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Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Learn to perform a DNS backup and restore

  DNS outages cause connectivity issues that prevent basic tasks from executing properly. Understand how to perform a restore for a DNS zone, which is not always intuitive. Continue Reading

• Reduce your risk with Exchange Server security best practices

  The unique nature of your on-premises Exchange Server makes it an attractive target for threat actors. Take these recommended steps to avoid being the next breach victim. Continue Reading

• Use command-line options to edit registries with regedit.exe

  Did you know this venerable Windows GUI tool has several switches for basic registry editing tasks? See what tweaks Microsoft inserted in regedit for administrative use. Continue Reading

• Using Diskpart to create, delete, clean or extend disk partitions

  The diskpart is one of the oldest tools in the Windows operating system that handles a wide range of disk management jobs, such as assigning drive letters and deleting partitions. Continue Reading

• Try default values in PowerShell parameters for flexibility

  When you lock down your code to work in specific conditions, your automation efforts can fall flat. Try these techniques to add more versatility to your PowerShell scripts. Continue Reading

• Cut coding corners with return values in PowerShell functions

  In certain instances, a return keyword is a good option to exit the current scope of a function and to reduce the bloat from a PowerShell script.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Cloud App Security aims to expand your defenses

  Data center security tools have little control over the plethora of SaaS apps used in the enterprise. A Microsoft offering attempts to bridge that gap to ward off threats.Continue Reading

• Optimize Windows Server 2019 with file server best practices

  A file server deployment must satisfy the needs of both the end user and the IT staff. Tune up Windows Server for a secure and performant repository for your critical data.Continue Reading

• Boost Windows Server performance with these 10 tips

  A small investment in time to execute these Windows Server performance tuning tips and techniques can optimize server workloads for more satisfactory results.Continue Reading

• How to work with Azure DNS zones

  Microsoft's hosting service for DNS domains is an option for organizations with a heavy Azure investment that want the benefits associated with a cloud service.Continue Reading

• Securing Active Directory also involves good backup practices

  The 'Active Directory Administration Cookbook' covers what admins can do in advance to bring the identity and access management platform back online after an attack.Continue Reading

• Techniques to troubleshoot Active Directory issues

  Active Directory runs several key operational duties, such as validating access to resources. Keep the system from breaking down with help from these diagnostic methods.Continue Reading

• Active Directory replication troubleshooting tips and tools

  When replication between domain controllers breaks down, just about everything else will grind to a halt. These utilities can help pinpoint the Active Directory issues.Continue Reading

• Learn to configure Office 365 alerts and other security features

  More users are working from home, which makes them tempting targets for malicious actors. Take the time to fortify your environment by deploying Office 365 protections.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Defender ATP taps into cloud for added protection

  Enterprises that want to wrap up their systems in an extra layer of security have the option for more enhanced protection that integrates with other Microsoft products.Continue Reading

• How to take advantage of Teams-Exchange integration

  The apps in Office 365 sometimes need a few tweaks to interact in a more seamless fashion. Learn how to combine the functionality of Exchange and Microsoft Teams.Continue Reading

• Steer clear of trouble while following the Office 365 roadmap

  There are literally hundreds of changes coming to the collaboration platform that affect email and other services. Here's what IT can do to help ease the transition for end users.Continue Reading

• Consider Office 365 MFA to thwart attacks

  More remote users are working on their own equipment, which opens an organization to a hack attempt. Office 365 customers can use multifactor authentication to lower this risk.Continue Reading

• Avoid common pain points when migrating to Exchange Online

  Every Exchange Server configuration is unique, which makes a move to hosted email in Office 365 a complex undertaking, but some stumbling blocks are more frequent than others.Continue Reading

• Increase PowerShell security with help from AppLocker

  Learn how to curb the native abilities of the expansive scripting tool in the Windows OS to prevent your users from being unwitting participants in a cyberattack.Continue Reading

• Active Directory nesting groups strategy and implementation

  Does your current Active Directory permissions setup spark joy? If not, then it's time to unscramble that confusing design into something that's easier to use and maintain.Continue Reading

• Understanding Windows PowerShell function parameters

  Parameters in Windows PowerShell can help admins better customize their functions, leading to improved input testing and more extensible commands.Continue Reading

• How to upload and download files with PowerShell FTP script

  By using the .NET WebClient class and PowerShell, Windows admins can upload and download files to FTP.Continue Reading

• A closer look at new and updated Microsoft security features

  Microsoft augments the native protection features in its newer Windows Server releases with cloud-based security products to reduce the likelihood of a successful breach attempt.Continue Reading

• How does Microsoft BitLocker secure local, cloud resources?

  The BitLocker encryption technology continues to evolve from its roots as a Windows Vista feature to protect resources both in the local data center and in the Azure cloud platform.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008 end of life means it's time to move

  Your organization has a few options to migrate from unsupported Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 systems to avoid becoming another cyberattack statistic.Continue Reading

• Using Azure AD conditional access for tighter security

  The cloud-based identity and access management service does not come with certain defensive features turned on by default, which administrators should rectify.Continue Reading

• Build a PowerShell logging function for troubleshooting

  A basic administrative skill is checking over logs to find out why something broke. Learn how to build a proper logging mechanism to catch errors for diagnostic purposes.Continue Reading

• How to navigate a ransomware recovery process

  If you find your systems locked up from a ransomware attack, what should you prioritize? Before you start your recovery, follow this plan to avoid additional trouble.Continue Reading

• Get back on the mend with Active Directory recovery methods

  Administrators should have a few of these data protection techniques up their sleeves to keep Active Directory from a total breakdown.Continue Reading

• How to repair Windows Server using Windows SFC and DISM

  Administrators can diagnose and treat a buggy server operating system by using the Windows SFC and DISM utilities for image analysis and repairs.Continue Reading

• URL filtering brings additional Office 365 protection

  Ransomware attacks evolve to evade Office 365's integrated protection systems. A third-party security tool can help shore up your defenses.Continue Reading

• Tips for ransomware protection on Windows systems

  No one product can prevent every ransomware attack, but there are several defensive practices Windows administrators can take to stop an encryption infection from ruining their day.Continue Reading

• How to lock down rising Office 365 costs

  Avoid springing a money leak in your Office 365 tenant by keeping closer tabs on several areas and following more frugal practices.Continue Reading

• Top Office 365 MFA considerations for administrators

  A complex password only goes so far to stop a breach. Implementing multifactor authorization can help, but make sure the product you select fits your current and future needs.Continue Reading

• How to rebuild the SYSVOL tree using DFSR

  Active Directory is the key component in many organizations to keep tabs on access and identity. If the SYSVOL directory disappears, these steps can get the system fixed.Continue Reading

• Know your Office 365 backup options -- just in case

  A move to Exchange Online in the Office 365 platform removes some administrative obligations but does require more work to set up proper email protections.Continue Reading

• How to keep VM sprawl in check

  Virtualization improves hardware use, but the pendulum can swing the other way and result in an overallocation of resources. Here's how to maintain the balance.Continue Reading

• Exchange troubleshooting tools help unclog email issues

  When problems with email occur, they can stem from an improper configuration of the Exchange Server system. Here's how to unravel some common messaging platform problems.Continue Reading

• How to locate privileged accounts in Active Directory

  IT administrators must be able to identify privileged accounts in Active Directory for a more secure enterprise; two methods can make the task easier.Continue Reading

• How to keep an Office 365 outage from ruining your day

  Stay on top of any potential problems with your Office 365 deployment through the monitoring dashboard and a break glass account to avoid Azure authentication outages.Continue Reading

• How do I avoid Exchange disk space issues?

  Exchange Server log files tend to chew up a lot of space, particularly on the later versions. Here's how to keep the mail flowing when a hard drive fills up.Continue Reading

• Build a Hyper-V home lab in Windows Server 2019

  Production servers aren't the place to experiment with Microsoft's Hyper-V technology. This guide helps you build a lab tailored for a nested virtualization environment.Continue Reading

• Is Windows Server troubleshooting on the way out?

  When a Windows Server workload starts to falter, what's the best way to proceed before it keels over? Once upon a time, you would try to fix it, but times have changed.Continue Reading

• Got infrastructure needs? These PowerShell tutorials can help

  From streamlining remote sessions to setting up an SSL certificate, these PowerShell tutorials show IT admins how to get more done with the management tool.Continue Reading

• What are some potential Windows Server cluster set snags?

  Windows Server 2019 cluster sets bring some Azure-like capabilities into the data center, but new features also bring new challenges for administrators.Continue Reading

• What are some Microsoft SDDC integration challenges?

  Microsoft added a number of new software-defined features in Windows Server 2019, but deploying a fully virtualized data center remains a challenge for several reasons.Continue Reading

• Hone your PowerShell text manipulation skills

  Retrieving content from and modifying content in text files with PowerShell are skills many administrators need to cultivate to aid their automation efforts.Continue Reading

• Lessons learned during a migration to Exchange Online

  There are a number of perks for administrators who move to Exchange Online, but there are spots of frustration that will require a few workarounds to ease the transition process.Continue Reading

• Migrate Exchange to Office 365 with these tips

  Check this list of common issues that can occur during an Exchange migration to steer the organization away from potential mishaps during the messaging platform's relocation.Continue Reading

• How to avoid the double-hop problem with PowerShell

  IT pros who manage with PowerShell will run into the double-hop problem and use CredSSP to work around it. This tutorial offers a more streamlined way to avoid that roadblock.Continue Reading

• Ways administrators can avoid IT burnout

  The last thing an overextended admin needs is additional work, but there are certain practices that, once introduced, can curb tech burnout in the long run.Continue Reading

• Resolve an Outlook outage when using Office 365

  When administrators get reports about an Outlook outage, they must work quickly to identify the affected accounts, research the causes and know where to turn for support.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging change presents dilemma

  The arrival of Exchange 2019 also means the end of unified messaging in the on-premises offering. Admins who use voicemail in Outlook should explore their options.Continue Reading

• Tips to track down and neutralize PowerShell malware

  The benefit of PowerShell is its wide-ranging access to Windows systems, but industrious hackers can exploit its abilities to launch attacks from inside your data center.Continue Reading

• What are the steps for an Exchange certificate renewal?

  An expired Exchange 2010 certificate is one of those issues that catches everyone's attention. Check and replace certificates with these basic commands.Continue Reading

• Windows troubleshooting tools to improve VM performance

  Fine-tune virtualized workloads and diagnose performance issues with help from these Windows troubleshooting tools every server administrator should know.Continue Reading

• Plan your Exchange migration to Office 365 with confidence

  Make your move to Office 365 with help from our experts who explain how to prepare before the transition and provide checklists to make sure the migration goes as planned.Continue Reading

• How to tackle an email archive migration for Exchange Online

  A move from on-premises Exchange to Office 365 also entails determining the best way to transfer legacy archives. This tutorial can help ease migration complications.Continue Reading

• Exchange IRM helps enterprises lock down information

  Exchange Server's information rights management features put boundaries on messages and documents to avoid the mishandling of restricted content.Continue Reading

• How do you fix Outlook display issues?

  Outlook crashes and rendering issues might require an upgrade -- or a downgrade -- for administrators who want to avoid a Band-Aid approach and want a permanent solution.Continue Reading

• Lost and found: Use an Exchange recovery database to restore data

  PowerShell can come to the rescue to restore messages and other items from an Exchange 2016 recovery database when trouble strikes -- or when lawyers make requests.Continue Reading

• Set Office 365 data loss prevention policies with PowerShell

  Exchange administrators can use PowerShell to manage Office 365 compliance, e-discovery and data loss prevention.Continue Reading

• Start using the PowerShell pipeline with this example

  An administrator can create functions to support the PowerShell pipeline, which improves upon text-based shells by allowing the scripter to pass objects across the pipe.Continue Reading

• Why is there an Outlook folder missing from Outlook Web App?

  Some folders in a mailbox on Exchange Server 2013 are not showing up on the folder list in the OWA virtual directory but do appear in other views.Continue Reading

• How can I share Outlook calendars from the EMC?

  Is there a way to gain access to multiple users' calendars from the Exchange Management Console in Exchange 2010?Continue Reading

• Office 365 issues that torment email admins

  Tricky Office 365 problems are no treat to the IT admin. Fix the nuisances that corrupt your email with these troubleshooting treats.Continue Reading

• Check your hybrid Outlook Autodiscover performance

  IT shops with hybrid Office 365 and on-premises Exchange mailboxes need to know how Outlook Autodiscover works when mailboxes haven't migrated.Continue Reading

• Use a PowerShell script to force logoff an RDP session

  When end users remain logged in to an RDP session, it consumes valuable resources. Use this PowerShell script to force users to log off.Continue Reading

• What are SR-IOV pros and cons with Hyper-V?

  SR-IOV in Windows Server 2012 R2 supports Hyper-V Live Migration, but system requirements hampered adoption for some cases. Should everyone put PCIe SR-IOV to use?Continue Reading

• What are the limitations and drawbacks of an IPAM server?

  Windows Server IPAM can only handle one Active Directory forest. Learn about other limitations.Continue Reading

• Switch authentication modes during a disaster recovery

  Converting authentication modes is a rare thing admins need to address, but it must be fixed right away when it happens -- and Microsoft's documentation on it is incorrect.Continue Reading

• IIS exploits in Windows Server and how you can fix them

  There are several flaws in IIS that can jeopardize the security of Windows servers. Here are some of the top threats and how to solve them.Continue Reading

• How do I grant users outside the LAN access to OWA?

  Our company has users who reside outside the local area network. What's the best way to grant those users access to Outlook Web App?Continue Reading

• How does write back cache improve performance?

  With Windows Server 2012 R2 and earlier, admins have access to write-back caching, leading to reasonable improvements for mission-critical workloads.Continue Reading

• Set up an ADFS server to manage Office 365 identities

  As long as you know how to set it up and install it, ADFS can be a good identity management option for Office 365.Continue Reading

• Customize Exchange ActiveSync settings for virtual directories

  Knowing the settings for the mailbox server and the Client Access server role is the key to customizing ActiveSync virtual directories.Continue Reading

• Five ways to troubleshoot Outlook Group Policy setting problems

  When Group Policy configurations aren't working like they should in Outlook, these five steps can help you figure out what's wrong.Continue Reading

• How a shared virtual disk can benefit a Windows Server data center

  With the introduction of Windows Server 2012 R2, shared virtual disks have capabilities to improve failover clusters in a few ways.Continue Reading

• A closer look at virtual hard disks in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The VHDX format includes performance-enhancing features and capabilities that let virtual servers recover VMs with little to no data loss.Continue Reading

• Using OWA offline mode for expanded Outlook access in Exchange 2013

  Exchange Server 2013 gives OWA users offline access to features and functionality that had previously only been available to Outlook users.Continue Reading

• Running PowerShell scripts can ease Windows virtualization tasks

  Put PowerShell cmdlets to work with Windows virtualization by automating setup, maintenance and configuration tasks in your organization.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 makes VM migration faster, smoother

  The Windows Server 2012 R2 release continues to push the trend of faster and less disruptive VM migrations in the data center.Continue Reading

• Compression eases Live Migration process in Windows Server 2012 R2

  By using Live Migration compression, smaller VM files are transferred more quickly between systems and have fewer resent or dropped packets.Continue Reading

• How Remote DMA improves Live Migration in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The RDMA feature can use high-throughput, low-latency data exchanges to improve Live Migration's performance in Windows Server 2012 R2.Continue Reading

• Essential Windows Server 2012 R2 system requirements

  Before upgrading to Windows Server 2012 R2, read up on hardware requirements to ensure there are enough resources to preserve performance.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces boosts performance

  Three new features in Windows Storage Spaces -- storage tiering, write-back caching and dual parity -- boost storage performance.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces addresses storage growth demands

  Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces offers an alternative to traditional SAN storage and includes updates for virtualizing shared storage.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces suits SSD deployments

  With the new storage tiering feature, Storage Spaces in Windows Server 2012 R2 works best with solid-state-drive devices.Continue Reading

• Troubleshoot Exchange Admin Center access issues in Exchange 2013

  It's common for users to have trouble accessing the Exchange Admin Center in Exchange 2013. Keep these fixes handy in case this happens to you.Continue Reading

• Desired State Configuration helps admins avoid configuration drift

  The new feature Desired State Configuration feature in Windows Server 2012 R2 gives admins yet another reason to learn PowerShell.Continue Reading

• PowerShell 4.0 further facilitates task automation for Windows admins

  Has PowerShell finally grown up? A mature PowerShell 4.0 in Windows Server 2012 R2 brings with it new parameters, simpler implementation and more.Continue Reading

• How to synchronize SharePoint 2013 lists with Outlook 2013

  Give users access to various SharePoint 2013 lists through Outlook 2013 with just a few simple configuration steps.Continue Reading

• How to configure Office Web Apps Server for use with Exchange 2013

  Get the steps necessary to build an Office Web Apps Server farm and integrate it with Exchange 2013. It's essential if you add other Wave 15 products.Continue Reading

• Steps to read XML files with PowerShell

  Wondering how to get PowerShell to read XML files? Our expert explains a few methods you could use.Continue Reading

• Logging your every move with a PowerShell transcript

  There are a few methods for creating a PowerShell transcript that logs everything. We highlight a few of these and what to know about each.Continue Reading

• Five ways admins can embrace Windows Server 2012 Remote Management

  As Microsoft encourages Windows admins to deal with servers offsite, here are some easy steps they can use for Windows Server 2012 Remote Management.Continue Reading

• Five things you might not know about the Hyper-V virtual switch

  One of the most significant improvements in Windows Server 2012 might be the Hyper-V virtual switch. What makes this low-cost option such a big deal?Continue Reading

• How do I use a PowerShell filter to identify files by date?

  Our expert answers one of the most common questions he hears from admins about using a PowerShell filter to find a file's accurate date.Continue Reading

• Microsoft makes improvements to SharePoint workflows

  The first thing to know about SharePoint workflows is that SharePoint 2013 actually contains two separate workflow platforms.Continue Reading