GoDaddy UCC Cert for Exchange 2010

I used a GoDaddy Standard UCC Cert for my latest Exchange 2010 install.  It was $90, and it works.  We used DigiCert's Exchange 2010 CSR Tool to generate the PowerShell certificate request script.

Microsoft has published a good article on the subject entitled “Unified Communications Certificate Partners for Exchange Server and for Communications Server” - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929395

I have not tested with OCS 2007, but plan to do so in the next few months, and there are several articles that note it does work, even if GoDaddy is not on Microsoft’s approved UCC Partner list.

 

Technorati Tags: Exchange,security,SSL

Windows 2008 R2 is awesome

There are a lot of reasons to upgrade to Windows 2008 R2.  Testing and understanding all the features of an operating system is the key to optimizing a corporate infrastructure as well as completing integration projects. 

This week I learned about a new feature of Windows 2008 R2, restoring a system image.

My primary home/lab server runs Windows 2008 R2 with Hyper-V.  The system has four SATA II  disks:

• (1) 80 Gb system disk
• (2) 1TB drives – Data
• (1) 750 Gb drive – VM’s

Naturally, the 80 Gb drive was not mirrored, and pulled from another workstation.  And it was not mirrored.  And it failed. Actually, it had disk errors and the system would not boot.

So…………

I pulled the 80Gb drive and imaged it with Acronis TrueImage Home 2010 and restored the image to a spare 750Gb SATA drive.  After installing the new drive with the restored image to the server, I restarted the system.  On boot, I found the SYSTEM hive was corrupted and the system went into Repair Mode.  It prompted me to look for a system image, which I have on an external USB drive as well as on the D: partition.  The System Image Wizard found the image (along with a time/date stamp), and I selected it to restore to the C: drive.

The restore took about 30 minutes, and the wizard can restart the system automatically.  I’m up and running and will run updates to make sure I get the latest Microsoft Updates for the server.

Lessons learned:

1. Always have a current image of your server system drive.
2. Use a dedicated system drive that you can image reasonably.  A large system drive (500 Gb, for example), would be a hassle to image and would take a dedicated internal and external drive.  My 80 Gb system drive was fast and easy to image and backup to an external USB drive.
3. Always have a current image of your server system drive.
4. Always have a current image of your server system drive.
5. Retain copies online as well as offline (USB or eSATA).
6. Restore took me under two hours, including the backup and restore of the 80Gb drive, testing three drives to find one that was large enough and SATA II, and Win2008R2 image restore.
7. Always have a current image of your server system drive.

Technorati Tags: hardware,Win2008R2

Is the Periodic Table just a theory?

The Discovery Institute is a religious group opposed to science.  They believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, that the earth is 6000 years old, and that man and dinosaurs co-existed.

If they believe this is true, they should publish a paper on the topic in a scientific journal for peer review, but they won’t because their ‘theories’ aren’t valid and won’t survive peer review.

An update, I found this image should be credited to Dr. Loren Williams, a Georgia Tech professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry-Williams, L. D., "Revised Periodic Table of the Elements", Skeptical Inquirer, 29, 68 (2005)

I’m not attributing because Sarah graduated from Georgia Tech, or that I attended for most of the 70’s (but it would take a lot longer if the source were the University of Georgia…).

Technorati Tags: Science,Evolution,Darwin,Religion

iPad

Technorati Tags: hardware,Apple

Verizon Wireless

Reviewing our cell phone plan.  Wireless plans have become yet another monthly/quarterly task we have to take on so you don’t find yourself with a $500 monthly cell phone bill.

Another part of this ritual is to discover how Verizon (or enter name of your mobile provider) have changed the plans they offer.  This month, our plan I found out several things:

1. Verizon only offers 700, 1400, 2000, and UNLIMITED plans online.
2. Online Chat confirmed my only option was to upgrade from my current plan (2100) to the Unlimited plan.
3. I tried to upgrade to Unlimited, but the online system required I add a data plan to a Samsung i760, which I own, and does NOT require a data plan.
4. Calling Verizon Customer Service, the automated attendant offered 700, 1400, 2000, and 3000 minute plans.
5. The Final Solution was selecting the 3000 minute plan, which is what I wanted to do in the first place.

Technorati Tags: Verizon,phone