Archives

Here is a list of the articles I have written/posted.

• Deploying Azure DevOps (ADO) Using Terraform
• Hands-on with the new HashiCorp Terraform VS Code Extension
• Govern Azure Virtual Network (VNet) CIDR Ranges with Azure Policy
• Automating Backup Onboarding using Azure Policy
• Lessons Learned Testing the ‘Configure Backup on VMs’ Azure Policy
• Auditing for Backup with Azure Policy
• How do you classify Level 100-400?
• Trading MVP Blue for Microsoft Blue
• Whiteboard Architecture – Why Experience Matters
• Redirecting *.AzureWebsites.Net to Your Custom Domain
• Azure Site Recovery – Ask Me Anything – September 2019 Session Summary
• HashiCorp Certified Vault Associate Study Guide
• HashiCorp Certified Terraform Associate Study Guide
• Writer’s Block, Imposter Syndrome, and the Future
• Try Azure Migrate v2, No Server Required!
• Azure Migrate v2 is Here!
• Auditing for Disaster Recovery with Azure Policy
• Measuring Metrics: Log Analytics vs Azure Metrics – Part 4 Conclusion
• Measuring Metrics: Log Analytics vs Azure Metrics – Part 3 Azure Metrics
• Measuring Metrics: Log Analytics vs Azure Metrics – Part 2 Log Analytics
• Measuring Metrics: Log Analytics vs Azure Metrics – Part 1 Introduction
• Azure Exams and Performance-Based Testing – How to create a VM without knowing PowerShell or CLI
• What NOT To Do In Your Presentations
• Terraforming Azure Policy
• How to use the Azure Portal SVG Fixer to get the icons/logos you need
• The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Terraforming Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs)
• Terraforming Azure Management Groups
• Azure Site Recovery – Ask Me Anything – Session Summary
• Mono vs Multi – Which Repo Structure Is Right For You?
• My Terraform Resources List (for those that insist on being “cloud agnostic”)
• Azure Security Center (ASC), Just-In-Time (JIT) VM Access, and ARM Resource Lock Bug
• Custom Images vs Azure Marketplace Images, Which to Choose? – Part 4: Summary
• Custom Images vs Azure Marketplace Images, Which to Choose? – Part 3: Marketplace Images
• Custom Images vs Azure Marketplace Images, Which to Choose? – Part 2: Custom Images
• Custom Images vs Azure Marketplace Images, Which to Choose? – Part 1: Introduction
• Using Azure Policy to Audit Resource Group Resource Locks
• Azure Monitor – Ask Me Anything – Session Summary
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 16: Summary
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 15 (Third-Party Tools)
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 14 (Manage and Optimize)
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 13 (Migrate): Azure Migration Center
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 12 (Migrate): Azure Migrate
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 11 (Migrate): Azure Database Migration Planner
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 10 (Migrate): Azure Websites Migration Assistant
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 9 (Assess): Azure Site Recovery (ASR) Deployment Planner Tool
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 8 (Assess): Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine Readiness Assessment
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 7 (Assess): Azure Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 6 (Assess): Microsoft Azure Cost Estimator Tool
• The Azure Governance Toolbox – Part 6: Conclusion
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 5 (Discover): Custom Scripts
• The Azure Governance Toolbox – Part 5: Cost Controls
• The Azure Governance Toolbox – Part 4: Auditing
• The Azure Governance Toolbox – Part 3: Resource Security
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 4 (Discover): OVF/OVA
• The Azure Governance Toolbox – Part 2: Resource Organization
• The Azure Governance Toolbox – Part 1: Introduction
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 3 (Discover): Service Map
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 2 (Discover): Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit
• Using Application Security Groups (ASGs) with VNet Peering and Their Limitations
• Move Over Terraform, You’re Not The Only Code In Town!
• Demystifying Azure Migrations – Part 1: Introduction
• Terraform Is NOT the Cloud Agnostic Platform You Think It Is!
• Azure Backup Deep Dive Whitepaper
• Azure Backup – Ask Me Anything – Session Summary
• Azure Site Recovery (ASR) Azure-to-Azure (A2A) Goes GA!
• New Azure Advisor Recommendations Available!
• Cloning Azure VMs into Production via Azure Backup
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 14: Summary
• An IT Pro Rant – Azure Storage GRS is NOT VM Disaster Recovery
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 13: System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 12: Service Health
• Using Let’s Encrypt With Azure Web Apps – Protect Your Blog
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 11: Operations Management Suite (OMS)
• Rock Your LinkedIn Profile In 7 Easy Steps
• The LAPS OMS Solution
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 10: Network Watcher
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 9: Azure Security Center (ASC)
• VM Managed Disks, Resource Locks, and Failed Backup Snapshot Cleanups
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 8: Azure Monitor
• Getting Azure Backup to Work With Azure Security Center’s Just-In-Time VM Access
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 7: Azure Metrics
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 6: Azure Diagnostics
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 5: Azure Alerts
• Comparing ARM Templates with Azure Building Blocks – Part 3: ARM In Action
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 4: Azure Advisor
• Comparing ARM Templates with Azure Building Blocks – Part 2: ABB In Action
• Become a DR Hero with Azure One-Click DR
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 3: Application Insights
• Comparing ARM Templates with Azure Building Blocks – Part 1: Introduction
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 2: Azure Activity Logs
• Azure File Sync In Action
• Azure Monitoring Tools Explained – Part 1: Introduction
• Using Azure Backup Logs in Azure Log Analytics (aka OMS)
• How-To Create Custom Azure Backup Reports Using the Data Model
• Using ASR with a Standalone Hyper-V Host Configured as a Cluster
• Using the Azure Backup Direct Agent to Backup System State
• Azure Backup Now Has Reports
• Backup is NOT Disaster Recovery, Why You Need Both to be Fully Covered!
• Upgrading MABS v1 to MABS v2
• Azure – The Complete BCDR Story
• Azure-to-Azure (A2A) Disaster Recovery (ASR)
• First Podcast with Adaptiva: Microsoft’s Upgrade Readiness for Windows 10
• Orphaned Objects in Resource Groups – Lessons Learned
• The OMS ACS Dashboard Solution – Now on GitHub!
• Enhancing the OMS Security and Audit Solution
• Azure Site Recovery – Disks Not Coming Online Post Failover
• Azure Site Recovery Now Allows Longer Test Failover!!!
• Three Ways to Restore Azure IAAS VMs
• 39 Tapes vs. 1 Azure Backup Cloud
• Plan Your Windows 10 Upgrades… For Free!
• How I Passed the 70-534 Exam
• My Experience with the SCCM OMS Connector
• How I Passed the 70-533 Exam
• SCOM ACS Dashboard in OMS
• Operations Management Suite (OMS) Sessions at Microsoft Ignite 2016 – Video Links
• DPM Now Protects VMware
• Using VHDs to Evaluate System Center 2016
• The ‘New’ Face of the Azure Portal? (A Blank Page!)
• Microsoft Launches IT Pro Cloud Essentials and Career Center
• Super Security Showdown – Part 5: OMS Security and Audit Solution
• Super Security Showdown – Part 4: Azure Security Center
• Super Security Showdown – Part 3: Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA)
• Super Security Showdown – Part 2: Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)
• Super Security Showdown – Part 1: Azure Active Directory Identity Protection
• Oh Where, Oh Where, Did My Azure PowerShell Go?
• The Cloud Is Falling (Into Your Datacenter)! The Hybrid Cloud Just Got More “Azurey”
• Microsoft Azure Backup Server (MABS) AKA DPM “Lite”
• Using Azure Site Recovery (ASR) to Migrate VMware VMs to Azure – Lessons Learned
• “To Market, To Market, To Buy A VM”
• Using the ACE to Estimate Azure Migration Costs – Part 2: Scan Your Environment
• Microsoft’s “Solution” to SCSM Console Performance – Buy a GPU!
• Using the ACE to Estimate Azure Migration Costs – Part 1: Introduction & Installation
• SCOM 2016 TP4 Now Checks For MP Updates For You!
• Using the MAP to Plan Azure Migration – Part 4: Azure VM Readiness/Capacity Assessment Results
• Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 4 – Now With Even More ‘Windows 10’ Look and Feel
• Using the MAP to Plan Azure Migration – Part 3: Collect Performance Data
• First Experiences With the NEW Service Manager (SCSM) HTML5 Portal!
• Microsoft Releases SCSM UR8 With the New HTML Portal – But Don’t Install It Yet!
• Using the MAP to Plan Azure Migration – Part 2: First Use & Perform An Inventory
• Using the MAP to Plan Azure Migration – Part 1: Introduction & Installation
• Squared Up’s HTML5 Dashboards & Web Console for SCOM – Part 6: Customize Dashboards
• Squared Up’s HTML5 Dashboards & Web Console for SCOM – Part 5: Configure the SCOM Data Warehouse
• Squared Up’s HTML5 Dashboards & Web Console for SCOM – Part 4: Activation
• Squared Up’s HTML5 Dashboards & Web Console for SCOM – Part 3: Installation
• Deploying Office365 ProPlus with SCCM Fails to Detect Installation Completed Successfully
• Update 1590 for System Center Configuration Manager 2016 Technical Preview 3
• Squared Up’s HTML5 Dashboards & Web Console for SCOM – Part 2: Prerequisites
• Squared Up’s HTML5 Dashboards & Web Console for SCOM – Part 1: Introduction
• Can You ‘Contain’ Your Excitement About Windows Server Containers?
• Cluster Patching Showdown: Comparing SCVMM and SCCM Patching
• Having Trouble Getting SCOM To Connect To OMS?
• MCSE Private Cloud Re-certification Exam – Skills Measured – Part 5: Configure System Center Integration
• What’s New/Changed In Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3
• MCSE Private Cloud Re-certification Exam – Skills Measured – Part 4: Configure the Fabric
• Windows ADK For Windows 10 – NEW Windows Imaging Configuration and Designer
• MCSE Private Cloud Re-certification Exam – Skills Measured – Part 3: Configure and Maintain Service Management
• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Update 1 Preview – Installation
• Unleash The Power Of Microsoft Operations Management Suite (OMS)
• MCSE Private Cloud Re-certification Exam – Skills Measured – Part 2: Deploy Resource Monitoring
• First Look at System Center Data Protection Manager 2016 Technical Preview 2
• First Look at System Center Operations Manager 2016 Technical Preview 2
• MCSE Private Cloud Re-certification Exam – Skills Measured – Part 1: Configure Data Center Process Automation
• First Look at System Center 2016 Virtual Machine Manager Technical Preview 2
• Windows Azure Pack for Windows Server – Part 4: Provision and Configure Services
• Azure AD Connect Fails With Windows Server 2016 TP2 Forest Functional Level
• First Look At System Center Configuration Manager 2016 Technical Preview 2
• Windows Azure Pack for Windows Server – Part 3: Installation (Express Deployment)
• Windows Azure Pack for Windows Server – Part 2: System Requirements & Prerequisites
• Windows Azure Pack for Windows Server – Part 1: Introduction
• First Look At System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Service Pack 1
• Data Protection Manager Remote Administration Console Error ID 948
• Windows Azure Pack (WAP) Best Practice Analyzer (BPA)
• Windows Azure Pack (WAP) – Update Rollup Challenge
• Azure Site-To-Site VPN – From Home Lab To The Cloud – Part 2: Create/Connect the Gateway
• PowerShell Deployment Toolkit (PDT) – Installer.ps1 Fails With “Failed Installing Server Feature Group 1” Error
• Azure Site-To-Site VPN – From Home Lab To The Cloud – Part 1: Creating the Virtual Network
• “Hello” Windows Server Technical Preview 2 – “Goodbye” GUI Interface
• Are You Ready For July 14, 2015? Windows Server 2003 End Of Support
• SCOM Synthetic Transactions
• Register to attend the Microsoft MVP Virtual Conference
• Service Provider Foundation – Part 3: Installation
• Service Provider Foundation – Part 2: System Requirements and Prerequisites
• Service Provider Foundation – Part 1: Introduction
• Post-Install WSUS Configuration Fails With Error “HTTP status 503: Service Unavailable.”
• SCOM SNMP Monitoring
• SCUtils Knowledge Base For SCSM 2012 – Part 6: Troubleshooting
• SCUtils Knowledge Base For SCSM 2012 – Part 5: Working With The Web Part
• SCUtils Knowledge Base For SCSM 2012 – Part 4: Post-Installation Configuration
• SCUtils Knowledge Base For SCSM 2012 – Part 3: Installation
• SCUtils Knowledge Base For SCSM 2012 – Part 2: System Requirements
• Customizing SCOM Alert Notifications – “Health Service Heartbeat Failure” and “Failed To Connect To Computer”
• SCUtils Knowledge Base For SCSM 2012 – Part 1: Introduction
• MiCloud Website Now Migrated To Azure
• Installing .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows Server 2012 R2 Fails with Error Code 0x800F0906
• Patching Hyper-V Hosts with SCVMM 2012 R2 – Part 3: Update Baselines
• 2014 In Review
• MiCloud Website Changes
• Patching Hyper-V Hosts with SCVMM 2012 R2 – Part 2: WSUS Configurations
• Patching Hyper-V Hosts with SCVMM 2012 R2 – Part 1: Prerequisites
• SCSM Dashboard – Expit EnSight – Part 3: System Requirements and Installation
• SCSM Dashboard – Expit EnSight – Part 2: Downloading
• SCSM Dashboard – Expit EnSight – Part 1: Introduction
• Applying SCVMM 2012 R2 Update Rollups To Perimeter Hyper-V Hosts
• SCVMM 2012 R2 Compliance Scan Fails With Error 2927
• Monitoring Linux with SCOM 2012 R2 – Part 3: Installing the SCOM Agent On Linux
• Monitoring Linux with SCOM 2012 R2 – Part 2: Configure SCOM For Monitoring Linux
• Monitoring Linux with SCOM 2012 R2 – Part 1: Installation and Configuration of Linux (SUSE) Virtual Machine
• SCSM Technical Preview in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Service Manager Management Server)
• Advanced Portal for SCSM 2012 by CodeCraft-Solutions – Part 4: Troubleshooting
• Advanced Portal for SCSM 2012 by CodeCraft-Solutions – Part 3: Installation
• SCDPM Technical Preview in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCDPM)
• SCVMM Technical Preview in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCVMM)
• SCORCH Technical Preview in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Orchestrator)
• SCOM Technical Preview in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCOM)
• Advanced Portal for SCSM 2012 by CodeCraft-Solutions – Part 2: Requirements
• Upcoming Articles
• Windows Server Technical Preview – New/Removed Windows Server Roles and Features
• Windows 10 Technical Preview – First Experiences
• Advanced Portal for SCSM 2012 by CodeCraft-Solutions – Part 1: Introduction
• SCDPM 2012 R2 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCDPM)
• Using WDS to Deploy SCCM Images without PXE-Enabled DPs
• How to Add Hyper-V Hosts in a Perimeter Network in VMM 2012 R2
• SMTRAK Entreprise Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 4: Offline License Activation
• SMTrak Entreprise Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 3: Installation And Configuration
• SMTRAK Entreprise Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 2: Requirements and Prerequisites
• SMTrak Entreprise Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 1: Introduction
• SCVMM 2012 R2 In A Lab – How to Create a Host Group Structure in VMM
• DPM Central Console – ID: 810. Details: Fatal error during installation
• Integrate App-V with SCCM 2012 R2 Using Virtual Environments
• SCSM 2012 Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 3: Publishing the Dashboards
• SCSM 2012 Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 2: Requirements and Installation
• SCSM 2012 Dashboard by Signature Consultancy – Part 1: Introduction
• My Experience With The PowerShell Deployment Toolkit (PDT) – Part 4 (PDT GUI for PowerShell Deployment Toolkit)
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 7: EUPSCO First Launch
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 6: Portal Configuration
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 5: Portal Installation
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 4: Database
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 3: Service Accounts
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 2: Prerequisites
• ITQ’s End User Portal for System Center Orchestrator (EUPSCO) – Part 1: Introduction
• Access Is Denied Error With Orchestrator Exchange Admin Integration Pack
• SCOM 2012 R2 Agent On Service Manager Error: “The management group configuration could not be saved”
• SCOM 2012 R2 Data Access Service (DAS) High Availability – Part 4: Enable NLB on each Management Server > Add A Host to NLB Cluster
• Update Rollup 2 for System Center 2012 R2 Now Available
• SCOM 2012 R2 Data Access Service (DAS) High Availability – Part 3: Enable NLB on each Management Server > Create A NLB Cluster
• SCOM 2012 R2 Data Access Service (DAS) High Availability – Part 2: Enable NLB on each Management Server > Install Network Load Balancing
• SCOM 2012 R2 Data Access Service (DAS) High Availability – Part 1: Configure A Static IP
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Update 1
• Service Manager 2012 R2 Installation Fails To Identify SQL Server Instance, and Throws ‘Access Denied’ Error
• Configuring SCORCH Integration Pack Connection(s) Produces A “Blank” Error
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Generation 2 VMs and x86 MDT Boot Media = Boot Failure!
• SCOM Agent Grayed Out When Trying To Monitor Domain Controller(s)
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 7: Build And Capture A Reference System
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 6: Boot Media
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 5: Create A Task Sequence
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 4: Create An Application Package
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 3: Import Operating System Source Files
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 2: Create A Deployment Share
• Working With The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 – Part 1: Installation
• My Experience With The PowerShell Deployment Toolkit (PDT) – Part 3 (Installer.ps1)
• My Experience With The PowerShell Deployment Toolkit (PDT) – Part 2 (VMCreator.ps1)
• SCVMM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Deploy an Agent to an Existing Hyper-V Host)
• SCVMM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Forecasting Analysis Reporting)
• SCVMM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Reporting)
• SCVMM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCVMM)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure SCOM Agents for Monitoring)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Set Up and Configure Notifications)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure the SCVMM Connector)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure the Orchestrator Connector)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure the Configuration Manager CI Connector)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure The Operations Manager Alert Connector And CI Connector)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure the Active Directory Connector)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Register The Data Warehouse)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SharePoint / Self-Service Portal)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Service Manager Data Warehouse Server)
• SCSM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Service Manager Management Server)
• SCORCH 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Runbooks)
• SCORCH 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Integration Packs)
• SCORCH 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install Orchestrator)
• SCDPM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Protection Groups)
• SCDPM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Install Protection Agent)
• SCDPM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure End User Recovery)
• SCDPM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Add Disks)
• SCDPM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCDPM Self Service Recovery)
• SCDPM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCDPM)
• SCAC 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Customize the Organization Logo)
• SCAC 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Connect App Controller to A VMM Management Server)
• SCAC 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Enable Single Sign-On)
• SCAC 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install App Controller)
• My Experience With The PowerShell Deployment Toolkit (PDT) – Part 1 (Downloader.ps1)
• Windows Server 2012 R2 – Hyper-V Virtual Memory Error
• Active Directory Certificate Services – Configuration
• Active Directory Certificate Services – Installation
• SCOM 2012 R2 – Installation Guide (Gateway Server – Obtain Certificate from Active Directory Certificate Services)
• SCOM 2012 R2 – Installation Guide (Gateway Server – Prepare The Certificate)
• SCOM 2012 R2 – Reporting Workspace Empty
• SCOM 2012 R2 – Installation Introduction
• SCOM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Enable Notification Channels)
• SCOM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Import Management Packs)
• SCOM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Configuration Guide (Configure Computers and Devices to Manage)
• SCOM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install ACS)
• SCOM 2012 SP1 in a LAB – Installation Guide (Install SCOM)
• Replacement PSU Arrives
• New Hardware Arrival: New SSD
• ASUS P9X79 WS with Intel 82579V NIC and Hyper-V
• OS Installation and Using A Server OS With A Workstation Motherboard
• Build Complete
• Hardware Arrival: Mobo, RAM, GPU
• Hardware Arrival: Case, CPU, PSU, SSDs
• Hardware Arrival: CPU Cooler