• Microsoft Exchange Server,  Windows Server,  Windows XP

    Check It Ma, Logz For Dayz

    On a Mac, I frequently use the tail command to view files as they’re being written to or in use. You can use the Get-EventLog cmdlet to view logs. The Get-EventLog cmdlet has two options I’ll point out in this article. The first is -list and -newest. The first is used to view a list of event logs, along with retention cycles for logs, log sizes, etc. Get-EventLog -list You can then take any of the log types and view information about them. To see System information: Get-EventLog System There will be too much information in many of these cases, so use the -newest option to see just the latest:…

  • Active Directory,  Microsoft Exchange Server,  Network Infrastructure,  Windows Server,  Windows XP

    Managing DNS In Windows Server 2012

    Previously, I covered installing the DNS role in Windows Server 2012. Once installed, managing the role is very similar to how management was done in Windows Server 2003 through 2008 R2. With the exception of how you access the tools. DNS is one of the most important services in Windows Servers, as with most other platforms. So it’s important to configure DNS. To get into the DNS Manager in 2012 Server, first open Server Manager (you might get sick of using this tool in Server 2012, similar to how my Mac Server brethren have gotten tired of it in Lion and Mountain Lion Servers. Then from Server Manager click on…

  • Business

    Microsoft Retail Stores

    Microsoft is opening a few retail stores in the upcoming months, with the first having launched just last week, in Scottsdale, Arizona. The stores are similar in appearance to the Apple stores that can be found around the country, which has garnered much criticism. Although if you find a formula that works then you find a formula that works. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? A number of videos have surfaced on YouTube showcasing the new store, although this seems to be the most informative regarding the products and layout of the store. Overall, this is very interesting to me, although I don’t have any opinion either way…

  • Business,  iPhone

    Danger Will Robinson: SideKick + Microsoft

    Occasionally Blackberries go down. Not one or two, but all of them. Sometimes (albeit rarely), Google Apps are unavailable. The Mac community got so frustrated with MobileMe during the .Mac transition that Apple released an official apology of sorts. But nothing that is as dangerous as the recent SideKick data loss. In a move that is characteristic of the battle that has been brewing between the makers of mobile devices and the carriers that provide access to those devices, T-Mobile released the following statement: Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts,…

  • personal,  sites,  Social Networking

    Microsoft Blogging

    Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a team of Microsoft employees. They operated in a black box, a silo of noncommunication. In order to learn what was in the new products they were developing you had to wait until they were released. There were no seeds, the prerelease software distributed to partners was codenamed with words like longhorn and the developers, if they spoke out of turn were publicly flogged with cat-o-nine-tails made of rusty old x86 hardware, known as flogware. But then something happened. Microsoft, to whatever degree, embraced a world of openness. The developers for various teams were suddenly encouraged to blog, speak…

  • Business,  Consulting

    Tech Predictions Rant

    <rant> According to Mayan tradition if you jump into one of the cenotes by the Mayan pyramids you can make predictions as to the future. Apparently, one person predicted he would be a ruler and was thus anointed such. Funny how that works. Well, I cave dived into a cenote and then read the January editions of eWeek, ComputerWorld, NetworkWorld, CIO and about 10 other magazines that show up to my house despite the lack of funding on my part for them to do so. Let’s see if I can wade through the fluff… First off, January is a funny month for tech magazines as it’s all IT predications, “look…

  • Windows XP

    Windows XP: Another Six Months

    Windows XP is a 7 year old operating system.  Microsoft ads on TV tell us that we should move to Vista.  They put a deadline in place.  According to Devil Mountain Software and a few others, more than one third of Windows systems are still being downgraded to XP though.  What more can Microsoft do?  Well, the deadline of January 31st to stop allowing OEM manufacturers to sell XP has been extended.  You will now be able to purchase Vista and then have a downgrade option through to July of 2009, at which point XP will be well over 8 years old.  Pundits say Vista sales are up, but really…