup & Replication services.

https://www.veeam.com/system-center-management-pack-vmware-hyperv.html

What’s New in v8 Product Overview Editions Comparison Microsoft Solution Brief Veeam MP Differentiators

Scripting - How to create word & Excel macros using powershell

Here it is an interesting article that well explain how to create word macros using powershell:

https://4sysops.com/archives/create-word-macros-with-powershell/

about Excel you can review this one:

https://4sysops.com/archives/excel-macros-with-powershell/

Windows 10 - How to delay Quality Update and Features Update patch installation

Here it is interesting article that well explain how to delay windows 10 Quality Update and Features Update patch installationpatch installation:

https://www.achab.it//achab.cfm/it/blog/achablog/windows-10-creator-update-no-grazie

Tips - How to add Developer Tab in Excel 200X/201X

Excel 2007


Office Button --> Excel Option button at the bottom
Excel Option window --> Popular button at the left;
Under Top Option for Working with Excel, check the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon option.


Excel 2010 and 2013 Ribbon

File tab --> Options at the left --> Excel Option window;
Click Customize Ribbon at the left -->  Main Tabs  --> Check the Developer item --> Ok

2016 Server - Performance Tuning Guidelines

I would like to mention following article:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/performance-tuning/?MC=WinServer&MC=OfficeO365&MC=MsgCollab&MC=MSAzure&MC=SecSys


Download PDF

This guide organizes performance and tuning guidance for Windows Server 2016 across three tuning categories:

Server Hardware	Server Role	Server Subsystem
Hardware performance considerations	Active Directory Servers	Cache and memory management
Hardware power considerations	File Servers	Networking subsystem
	Hyper-V Servers	Storage Spaces Direct (SSD)
	Remote Desktop Services	Software Defined Networking (SDN)
	Web Servers
	Windows Server Containers

2016 Server - DC upgrade from 2012 to 2016 issue

If you are planning to upgrade 2012 DC server to 2016 withouth taking in consideration reinstallation scenario you need to be aware about problems that you will face about netlogon and Network Time servicing.

Here they are related Microsoft articles:

Windows Time Service settings are not preserved during an in-place upgrade to Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10 Version 1607

https://support.microsoft.com/en-my/help/3201265/windows-time-service-settings-are-not-preserved-during-an-in-place-upgrade-to-windows-server-2016-or-windows-10-version-1607

Netlogon service doesn't retain settings after upgrade to Windows Server 2016

https://support.microsoft.com/sl-si/help/3201247/netlogon-service-doesn-t-retain-settings-after-upgrade-to-windows-server-2016

Here it is an article that can be useful for reading purpose:

https://www.devadmin.it/2017/05/08/issues-durante-upgrade-in-place-di-domain-controller-a-windows-server-2016/

Extra IT - Wimbledon Semifinals Free Live streaming

I found this interesting article that indicate working links to live view, and for free, Wimbledon.

Here it is above link that, about Federer semifinals works with very good resolution quality.

http://www.totalsportek.com/tennis/williams-vs-muguruza-live-stream/

• Alternative [ LINKS ] – more links on this page
• External [ LINK 1 ] – Mobile Supported (ESPN/Main-Court)
• External [ LINK 2 ] – Mobile Supported (BBC 1/Main-Court)
• External [ LINK 3 ] – Mobile Supported (BBC 2/Court 1)
• External [ LINK 4 ] – Mobile Supported (ESPN/Main-Court)
• External [ LINK 5 ] – Mobile Supported (ESPN/Main-Court)
• External [ LINK 6 ] – BatmanStream (Center Court Matches)
• External [ LINK 7 ] – Flash (Spanish HD)
• External [ LINK 8 ] – Mobile Supported (Men’s Singles Semifinals)
• External [ LINK 9 ] – BatmanStream (German/Center Court)
• External [ LINK 10 ] – Flash (Spanish/Main-Court)
• External [ LINK 11 ] – Flash (French)
• External [ LINK 12 ] – Flash (BBC)
• External [ LINK 12 ] – Flash (BBC One)
• External [ LINK 13 ] – Flash (English)

Original Article:

http://www.totalsportek.com/wimbledon-live-stream/

Powershell - Windows Firewall commands

Here they are some powerhesll commands.

To view actual rule status:

Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName '*Remote Desktop*'



To view more detailed rules informations:

Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName '*Remote Desktop*' | Get-NetFirewallPortFilter

If you want to setting up to precedent settings displayed:

Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName '*Remote Desktop*' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Action Block

Another useful cmdlet is called Show-NetFirewallRule. Recall that we could not see all of the details when using Get-NetFirewallRule earlier. Using Show-NetFirewallRule, we're able to instantly see everything that's involved with one or all firewall rules.

Show-NetFirewallRule



For deeper explanation and relative usage you can review this article:

http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/managing-windows-firewall-powershell,1-3588.html#xtor=RSS-100

Tips - Google Chrome redistributable download

If you need to download latest google chrome version in redistributable version and, in case, have portable with old google chrome executable too here is useful link for you:

http://www.geocities.jp/ecvcn/exam/chrome_installer.html

[update 2019.09.12]

If you want to install Chrome for your own user account:

Download Google Chrome Standalone Offline Installer (32-bit)

Download Google Chrome Standalone Offline Installer (64-bit)

If you want to install Chrome for all user accounts:

Google Chrome Offline Installer for All User Accounts (32-bit)

Google Chrome Offline Installer for All User Accounts (64-bit)

Veeam - How to Use the Veeam Backup Validator

Veeam offer a simple command line tool to verify backup consistencies.

Here it is relative Veeam article:

How to Use the Veeam Backup Validator

From precedent article here they are relative switches and examples:

Parameters:

    /?       - Displays help
    /backup  - Specifies backup name or backup ID
    /vmname  - Specifies one or more VM names (empty value for all VMs)
    /point   - Specifies restore point ID
    /date    - Specifies restore point date
    /time    - Specifies restore point time
    /silence - Enables silence output mode
    /skip    - Skips specified VMs
    /report  - Generates HTML report at the specified path
    /file    - Specifies one or more backup files (VBM, VBK, VIB, VLB)
    /format  - Specified report format (HTML, XML)

Examples:   

• Validate the VMs named "W2008", "W2008R2_DC" and "W2K" in the most recent restore point for the backup "Backup Job 1_imported".
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:"Backup Job 1_imported" /vmname:W2008 /vmname:W2008R2_DC /vmname:W2K
   
• Validate all virtual machines in the last restore point with ID 3942788C-B309-4FA4-A111-A4C87B3EC63D.
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:3942788C-B309-4FA4-A111-A4C87B3EC63D
   
• Validate a VM with the name "Windows 8" in the restore point created on December 5 2012 for a job named “Backup Job 1".
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:"Backup Job 1" /vmname:"Windows 8" /date:05.12.2012
   
• Validate a VM with the name "VM1" in the restore point created around 16:00 on December 5 2012 for a job named "Backup Job 2".

            Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:"Backup Job 2" /vmname:"VM1" /date:"05.12.2012" /time "16:00"
 

• Validate a VM with the name "VM2" contained in the VBM file located at C:\Backup\VM2_Backup.vbm
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /file:"C:\Backup\VM2_Backup.vbm" /vmname:"VM2"
   
• Validate all VMs in VBK-file (backup file).
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /file:"C:\Backup\VM2_Backup.vbk"
   
• Validate a VM with the name "VM3" in the most recent restore point of "Backup Job 1" and create an HTML-report.
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:"Backup Job 1" /vmname:"VM3" /report:"D:\Reports\Backup_Job_1_Validate_30_09_2014.html"
   
• Validate a VM with the name "VM3" in the most recent restore point of "Backup Job 1" and create XML-report.
  
  Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:"Backup Job 1" /vmname:"VM3" /report:"D:\Reports\Backup_Job_1_Validate_30_09_2014.xml" /format:xml

Nmap - Scanning port tool

Nmap ("Network Mapper") is a free and open source (license) utility for network discovery and security auditing. 
Many systems and network administrators also find it useful for tasks such as network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime. Nmap uses raw IP packets in novel ways to determine what hosts are available on the network, what services (application name and version) those hosts are offering, what operating systems (and OS versions) they are running, what type of packet filters/firewalls are in use, and dozens of other characteristics. 

It was designed to rapidly scan large networks, but works fine against single hosts. Nmap runs on all major computer operating systems, and official binary packages are available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. In addition to the classic command-line Nmap executable, the Nmap suite includes an advanced GUI and results viewer (Zenmap), a flexible data transfer, redirection, and debugging tool (Ncat), a utility for comparing scan results (Ndiff), and a packet generation and response analysis tool (Nping).

Nmap was named “Security Product of the Year” by Linux Journal, Info World, LinuxQuestions.Org, and Codetalker Digest. It was even featured in twelve movies, including The Matrix Reloaded, Die Hard 4, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and The Bourne Ultimatum.
Nmap is ...

• Flexible: Supports dozens of advanced techniques for mapping out networks filled with IP filters, firewalls, routers, and other obstacles. This includes many port scanning mechanisms (both TCP & UDP), OS detection, version detection, ping sweeps, and more. See the documentation page.
• Powerful: Nmap has been used to scan huge networks of literally hundreds of thousands of machines.
• Portable: Most operating systems are supported, including Linux, Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, IRIX, Mac OS X, HP-UX, NetBSD, Sun OS, Amiga, and more.
• Easy: While Nmap offers a rich set of advanced features for power users, you can start out as simply as "nmap -v -A targethost". Both traditional command line and graphical (GUI) versions are available to suit your preference. Binaries are available for those who do not wish to compile Nmap from source.
• Free: The primary goals of the Nmap Project is to help make the Internet a little more secure and to provide administrators/auditors/hackers with an advanced tool for exploring their networks. Nmap is available for free download, and also comes with full source code that you may modify and redistribute under the terms of the license.
• Well Documented: Significant effort has been put into comprehensive and up-to-date man pages, whitepapers, tutorials, and even a whole book! Find them in multiple languages here.
• Supported: While Nmap comes with no warranty, it is well supported by a vibrant community of developers and users. Most of this interaction occurs on the Nmap mailing lists. Most bug reports and questions should be sent to the nmap-dev list, but only after you read the guidelines. We recommend that all users subscribe to the low-traffic nmap-hackers announcement list. You can also find Nmap on Facebook andTwitter. For real-time chat, join the #nmap channel on Freenode or EFNet.
• Acclaimed: Nmap has won numerous awards, including "Information Security Product of the Year" by Linux Journal, Info World and Codetalker Digest. It has been featured in hundreds of magazine articles, several movies, dozens of books, and one comic book series. Visit the press page for further details.
• Popular: Thousands of people download Nmap every day, and it is included with many operating systems (Redhat Linux, Debian Linux, Gentoo, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc). It is among the top ten (out of 30,000) programs at the Freshmeat.Net repository. This is important because it lends Nmap its vibrant development and user support communities.

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Effettuare un "port scan" completo è possibile su tutti i sistemi operativi, grazie a questo eccellente software open source.

Il tool di riferimento per ogni amministratore di rete o power-user che si rispetti è indubbiamente Nmap! Si tratta di un potente port scanner, capace di analizzare computer sia in LAN, sia via Internet e preparare report completissimi circa le porte TCP o UDP raggiungibili.

È compatibile con Windows (comprese le compilazioni a 64 bit), Linux e Mac OS X e può essere utilizzato sia da riga di comando, sia tramite una comoda interfaccia grafica chiamata Zenmap, già inclusa nei pacchetti d'installazione per sistemi operativi Microsoft ed Apple.
Il software è distribuito con licenza open source. Questo significa che può essere utilizzato liberamente, anche per scopi professionali.

Il Download si può effettuare in http://nmap.org/