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FragglePete

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  1. FragglePete
    Well, I've just been a pit of a Tail Spin over an interesting problem.
     
    We had a scheduled power outage this weekend due to electrical work on site. So on Saturday morning I was in to shut down all the servers and then back again in the afternoon to start them all up again. Thankfully, no hard drive failures this time and all seemed well.
     
    Came in this morning to an interesting problem; some people couldn't access their e-mail as Outlook 2007 was complaining that it couldn't resolve their name to the Server as it wasn't online. However, a lot of other people (myself included) had no problem.
     
    It became apparent that if you logged onto a machine that you hadn't done before, it couldn't set up the connection. If you logged onto a machine that was already configured then all appeared fine. Some google results were pointing to the Autodiscovery service not working correctly.
     
    The Event Log was showing an expired self signed certificate, but we don't actually use it anyway as we have another certificate installed for all the main services. Still, I renewed this and reset the IIS Services just to be sure; still no joy.
     
    I took a closer look at the properties for the mailboxes of an affected user, and all seemed fine until I tried to make a change and got the error:
     
    An Exchange 2007 server on which an address list service is active cannot be found.
     
    Quick google search revealed that the 'Microsoft Exchange System Attendant' service needed starting. Yep; looked at the services list and this service was indeed not running even though it was set to Automatic. Set it running, and all is now well.
     
    Most odd, but thought it might be worth blogging if someone else has a similar issue. Why this didn't start up on startup I do not know.
     
    Pete
  2. FragglePete
    It's Sunday afternoon, and already I'm thinking about work already (I'll try not to write that as 'worrying about work').
     
    Last week was a difficult week, the only good thing that came out of it was a most excellent training session at Karate because of all the stress that had built up. I appologise now to all those that I punched and kicked during that class!
     
    Anyway, the reason for the stress......
     
    1. A certain member of the Teaching staff once again being their usual arrogant and bullying self thinking there is this magical 'fix-it' button. Why is it only this person that has all the problems?
     
    2. Still having issues after the upgrade of the CSE Network Toolkit which took it upon itself to install an older version of the Smartboard Software on 15 machines around the school completely wrecking their ability to work correctly!
     
    3. Jnr. Tech off ill; he looks after all the Toner Cartridge requests. Seems we're in 'printing season' and had more than usual number of requests without having spares in stock. I shall be having words!!! Why can't they submit their coursework electronically? Why do we have to kill a thousand trees just so they can print it?
     
    4. A print server whose spooler keeps hanging. Banging my head against the wall on this one. Could be a dodgy print driver, but with 41 printers shared on this thing... which one? No indication in the event logs either, except for telling me the spooler has stopped!
     
    However, I think I've nailed it down to an old HP Color LaserJet 1500 in the staff room that is being printed to by several 'test' Windows 7 machines using the HP Universal Print Driver. I printed something to it last thing and it hang again. Hopefully this is it, but I'm in the process of setting up a second print server with all the latest print drivers, etc if I need to switch to this at a moments notice and do a rebuild.
     
    Need a holiday, got 15 days to use up before end of March! Should be able to carry a load over, but have not really had the opportunity to take a break yet!
     
    And relax....
  3. FragglePete
    We deployed to the Staff Room Windows 7 the other day; my technician (Fatmas) has been playing with MSDT and been syspreping and capturing our base image nicely.
     
    Something was bothering me though, logon times seemed very long. And it wasn't down to the known issue with Wallpaper as the hotfix was part of our image. As soon as the GPO that installed the Printer was enabled, logon times where well over 30 seconds. Without the GPO enabled, logon time was about or less than 10 secs.
     
    I had been adding printers by setting a GPO with User Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Printers. Which works, but was not displaying the desktop until the drivers had been installed, and default set. Which was taking time a long time.
     
    However, when I used a GPO with User Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Deployed Printers the printers are installed and set after the desktop is shown, giving the impression of a faster logon.
     
    Feel a bit happier now for Monday morning, we shall see what happens!
     
    Pete
  4. FragglePete

    Our Windows 7 Journey

    By FragglePete,

    Some fellow Edugeekers may have notice my presence on the Windows 7 forums recently; we're seriously looking into Win7 for September 2010.
     
    This has been accelerated by issues we've had with the CSE Workspace system during an actual exam. Members of SMT and the ICT Teaching faculty have made noises that it was time to look for an alternative.
     
    We've got Windows 2003 domain, but we introduced a Windows 2008 Domain Controller (on our XenServer) last Summer so with RSAT installed on a Windows 7 machine I've spent a couple of weeks playing with GPOs.
     
    Really impressed with the GPPs (Group Policy Preferences). I've been using GPPs to copy over Start Menu items from a central share depending on where the machine is located in the Active Directory. Getting nice clean Start Menus! Nice!
     
    Printer assignment again with GPPs is brilliant. Does slow the logon times down a bit though but I guess drivers are being installed and stuff. Small issue with printers; some of the older types not really supported on Windows 7 but do seem to manually install ok. Having to use the HP Univeral Print driver also, but got an issue with not printing in colour for some reason?
     
    My Technician here has been playing with deployment and messing about with unattended answer files and so far so good. Just now looking to ensure we get as many drivers installed as part of the base image so we can really aim for; "one image to rule them all" scenerio.
     
    Will now start looking at Application Deployment.
     
    For the time being, I'm going to get five machines in the Staff Work Room installed with Windows 7 and see how the Staff cope. Get their feedback, make changes and then make a decision at Easter on wether or not we go full on Windows 7 around the School then.
     
    Need to full check our software inventory also to ensure the software used works with no issues, but some tested already seems ok.
     
    Quite excited. This is going to be a big jump for the School; like most we haven't touched Vista just been on XP.
     
    Pete
  5. FragglePete

    ...and relax!

    By FragglePete,

    So, after all the hardwork over Summer I got called into the ICT Teachers Departmental Meeting to talk about what we done over the Summer and get their feedback after the first full week back.
     
    Haven't posted for a while, been busy doing the following....
     
    1. Implemented new XenServer which is now running four virtual machines. This has enabled us to switch off two old servers that needed replacing and split the roles on to these seperate virtual machines. Performance has been excellent with no issues at all. Been watching the real time performance graphs on the XenConsole during key times and the server doesn't even break into a sweat. Nice.
     
    2. Due to refurbishment and on-going Asbestos removal programme this year, have had to move Server Room to a new location. This has also ment that we've put in a complete new Fibre backbone. Now running a proper star configuration with all new HP ProCurve kit. Nice to have proper containment of the main fibre runs, but time was tight. New fibres were only lit up two days before the staff came back!
     
    3. Two new ICT suites implemented, with one of these having fancy Folio desks which enables the Monitors to be pushed down into the desks. Installed 26 new PC's into each room.
     
    4. A further 80 news PC's installed around the School in existing ICT Suites, with the machines coming out being upgraded (memory) and re-distributed to replace some really old machines that are put aside ready for re-cycling.
     
    5. Setting up Ruckus Mesh Wireless Network in temporary mobile classrooms along with PC in each (8 classrooms in total) and Projetor, Amp, etc also.
     
    6. Move into new office. Although this is still a mess, but we have so much more space now!
     
    7. Finally migrated ALL users over to Exchange 2007 and transferred the SMTP feed over to SWGfL. Apart from a few issues with the latest Security Roll-Up the server is performing very well.
     
    8. Implemented the Devizes School Book System and ditched the CSE based one.
     
    Half term break is going to be equally busy as our new modular builds will be ready bringing 21 new classrooms which need the network setting up and hardware installing. This along with moving the equipment out of the temporary mobiles back into the School and setting up again.
     
    The following year will be much the same during the refurbishment as each phase of the programme requires classrooms to be emptied, moved and put back!
     
    Thankfully have a good team working with me! But I'm knackered and need a break! Can't believe I'm already thinking about what I want to put in place for next September already!
     
    As always, IT is a thank-less task and people only complain when it doesn't work. But some people have commented on the improvements.
     
    Pete
  6. FragglePete
    I admit it, I'm a Dell tart. Always have been. Always been impressed mainly with their support and never had problems.
     
    Recently I've had to purchase a new Server for Exchange 2007 that I'm implementing. And spent a lot of time with suppliers working out an affordable spec and deciding on a particular brand. I was very close to purchasing another HP/Compaq ML380 G5, but in the end plumped for a Dell 2950 as again, the support included a 4 hour response which still brought it in cheaper than other makes without this level of support.
     
    So, the server turned up and I spent sometime setting it up, configuring it in the office and overal I'm quite pleased with it. Seems like a nice robust bit of kit, with no fuss and now running Server 2008 with Exchange 2007 nicely.
     
    So, down to the server room with it to install the rails and the server. However, the server rails won't fit!!!! My racks are a standard depth, but the narrower 600mm wide which shouldn't be an issue anyway.
     
    E-Mails to my account manager prove fruitless, saying that Dell are also confused as they have never had this problem before.
     
    But here's the problem. All the other kit in the racks fit with no issues. Compaq servers, APC UPS', Intel Servers, etc. No problems, but not the Dell stuff.
     
    On discussions with other people and on closer investigation, the Dell Rack Kits require the vertical strutts to be closer together to fit! So, this has involved removing all kit from one rack (downing the SIMS server and others, moving it temporarily and setting it up elsewhere) so I can unbolt and move forward the rear vertical strutt. Then down the servers again and put everything back. Felt like a kid again with a gigantic mechanno kit!
     
    Good excuse to have a bit of a tidy up on one rack, but over half a day of my time wasted just because the Dell racks won't follow every other vendor!!!!
     
    New Dell Server now happily in rack.
     
    Will it stop me buying a Dell Server again? No... I'm just a Dell tart really. Just watch out if you buy a Dell!
     
    Pete
  7. FragglePete
    Don't normally post to blogs, but I may start.
     
    I'm getting sick and tired of having to jump through hoops to get a bit of software working that we've paid a license for.
     
    I appreciate these companies want to protect their products but, when it gets in the way of day to day running then I start to get annoyed.
     
    More so, when even though I've licensed a product, due to a glitch or whatever the software then enjoys informing me that I'm running illegal software and really enjoys telling the whole School about it!!
     
    Pass the fish, I need to jump through a few more hoops as we've just had another software product arrive on our desk that needs 'activating' to work! FFS!!!
     
    Pete
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