Download Re symbol for free

You can download Re symbol for free from here.
Download and copy it to C:\windows\fonts folder on your computer.
Open word and type the character which is left to 1 on your keyboard. Select the character and apply the Rupee_foradian font.

Powershell script to find OS and Servicepack version

Below powershell script is used to find OS and servicepack version of computers listed in c:\servers.txt.

Add the computer list in servers.txt.

open notepad and copy below script and save it as .ps1 extension.

Then execute the script from powershell window by providing full path to the script.

You should have proper rights to access the computer listed in the servers.txt file.

$c= get-content “C:\servers.txt”

foreach ($i in $c)

{
get-wmiobject win32_operatingsystem -computer $i | select ` csname,caption,servicepackmajorversion
}

VMware vSphere 4.1 released

vSphere 4.1 has been released and it is available for download.

What’s new in VSphere 4.1

– VMware vSphere 4.1 and its subsequent update and patch releases are the last releases to include both ESX and ESXi hypervisor architectures. Future major releases of VMware vSphere will include only the VMware ESXi architecture.

– Scripted install for ESXi

– Enables ESXi boot from SAN

– Lockdown mode enhancement.

You can get more information about what’s new in vSphere from here.

Services.msc Access is denied

I recently came across an issue faced by our customer.

When you try to open services.msc, you get Access is denied error message.

I tried eventvwr.msc but same error. I fixed the problem by associating .msc files.

Steps:

Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder and right-click the services.msc file (or any .msc file).

Choose ‘Open With’. If you see the Microsoft Management Console listed at the top of the next window, click on it to highlight.

If you do not see the Microsoft Management Console, click Browse, navigate to C:\Windows\System32, and double-click the mmc.exe file.

With the Microsoft Management Console or mmc highlighted in the Open With box, check the box for ‘Always use the selected program to open this kind of file’. Click OK.

Now try services.msc and see if the issue is resolved.

VMware ESX and ESXi 4.0 comparison

Refer below KB article from VMware for a detailed comparison of VMware ESX and ESXi4.0.

Absence of service console is the major difference between ESX and ESXi

Also Esxi has very small footprint, 32MB in size.

VMware ESX and ESXi 4.0 comparision

New vSphere Automation course (PowerCLI)

VMware education has just released the vSphere Automation course (based on vSphere PowerCLI)

This course is targeted at customers who are relying on scripting to automate common and sometimes painful tasks.

Course Overview

This hands-on training course introduces the use of VMware vSphere™ PowerCLI to automate VMware vSphere 4. This course demonstrates ways to automate tasks that can reduce your IT costs while improving efficiency, availability, flexibility, and manageability.

For more information visit the VMware Education Services site and search for “vSphere Automation” –

http://mylearn.vmware.com/portals/www/search/results.cfm?ui=www_edu&pID=www&menu=search-results&searchtype=simple&orderBy=relevance&keyword=vsphere+automation&category=schedule

How to check HA slot size for a cluster

You can check the HA slot information from vSphere client.

vSphere client -> select cluster -> select summary tab -> from VMware HA windows -> select Advanced runtime window.

It will give total slots in a cluster, used slots, available slot details.

vSphere 4.0 Security Hardening Guide

Vsphere 4.0 security hardening guide has overall, there are more than 100 guidelines, with the following major sections:

Introduction
Virtual Machines
Host (both ESXi and ESX)
vNetwork
vCenter
Console OS (for ESX only)

Updated version of the guide can be found here.
http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10109

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