Server Management tools

  • Thread starter Thread starter Blaze
  • Start date Start date
B

Blaze

Hi

What are the best server management tools for

Deploying applications and service packs

for seeing who is logged on and using what

which accounts of Users and computers are not in use and when was the last
time they were accessed

To delete specific files in specific folders.. I an having trouble when I
search a dir and have to delete thousands of files, for some reason the
Windows server search for files and delete chokes

ah haa ... Idea... dos command del *.file type :-)

For remote troubleshooting is SMS any good ?

and how do I delete a file that says its unable to delete because its being
used or permissions... even tho I take all permissions and ownership of the
file ??

ta

dazed and Confused
 
What are the best server management tools for

'Best' is a relative term, your mileage or opinion may vary...
Deploying applications and service packs
Click to expand...

Group Policy software packages (using MSI files) are free and work for
all Win2000+ client machines (not NT or 9x)

SUS -- Software Update Services (download from Microsoft and run with
IIS on Server) is great for deploying Security and Critical Updates (not
regular
software or Service Packs specifically though.)

SMS costs (real) money but can do more. Third party tools vary but I don't
use them much.
for seeing who is logged on and using what
Click to expand...

Logged on to "WHAT"?

Most people misunderstand the idea behind "logon" and "authentication"
-- a user "logs onto a computer" by "authenticating (usually) with a
Domain".

You have to inspect each COMPUTER to see who is logged on THERE and the
only way to keep up with Authentication (which isn't explicitly terminated
much of
the time) is to AUDIT, e.g., Audit "Account Logon Events".
which accounts of Users and computers are not in use and when was the last
time they were accessed
Click to expand...

Oddly enough this field was not getting updated in Win2000 AD and you need
Win2003 for the "last logon field" to have value -- I think you have to be
in
Win2003 Server mode too since any authentication with a Win2000 DC would
still experience the problem.

You could process (Perl script) you event logs (logging Account Logon
Events)
but this stuff is not transparent and somewhat tedious.
To delete specific files in specific folders.. I an having trouble when I
search a dir and have to delete thousands of files, for some reason the
Windows server search for files and delete chokes
Click to expand...

I almost never use "Explorer" of GUI tools for such work, but strongly
prefer
the command prompt.

In combination with the "For...in...do" command a Dir search (including
subdirectories)
can do most anything and for more complicated tasks VBS or Perl are much
more
capable.
ah haa ... Idea... dos command del *.file type :-)
Click to expand...

Yes, you can even do things like this:

for /f "delims=" %a in ('dir /s /b *.mdb') do @echo "%a"

(I choose to @Echo instead of Delete for demonstration and safety
reasons...)
Note: Double the % (i.e., %%a) when using the above in a batch file.
For remote troubleshooting is SMS any good ?
Click to expand...

SMS includes NetMon which is good for troubleshooting and you can
do a much greater variety of software installs.
and how do I delete a file that says its unable to delete because its being
used or permissions... even tho I take all permissions and ownership of the
file ??
Click to expand...

Sometimes you can rename it -- then on reboot it won't be in use.
 
-----Original Message-----
Hi

What are the best server management tools for

Deploying applications and service packs

for seeing who is logged on and using what

which accounts of Users and computers are not in use and when was the last
time they were accessed

To delete specific files in specific folders.. I an having trouble when I
search a dir and have to delete thousands of files, for some reason the
Windows server search for files and delete chokes

ah haa ... Idea... dos command del *.file type :-)

For remote troubleshooting is SMS any good ?

and how do I delete a file that says its unable to delete because its being
used or permissions... even tho I take all permissions and ownership of the
file ??

ta

dazed and Confused


.
Click to expand...
D&C,

That is quite a list! Also, I do not know if I would use
the term *best* as everyone is going to have his or her
own opinion on what works best for his / her environment.

That said, I will say that SUS would be an ideal
candidate for the deployment of Service Packs and
Critical/Recommended patches. You could also very easily
use GPO to deploy Service packs but I think that MS is
trying to get away from that.

For the deployment of Applications if you have an .msi
file then GPO is absolutely a God send! And you *might*
want to check out the GPMC tool. I have yet to use that
myself but those I know who have used it rant and rave!
I have never touched SMS but I hear that it is truly
magnificent. That might be a really good way to go!
*MIGHT* being the key word.

For the last logon part take a look at the websites of
Joe and Matjaz. Their respective websites are as follows:

http://www.joeware.net ( he has a really qute home page! )
http://www.ladava.com ( his is in Slovenian! )

For Joe, go to the free Win32 C++ Tools page. For
Matjaz, go to the UTILITIES link in the upper leftish
area.

For remote troubleshooting it all depends on what system
you mean: for clients I have used VNC with great success!
while for Servers I really like Terminal Server ( in
Remote Admin Mode ) combined with RDP.

HTH,

Cary
 
That said, I will say that SUS would be an ideal
candidate for the deployment of Service Packs and
Critical/Recommended patches. You could also very easily
use GPO to deploy Service packs but I think that MS is
trying to get away from that.
Click to expand...

I believe you will find that Service Packs are explicitly exempted
from SUS.

Please correct me if I am wrong as I would greatly like to see this
included in SUS.
For the deployment of Applications if you have an .msi
file then GPO is absolutely a God send! And you *might*
want to check out the GPMC tool. I have yet to use that
myself but those I know who have used it rant and rave!
Click to expand...

The first time you install it by accident and then discover it unexpectedly
you will definitely RANT. <grin>

(But it is nice.)

[Snipped good links to go re-read Cary's message. <grin>]\
 
-----Original Message-----
That said, I will say that SUS would be an ideal
candidate for the deployment of Service Packs and
Critical/Recommended patches. You could also very easily
use GPO to deploy Service packs but I think that MS is
trying to get away from that.
Click to expand...

I believe you will find that Service Packs are explicitly exempted
from SUS.

Please correct me if I am wrong as I would greatly like to see this
included in SUS.
For the deployment of Applications if you have an .msi
file then GPO is absolutely a God send! And you *might*
want to check out the GPMC tool. I have yet to use that
myself but those I know who have used it rant and rave!
Click to expand...

The first time you install it by accident and then discover it unexpectedly
you will definitely RANT. <grin>

(But it is nice.)

[Snipped good links to go re-read Cary's message. <grin>] \

--
Herb Martin


.
Click to expand...
Howdy, Herb!

Gee, I sure hope that I am not giving out bad
information! I have actually never used SUS ( and that
is going to change really soon ) and normally use GPO to
deploy the Service Packs ( assuming, of course, that I
have not slip-streamed the SP when using RIS! ).

I am going to have to take a closer look. I know that
several other people have posted that SUS does indeed
handle the Service Packs ( but take that for what it is
worth! ).

I will post an answer in a few!

Thanks for challenging this. I really do not like to be
passing out less than accurate information due to
ignorance.

Cary
 
-----Original Message-----
-----Original Message-----
That said, I will say that SUS would be an ideal
candidate for the deployment of Service Packs and
Critical/Recommended patches. You could also very easily
use GPO to deploy Service packs but I think that MS is
trying to get away from that.
Click to expand...

I believe you will find that Service Packs are explicitly exempted
from SUS.

Please correct me if I am wrong as I would greatly like to see this
included in SUS.
For the deployment of Applications if you have an .msi
file then GPO is absolutely a God send! And you *might*
want to check out the GPMC tool. I have yet to use that
myself but those I know who have used it rant and
Click to expand...
rave!

The first time you install it by accident and then discover it unexpectedly
you will definitely RANT. <grin>

(But it is nice.)

[Snipped good links to go re-read Cary's message.
Click to expand...
\

--
Herb Martin


.
Click to expand...
Howdy, Herb!

Gee, I sure hope that I am not giving out bad
information! I have actually never used SUS ( and that
is going to change really soon ) and normally use GPO to
deploy the Service Packs ( assuming, of course, that I
have not slip-streamed the SP when using RIS! ).

I am going to have to take a closer look. I know that
several other people have posted that SUS does indeed
handle the Service Packs ( but take that for what it is
worth! ).

I will post an answer in a few!

Thanks for challenging this. I really do not like to be
passing out less than accurate information due to
ignorance.

Cary
.
Click to expand...
Herb,

I did not find anything in the WhitePaper that mentioned
Service Packs. Thank you for catching this. I should
have verified this before I posted. In my defense, a
poster did state that she currently uses SUS for both
Service Packs and Critical Updates! Oh well!

Cary
 
I did not find anything in the WhitePaper that mentioned
Service Packs. Thank you for catching this. I should
have verified this before I posted. In my defense, a
poster did state that she currently uses SUS for both
Service Packs and Critical Updates! Oh well!
Click to expand...

Hold on -- I agree with you and do not like to give out incorrect info
either.

Maybe we are both right (or wrong or whatever). My search just uncovered
SUS 1.0 WITH SP1 which ADDS Service Pack delivery to the previously
supported Security and Critical Updates.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/sus/default.mspx

That's not the whole story (SP1 release notes don't include or mention this
"new" feature)
but apparently they recently added Service Pack support (for latest and
future service
packs.) I am pretty sure I read the opposite as recent as three weeks
ago -- and
never saw any when I approved my SUS updates.

Monday, September 22, 2003
Microsoft Quietly Adds Service Packs to SUS
By Mary Jo Foley
As it struggles to gets its software-patch ducks in a row, Microsoft is
tinkering with its Software Update Services (SUS) patching service. Late
last week, with no advance notice, Redmond added to SUS the ability to push
entire service packs to customers. Microsoft is working on its SUS 2.0
release, expected late this year or early next, that will provide mid-size
businesses with patches and updates for all products, not just Windows, as
is currently the case. It's also working on a mega security-fix rollup,
which could potentially be delivered by SUS.


Things change...and how about that MEGA Security Rollup?
 
-----Original Message-----

Hold on -- I agree with you and do not like to give out incorrect info
either.

Maybe we are both right (or wrong or whatever). My search just uncovered
SUS 1.0 WITH SP1 which ADDS Service Pack delivery to the previously
supported Security and Critical Updates.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/sus/default.m spx

That's not the whole story (SP1 release notes don't include or mention this
"new" feature)
but apparently they recently added Service Pack support (for latest and
future service
packs.) I am pretty sure I read the opposite as recent as three weeks
ago -- and
never saw any when I approved my SUS updates.

Monday, September 22, 2003
Microsoft Quietly Adds Service Packs to SUS
By Mary Jo Foley
As it struggles to gets its software-patch ducks in a row, Microsoft is
tinkering with its Software Update Services (SUS) patching service. Late
last week, with no advance notice, Redmond added to SUS the ability to push
entire service packs to customers. Microsoft is working on its SUS 2.0
release, expected late this year or early next, that will provide mid-size
businesses with patches and updates for all products, not just Windows, as
is currently the case. It's also working on a mega security-fix rollup,
which could potentially be delivered by SUS.


Things change...and how about that MEGA Security Rollup?

--
Herb Martin


.
Click to expand...
Herb,

Looks like we were both right and both wrong! Whatever!
Who really cares? You found what I could. I simply read
the SUS WhitePaper and did not see / find any mention of
Service Packs.

I guess that the bottom line is that Service Packs are now
included with SUS. Let's wait for 2.0! I am still going
to play with SUS in my test lab as I just spent about five
hours updating 35 WIN2000 computers on Sunday morning.
SUS sure would have been nice then! And the customer
would like to NOT pay for me to do this!

Cary
 
I guess that the bottom line is that Service Packs are now
included with SUS. Let's wait for 2.0! I am still going
to play with SUS in my test lab as I just spent about five
hours updating 35 WIN2000 computers on Sunday morning.
SUS sure would have been nice then! And the customer
would like to NOT pay for me to do this!
Click to expand...

This thing is so easy and so effective that you will go "live" about
15 minutes later. <grin>
 
Back
Top