Dave Glover "Down Under (Oz)"

Setting up Windows Server 2008 Core and Remote Hyper-V Management

Virtualization provides real benefits for dev/test/production, reducing physical server count, cost, provided isolated environments, problem duplication etc...  Today we have Virtual PC, Virtual Server providing software virtualiztion and soon we'll have Windows Server 2008 Hyper-v virtualiztion which provides type 1 hardware virtualization - see https://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/solutions.mspx for our overall virtualization strategy.  You can get the latest release candidate of Hype-v from http://connect.microsoft.com.

The general recommendation for running Hyper-v Windows Server 2008 based  Virtualization solutions is to run it on the Windows Server Core, two great reasons, first less software surface area to be attacked and secondly it reduces the likelihood of having to patch the host system, important as you don't want to be restarting a host system that is potentially supporting a number of important production guest systems...

Configuring Windows Server Core

So being the curious lad I am I decided to fire up Windows Server 2008 Standard Core and see what was involved in configuring a core system.  First observation is that it installs unbelievably quickly, got it started up, got logged in as administrator and then was confronted with a command prompt, ummm, ok what now, somewhat scary for a guy whose used to discovering how a system work via a GUI !!

With a bit of digging around I found the following useful resources to get me started with configuring the system

Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide or Windows Server 2008 Step-by-Step Guides  

Ok the above was fine but a little tedious so with a bit more digging around I stumbled across CoreConfigurator, ah now we're talking, a simple VB app (no .NET Fx on Server Core) app with a UI that allows you to set up the firewall to allow remote GUI management to connect, network config, install features, join a domain etc.  I first installed CoreConfigurator a handy client system and copied the files from it's install directory on to Server Core and was off, so if you are not a command line kinda person then definitely worth checking Core Configurator, thanks Guy!!

Power Management Configuration

Given the system I set up is not going to be heavily used then wanted to make sure the power config was set up as I like, mostly that the disks power down within a reasonable time, to do this you need to use the Powercfg command line - see Powercfg Command-Line Options, found it easy to put these commands in to a batch file.  From the Server Core command prompt you can fire notepad to amend your as required!!

Ok, so now I had Server Core ready, will and waiting I wanted to configure new virtual machines using the Hyper-V, I installed the Hyper-V Management MMC Snapin on to a Vista SP1 client that was in the same domain as Core Server connected as admin and was away setting up Hyper-V... 

Too easy:)

That said, it's quite possible that you wont have your management client and Core Server in the same domain so there are a great set of how to articles on connecting the Hyper-V management client in various scenarios, check out the "How to Articles" on remote managing Hyper-V on Windows Server 2008 Core from John Howard's blog here.

Enlightenment

Don't forget to enlighten your guest Operating Systems, there are Integration Services for XP SP3, Vista 32 Bit, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 32 & 64 bit and SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1.  The Integration Services adds in the VMBus and the VSC (Virtualization Service Client) for Disk, Network, Display IO and significantly ups IO performance.

Virtualization Team Blog

Definitely worth keeping an eye on the Virtualization Team Blog at http://blogs.technet.com/virtualization/ for a stack of tips, tricks and announcements!!

Have fun!!

Cheers Dave

MS Press Books Discount (May 2008, Australia) Available via your User Group Leader

Tania Netterfield our Partner Account Manager for CPLS (Certified Partner for Learning Solutions) as asked if we could blog, it looks to be a great kickoff offer so if you are after a MS Press book or two then check out www.mspress.com.au

To help us launch the Store during the month of May we've created a special User Group Members offer of 50% discount on all books on the site.

Some of the great advantages of www.mspress.com.au include:

• Express delivery
• Competitive pricing
• Easy Keyword Search facility
• Latest titles and Books of the Month
• Large inventory
• Newsletter sign-up

And until the end of May on www.mspress.com.au

• All User Group Members will receive a 50% discount by using this Code at Checkout - ask for the discount code from your user group leader
• Plus go in the draw for a chance to win an XBOX by providing feedback on the site

We are planning to keep improving the site in the future and I'll keep you updated as these improvements are made.

Cheers Dave

Cumulative update for Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Web Developer Express 2008 is available

Check out http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB946581, Web Dev related....

Just loaded up and yes they are worthwhile fixes - as with life, your mileage may vary!!

Cheers, Dave

Great session at MIX on RESTful Services and WCF

see http://sessions.visitmix.com/ and search for session T01, titled "Creating a RESTful API with WCF, it's focused on the newly released developer APIs for http://MySpace.com.

see http://Developer.myspace.com and http://RestChest.com - the RestChess site has the demo code shown in the session and it's well cool!!

Cheers Dave

Hooking up my Turtlebeach Audiotron to Windows Server 2008

My Audiotron continues to be one of my favourite household gadgets, it's a Win CE device (Win CE 3x, I think) and streams music off a Windows File Share, the device must be nearly 10 years old and was built in a less hostel era when security models were simpler.  Alas Turtlebeach don't make these devices any more, but I know there are a lot of them kicking around and have spotted various postings on getting them to play with Windows Server 2003 and Vista, but none for Windows Server 2008, so surprise surprise getting it to work was a combination of Windows Vista and Server 2003 tweaks. 

Getting the Audiotron to communicate with more modern operating systems such as Windows Vista or Windows Serer 2008 requires relaxing some security settings which could make the system more vulnerable to attack, so the you need to be aware of potential risks, so buyer/tweaker beware and this does not represent in any shape or form best practices but the risk profile for my home server is minimal (lol, no this is not an invitation:) )!!  I stream the music files to the Audiotron using a network of Netcomm Ethernet over Powerline adapters as I found them way more reliable than wifi.

I made the following changes mostly around negotiating security levels using a combination of the Local Security Policy Manager and Regedit - see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=17936 plus the references below for more information on the mechanics of making these changes.  It would probably a good idea to Export (backup) your registry before making these changes...

Required settings:-

1. Microsoft Network Server: Digitally Sign Communications (always): Disable
2. Microsoft Network Server: Digitally Sign Communications (if client agrees): Enable
3. Network Security: Do not store LAN Manager Hash value on next password change: Disable
4. Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level: Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated

I rebooted the server, reset the password for the Audiotron user in active directory - a mandatory step!!  Checked all the Audiotron device security settings, set the the user name in @ format, ie audiotron@mydomain.local, cycled the power on the device and it magically connected to the file share and it rebuilt the music catalogue - yeh hah, I'm a happy chappy:)

Some useful reference resources are:-

1. http://support.turtlebeach.com/site/kb_ftp/114415241.asp
2. http://www.sturmnet.org/blog/archives/2007/04/30/audiotron-with-vista-file-server/
3. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823659

Hope this helps someone!!

Cheers Dave

Australia Heroes Launch Wave 2008: What's new for Services Development in Visual Studio 2008 and .Net Fx 3.5

The objective for this session was to outline the updated support in Visual Studio 2008, .NET Framework 3.5 and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) for the RESTful "Web Programming Model" and to compare and contrast it with the SOAP Services Model.

As promised, I've put the slides and the REST and Syndication demo code samples on my shiny new skydrive here.

Additional resources...

1. As mentioned, definitely worthwhile check out the "bible" for RESTful Web Services at http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596529260/, plenty of samples including .NET code snippets.
2. http://www.developer.com/net/article.php/10916_3695436_1
3. Jonas Follesoe's (Norwegian RD) blog at http://jonas.follesoe.no/PermaLink,guid,4934d96f-12fe-42ce-a3e7-306374b35d2c.aspx for his most excellent demo (in Melbourne) integrating the worlds of smartclient and web with JSON serialisation support in .NET Fx 3.5.  Many thanks Jonas!!

Cheers Dave

Free e-book offer for Windows Server 2008 and Powershell

In case you missed this there is a free download for the following books:-

1. Introducing Windows Server 2008 by Mitch Tulloch with the Microsoft Windows Server Team (ISBN: 9780735624214) This e-book covers Windows Server virtualization, managing Windows Server 2008, Active Directory, Terminal Services, and failover clustering.
2. Microsoft Windows PowerShell Step by Step by Ed Wilson (ISBN: 9780735623958) This e-book includes an overview of Windows PowerShell, using Windows PowerShell cmdlets, and leveraging PowerShell providers.

at https://www.microsoft.com/learning/windowsserver2008/default.mspx

The e-book will load up in the browser, from IE, click "Page -> Save as" to save the PDF file locally...

Enjoy!!!!

Cheers Dave

"How Do I?" Videos for Security

In case you missed this then worth checking out the "How Do I?" Videos for Security, see http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bb896640.aspx

Cheers Dave

INNOVATE ON Windows Mobile Resources

Well Happy Year, if you took time out of then hope it was a relaxed one and all the best for 2008!!

If you are looking for resources for Windows Mobile Development then do check out http://www.innovateonwindowsmobile.com/

Innovate On Windows Mobile provides targeted tools, support, and training to help ISVs develop and market their mobile applications more quickly and efficiently. By enrolling, ISVs gain access to exclusive benefits, such as free test vouchers and technical support, and the information they need to certify, test, and sell their mobile solutions.

Cheers Dave

POS for .NET and Symbol LS 2208 Scanners and Possibly Others

Well I cant say life gets boring, I've been working on WEPOS and specifically with the Microsoft Point of Service (POS) for .NET v1.11 SDK, which is the .NET implementation of the UPOS (UnifiedPOS ) Retail Specification.  I plugged in my shiny new Symbol LS 2208 Bar Code Scanner, fired up Visual Studio 2008 (Visual Studio 2005 is fine too), typed in the 8 lines of code, yes it really is that simple, plugged in the scanner and then bang, an exception - grrrrr!!

Private Sub myExplorer_DeviceAddedEvent(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Microsoft.PointOfService.DeviceChangedEventArgs) Handles myExplorer.DeviceAddedEvent
    If (e.Device.Type = DeviceType.Scanner) Then
        myScanner = myExplorer.CreateInstance(e.Device)
        myScanner.Open()
        myScanner.Claim(1000)
        myScanner.DeviceEnabled = True  << Exception occurred here!!
        myScanner.DataEventEnabled = True
        myScanner.DecodeData = True
    End If
End Sub

Well about a day later and with much searching of the net and internal user groups I found the answer:)

By default the Symbol LS 2008 Scanner is configured as a USB "HID Keyboard Interface", precisely what you don't want for POS.NET.  You need to open the manual (yup, the innocuous manual you set aside when eagerly checking out the device), skip to the back section, there you will see a number of device configuration bar codes, I scanned the reset "Set Defaults" code then you must scan the "IBM HAND-HELD USB" code - this will magically turn the device in to a pure "USB HID" device and life will be good again, phew and no exception!!

The device will reconfigure itself in the device manager - from there you'll need the Hardware ID to create device XML Config file - see below..

Device Config File I created - see http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb428988.aspx for definitions.

<PointOfServiceConfig Version="1.0">
    <ServiceObject Type="Scanner" Name="Example Scanner" Override="yes">
        <HardwareId From="HID\VID_05E0&amp;PID_1300"
        To="HID\VID_05E0&amp;PID_1300"/>
        <HardwareId From="HID\VID_05E0&amp;PID_1300&amp;REV_0201"
        To="HID\VID_05E0&amp;PID_1300&amp;REV_0201"/>
    </ServiceObject>
</PointOfServiceConfig>

If you are contemplating building a retail application then do check out POS for .NET, it really does go a long way to simplifying the process and will give you a high degree of retail peripheral independence...

btw, POS .NET was tested on Windows 32bit and 64bit, I've got it all running on a Lenovo T61p, 4gig ram, hybrid disk, Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit and Visual Studio 2008 - yup it flies, guess it bloody well should!!

Great references include:-

• MSDN Channel9 WEPOS Pos for .NET Video: http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=170597#170597
• Windows Embedded For Point of Service/POS for .NET - by Sean D. Liming - see http://www.seanliming.com/books.html
• Sean Liming's web site - particularly http://www.seanliming.com/WEPOS.html
• POS for .NET team Blog http://blogs.msdn.com/pointofservice/
• POS.NET 1.11 SDK is available at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8f06b072-06c1-4a4a-a128-83b8a651a25a&DisplayLang=en

Cheers and hopefully we'll see you at the Microsoft Retail Conference next week in Sydney and Melbourne - see http://www.microsoft.com/australia/business/wepos/event/default.mspx

Dave

Silverlight 1.1 is now Silverlight 2.0 - see the very useful links for information on timeframes and functionality

   http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/11/29/net-web-product-roadmap-asp-net-silverlight-iis7.aspx

and here:

   http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2007/11/29/silverlight-1-1-is-now-silverlight-2-0.aspx

Cheers Dave

Expression Blend Service Pack 1 (SP1) is alive and available for download from

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a07196d1-971b-4710-99c8-d3d9603ccfcb&DisplayLang=en 

cut and paste from the support site:) 

Expression Blend Service Pack 1 (SP1) is an update to Expression Blend. If you are currently using the trial version of Expression Blend, simply download and install this service pack and continue to use the trial. If you have purchased Expression Blend, download and install this service pack to update your copy of Expression Blend.

You can get specific information about the SP1 update in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article (944811), Description of Expression Blend Service Pack 1, or the Microsoft Knowledge Base article (944809), Issues that are fixed in Expression Blend by Expression Blend Service Pack 1.

An updated User Guide is also available for Expression Blend SP1. To install the updated User Guide, see Expression Blend Service Pack 1 User Guide and follow the instructions.

Cheers Dave

Visual Studio 2008 Training Kit updated for RTM

Shameless copy and paste from Eric (thanks Eric!!) who shameless copied it as well:) but a useful reference!!

The Visual Studio 2008 Training Kit has been updated for the RTM and has been released on the Microsoft.com Download Center for anyone to download and use. 

The Visual Studio 2008 Training Kit contains a full 5-days of technical content including 20 hands-on labs, 28 presentations, and 20 scripted demos.  

The technologies covered in the kit include:  LINQ, C# 3.0, VB 9, WCF, WF, WPF, Windows CardSpace, Silverlight, ASP.NET Ajax, .NET Compact Framework 3.5, VSTO 3.0, Visual Studio Team System, and Team Foundation Server. 

Originally developed for early adoption work with ISVs, it is now available to all. 

You can download the entire training kit from the download center here:  http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=7602397.  The kit is just over 120MB compressed.   After downloading the kit, simply run the installation program to extract the contents to your local machine.  Once the installation process is complete, you will see an HTML page that allows you to navigate through the contents of the kit. 

Wondering what to do this weekend then check this out!!

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e73_1192213802

ISV Innovation Days coming to Canberra!! Dec 11th, 2007

By popular request the ISV Innovation Roadshow will be coming to Canberra - but there is a caveat, we're looking for a minimum of  20 people to register, so if you live in Canberra and your an ISV then get clicking and get yourself registered ASAP and we'll cya there:)

Register here: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032357432&Culture=en-AU

see

Cheers Dave