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• How to use Microsoft 365 DSC to avoid configuration drift

  This configuration-as-code technology gives admins a way to automate tasks on the Microsoft 365 tenant to keep settings locked in and avoid errors from manual input. Continue Reading

• How to find and customize your PowerShell profile

  PowerShell is integral for many admins, and any way to streamline how they use the scripting tool is key. A PowerShell profile is one way to tailor a more streamlined approach. Continue Reading

• How to set up a Windows Server 2022 domain controller

  While the process to migrate from a legacy domain controller is not difficult, it does require advanced preparation to avoid connectivity issues and other problems. Continue Reading

• How to use the PowerShell extension for Visual Studio Code

  Administrators who want to accelerate their automation skills can tap into the enhanced editing and debugging features of the Microsoft code editor. Continue Reading

• Understand PowerShell splatting with these examples

  Give this PowerShell splatting tutorial a closer look to see how to simplify complex commands to make your code more versatile, which can be a boon in team environments. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • client-server network
  • Microsoft
  • Windows Sysinternals
  • RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools)

  • Microsoft SCOM (System Center Operations Manager)
  • Exchange Web Services (EWS)
  • Microsoft Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
  • Local Group Policy Editor

  View All Definitions

• How to manage a migration to Microsoft Entra ID

  Thinking of leaving Active Directory behind? A successful move to Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management platform hinges on how well you've prepared in advance.Continue Reading

• Stop errors with these PowerShell ValidatePattern examples

  Using regular expressions to validate input information and generate a tailored error message on a new user script can prevent unnecessary support tickets.Continue Reading

• What should admins know about Microsoft Entra features?

  Microsoft Entra combines new and existing cloud-based products and packages them under a new name. Learn how this change affects identity access management in your organization.Continue Reading

• client-server network

  A client-server network is a distributed communications architecture in which a centralized server receives and responds to requests for services and data from multiple clients.Continue Reading

• How to use ChatGPT with PowerShell to write code for admins

  Use of artificial intelligence tools is on the rise in many industries, and administrators can tap into these digital helpers to improve their scripting attempts.Continue Reading

• How to work with the new Windows LAPS feature

  Microsoft updated this automated method to manage and back up passwords for local administrator accounts on Windows desktop and server systems. See what's new with Windows LAPS.Continue Reading

• Microsoft

  Microsoft is the largest vendor of computer software in the world.Continue Reading

• Discover advanced regular expressions in PowerShell

  Learn how to develop more sophisticated regular expression techniques by understanding how to work with lookarounds with different operators.Continue Reading

• What's new in Microsoft Graph PowerShell v2?

  The company overhauled the new version of its software development kit and updated PowerShell modules that replace legacy methods for managing Microsoft's cloud-based services.Continue Reading

• Windows Sysinternals

  Windows Sysinternals is a collection of 70 freeware utilities that Microsoft offers IT administrators and developers to help them monitor, manage, diagnose and troubleshoot Windows systems and their applications.Continue Reading

• How to configure shadow copies on file servers

  When you enable the shadow copies service on your shared folders, you give your end users the flexibility to restore deleted files or revert a file to an earlier version.Continue Reading

• RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools)

  RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) refers to a set of tools from Microsoft that enable IT administrators to remotely manage roles and features in Windows Server from a computer that is running Windows 11, Windows 10 or Windows 7 Service Pack ...Continue Reading

• Microsoft SCOM (System Center Operations Manager)

  Microsoft SCOM (System Center Operations Manager) is a set of tools for infrastructure monitoring and application performance management.Continue Reading

• Exchange Web Services (EWS)

  Microsoft Exchange Web Services (EWS) is an application program interface (API) that lets applications access items in a Microsoft Exchange email mailbox, such as calendars, contacts, and messages.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

  Microsoft Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is a service in Microsoft Windows operating systems (OSes) that allows download from and upload of files to Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) web servers and Server Message Block (SMB...Continue Reading

• Local Group Policy Editor

  Local Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that provides a user interface for managing local Group Policy settings on a Windows computer.Continue Reading

• How to set up PowerShell remoting over SSH

  Microsoft recommends using WinRM to manage Windows machines remotely, but OpenSSH offers other advantages, particularly in organizations that also use Linux systems.Continue Reading

• Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM)

  Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) is a Safe Mode boot option for Windows Server domain controllers.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Server

  Microsoft Exchange Server is Microsoft's email, calendaring, contact, scheduling and collaboration platform.Continue Reading

• Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP)

  Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) refers to all the group policies applied to a user and computer.Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center

  Microsoft System Center is a suite of software products designed to simplify the deployment, configuration and management of IT infrastructure and virtualized software-defined data centers.Continue Reading

• System Restore (Windows)

  System Restore is a Microsoft Windows utility designed to protect and revert the operating system (OS) to a previous state.Continue Reading

• Windows containers

  Windows containers provide abstracted, isolated, lightweight and portable operating environments for application development on a single system.Continue Reading

• How to execute a Windows Server 2012 file server migration

  The Storage Migration Service can reduce the stress involved with shifting the data from the outdated file server operating system to one with a newer version of Windows Server.Continue Reading

• How to use GitHub Copilot for PowerShell coding projects

  The integration of this code completion tool with VS Code can benefit administrators who want to automate jobs. But there are some limitations with this fledgling technology.Continue Reading

• Open Document Format (ODF)

  The Open Document Format (ODF) is a zip-compressed, Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based, open source file format for saving and exchanging text, spreadsheets, charts, graphics and presentations.Continue Reading

• Improve automation skills with the AD Administrative Center

  You might know that you can use PowerShell to handle repetitive Active Directory tasks. But were you aware the Active Directory Administrative Center can help write the code?Continue Reading

• Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA)

  Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) is a service used to watch and report on application and system health on a Windows computer.Continue Reading

• Active Directory domain (AD domain)

  An Active Directory domain (AD domain) is a collection of objects within a Microsoft Active Directory network.Continue Reading

• Active Directory functional levels

  Active Directory functional levels are controls that specify which advanced Active Directory domain features can be used in an enterprise domain.Continue Reading

• Follow these steps to decommission Exchange Server

  An Exchange Server migration includes a lot of moving parts but it's important to cover the training aspect to make sure your users aren't left behind.Continue Reading

• TCPView

  TCPView is a Windows network monitoring utility that shows a graphical representation of all currently active TCP and UDP endpoints on a system.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Azure Stack

  Microsoft Azure Stack is an integrated platform of hardware and software that delivers Microsoft Azure public cloud services in a local data center to enable organizations to construct hybrid clouds.Continue Reading

• Get a grip on your infrastructure with a custom MMC

  Microsoft provides great administration tools, such as PowerShell and Server Manager. But don't neglect the venerable Microsoft Management Console for its flexibility.Continue Reading

• WinZip

  WinZip is a software product used to archive, compress and encrypt files in a variety of archive formats for more efficient storage and distribution.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

  Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is a cloud-based service that provides email filtering designed to protect organizations against spam, malware, and other email-based threats.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Hybrid Configuration Wizard

  The Microsoft Hybrid Configuration Wizard (HCW) is a tool provided by Microsoft to help organizations set up and configure a hybrid deployment between their on-premises Exchange Server and Exchange Online, which is part of Microsoft 365.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

  The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) is a certification that was offered by Microsoft for IT professionals who demonstrated expertise in designing, implementing, and administering Windows server infrastructure, as well as other Microsoft ...Continue Reading

• Microsoft Cloud Witness

  Microsoft Cloud Witness is a quorum witness for Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) that uses Microsoft Azure as the arbitration point.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Azure Key Vault

  Microsoft Azure Key Vault is a cloud-based security service offered by Microsoft as part of its Azure platform.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT)

  The Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) is a free utility administrators can use to move Active Directory objects, such as computers, users and groups, from one Windows Server Active Directory domain or forest to another.Continue Reading

• organizational unit (OU)

  An organizational unit (OU) can refer to different things depending on the context, such as an organizational group within a company that is intended to accomplish a specific business function.Continue Reading

• Windows CE

  Windows CE is a version of Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS) that is designed for mobile and other space-constrained devices with small footprints.Continue Reading

• Windows Admin Center

  Windows Admin Center (WAC), formerly Microsoft Project Honolulu, is a browser-based management tool from Microsoft that allows administrators to manage Windows servers and clusters from a centralized, graphical user interface.Continue Reading

• Resilient File System (ReFS)

  A Resilient File System (ReFS) is a file system that Microsoft developed for use on a Windows operating system (OS) and is designed to overcome some of the limitations in the New Technology File System (NTFS).Continue Reading

• Outlook Anywhere

  Microsoft Outlook Anywhere is a software feature that lets clients using Outlook 2010, Outlook 2007, or Outlook 2003 connect to the Microsoft Exchange server and access their email from outside the corporate domain without having to use a virtual ...Continue Reading

• Windows NT

  Windows NT was a family of operating systems (OS) developed by Microsoft for personal computers and servers.Continue Reading

• Deploy WebJEA to empower your users with PowerShell

  Give your automation scripts a GUI that makes it easier for end users to get the information they need with a more streamlined approach.Continue Reading

• Azure DevOps

  Azure DevOps -- rebranded from Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) in 2018 -- is a software-as-a service (SaaS) platform from Microsoft designed to provide a comprehensive toolchain for developing and deploying software projects.Continue Reading

• Improve IT efficiency with a PowerShell self-service portal

  You can jump over the technical barriers that impede automation efforts in your organization by exploring how to deploy a web-based portal that hosts your scripts.Continue Reading

• How to prepare for the next version of Exchange Server

  The Exchange Server roadmap charts several twists and turns that shows Microsoft deviating from its typical course with the server-based email platform.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows PowerShell DSC (Desired State Configuration)

  Desired State Configuration (DSC) is a feature in PowerShell 4.0 and above that helps administrators to automate the configuration of Windows and Linux operating systems.Continue Reading

• USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB)

  USB 3.0 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer standard that is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 devices and is very commonly used for computer peripherals.Continue Reading

• defragmentation

  Defragmentation is the process of locating the noncontiguous fragments of data into which a computer file may be divided as it is stored on a hard disk, and rearranging the fragments and restoring them into fewer fragments or into the whole file.Continue Reading

• Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)

  Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in that provides a graphical user interface that enables Active Directory (AD) administrators to manage Group Policy Objects (GPOs) from one console.Continue Reading

• Using PowerShell for Azure service principal authentication

  With help from the Azure PowerShell module, you can avoid login prompts and automate the authentication process when using service principals on Microsoft's cloud platform.Continue Reading

• Windows event log

  The Windows event log is a detailed record of system, security and application notifications stored by the Windows operating system that is used by administrators to diagnose system problems and predict future issues.Continue Reading

• 10 PowerShell courses to help hone your skills

  Learn what popular online PowerShell courses -- including those from Udemy, Pluralsight and LinkedIn Learning -- offer for beginners and advanced systems administrators.Continue Reading

• NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification)

  Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) is a Microsoft Windows specification for how communication protocol programs (such as TCP/IP) and network device drivers should communicate with each other.Continue Reading

• How to copy files from source to destination in PowerShell

  Take a closer look at Copy-Item cmdlet coding examples to build advanced PowerShell scripts that copy files with safety measures to ensure the duplicates reach their destinations.Continue Reading

• Set up PowerShell script block logging for added security

  Learn how to set up your systems to capture abnormal PowerShell behavior as one way to shore up your defenses.Continue Reading

• Top PowerShell commands you must know, with cheat sheet

  Explore this list of the most-used PowerShell cmdlets and what each one is used for. Then download the handy cheat sheet to keep the information at your fingertips.Continue Reading

• How to test PowerShell code with Pester

  PowerShell's Pester troubleshooting tool lets users write and run tests. Learn how to install the tool and examine a step-by-step Pester test example.Continue Reading

• computer system

  A computer system consists of hardware components that have been carefully chosen so that they work well together and software components or programs that run in the computer.Continue Reading

• Reveal Windows file server permissions with PowerShell's help

  An unauthorized permissions change on a file share could lock out other users. Learn how to automate a report that shows permissions on the server to find these problems fast.Continue Reading

• How to test the PowerShell pending reboot module

  Learn how to check if your machines have pending reboots with a simple PowerShell module to ensure changes to files do not cause stability issues.Continue Reading

• remote code execution (RCE)

  Remote code execution (RCE) is when an attacker accesses a target computing device and makes changes remotely, no matter where the device is geographically located.Continue Reading

• SMB 3.0 (Server Message Block 3.0)

  SMB 3 (Server Message Block 3.0) is a protocol that provides a way for a computer's client applications to read and write to files from a server in a computer network.Continue Reading

• Build a PowerShell logging function for troubleshooting

  A basic administrative skill is checking over logs to find out why something broke. Learn how to build a proper logging mechanism to catch errors for diagnostic purposes.Continue Reading

• 5 PowerShell tools to help simplify admin tasks and support

  Learn how systems admins, software developers and engineers can use tools, such as Cimitra Software, to build better PowerShell scripts to manage and automate repetitive tasks.Continue Reading

• diskpart (Disk Partition Utility)

  Diskpart is a command line utility in Windows operating systems (OSs) that is used to manage disks, partitions, and volumes.Continue Reading

• 25 basic PowerShell commands for Windows administrators

  Getting started with PowerShell or just need a quick refresher? This tip lists the most common PowerShell commands, with details on when to use them.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)

  The Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) is a graphical user interface and front-end hosting application for Windows PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Best practices for using PowerShell ISE for scripting

  Administrators who want to break into PowerShell scripting need to work with an editor for a more effective workflow. Learn how to edit and manage scripts with PowerShell ISE.Continue Reading

• boot

  To boot (to boot up, to start up or booting) a computer is to load an operating system (OS) into the computer's main memory or random-access memory (RAM).Continue Reading

• failover cluster

  In computing, a failover cluster refers to a group of independent servers that work together to maintain high availability of applications and services.Continue Reading

• EDR tools for Windows Server compared

  Windows Server 2022 comes with native security technologies to protect the enterprise. But endpoint detection and response tools can be worth the price of admission.Continue Reading

• hotfix

  A hotfix is code -- sometimes called a patch -- that fixes a bug in a product.Continue Reading

• global catalog (Active Directory)

  A global catalog is a data storage source containing partial representations of objects found in a multi-domain Active Directory Domain Services forest.Continue Reading

• How to build an Azure AD user report with Microsoft Graph

  Microsoft Graph will be the way forward to manage users and devices that connect to Office 365. Learn how to gather information and perform tasks, such as license assignments.Continue Reading

• C

  The C programming language is a procedural and general-purpose language that provides low-level access to system memory.Continue Reading

• Kusto Query Language primer for IT administrators

  Administrators who use Microsoft cloud services, such as Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft 365, can learn how to pull information from those products with KQL queries.Continue Reading

• How to perform an AD group membership backup and restore

  You can fix some problems with Active Directory with a few clicks, but things get difficult when they involve many layers of group membership. Here's a few ways to avoid trouble.Continue Reading

• Learn to monitor group memberships with PowerShell

  Use PowerShell automation to build reports in local group memberships on a server and security groups in Active Directory to keep tabs on any irregular behavior.Continue Reading

• How to build a vulnerability scanner with PowerShell

  What do you do if there's a zero-day threatening your organization? When you need to act fast, use PowerShell to uncover vulnerabilities hiding in your environment.Continue Reading

• Learn how to set up Windows Server 2022 SMB compression

  Microsoft added SMB compression to the new server OS to reduce bottlenecks when transferring files with Windows-based file shares.Continue Reading

• These Azure Logic Apps examples assist with your admin needs

  Admins can get some automated assistance with provisioning and monitoring by learning how to work with triggers in Microsoft's integration platform as a service.Continue Reading

• How to set up Exchange Online modern authentication

  Microsoft plans to tighten up security on its hosted email platform to prevent attackers from gaining access to user credentials. Is your organization ready?Continue Reading

• How to set up automated log collection with PowerShell

  Gathering logs from on-premises Windows Server systems or Office 365 cloud services is a necessary but tedious job. Try a PowerShell script to ease the pain.Continue Reading

• Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

  Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a Windows server role that can plan, manage and deploy updates, patches and hotfixes for Windows servers, client operating systems and other Microsoft software.Continue Reading

• SharePoint Online

  Microsoft SharePoint Online is a collection of cloud- and web-based technologies that make it easy for organizations to store, share and manage digital information.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2022 security hardening guide for admins

  Emerging threats continue to target the Windows ecosystem, but there are multiple methods to make it tougher to be the victim of a malicious hack attempt.Continue Reading

• built-in administrator account

  In the Windows operating system, the built-in administrator account -- the first account created when the OS was installed -- has the highest permissions of any profile on the computer system.Continue Reading

• Get started with Azure AD entitlement management automation

  Identity governance tasks in Azure Active Directory can be overwhelming, but understanding how to use Microsoft Graph and PowerShell to work with these settings will help.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Identity Manager

  Microsoft Identity Manager -- also called Microsoft Identity Manager 2016 or MIM -- is an on-premises tool that enables organizations to manage access, users, policies and credentials.Continue Reading