Windows #Azure Technical Deep Dive: TalkTalk Business

Windows Azure Technical Deep Dive TalkTalk Business ABOUT THIS EVENT Dive deep into a real life mobile project using Windows Azure. TalkTalk Business is a leading telco that provides a suite of broadband, telephone, mobile phone, and IT support services to businesses across the UK. They wanted to meet the customer demand for mobile access to service information while maintaining secure business requirements for sensitive data. To solve this challenge, TalkTalk Business turned to Windows Azure. With a scalable backend provided by Windows Azure Mobile Services and on-premises to cloud messaging through Service Bus Relay, TalkTalk Business was able to provide a consistent experience across devices and platforms while preserving data security. Come hear from folks at TalkTalk Business about this solution, their best practices and key learnings. PRESENTER Gary Pretty, Lead Architect

June 18, 2013 9:00 AM PST For start and end times in other locations, please click here.

SQL 2012 Analysis Services Error: "No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it"

In Microsoft SQL Server 2012, you receive an error that resembles the following when you try to connect to a named instance of SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) :

No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it: Port number

 

This issue can occur if the server that hosts the named instance of SSAS was configured to use IPv4 and IPv6 when SQL Server 2012 was installed. Then, the server was later reconfigured to use only IPv6.

 

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Stop the SQL Server Analysis Services service.
2. Open the Msmdredir.ini file in Notepad.
   Note By default, the Msmdredir.ini file is located in the following folder:

   %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\ASConfig

3. In the Instances section, verify that the values for the Port property and the IPv6 property are different for the named instance.
4. Delete the PortIPV6 property.
5. Save the Msmdredir.ini file, and then exit Notepad.
6. Start the SQL Server Analysis Services service.

 

Source KB

#SCSM: Set Service Request Title from Related Request Offering

One of request that I got through my SCSM project is to create custom workflow to Set Service Request Title from Related Request Offering

The script use SMLets commands that you can download from http://smlets.codeplex.com/

You can configure workflow using that script to trigger on new Service Request creation to copy title from related Request Offering

Import-Module SMLets  $ServiceRequest = Get-SCSMObject -Class (Get-SCSMClass -Name System.WorkItem.ServiceRequest$) -Filter "ID -eq $ServiceRequestID"  $GetRelatedRequestOffering = (Get-SCSMRelationshipObject -BySource $ServiceRequest | ?{$_.RelationshipID -eq "2730587f-3d88-a4e4-42d8-08cf94535a6e"}).TargetObject.DisplayName  $GetServiceRequestTitle = $ServiceRequest.Title  $ServiceRequest | Set-SCSMObject -Property Title -Value "$GetRelatedRequestOffering"

SCSM: Workflow to Assign Change Request Creator to Completed Needed Documentation

All changes should be tracked in a change management system. The change is documented in the change tracking system when the change initiator has completed the required level of technical verification and completes a change request. The following status codes can be used to reflect the status of a change request:

• Open: The change has been received and accepted but has not been assigned.
• In-Progress: The change has been received, acknowledged, and assigned. Work is in progress to fulfill the change request.
• Approved: The business and technical assessments have been completed and the change has been approved and committed to the change scheduler.
• Rejected: The change has been rejected and will be routed back to the requester with an explanation and a recommended course of action.
• Closed: The change request has been closed.
• Canceled: The change request has been canceled.

The change initiator is the person who initially perceives the need for the change and develops, plans, and executes the steps necessary to meet the initial requirements for a Request for Change (RFC). A common task is when change request created by someone to assign first activity to him “Documentation” to be completed before proceeding with the change.

You can create different change request templates with different activities and identify “Documentation” as first manual activity task to be completed by change creator.

This Workflow will trigger on new Change Request creation and check  within the Change Request activities “Pre-defined template” for Manual activity with Name “Documentation”  and assign the Person who create the change to this manual activity to make sure that change initiator complete needed documentation before proceeding with the change request approvals

You can open the Workflow using Authoring tool and Change Manual Activity name  to fit with your organization requirements

You can download the workflow from there

 

 

 

Test Lab Guides: System Center 2012 SP1 – Virtual Machine Manager

Microsoft just release new test lab guide “Test Lab Guides: System Center 2012 SP1 – Virtual Machine Manager”

These guides contain instructions for setting up a test lab that uses System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 (SP1) – Virtual Machine Manager (VMM). The guides describe how to deploy a VMM management server and a host in the test lab, and then tell how to use those servers to deploy multiple virtual machines that can work together to provide services. The virtual machines that you can deploy include web servers and servers running SQL Server 2012. After you create VMM profiles and templates, such as the ones described in these guides, it is a straightforward process to deploy as many sets of virtual machines as needed.

Download include two files

1- Test Lab Guide: Deploy Virtual Machine Manager in System Center 2012 SP1

This guide explains how to set up a test lab that deploys VMM using two physical servers. This can help you learn to deploy VMM, and provide a foundation for learning how you might use VMM in your environment. The guide also shows how to use VMM to create a virtual machine and deploy it on a host system in the test lab. The guide includes a small amount of information and some links that are related to the deployment of virtual machines. This guide is designed to provide a foundation for other procedures and guides for VMM

2-Test Lab Guide: Use VMM to Deploy a Web-Based Application that Requires Multiple Virtual Machines

This guide contains procedures for setting up a test lab that is based on the foundation provided by the Test Lab Guide: Deploy Virtual Machine Manager. The procedures show how to deploy virtual machines by using profiles (such as application profiles) and templates (such as virtual machine templates and service templates).

The guide represent the templates and profiles that you can create when you perform the steps in this guide. With these templates and profiles, you can first deploy a web server, and then a pair of virtual machines—a web server and an instance of SQL Server—to represent virtual machines that could work together as a service that you provide to users.

You can get it from there

Book Review: Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Deploying Hyper-V Enterprise Server Virtualization Platform

I just got the opportunity to read a new book and want to share some thought about it with you guys so you may  take a look on it.  The book is well structured and provide excellent start for anyone that want to be enterprise ready for Windows 2012 Hyper-V . I will go through main points and brief for the book. Hope it provide good start for who is interested

Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Deploying Hyper-V Enterprise Server Virtualization Platform

The book starts with classic start ..What is Virtualization ..okay looks classic but if you want to understand more about those big world like virtualization and cloud you should go through this start.  You will understand about Server, Network and Storage virtualization… Then a good jump to the big hunt “Microsoft Hyper-V”.

This part is well defined and even target starters and advanced people giving Insight into Hyper-V architecture and Networking with Hyper-v, Performance with overview for Hyper-v features.

After covering fundamental concepts of Hyper-V Now You are ready  to start Planning, Designing, and Implementing Microsoft Hyper-V, Chapter 2 provides necessary knowledge to start deploying and building your virtual environment . 

Chapter 3 is all about Hyper-V Replica, Okay this is smart choice since it is one of the booming feature for Hyper-V in Windows 2012. You will be able to understand, Design  and build your Hyper-V replica Virtual Machine once you finish it.

Chapter 4,5,6 is about Hyper-V Networking ,PowerShell and storage. targeting more advanced users and administrators . Although the book is doing great in these chapters but I wish I could see more information in networking part.

Chapter 7 covers management for Hyper-v environment with Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager. A very good read if you need a good push to start playing with VMM.

Chapter 8,9 about mobility and Security for Hyper-V, Personally I like the content for Hyper-V security .

Last Chapter is about Backup and restore for virtual environment.

Overall I found the book interesting and would be great useful for anyone who decide to work with Windows 2012 Hyper-V. So enjoy reading it

SCSM 2012 Portal Knowledge Base “Web Based Solution”

One of the most common request from Microsoft System Center Service Manager customer’s is having Knowledge base as web based. In Service Manager Self Service Portal you have to open Knowledge base articles as .rtf files instead of just seeing a web page.

Microsoft did a great job with revamping the new Portal in SCSM 2012 but still same problem for Knowledge bases. We build a basic Web Part that could solve this problem.

After importing this web part you well see Top knowledge base as blow

When you press any knowledge base you will get your Knowledge base as blow

I will start uploading the Web part with implementation guide to Microsoft Gallery and Will send you guys the URLs, Enjoy

Note: I will start working on the full solutions and keep this one for free, So if you can see any enhancements or feedback please feel free to do

Update: Solution URL http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Service-Manager-2012-Web-30655388