Author: Noel Alvarez

Barracuda Networks – Web Filter 310 Reports

May 24, 2013
Barracuda Networks

You may use the following method to create a web statistics report (i.e. users by request) for the previous calendar week (i.e. last week) of all Microsoft Active Directory (AD) users in your domain. After logging into the Barracuda Networks Web Filter 310 perform the following:

1. Navigate to BASIC > Reports

2. Under Filtering Options > Time Frame: select Last Week

3. Under Filtering Options > Limit Report to: select LDAP Group

4. To the left of the Lookup icon type the name of the group and then click the Lookup icon (NOTE: This assumes there is an Active Directory group which contains all domain users)

5. Under the Groups: dialog box that opens click the Add button next to the Active Directory group

6. Under Advanced Options > Formatting > Output Format: select PDF

7. Under Web Activity check the box for Users by Request

8. Under Schedule Report > Report Group Name: specify a name for the report

9.  Under Schedule Report > Emails specify the email address that will receive the report

10. The Schedule Report > Frequency: option will allow you to send the report Once, Hourly, Daily, Weekly or Monthly

11. Click Apply under the Schedule Report section

12. The webpage will refresh and you will see a green banner at the top that says Report Sent.

Enjoy!

Microsoft Windows PowerShell – Delete Files Older Than X Days

May 23, 2013
Microsoft Windows PowerShellScripting

You may use the following Microsoft Windows PowerShell script to delete files in a directory that are X days old (I found the script here: http://elderec.org/2012/02/scripting-delete-files-and-folders-older-than-x-days/).

===START===

# set folder path
$dump_path = “C:\shares\dump”

# set min age of files
$max_days = “-7”

# get the current date
$curr_date = Get-Date

# determine how far back we go based on current date
$del_date = $curr_date.AddDays($max_days)

# delete the files
Get-ChildItem $dump_path -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $del_date } | Remove-Item

===END===

In order to customize the script substitute the variables (i.e. $dump_path = “C:\shares\dump”) for your environment. As always, be sure to test scripts in a lab environment that mirrors your production environment as closely as possible.

Enjoy!

Microsoft Windows PowerShell – Set-ExecutionPolicy Cmdlet

May 22, 2013
Microsoft Windows PowerShell

You may use the following command(s) to change the execution policy for Windows PowerShell.

Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted

Set-ExecutionPolicy AllSigned

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

Enjoy!

Microsoft Outlook 2010 – .JPG Attachments Will Not Open

May 21, 2013
Uncategorized

Have you ever tried to open the first .JPG attached file in a Microsoft Outlook 2010 email and received the “Cannot create file: photo 1.JPG. Right-click the folder you want to create the file in, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu to check your permissions for the folder“?

This error may be caused by the Microsoft Outlook 2010 Secure Temporary File folder being full.

You may find the location of the folder by viewing the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_– USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security (C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\W1BJBRT8\)

After finding the location of the folder from the registry key you may delete the contents of the folder.

Enjoy!

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Core – GUI Installation

May 20, 2013
Uncategorized

If you install Windows Server 2012 with a core installation (without the GUI) and later find that you would like to install the GUI you may do so using the following steps.

1. Use the Windows PowerShell command Get-WindowsImage -ImagePath <path to wim>\install.wim in order to determine the index number for a server with a GUI image. If the path to the install.wim file is D:\sources\install.wim then the command would be Get-WindowsImage -ImagePath D:\sources\install.wim.

2. Use the Windows PowerShell command Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell –Restart –Source wim:<path to wim>\install.wim:<Index # from step 1>. For example, if you choose wim #4 (Windows Server 2012 SERVERDATACENTER) then the command would be Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell –Restart –Source wim:D:\sources\install.wim:4.

NOTE: This entry assumes that the Windows Server 2012 installation media is in the D: drive.

Enjoy!

Hardware – Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool

May 20, 2013
Intel

If you are looking for a solution to run diagnostics on your Intel processors then I recommend the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool. You may use the link below for information regarding this diagnostic tool.

http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-031726.htm

Enjoy!

Group Policy Object – Rename and Modify Password for Local Administrator Account

December 26, 2012
Microsoft Active DirectoryMicrosoft Group Policy Object

In an effort to make a network more secure you may modify both the name and password of the local administrator account for all of your Microsoft Windows workstations by applying a Group Policy Object (GPO) to the organizational unit (OU) that contains those workstations.

To modify the local administrator username and password open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and create a Group Policy. This may be done by right clicking the Group Policy Objects organizational unit (OU) and selecting New. Additionally, you may right click the OU that contains the desktop(s) of your user(s) and selecting Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here…. In the new New GPO dialog box name the GPO Modify Local Administrator Account. Right click the newly created GPO and select Edit…from the context menu. Once the GPO opens navigate to the following setting.

Computer Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Local Users and Groups

Right click Local Users and Groups select New > Local User.

In the New Local Users Properties dialog box enter the following information:

User name: Administrator

Rename to: <new username>

Password: <password>

Confirm Password: <password>

Enjoy!

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 – Expanding a Volume

December 5, 2012
Storage Area Network

You may use the diskpart utility for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (as well as various other version of Microsoft Windows) to extend the size of a volume on the server after it has been expanded on a storage area network (SAN). The Microsoft TechNet website is a great resource for Information Technology (IT) professionals who administer Microsoft technology. For instance, the link below provides detailed documentation by Microsoft for utilizing the diskpart utility.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300415

Enjoy!

Microsoft Active Directory – Domain Controller Deployment

November 19, 2012
Microsoft Active Directory

I am currently in the process of planning the deployment of an additional domain controller (DC) in an existing Microsoft Active Directory (AD) domain. I found this Microsoft TechNet documentation that has been helpful as a practical step-by-step checklist.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759620(v=ws.10).aspx

In addition to the checklist please take into consideration any variables in your current Information Technology (IT) infrastructure when planning to deploy an additional domain controller to an existing Microsoft Active Directory domain.

Enjoy!

Group Policy Object – Enable Screen Saver after Specified Period of Inactivity

November 15, 2012
Microsoft Active DirectoryMicrosoft Group Policy Object

You may use the following Group Policy Object (GPO) settings to configure the screen saver settings in a Windows Server 2003 R2 Active Directory (AD) domain.

To configure the password protected screen saver after ten (10) minutes of activity open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and create a Group Policy. This may be done by right clicking the Group Policy Objects organizational unit (OU) and selecting New. Additionally, you may right click the OU that contains the desktop(s) of your user(s) and selecting Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here…. In the new New GPO dialog box name the GPO Screen Saver. Right click the newly created GPO and select Edit…from the context menu. Once the GPO opens navigate to the following setting.

User Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization

Enable the following four settings. 1) Enable Screen Saver, 2) Force Specific Screen Saver (Screen saver executable name: C:\Windows\System32\scrnsave.scr), 3) Password protect the screen saver, 4) Screen saver timeout (Seconds: 600).

In this example the screen saver chosen (scrnsave.scr) is the blank screen saver available in Windows XP and Windows 7.

Enjoy!