Custom software developer. IT consultant. Geek.
John Pattison
John R. Pattison is a Principal Consultant at Info et Cetera Consulting, based out of Worcester, Massachusetts. John focuses on developing custom line-of-business systems and leveraging cutting-edge technology as an enabler for smaller companies to achieve their business objectives and effectively compete against larger businesses in their market space. John is an MCPD, MCSD, MCDBA, and MCAD, and holds a BS from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Management Information Systems.
Posts by John Pattison
Windows Home Server can back up Windows Server 2008
Sep 11, 2008
As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been getting my new development machine configured. It’s running the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2008 Standard. I also have a Windows Home Server (I love it!). I was pretty sure that the two wouldn’t play nicely together. That is, I was pretty sure that I’d try to install the Windows Home Server connector on my development machine and it would yell at me and say I couldn’t do that.
To my surprise, though, the connector installed just fine. Better yet, the backup feature in Windows Home Server works just fine. WOW! So More >
Windows Live OneCare for Server Cost
Sep 10, 2008
I’m configuring my new workstation this evening, which is running Windows Server 2008. It’s a pretty sweet machine:
- Quad-core 2.4GHz
- 6GB RAM
- 512MB video RAM
- 250GB HDD
This machine is definitely the fastest machine I’ve ever run.
So I tried installing OneCare just to see what would happen. I actually selected the client version of Windows Live OneCare, but to my surprise Windows Live OneCare for Server actually ended up getting installed. That’s kind of neat. Even if you select the wrong installation link, the right thing ends up getting installed.
Now I had noticed that the Windows Live OneCare site doesn’t have any prices on it More >
Problem accessing varchar(max) field from Classic ASP
Aug 29, 2008
At Info et Cetera, we have a really nice content management system that we developed a number of years ago, which we have in place at several clients. While there are lots of content management systems commercially available today that probably have much more advanced features than our system, we like our CMS because it lets us build lots of custom database functionality to integrate into our clients’ sites. Additionally, our system provides complete separation between the back end management system and the front end templating system in a very convenient and flexible manner. But enough about that…
This week, I More >
I guess I’m just too fast at browsing the web
Aug 29, 2008
I ran into a funny screen while browsing the Dell Outlet website today:
I guess I’m just too fast of a shopper. Clearly, it’s better for them to deny me access to their site as opposed to letting me quickly spend money.
Windows Small Business Server 2008: Support and Troubleshooting
Aug 26, 2008
My notes from today’s Microsoft Partner Program webcast…
SBS2008 Premium edition includes everything in SBS2008 plus another copy of Windows Server 2008 Standard, and a copy of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition.
When SBS2003 was first released, it included SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition. In SBS2003 R2, SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition was included in Premium (which was a problem because some LOB systems did not support that edition). In SBS2008 Premium they have changed it to include SQL Server Standard Edition.
One key point related to setup is that the setup of Windows Server 2008 is MUCH simpler than Windows Server 2003.
Requirements More >
Windows Small Business Server 2008: Remote Access and Computer Management
Aug 25, 2008
My notes from today’s Microsoft Partner Program webcast…
Remote Access
Self-Issued vs. Third Party certificates
- SBS2008 creates a self-issued certificate that can be used.
- Clients and computers have to install this certificate in order to trust it.
- 3rd-party certificates are easier to implement and manager. They are not more or less secure, but they’re easier to use. They have become very inexpensive.
- Fix My Network wizard will automate updating the Root Certificate
- “Add a Trusted Certificate Wizard” will automatically generate and give you a certificate request hash.
- Installing trusted certificate on client computers
- From a domain-joined computer, go to \\sites\public\downloads and download/extract “Install Certificate Package.zip”
- From a non-domain joined computer, More >
Small Business Server 2008: Messaging and Collaboration Management
Aug 25, 2008
My notes from today’s Microsoft Partner Program webcast…
Messaging: Exchange Server 2007
Internet Address Management Wizard (IAMW)
- Configures SMTP
- Configures SMTP Connectors
- Configures self-issued certificates for encrypted email
Configure Internet Mil Wizard
- Where you configure smart host (supports authentication
Configuring the POP3 Connector
- Unique to Small Business Server
- On a scheduled basis, will download mail and pull it into Exchange
- Simplified from previous versions of SBS, but redesigned to be very reliable
- [Retrieve now] button temporarily bumps up logging
Verifying DNS Records
- Internet Address Mail Wizard configures
- A records
- MX records
- SPF records
- SRV records
Email protection
- Exchange content filtering: uses Spam Confidence Level (SCL)
- Exchange Recipient Filtering: uses Global Address List (GAL)
- Exchange Sender Filtering: uses individual e0mail address or More >
Windows Small Business Server 2008 – Management, Health, and Security
Aug 22, 2008
My notes from today’s Microsoft Partner Program webcast on SBS2008…
Managing with the Windows SBS Console
On the home tab, you will see:
- Task Pad
- Finish Installation
- Connect to the Internet
- Protect your data
- Add users, computers, and devices
- Grow your business
- Set up your Microsoft Office Live Small Business Web sites
- Network Essentials Summary: Shows you the status of:
- Security (will be red if any components on the Security page are red)
- Updates
- Backup
- Other Alerts
- Frequent Tasks and Community Links
Other tabs include:
- Users and Groups
- Network
- Shared Folders and Web Sites
- Backup and Server Storage
- Reports
- Security
Much of the UI includes the OK (green), Warning (yellow), and Critical (Red) concept.
Network tab includes:
- Computers (servers and client computers)
- Devices
- Connectivity
Security
Components:
- Email anti-malware More >
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Migration
Aug 22, 2008
Some notes from today’s Microsoft Partner Program webcast on SBS2008 migration…
Solutions Pathway
Microsoft is providing an easy way to figure out what the licensing scenarios may be for you: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver/essential/pathway.mspx Shows you supported scenarios and the discount that will be applied.
Preparing the network for migration
Migration highlights:
- 21-day grace period to complete the migration
- Answer file generator must be used
- Migrate without taking down servers
- Destination server joins the existing domain (replica DC)
- Uninterrupted mail flow between both servers
- No need to touch client workstations
Migration should be able to take place during business hours even!
Pre-migration tasks:
- Perform a virus scan
- Configure a full backup of the source server (include boot and More >
Windows Small Business Server 2008 has been released to manufacturing
Aug 21, 2008
Hooray! The SBS team signed off on the bits for Windows Small Business Server 2008 this morning, so SBS2008 has officially RTM’ed. It’s “in the machine” now, as they say.
More information from the Small Business Server blog
Read more posts from John R. Pattison about Windows Small Business Server 2008