Vista SP 1 RTM

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) was released to manufacturing today and will start being available to customers in March, starting with Microsoft Volume Licensing customers. Read more at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-04VistaSP1MA.mspx

MMS 2008 - SR41 - Demystifying Regulatory Compliance with System Center

I just learned that Jeremiah Beckett from Secure Vantage Technologies will be providing the above breakout session at MMS 2008 in Las Vegas. For those who have not had the chance to speak with Jeremiah, you will not want to miss this opportunity!

Jeremiah also announced that SVT is a MMS 2008 GOLD sponsor this year. Hopefully, this will allow them to create a dedicated section for the SVT angels, their groupies, and the bar! Still no word on the rumored Secure Vantage VIP program – am I the only one hearing the whispers.

Read more at the Secure Vantage Team Blog and learn more about Secure Vantage Technologies' products and solutions.

Exam 70-400

In order to keep my other Microsoft certifications with company, I decided to take exam 70-400 to obtain a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): System Center Operations Manager 2007, Configuration certification and passed with a 960 score!

The exam adequately covered skills that are essential in configuring Ops Manager.

Secure Vantage Team Blog

It was brought to my attention that Secure Vantage Technologies has started a team blog. Read it at http://securevantage.spaces.live.com/

I have heard several rumblings of late about a Secure Vantage VIP club!? Possibly the team will use the blog to enlighten us...

System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Training Videos

The first wave of OpsMgr 2007 Sp1 training videos are now live on TechNet.

There are 9 different OpsMgr 2007 Sp1
videos available on the link below:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb986763.aspx

Install ACS Forwarder on RMS or Management Server

Below is a quick and dirty procedure to install and enable ACS Forwarding on a System Center Operations Manager RMS or Management Server.

1. Copy adtagent.exe to C:\windows\system32

2. Run command adtagent -install

3. Edit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\AdtAgent\Parameters

    a. Ensure/Add DWORD key EventlogLoggingLevel is set to 2

    b. Add DWORD key LocalConfig and set to 2

    c. Add DWORD key NoCache and set to 2

    d. Add Multi-String Value key AdtServers and enter name of the collector to

    forward to.

4. In Services CP, set Operations Manager Audit Forwarding Service to Automatic and start.

5. Verify by running SELECT * FROM dbo.dtMachine on the OperationsManagerAC database and finding the management server name. Could also run SELECT * FROM dbo.dtMachine WHERE Description = 'DOMAINNAMEHERE\MACHINENAMEHERE$'

J.C. Hornbeck describes how to backup, restore AND RECOVER a lost RMS key. Enjoy!

---From http://blogs.technet.com/smsandmom/

OpsMgr 2007: What if I lose my RMS encryption key??

So let's say I have a functional OpsMgr 2007 infrastructure in place and then for whatever reason have to reinstall/replace the Root Management Server (RMS), but I didn't backup my RMS encryption key.  What are the exact ramifications of this and what would I need to do to correct it? 

Prior to Service Pack 1 (SP1), if something happened to your RMS and it had to be replaced, and you didn't backup your key, you were basically out of luck.  Your only recourse was to rebuild from scratch - not a pretty picture.  That's why we always told people to make sure they backed up their key as soon as they installed:

Backing up your RMS encryption key: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb309563.aspx.

Now with SP1, we have a new CREATE_NEWKEY command line switch that can make recovering from a situation like this potentially much easier. We also made running the encryption key backup process a mandatory process of setup, just so you'll have a friendly reminder.

So let's take a look at a couple scenario's:

1.  The Root Management Server is replaced or reinstalled and the key is not backed up or the password to the key is lost. There are no other Management Servers to promote.

Solution: Install a new Management Server (the RMS replacement) and be sure the computer name is the same name as the previous Root Management Server that is being replaced.  Setup will detect that the machine name is same as the Root Management Server in the database so it will recreate a new key and register the licenses.

2.  The Root Management Server is replaced or reinstalled and the key is not backed up or the password to the key is lost. There is at least one Management Server to promote to Root Management Server.

Solution: On the Management Server that will become the new Root Management Server, run MOM.msi with the CREATE_NEWKEY switch (msiexec.exe /i <Path to MOM.msi> CREATE_NEWKEY=1).  Configure the account for SDK/Config services (this account should have permission to the database, the SDK service account should be added to the SDK_users role, and the config service account should be added to the configsvc_users role).  Promote the Management Server to Root Management Server.

3.  The registry on the Root Management Server got corrupted, thus the encryption key is lost.
Solution: Run MOM.msi with special switch (msiexec.exe /i <Path to MOM.msi> CREATE_NEWKEY=1)

So does this mean you don't have to worry about backing up your keys?  No, you should always backup your keys and keep them in a safe place as doing so will potentially save you a lot of trouble down the road, but now if something happens there's possibly a way to recover without having to rebuild.