Articles & Tutorials

This topic provides an overview of the elements and issues involved in Networking and the basics needed before setting up any type of network.

The different types of network connections, basic networking terminology, network hardware, and network setups are all discussed in this section.

Articles & Tutorials / General Networking

Introduction to System Center Operations Manager 2012 (Part 5) - Agent installation and configuration: Date - Jan 31, 2012; Author - Scott D. Lowe; In this part of this series, you will learn how to further manager OpsMgr 2012.
Free or Open Network Solutions: Date - Jan 26, 2012; Author - Eric Geier; There are endless free and open source software solutions and services out there for use in the network—for small, medium, and enterprise environments. Here I’ll share a couple you might consider.
Tagging Computers Using Group Policy...To Then Leverage Group Policy: Date - Jan 19, 2012; Author - Derek Melber; In this article, the author will give the background requirements and steps required to use Item-Level-Targeting (ILT).
Introduction to System Center Operations Manager 2012 (Part 4) - Agent installation and configuration: Date - Jan 12, 2012; Author - Scott D. Lowe; In this article, you'll learn how to install and manage OpsMgr agents.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 7) - iChatter and the Future of Zero Config: Date - Jan 03, 2012; Author - Jeremy Barth; In this article we'll go over examples of how Apple utilizes Bonjour in its products.
Introduction to System Center Operations Manager 2012 (Part 3) - Management Pack Fundamentals: Date - Dec 13, 2011; Author - Scott D. Lowe; In this part of this series, you will learn how SCOM works and what role management packs play in System Center Operations Manager.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 6) - Apple's Bonjour: Date - Dec 08, 2011; Author - Jeremy Barth; In this article the author discusses Apple's Bonjour.
A Complete Guide to UAG DirectAccess (Part 4) - Infrastructure Requirements: Date - Nov 24, 2011; Author - Deb Shinder; Your UAG DirectAccess deployment is dependent on having necessary infrastructure components in place and configured properly. In this article we begin the discussion of how to set up the infrastructure so that DirectAccess will work.
Introduction to System Center Operations Manager 2012 (Part 2) - Installation: Date - Nov 22, 2011; Author - Scott D. Lowe; In this part of a series on SCOM 2012, you will review a complete installation of the product and, by the end of the article, have a working system that we’ll use in part 3 to begin monitoring key systems.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 5) - Microsoft's Multicast IPv6 Service Discovery Protocols: Date - Nov 15, 2011; Author - Jeremy Barth; In this article the author reviews how Microsoft does service discovery over IPv6 multicast.
15 Network Admin Apps for Windows Phone 7: Date - Nov 08, 2011; Author - Eric Geier; In recent months, we’ve discovered apps that network administrators can use on the mobile iOS and Android platforms. Now we’ll discover some network admin apps for Windows Phone 7. They can help with network testing, monitoring, management, and can serve as a handy reference on the job.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 4) - Box Chatter - P2P Multicast and the Zero Config Wars: Date - Oct 20, 2011; Author - Jeremy Barth; In this article the author explains what is IPv6 zero-configuration networking and Microsoft's IPv6 multicast name resolution.
Introduction to System Center Operations Manager 2012 (Part 1): Date - Oct 18, 2011; Author - Scott D. Lowe; In this article, you will learn about the new and changed elements of SCOM 2012 and discover some important prerequisites that you must understand before embarking on an installation.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 3) - Multicast and IPv6 Stack Auto-Configuration (Cont.): Date - Oct 04, 2011; Author - Jeremy Barth; In this post the author will wrap up how multicast is used for IPv6 auto-configuration.
10 Network Admin Apps for iOS: Date - Sep 22, 2011; Author - Eric Geier; Among the hundreds of thousands of apps in the iTunes App Store, there are numerous tools and utilities to help in network administration. They can assistance with monitoring, managing, tracking, troubleshooting, and connecting. Here we’ll look at 10 of these apps.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 2) - Multicast and IPv6 Stack Auto-Configuration: Date - Sep 20, 2011; Author - Jeremy Barth; As discussed in the previous ariticle in this series, IPv6 multicast on an otherwise unconfigured Windows 7 LAN breaks down into two categories: auto-configuration of the IPv6 stack and P2P traffic. This article and the next deal with stack auto-configuration.
A Complete Guide to UAG DirectAccess (Part 3) - NAT64/DNS64: Date - Sep 06, 2011; Author - Deb Shinder; In this article we’ll talk about a key piece of technology that allows you to deploy DirectAccess today and not worry about upgrading your network infrastructure to IPv6 to support the IPv6 communications used by the DirectAccess client.
IPv6 multicast background traffic (Part 1) - Box Chatter - IPv6 Multicast Backgrounder: Date - Aug 25, 2011; Author - Jeremy Barth; In this article, the first in IPv6 multicast background traffic series, the author reviews key concepts in IPv6 and multicast, setting the stage for the rest of the series.
A Complete Guide to UAG DirectAccess (Part 2) - IPv6 Transition Technologies and the Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT): Date - Aug 18, 2011; Author - Deb Shinder; In this article we'll discusse the key IPv6 transition technologies that are used by the DirectAccess client and server to allow IPv6 messages to be moved over an IPv4 Internet or intranet.
Forefront Protection for Exchange: An Overview: Date - Aug 11, 2011; Author - Derek Melber; In this article the author takes a look at Microsoft’s Forefront Protection for Exchange (FPE) 2010.
15 Network Admin Apps for Android: Date - Aug 04, 2011; Author - Eric Geier; There’s a mobile app for just about everything under the sun now. You can even find apps designed for network administrators. Here we’ll actually take a look at 15 different apps for the mobile Android platform.
A Complete Guide to UAG DirectAccess (Part 1): Date - Jul 14, 2011; Author - Deb Shinder; In this article I will provide a broad overview of what DirectAccess does and how it can provide value both to you as an administrator and to your users.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 9): Date - Jul 12, 2011; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article concludes the series on wireless network security by taking a look at some ways of securing Windows clients.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 8): Date - Jun 14, 2011; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article looks at the process of configuring the network policy server that was set up in the previous article and what is involved in linking your wireless access point to the network policy server.
Seven steps Windows Server administrators should consider: Date - May 26, 2011; Author - Scott D. Lowe; In this article, I will describe what I see as the major events coming down the pike to which administrators should take notice.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 7): Date - May 17, 2011; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the discussion of wireless network security by showing you how to deploy a Network Policy Server and how to perform certificate enrollment and Active Directory registration for that server.
Community Test Lab Guide - Demonstrate Windows Server 2008 R2 VPN Reconnect: Date - May 10, 2011; Author - Deb Shinder; This article looks at the Test Lab Guide from Microsoft, a new form of documentation that provides valuable hands-on experience with new technologies using a pre-defined and tested methodology.
7 Steps To Successfully Troubleshoot A Windows Network: Date - May 05, 2011; Author - David Davis; In this article, I'll run through the 7 steps you should take to successfully troubleshoot a Windows network. I'll cover what you need to check on your local PC and related to critical Windows infrastructure like DNS, DNCP, and default gateways.
Using Third-Party 802 1X Clients in Windows: Date - Apr 26, 2011; Author - Eric Geier; Deploying 802.1X authentication for wireless and/or wired access on your network, means that your end-users must have an 802.1X client (or supplicant) installed on their computer or device. This article discusses different third-party supplicants/modules in case you're implementing less-common EAP types that Windows doesn't natively support.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 6): Date - Apr 14, 2011; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the discussion of wireless network security by examining the options that are available through the Windows Server 2008 operating system.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 5): Date - Mar 15, 2011; Author - Brien M. Posey; In this article, I am going to continue my discussion of wireless security by addressing the question of whether or not a wireless network can ever be truly secure.
Windows Admin Tips Update: Date - Feb 24, 2011; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Admin Tips that help you share files within Hyper-V, customize tasks in MDT 2010, find UUID of computers, update Windows Images and secure spooled print files.
Microsoft System Center Roadmap: Date - Feb 17, 2011; Author - Scott D. Lowe; This article looks at Microsoft's System Center Roadmap. The author shares some useful information that he has retrieved from a number of sources regarding roadmaps for each product.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 4): Date - Feb 01, 2011; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the series on securing wireless network traffic by discussing some more of the security mechanisms that are typically built into wireless hardware.
Windows Phone 7 on Your Network: Date - Jan 18, 2011; Author - Eric Geier; In this article, we'll review some connectivity and security features and concerns of deploying Windows Phone 7 on your network.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 3): Date - Dec 09, 2010; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the discussion of wireless network security by examining the pros and cons of SSID broadcasting and MAC address filtering.
Overview of Microsoft System Center product line and how it can help you: Date - Nov 11, 2010; Author - David Davis; This article shows what the Microsoft System Center product line encompasses and how it can help you manage your IT Infrastructure better.
Direct Memory Access: Date - Nov 09, 2010; Author - Russell Hitchcock; This article discusses common architectures used to implement direct memory access.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 2): Date - Oct 28, 2010; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the series on securing wireless network traffic by examining the myths surrounding the use of default access point passwords.
Intel’s Hyper-Threading Technology: Date - Oct 05, 2010; Author - Russell Hitchcock; Taking a deep dive into multi-core CPUs and Multithreading, building up on previous articles to discuss Intel technology called Hyper-Threading.
Understanding Windows Logon Options: Date - Sep 30, 2010; Author - Derek Melber; Taking a deep dive into Windows logon options.
Securing Wireless Network Traffic (Part 1): Date - Sep 21, 2010; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article series will examine various techniques for securing Wi-Fi networks. This first article in the series deals with understanding the vulnerabilities associated with wireless networks.
Storage Configurations: Date - Sep 14, 2010; Author - Russell Hitchcock; In this article the author explains three common network storage configurations.
Certificate Revocation Checking in Test Labs: Date - Aug 03, 2010; Author - Deb Shinder; The steps towards a few procedures you can use to simplify CRL checking in your lab environment.
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks: Date - Jul 27, 2010; Author - Russell Hitchcock; A short description of each of the six original RAID architectures. Introducing some of the common terminology associated with RAID and computer storage in general.
Why is FusionIO so awesome?: Date - Jul 13, 2010; Author - Russell Hitchcock; An overview of solid state drive technology and an explanation on how innovation (specifically Fusion IO’s innovation) is reducing some of these limitations.
“Under the Hood” of Group Policy: Date - Jun 17, 2010; Author - Derek Melber; Taking a deep dive into how the Group Policy engine works.
The Importance of Network Redundancy: Date - Jun 15, 2010; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; An in depth view of current technology and strategies used to create redundancy in your WAN and how to properly design, implement, monitor and test in case of any disaster that may occur as well as covering briefly other redundancy options.
Understanding Virtual Networking in Microsoft Hyper-V: Date - Jun 10, 2010; Author - Deb Shinder; Working with Hyper-V virtual networks; Taking a look at how they work and some of the key features and limitations imposed by these networks.
Specialized Router Operating Software: Date - Apr 08, 2010; Author - Russell Hitchcock; Various operating systems used on network routing hardware; focussing on large-scale implementations.
What is Dynamic Virtual Client Computing? Or, What’s the Problem with VDI and Why XP Mode is a Good Thing: Date - Sep 08, 2009; Author - Thomas Shinder; Taking a look at what Dynamic Virtual Client computing is, taking a look at the problems with VDI and why XP mode is a good thing.
Configuring Windows Remote Desktop from the command line: Date - Jul 28, 2009; Author - David Davis; How to use Windows Remote Desktop (mstsc.exe) from the command line to connect to remote servers from saved shortcuts or with custom options.
Certification Review: Microsoft Network Infrastructure MCTS / MCITP Certification: Date - Jun 09, 2009; Author - David Davis; What it takes to pass Microsoft’s Windows 2008 Network Infrastructure certification exam 70-642 and what resources WindowsNetworking.com can offer you.
Fiber Optics: Date - May 19, 2009; Author - Russell Hitchcock; Taking a deep dive into Fibre Optics. Discussing their importance in the world today.
HyperTransport: Date - Apr 15, 2009; Author - Russell Hitchcock; Data transfer capability is the limiting factor towards overall system performance. Here is a solution towards this performance issue.
Networking Basics: Part 20 - File Level Permissions: Date - Jun 12, 2008; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article concludes the Networking for Beginners series by talking about file level permissions.
Networking Basics: Part 19 - Share Level Permissions: Date - May 13, 2008; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the Networking for Beginner series by talking about the difference between file level and share level permissions.
Deploying Microsoft Windows Server Update Services: Date - May 06, 2008; Author - Chris Sanders; A technical overview of Microsoft Windows Server Updates Services (WSUS) and to discuss its deployment options.
Networking Basics: Part 18 - Sharing Resources: Date - Apr 24, 2008; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the Networking for Beginners series by explaining how to make resources available on a network.
High Assurance Strategies: Date - Apr 10, 2008; Author - Russell Hitchcock; How to set up a high assurance network taking into account security and proper high availability measures.
Networking Basics: Part 17 - The OSI Model: Date - Feb 19, 2008; Author - Brien M. Posey; How the OSI model is used to help applications to communicate across a network.
Networking Basics: Part 16 - The Windows Operating System's Role in Networking: Date - Jan 31, 2008; Author - Brien M. Posey; The role that the Windows Operating System plays in networking.
Networking Basics: Part 15 - Universal Groups & Group Nesting: Date - Jan 15, 2008; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the discussion on Universal Groups and the concept of group nesting.
Networking Basics: Part 14 - Security Groups: Date - Nov 20, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; The various types of security groups that Windows allows you to create.
Networking Basics: Part 13 - Creating Groups: Date - Oct 17, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the Networking for Beginners series by introducing the concept of security groups.
Networking Basics: Part 12 - User Account Management: Date - Sep 05, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; How to create a user account and some basic user account management techniques.
Networking Basics: Part 11 - The Active Directory Users and Computers Console: Date - Aug 08, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; The Active Directory Users and Computers console and how to use this console to manage remote domains.
Networking Basics: Part 9 – Active Directory Information: Date - Jul 11, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; How objects are stored in the Active Directory
Networking Basics: Part 10 - Distinguished Names: Date - Jun 21, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; The basics of naming objects within a directory.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 14: Learning More about WMI Scripting: Date - Jun 07, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; How to learn more about managing Windows networks using WMI scripting.
Understanding DNS Recursion: Date - Jun 05, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; How recursive DNS queries work.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 13: A Handy Return-All-Values Script: Date - May 16, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; A workhorse script that can return all values of all properties of a specific instance of a WMI class.
Copper and Glass: A Guide to Network Cables: Date - May 08, 2007; Author - Russell Hitchcock; A high level overview of twisted pair cables, Coax cables, and Fibre optic cables.
Networking Basics: Part 8 - FSMO Roles continued: Date - May 02, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; Continuation of the discussion of FSMO roles.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 12: Properties of a WMI Class: Date - Apr 26, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; How to display all the properties of any WMI class.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 11: More Scripting Tricks: Date - Apr 18, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Another remote scripting trick and using WMIC to remotely query for local Administrators.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 10: Remote Scripting Tricks: Date - Apr 04, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Two tricks for remote scripting.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 9: Understanding Remote Scripting: Date - Mar 21, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Some of the concepts and pitfalls surrounding remote scripting.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 8: Troubleshooting Remote Scripting using Network Monitor 3.0: Date - Mar 07, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; How to use Network Monitor 3.0 for troubleshooting a remote scripting error.
Networking Basics: Part 7 - Introduction to FSMO Roles: Date - Mar 01, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; The necessity of FSMO roles.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 7: Troubleshooting the Mystery Error: Date - Feb 27, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Steps for troubleshooting remote scripting.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 6: Remote Scripting First Steps: Date - Feb 15, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; A look at remote scripting using the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration WMI class discussed previously.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 5: Getting Over the Hump: Date - Feb 01, 2007; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Getting over the hump of learning how to use scripts to administer Windows networks.
Networking Basics: Part 6 - Windows Domain: Date - Jan 23, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; Discusses the anatomy of a Windows domain.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts – Part 4: Using Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration: Date - Dec 21, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Using the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration WMI class to manage TCP/IP networking settings on Windows networks using VBScript.
Networking Basics: Part 5 - Domain Controllers: Date - Dec 05, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; What domain controllers are and how they fit into your network infrastructure.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 3: Understanding WMI: Date - Nov 22, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Introduces readers to how Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) works and how it can be scripted using VBScript.
Networking Basics: Part 4 - Workstations and Servers: Date - Nov 09, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the Networking for Beginners series by talking about the differences between workstations and servers.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 2: Cleaning Up: Date - Nov 01, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; This article continues introducing readers to the basics of managing Windows networks using scripts by extending the script developed in the previous article.
Book Reviews: Virtualization, VOIP and Getting Ahead: Date - Oct 25, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; This latest round of book reviews from columnist Mitch Tulloch covers virtualization technoligies, VOIP, and advancing your skills and career as an IT professional.
Networking Basics: Part 3 - DNS Servers: Date - Oct 18, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the Networking for Beginners series by talking about how DNS servers work.
Networking Basics: Part 2 - Routers: Date - Oct 04, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article continues the discussion of networking hardware by talking about one of the most important networking components; routers.
Managing Windows Networks Using Scripts - Part 1: The Basics: Date - Sep 28, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; This article introduces the basics of managing Windows networks using scripting.
Networking Basics: Part 1 - Networking Hardware: Date - Aug 10, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; In this article series, I will start with the absolute basics, and work toward building a functional network. In this article I will begin by discussing some of the various networking components and what they do.
Virtualization Shootout: Date - Jun 14, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; This article takes an unbiased look at comparing virtualization products from Microsoft and VMware, and includes an interview with Charlie Russell, a Microsoft MVP and expert in virtualization technologies.
Best Practices for Group Policy Based Application Deployment: Date - Jun 07, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; In this article, I want to share some techniques with you that will maximize your chances of a successful group policy based application deployment.
Decentralizing Patch Management: Date - May 25, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; In this article, I will explain some reasons why centralized patch management is often ineffective in large or geographically dispersed networks.
Book Reviews: TCP/IP Networking: Date - May 10, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Understanding TCP/IP is fundamental to computer networking nowadays. Here are reviews of some titles that you may want to have on your bookshelf.
New Security Features in Internet Explorer 7: Date - Mar 23, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; In Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft seems to have addressed many of the security issues that have plagued Internet Explorer for the last decade. Of course only time will tell if Internet Explorer 7 is really secure or not, but in this article I want to introduce you to some of the new Internet Explorer security features.
Establishing Redundancy through Demand Dial Routing: Date - Feb 09, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; Branch offices provide a special challenge when it comes to connectivity. If the WAN connection between the main office and a branch office fails, then the branch office is completely cut off from the rest of the network until the connection becomes available once again. Fortunately, there are some options available to you for creating redundant connections. In this article, I will explore some of these options.
Book Reviews: Microsoft SharePoint: Date - Feb 07, 2006; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Microsoft SharePoint is a powerful tool for enabling knowledge workers to collaborate using Office 2003 on the front-end and Windows Server 2003 on the back-end. This review looks at five helpful SharePoint books you should know about if you're looking at using SharePoint on your network.
Active Directory Design Considerations for Small Networks: Date - Oct 20, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; A lot of people who are new to networking or who work primarily on larger networks seem to underestimate the design considerations for small networks. It kind of makes sense when you think about it though. From an Active Directory standpoint, what’s really to consider? After all, most small networks have a single forest and a single domain. Even so, your network will run a lot more smoothly if you take the time to do a little planning first. In this article, I will discuss some of the issues involved in planning a small Active Directory deployment.
Working With Application Pools in Internet Information Server: Date - Oct 06, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; If your IIS Server hosts multiple Web sites, then buggy code within any one of those sites can bring down the other sites. I should know; it happened to me. Fortunately, there is something that you can do to prevent this from happening. In this article, I will show you how you can use application pools to prevent problems with a Web site from causing stability problems across your IIS server.
A First Look at Longhorn Vista: Date - Sep 13, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Earlier this month, I got my copy of Longhorn Vista, Beta 1, the eventual successor to Windows XP. Although the new operating system does have a few kinks that need to be worked out, it does look promising. In this article, I will share with you some of my first impressions of Longhorn Vista Beta 1.
Using Virtual PC as a Test and Learning Platform: Date - Sep 01, 2005; Author - Mitch Tulloch; This article examines some of the various ways that Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 (and Virtual Server 2005) can be used as a platform for software testing and learning.
Protecting EFS Encryption Keys: Date - Aug 30, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; If you have mobile users in your organization, then implementing security can be especially challenging. You must secure the users’ laptops in such a way that if the laptops were lost or stolen that sensitive data would not be compromised. One way of accomplishing this task is by using the Encrypting File System (EFS). In this article, I will explain how to counteract some potential problems when using EFS.
Internet Explorer is corrupted… how do I fix it?: Date - Jul 19, 2005; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; Very rarely do we ever get our systems beat up so badly that we have to perform surgery on them... sometimes, you feel like you need to reinstall the whole system, or sometimes you wish you didn’t have to – and could just repair it, as is, where it sits. Well, before you do anything rash, try this handy step by step article and script to re-register your Internet Explorer and hopefully ‘clean’ it of problems. Let’s see what two quick tips can do to spare you from possible disaster.
Tuning Virtual PC Performance: Date - Jul 12, 2005; Author - Mitch Tulloch; This article looks at how to enhance the performance of virtual machines running on Microsoft’s Virtual PC platform.
Analyzing Traffic With Network Monitor: Date - Jun 30, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; As an administrator, it’s important for you to keep tabs on the traffic that’s flowing across your network. I’m not saying that you need to be intimately familiar with every single packet that’s sent or received, but you need to know what types of protocols are flowing across your network. Monitoring the network allows you to have a better understanding of how bandwidth is being used. It also allows you to find out if users are running file sharing programs, or if some kind of evil Trojan is silently transmitting information in the background. What you might not realize is that Microsoft has given you a tool that you can use for monitoring network traffic. Appropriately, the tool is called Network Monitor. In this article, I will introduce you to this tool and show you how to use it.
Subnetting to Increase Performance: Date - Jun 23, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; There comes a time when a network becomes too big and performance begins to suffer as a result of too much traffic. When that happens, one of the ways that you can solve the problem is by breaking the network into smaller pieces. There are several techniques for splitting a network, but one of the most effective techniques is called subnetting. In this article, I will explain what subnetting is, and how it works.
Firewalls 101: Date - Jun 02, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Firewalls have become an indispensable part of computer security, but they can be intimidating for a new administrator. In this article I will explain the inner workings of a firewall and some common firewall features in an easy to understand manner.
Beating The Summer Heat: Date - May 24, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Summer heat can wreck havoc on your servers. If you’d prefer to spend your summer boating or barbequing than fixing servers, then check this story of how I coped with the extreme heat in my own server room.
Router Troubleshooting Primer: Date - May 19, 2005; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; In this article we will take a look at the proper steps to troubleshooting routing problems.
Making the Transition to Gigabit Ethernet: Date - May 03, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Recently, I was having problems because my nightly backup wasn’t completing within the allotted amount of time. I solved the problem by upgrading my network to gigabit Ethernet. Now, my backups complete in record time and everything on my network runs more quickly. In this article, I will show you how it’s done.
Planning your Server Farm (Part 2): Date - Apr 26, 2005; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; Welcome to part two of how to plan your server farm and other tips to consider when building Windows Server 2003 systems to serve your network users. Deploying a server can be a chore, especially when it comes to planning. There are many things to consider. In this article we will look at how to verify your plan, and then move on to OS software checks and updating, as well as reviewing power requirements.
Planning your Server Farm (Part 1): Date - Apr 14, 2005; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; In this series of articles, we will cover all that you will need to consider when planning to deploy a new server farm. A server farm is just lingo used to describe a grouping of servers that you use within you Local Area Network (LAN), usually tied to a high speed backbone if designed properly. In this article set we will look at considerations when deploying a server farm. These tips and tricks will no doubt help you if you are unfamiliar with planning a design, ordering such equipment and deploying it.
Book Reviews: Security Books: Date - Apr 12, 2005; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Security is always an important area for IT professionals, and there's no shortage of books on computer and network security coming out these days. Below are five recent titles on various security topics and my take on them.
Managing Application Directory Partitions: Date - Apr 07, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Being that the Active Directory is nothing more than a large, extensible database, applications can be designed to store data and configuration information within the Active Directory. This allows the application’s data to be replicated to multiple domain controllers, giving the application a degree of load balancing and fault tolerance. If you have such an application though, it is considered good practice to put the application into a dedicated partition. In this article, I will show you how.
Using Group Policy to Deploy Applications: Date - Mar 31, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; How to use the Active Directory to deploy applications, even if those applications do not come with a Windows installer package.
A First Look At Microsoft’s Istanbul: Date - Mar 18, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Istanbul has long been the code name for Microsoft’s next client for Live Communications Server. Just a couple of days ago, Microsoft announced that the official name for Istanbul will be Microsoft Office Communicator 2005. In this article, I will take a look at this new product.
What I'm Reading These Days (Part 2): Date - Mar 03, 2005; Author - Mitch Tulloch; Here are five recent titles from O’Reilly that I’ve had a chance to look through and can recommend for your reading.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Its Functions: Date - Feb 22, 2005; Author - Ricky M. Magalhaes; This article will cover a quite illusive protocol known as the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), employed by the Real Time Communications (RTC) Server is a Microsoft approach in providing instant messaging (IM) and videoconferencing on both a business and informal level. In order to understand the workings of the RTC Server it is necessary to acquire knowledge of the Server’s functionality. This incorporates understanding basic concepts of the SIP components. This protocol is typically used in applications like MSN and other types of session oriented applications that require interaction.
What I'm Reading These Days - Networking Books Recommendations: Date - Dec 21, 2004; Author - Mitch Tulloch; I like to read a lot for several reasons. First, I need to read to keep up on the latest IT technologies, tools, and practices. And second, I write a lot and a writer needs to always learn. So I thought I’d take a moment and tell you about some of the books I’m currently reading in case you want to add some of them to your bookshelf. The five titles reviewed in this particular article are all available from Microsoft Press.
Planning for High Availability: Disaster Recovery Planning: Date - Dec 16, 2004; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; In this article, we will discuss what every Microsoft Windows Administrator and Engineer should think about when trying to manage their environments in the scope of planning for Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity. In this article we will cover many of the details administrators and engineers need to know about planning Disaster Recovery (DRP) for Windows Systems, as well as for their networks in general.
What You Need To Know About The Shift to 64-Bit Computing: Date - Nov 23, 2004; Author - Brien M. Posey; For several years now, there have been rumors that 64-bit computing would soon become mainstream. We may have finally reached that point, but there are some problems. The market is filled with competing 64-bit standards, each requiring their own special version of Windows. In this article, I will explain what you need to know about the various 64-bit systems that are available today. As I do, I will talk about the limitations imposed by each.
Ethernet Tutorial Part I: Networking Basics: Date - Nov 16, 2004; Author - NovaStars Information Services; As companies rely on applications like electronic mail and database management for core business operations, computer networking becomes increasingly more important. This tutorial helps to explain Ethernet and Fast Ethernet, which are two of the most popular technologies used in networking.
Authenticating Linux against Active Directory: Date - Nov 09, 2004; Author - William Henderson; If you are planning to use a Linux workstation in a Windows Network, one of the things you probably want to do is authenticate against the Windows Domain name server (s), i.e. Active Directory.
Using Software Restriction Policies To Keep Games Off Of Your Network: Date - Sep 01, 2004; Author - Brien M. Posey; Unauthorized software such as computer games decreases productivity, robs your network of resources, and jeopardizes your network’s security. However, you can preserve your network’s integrity by using software restriction policies to control what software users are and are not allowed to run.
The Pros and Cons of Running Virtual Server: Date - Aug 25, 2004; Author - Brien M. Posey; Microsoft’s soon to be released Virtual Server 2005 helps cut hardware cost by allowing you to simultaneously run multiple virtual machines on a single server. Before you consider deploying Virtual Server 2005 though, you need to understand the various caveats and implications associated with virtual machines.
Planning for High Availability: Attempt to Eliminate Downtime: Date - Aug 18, 2004; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; To ensure that systems are available for requests when called upon, you have to plan for the failure of those same resources that are being requested. Hard drives have MTBF (mean time between failure), viruses go undetected, name it… disaster can happen. The only way to keep systems ‘available’ to those who request them is to deploy those systems in a manner that will keep them available to those requests.
Using a Split DNS to Support Small Business Remote Access Connections: Date - Jul 20, 2004; Author - Thomas Shinder; Small businesses are getting into the remote access market. No, I don’t mean that small businesses are becoming ISPs. What I do mean is that small businesses want to be able to access information stored on machines located on their small business network no matter where they go, in the same way big businesses do it.
Choosing a Firewall: Date - Feb 23, 2004; Author - Deb Shinder; In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the factors you should consider when buying a firewall, features available on some of the most popular offerings, and how to compare the real cost of each (hint: the initial purchase price is only a starting point).
Gigabit-Ethernet (1000baseT): Date - Feb 08, 2003; Author - Johannes Helmig
TCP/IP advanced: Ports: Date - Jan 01, 2003; Author - Johannes Helmig
WLAN Wireless Networking: Date - Aug 31, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
Windows XP Direct Cable Connection from Windows95: Date - Aug 31, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
Installation Direct-Cable Connection for Infrared: Date - Aug 31, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
Usage of Direct-Cable Connection via Infrared: Date - Aug 31, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
Proxy: Date - Aug 31, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
Network Neighborhood / My Network Places / Find Computer: Date - Aug 03, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
NetMeeting for Remote Assistence: Date - Jun 03, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
Which IP-address did we get ?: Date - May 09, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
TCP/IP basics: Date - Feb 17, 2002; Author - Johannes Helmig
ADSL via Network Card : Alternative Access software : RASPPPOE (Win2000): Date - Nov 01, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
ADSL Internet Connection via DCC: Date - Sep 02, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
ADSL: Date - Aug 18, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Using DCC and DUN at the same time: Date - Aug 15, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Modem Internet Connection via DCC: Date - Aug 15, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Twisted Pair Ethernet (100baseTX/100BaseT4): Date - Apr 13, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Twisted Pair Ethernet (10baseT/UTP): Date - Mar 24, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
TCP/IP and WAN: Date - Mar 24, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Connection via a Router to a NT Domain Server: Date - Mar 24, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Sharing and Mapping: Date - Mar 24, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
USB Networking Indroduction: Date - Jan 07, 2001; Author - Johannes Helmig
Administration via Remote Control (NetMeeting): Date - Dec 02, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Personal Firewall: Date - Nov 01, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Backup: Date - Oct 21, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Administration via Remote Control (pcAnyWhere): Date - Jul 21, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Multiple Network Adapters: Date - Jul 01, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Multiple IP-addresses on a Network Card: Date - Jul 01, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Modem Speed: Date - Jun 07, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Trouble Shooting a DCC Connection: Date - Feb 14, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Cable Specification for Direct-Cable Connection: Date - Feb 14, 2000; Author - Johannes Helmig
Repeaters, Hubs, Bridges and Switches: Date - Dec 19, 1999; Author - Johannes Helmig
Network Speed Differences: Date - Aug 08, 1999; Author - Johannes Helmig
Network Speed and Access Method: Date - Mar 27, 1999; Author - Johannes Helmig
Device Manager: Date - Feb 12, 1999; Author - Johannes Helmig
Network card Diagnostics: Date - Feb 06, 1999; Author - Johannes Helmig
Thin Ethernet (10base2): Date - Jan 24, 1999; Author - Johannes Helmig
Network card installation : PCI: Date - Nov 01, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Interrupt sharing on PCI-devices: Date - Nov 01, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Infra-Red Communication: Date - Jul 26, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Routing: Date - Jun 28, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
IPX/SPX basics: Date - Jun 07, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Interrupts: Date - May 30, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Addressing a Card: Date - May 29, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Connection to UNIX via NFS: Date - May 15, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Access to Disks via the Network: Date - Mar 08, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Direct-Cable Connection Introduction: Date - Feb 01, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Performance of Direct-Cable Connection: Date - Feb 01, 1998; Author - Johannes Helmig
Ethernet History: Date - Nov 04, 1997; Author - Johannes Helmig
Large Networks: 5-4-3 Rule: Date - Oct 28, 1997; Author - Johannes Helmig
Network Basics: Date - Oct 01, 1997; Author - Johannes Helmig