System Center Management Packs for Data Protection Manager 2012 R2 Reporting, Library, Discovery and Monitoring and Dedup

 

Do you feel bored on DPM Standard Reports? It is been few version of DPM that the product came with six standard reports:

• Disk utilization
• Recovery
• Recovery Point Status
• Status
• Tape Management
• Tape Utilization

Standard report were useful for auditing and monitoring basic details for each DPM Server.

However thing start to improve on DPM 2012 R2 with Update Rollup 5 and integrate with SCOM. You can now generate customize report which aggregate data from multiple DPM server.

[ Requirements]

• DPM 2012 R2 with CU5 or higher
• SCOM 2012 R2 with CU5 or higher

[Configuration]

• Install DPM Central Console and Role Based Access on SCOM with DPM.
• Imported default DPM MP
• Install DPM Central Console
• Install DPM SCOM Agent on entire DPM Servers
• Download management pack from here.
• Import the downloaded management using Operation Manager Console.
• View report from Operation Manager Console | Reporting workspace | System Center 2012 R2 Data Protection Manager Reporting | DPM Executive Summary Report

New enhancement will include information such as

• Job success rate
• SLA
• Deduplication Space Savings
• Protected Data Source Overview
• Backup Duration Summary
• Total Backup Failure
• Data Transferred
• Bandwidth Utilization
• Storage Utilization

To get SLA, you must execute the following command on DPM Server using DPM Shell

Get-DPMProtectionGroup | where {$_.Name –ieq ‘MyProtectionGroup’} | Set-DPMProtectionGroupSLA –SLAInHours 24

MS Press Book: Microsoft System Center Data Protection for the Hybrid Cloud

Part of a series of specialized guides on System Center, this book helps you optimize your System Center Data Protection Manager environment. It focuses on best practices, design concepts, how-to procedures, and in-depth technical troubleshooting.

• Shreesh Dubey, Vijay Tandra Sistla, Shivam Garg, and Aashish Ramdas; Mitch Tulloch, Series Editor
  June 2015
  112 pages

Download the PDF (3.48 MB)

Download the EPUB file (4.63 MB)

Download the Mobi for Kindle file (10.3 MB)

StarWind : News 22 June 2015

1. Tap Room Welcomes a New Host, Oles Borys! (25 June, 11 am PT / 2 pm ET)

StarWind 2-Node Hyper-Converged for VMware

Host: Oles Borys, Solution Engineer, StarWind Software Inc.

Join our Tap Room Meeting to follow step-by-step configuration of StarWind Virtual SAN in ‪‎VMware environment. You will be StarWind paired with ‪LSFS (Log-Structured File System) in action and see how they improve storage redundancy and boost performance. Just juggling with IOmeter figures live.

*Virtualize responsibly!

2. Recorded webinar: Get All-Flash Performance From a Disk

Have you noticed the way all-flash arrays silently conquered the market of high-performance storage?

Do you know it’s possible to get all-flash performance without actually spending a fortune?

Learn the answers for these questions and more while watching the video.

3. Technical Paper ‘StarWind Virtual SAN^® Compute and Storage Separated 3-node with Hyper-V’

This guide is intended for experienced Windows system administrators and IT professionals who would like to configure a Hyper-V cluster using StarWind Virtual SAN. It gives the instruction on how to configure StarWind Virtual SAN^® on 3 dedicated servers to provide fault tolerant shared storage to a client hypervisor cluster. It also allows users to configure StarWind Virtual SAN as a gateway to consolidate their heterogeneous storage environment into a single storage resource pool.

Is OpsMgr still relevant in the Cloud?

 

Savision has just released a new whitepaper written by MVP Cameron Fuller. The Cloud has truly changed how we monitor in Microsoft solutions. In this whitepaper, Microsoft MVP Cameron Fuller will answer the question: Is Operations Manager still relevant in the Cloud?

The whitepaper covers the following topics:

• A history of Operations Manager and what conclusions we can draw from that history
• Cloud first, mobile first, and it’s impacts on System Center
• The Microsoft Operations Management Suite and how it compares with Operations Manager
• Monitoring available within Azure, and solutions to monitor Azure
• The Cloud Platform Stack, WAP, and Azure Stack
• Architecting Operations Manager to run in the cloud

You can download the whitepaper by Microsoft MVP Cameron Fuller by clicking here

StarWind Software Inc. News 16 June 2015

 

Here are the latest news from StarWind Software Inc

Yet another success by StarWind!

StarWind has recently acquired Citrix XenServer 6.5 Certification, completing the list of certifications, adding to those from ‪‎VMware(vSphere 6.0 & vSphere 5.5 Certifications) and ‪‎Microsoft (Windows Server 2012 R2).

What this means is that ‪StarWind Virtual SAN is eligible for Microsoft, VMware and Citrix support services, being part of HCL.

To achieve this kind of acknowledgement, StarWind Virtual SAN passed a series of tests to prove the product’s compatibility as part of these vendors’ joint solutions.

It’s fair to say that StarWind now has every “MUST HAVE” certification.

1. Live Webinar AUF Deutsch! Hyper-V in Windows Server 2016: Reboot oder Revolution

Datum: 24 Juni, 2:00 CEST

Vortraghalter: Thomas Maurer, Cloud-Architekt, itnetx gmbh
Max Kolomyeytsev, Produktmanager, StarWind SoftWare Inc.

Nach der Ansage von Windosw Server 2016 Ignite wurde diese von zahlreichen Kritiken und Blog-Posts gefolgt. Aber auch nach Pre-Tests bleiben Fragen: ob die neuen Funktionen das Leben der Hyper-V-Administratoren leichter machen? Ob das neue Hyper-V nur eine Aktualisierung (Upgrade) der vorherigen Version ist oder ist das die Volle "Revolution"?

Da es keine Zeitmaschine gibt, um die Antworten auf diese Fragen im Voraus zu bokommen, besuchen Sie unser Webinar, um die Funktionalität (Features) von Windows Server 2016 und der nächsten Version von Hyper-V zu besprechen. Was mann von einem Powershell-Direct, Shielded VMsStorage Spaces Direct and Replica erwarten kann und ob tatsächlich die neue Hyper-V-Host-Hardware gebraucht wird?

Jetzt registrieren!

2. Live Webinar: Building Storage for Availability and Survivability

1 July, 9 am PT / 12 pm ET

Speaker: Jon Toigo, Toigo Partners International LLC

With software-defined storage taking hold both as a model for building data storage infrastructure behind servers and as a template for designing ready-made hyper-converged server/storage hardware nodes, IT planners confront many options for creating a high performance, cost efficient platform for data hosting. Just as important, however, is the design of storage infrastructure for high availability – to protect against hardware and software glitches – and for survivability – to ensure data accessibility in the face of disasters with a broader geographical footprint.

In this Brown Bag webinar, IT-SENSE editor and chief Jon Toigo kicks things off with a discussion of the requirements for building a bullet proof storage infrastructure using software-defined and hyper-converged elements.

He will be joined in the Between Two LUNs segment by storage expert Max Kolomyeytsev from StarWind Software to talk about the availability/survivability of StarWind technology and the resiliency of its latest hyper-converged infrastructure product, developed in connection with xByte Technologies.

Register now!

3. SAN Must Die!

Do you hate SANs as we hate them? No, seriously? They were great place to store your grandfather’s Oracle database, but why the heck would anyone use them to store Virtual Machine images? SANs were never designed to handle virtualization workload! Also, with today’s high-capacity spindles, PCIe attached flash and 40 Gb Ethernet all being commodities, it’s simpler, faster and cheaper to use virtual shared storage for virtualization purposes. Get your cure to SANs disease free, now, right here.

4. Technical Paper ‘StarWind Virtual SAN providing repositories for XenServer Pool’

Are you an experienced XenServer and Windows system admin?

Would you like to add StarWind® virtual storage to your XenServer Pool?

Then you surely need some step-by-step instructions!

You are welcome to check this document to find them all here ‘StarWind Virtual SAN providing repositories for XenServer Pool’.

Managing Microsoft Azure By Using System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2

 

VMM Administrator Console  is a graphical user interface (GUI) that you use to

• managing fabric (compute, network & storage)
• managing private cloud
• managing virtual machine

Besides that, we also can use VMM Administrator Console to manage Amazon AWS, please feel free to check out our previous post.

Guess what is included in UR6?

Now we can have a single pane of glass to manage Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine by using VMM Administrator Console. Do check out below on how do we able to manage Azure Virtual Machine.

Product:

• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• Update VMM to Update Rollup 6
• Microsoft Azure Subscription

[Configuration]

1. Create a management certificate by using makecert.

makecert -sky exchange -r -n "CN=VMMLab2012R2" -pe -a sha1 -len 2048 -ss My "VMMLab2012R2.cer"

2. Upload the management certificate to Microsoft Azure Management Portal. Go to Settings | Management Certificate | Upload

3. Using VMM Administrator Console to add Azure Subscription. Click on Add Subscription from the toolbar (VM and Services Workspace)

4. Enter your subscription details:

• Display name


• Subscription ID (get it from Azure Management Portal)


• Certificate (from previous step)

5. Once added, you will be able to use VMM Administrator Console to perform actions:

• Start


• Stop


• Shutdown


• Restart


• Connect to RDP

Unable to Import System Center Virtual Machine Manager Host and Virtual Machine Dashboard MP Because Dependent Management Packs are Missing

 

Scenario:

• Would like to Import System Center Virtual Machine Manager Host and Virtual Machine Dashboard MP

Click on Error, will displayed more detail information

Products:

• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• System Center Operation Manager 2012 R2

Resolution:

• Go to SCOM Server and import the following management pack:
• Microsoft System Center Visualization Component Library.mpb
• Microsoft System Center Visualization Library.mpb

• Import again System Center Virtual Machine Manager Host and Virtual Machine Dashboard MP

Download Microsoft System Center Operation Manager Management Pack

For those that has play around with System Center Operation Manager, you may interest on a page which provide entire listed Microsoft MP. Each MP included with version and date release.

We found this page quite useful and may come handy for some of you. Click here to get MP

Note: the page was constantly update when got new MP release

How to Check System Center Operation Manager 2012 R2 Build Version?

 

[Updated 12 June 2015]

[Build version]

Build version	Description	Link
7.1.10226.0	RTM
7.1.10226.1009	UR 1	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2904678
7.1.10226.1015	UR 2	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2929891
7.1.10226.1037	UR 3	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2965445
7.1.10226.1046	UR 4	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2992020
7.1.10226.1052	UR 5	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3023138
7.1.10226.1064	UR 6	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3051169

[ Verification]

When you go to Help | About on SCOM Console, it is listed build version as 7.1.10226. How about after apply UR?

Well, it remain the same build number. Hmm, to verify after apply UR, you need to check on the following files:

Location:

• Program Files\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2\Operation Manager\Server
• Add attributes File version.

Files version 7.1.10226.1064

• Microsoft Enterprise Management Data Access Service OperationManager.dll
• Microsoft Enterprise Management Data Warehouse Data Access.dll
• Microsoft Enterprise Management Health Service Modules DataWarehouse.dll
• Microsoft Enterprise Management Runtime Service.dll
• Microsoft Enterprise Management Utility Workflow Expansion.dll

From the result, 7.1.10226.1064 mean our SCOM 2012 R2 has updated with UR6.

Microsoft Remote Differential Compression (RDC) Must Be Registered For Configuration Manager Site Server Installation

 

Error message:

• Cannot proceed to install SCCM 2012 R2. Failed during pre-requisite check.
• Failed on Microsoft Remote Differential Compression (RDC) Must Be Registered For Configuration Manager Site Server Installation.

Scenario:

• Install System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2 on Windows Server 2012 R2

Resolution:

• Add features Remote Differential Compression by using Server Manager | Add Roles and Features Wizard.
• Once installed the RDC features, re-run the pre-requisite check and able to passed and continue the SCCM 2012 R2 installation

Hybrid Cloud Visio Stencil

Are you interested on collection of Microsoft Integration Stencil for Visio Stencil?

We as consultant always need to draw architecture, planning and design drawing. Finding a right stencil to do the right work is important and we came across this stencil from Microsoft Technet Gallery. This package contains a set of symbols/icons (258 shapes) that will help you visually represent integration architectures (on-premise, cloud or hybrid scenario) and solution diagrams in visio 2013.

Here is some screenshot of stencil available:

and many more. Interested, please feel free to download from here.

Download Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect

Microsoft has officially released Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect tool which allow you to integrate your on-premise directory with Azure AD to provide a common identity for accessing both cloud and on-premise resources.
Check out our previous post about AAD Connect:

• Azure Active Directory Connect (AD Connect) with Password Sync

• Azure Active Directory Connect (AD Connect)with Single Sign On

  You may want to check out Getting Started with Azure Active Directory Connect from here:- https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/active-directory-aadconnect-get-started/

[Download]
Click here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=47594&751be11f-ede8-5a0c-058c-2ee190a24fa6=True

StarWind Software Inc. News 11 June 2015

1. Webinar: Get Unbelievable Performance without Expensive All-Flash Arrays

Date: 16 June 10am PT / 1pm ET

Speaker: Max Kolomyeytsev, StarWind Software Inc. Product Manager

Have you noticed the way all-flash arrays silently conquered the market of high-performance storage? And do you know it’s really possible to get all-flash performance without actually spending a fortune?
Spindle drives are too weak for the task you say. StarWind unchains the spindle drives to enable the performance you have never expected even from the best SAS spindles.
Learn how to acquire the technology you could previously only get with high-end hardware SANs. Now it’s more simple than ever, install the software and get ready to transform your Datacenter.

Register here!

2. Tap Room Meeting: Q&A Session (Date: 11 June 11am PT/2pm ET)

Do not miss a truly unique chance!

For the first time ever ‪#‎TapRoom will be held in the form of Q&A session!

Simply ask a question on StarWind Virtual SAN, Hyper-convergence and just everything and get an instant reply!

Spread the word and *Virtualize responsibly!

Submit your questions in the comments' field and start discussing them on our forum.

3. Recorded webinar: ‪#Snapshots VS‪ Replication: Choose the Right Data ‪Protection Strategy, you are now able to watch a record version of it here.

How to Get Workplace Join For Android Devices?

 

To perform workplace join for android devices, you can do so by :

1. Download Azure Authenticator from Google Play Store :- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.azure.authenticator&hl=en

2. Once downloaded the app, open the app. The Azure Authenticator app not only provide code for MFA, it also possible to use for workplace join.

3. Click on menu (top, 3 line). Click on Add work account

4. Key in your Azure authentication to enable your device join and access organization resources.

 

Starwind Webinar: Shared Storage for Hyper-V

1. Tap Room Meeting: Shared Storage for Hyper-V: No Hardware. No limits. Now!

Date: 4 June, 11 am ET / 4 pm BST

Host: Anatoly Vilchinsky, Head of Support Department, StarWind Software Inc.

Spoiler alert! At the end of the story the main character will live long and happily ever after.

Grab a couple of cold beers and check out how StarWind Virtual SAN makes Microsoft Failover cluster smoth. Now!

*Virtualize responsibly!

2. An Animated Promo: A story about John, the System Administrator and his servers.

Unfortunately, these guys faced the common ‪VM storage problems like the lack of disk space, CPU, poor performance and high maintenance costs.

However, on one sunny day, John decided to deploy StarWind‪ Virtual SAN!

As a result, he has managed to boost performance, achieve 99.99% of uptime and ‪save money.

Good job, mate!

List of Mobile Application Management for Android by Using Microsoft Intune

 

Last week, we have tested on integrate System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2 with Microsoft Intune. We have decided to test latest features: MAM (Mobile Application) which release during Microsoft Ignite.

For MAM feature to work, you need to

• Upgrade System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2 from CU5 to SP1. Do not download from MSDN website. You will realize the size listed on the MSDN website is 6MB.

So where to download?

Well, head to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-system-center-2012-configuration-manager-and-endpoint-protection to download it and patch your SCCM server.

Then you can follow the step to publish policy mobile application management by following step from here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn878026.aspx

One thing that you need to take note is the correct URL to publish polish mobile application management for Android. Here is the list of application and URL:

• Intune Managed Browser - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.intune.mam.managedbrowser&hl=en
• Intune PDF Viewer -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.intune.mam.pdfviewer
• Intune Image Viewer -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.intune.mam.avplayer
• Microsoft Office Mobile -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.officehub
• Microsoft Word for Tablet -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.word
• Microsoft Excel for Tablet -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Tablet -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.powerpoint
• Microsoft OneDrive -https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.skydrive

Note: Do use straight away use the URL from Google Play Store. Some app is using different URL

Good luck on your testing on mobile application management by using SCCM and Intune.