How to Choose IT Network Server Support Company?

Whether you are a large company or small, you would always require tech help. You will find that something can foretell your technical support requirement based on what your company's future plans are. Choosing a good small business computer support services will ensure that your IT network is going to stay in good shape and that you will be able to work in a trouble free environment. On the other hand, choosing a company poorly rated could get you into a contract which will put you in a difficult situation down the line. This decision can make or break your tech support.

Your small business encounters numerous security threats, some more obvious than others. These events can lead to data loss, cause harm to your competitive advantage, or spoil your daily operations. With increasing technology thefts and security violations, computer security has become a critical part of your overall IT infrastructure.

Small businesses necessitate that additional steps must be taken to secure data on their desktops and workstations. To get the work done, you can look forward to any good server support company like iYogi, Dell, Microsoft etc...

If you are in a situation where you are looking for a great small business tech support company, you can't go wrong by doing a lot of research. What tech support companies are devoted to giving companies of your size and your industry good services? Who is well known for good tech help service, and who is getting blasted on reviews sites for poor standards? While you should always take what you see on review sites with a grain of salt, you will find that there is usually some truth to them. A lot of complaints or a history with the Better Business Bureau is something that should make you wary.

Look at the maximum amount of downtime that they promise. When a problem happens, what is the maximum amount of time that it will take for them to fix it? In many ways, this is something that can be quite indicative of what their tech support service is like. Make sure that their business tech support will cover you at all times of the day and take some time to plan out a worst case scenario. What are you looking at when you are considering entering into their services? Unless you can live with their lowest promised rates, you will want to go to someone else. Figuring out what your options are and what you can do when you are looking to get their attention is something that goes a long way towards getting you the results and the tech support company that you need.

Windows Server 2008: Active Directory Domain Services Auditing Capabilities Explained

Active Directory Domain Services Auditing has remained fairly consistent since the first release of Active Directory in Windows 2000 Server. However, Microsoft has introduced new Active Directory Domain Services auditing capabilities in Windows Server 2008. Active Directory Domain Services auditing in Windows Server 2008 provide more granular auditing capabilities and more control.

This article takes a deeper look at the new Active Directory Domain Services auditing capabilities in Windows Server 2008.

New Default Auditing Settings in Group Policy

Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 enabled auditing for a number of policies by default. However, Windows Server 2008 does not define these global audit settings by default. These settings are instead defined by using the new auditing subcategories. This may seem as though auditing is not configured by default, however this is not the case. The configuration of the global audit settings is inherited by the subcategories below that global audit setting. Therefore, Microsoft chose to configure specific subcategories by default, which is covered in the next section.

New Auditing Subcategories

As previously mentioned, Windows Server 2008 introduces auditing subcategories. The following table shows the subcategories below each global audit setting, as well as the default configuration for each audit subcategory.

Global Audit Setting	Subcategory	Default Setting
Audit Account Logon Events	Kerberos Service Ticket Operations	Success
	Other Account Logon Events	No Auditing
	Kerberos Authentication Service	Success
	Credential Validation	Success
Audit Account Management	Computer Account Management	Success
	Security Group Management	Success
	Distribution Group Management	No Auditing
	Application Group Management	No Auditing
	Other Account Management Events	No Auditing
	User Account Management	Success
Audit Process Tracking	Process Termination	No Auditing
	DPAPI Activity	No Auditing
	RPC Events	No Auditing
	Process Creation	No Auditing
Audit Directory Service Access	Directory Service Changes	No Auditing
	Directory Service Replication	No Auditing
	Detailed Directory Service Replication	No Auditing
	Directory Service Access	Success
Audit Logon Events	Logoff	Success
	Account Lockout	Success
	IPsec Main Mode	No Auditing
	IPsec Quick Mode	No Auditing
	IPsec Extended Mode	No Auditing
	Special Logon	Success
	Other Logon/Logoff Events	No Auditing
	Logon	Success and Failure
Audit Object Access	File System	No Auditing
	Registry	No Auditing
	Kernel Object	No Auditing
	SAM	No Auditing
	Certification Services	No Auditing
	Application Generated	No Auditing
	Handle Manipulation	No Auditing
	File Share	No Auditing
	Filtering Platform Packet Drop	No Auditing
	Filtering Platform Connection	No Auditing
	Other Object Access Events	No Auditing
Audit Policy Change	Authentication Policy Change	Success
	Authorization Policy Change	No Auditing
	MPSSVC Rule-Level Policy Change	No Auditing
	Filtering Platform Policy Change	No Auditing
	Other Policy Change Events	No Auditing
	Audit Policy Change	Success
Audit Privilege Use	Non Sensitive Privilege Use	No Auditing
	Other Privilege Use Events	No Auditing
	Sensitive Privilege Use	No Auditing
Audit System Events	Security System Extension	No Auditing
	System Integrity	Success and Failure
	IPsec Driver	No Auditing
	Other System Events	Success and Failure
	Security State Change	Success

Source: http://www.enterpriseitplanet.com/networking/features/article.php/3797931

SBS 2008 to SBS 2008 Migration Fails When "Windows SBS User Policy" Edited

Windows Small Business Server 2008 creates a group policy called "Windows SBS User Policy", one of the tasks of this group policy is to add a few shortcuts (OWA, RWW, and WSS) to IE on SBS clients. If this list is modified AND you attempt a SBS 2008 to SBS 2008 migration the migration will irrecoverably fail. You will receive this following installation issue and be unable to complete the migration:

The installation of Windows Small Business Server 2008 cannot finish.

At this point, you must restore the original server from backup and completely start the migration process over. To avoid this issue please complete the following steps prior to a SBS 2008 to SBS 2008 migration:

Note: This only needs to be done if the policy has been edited. If you're not sure, there is no harm in doing these steps as a precaution.

1. Open gpmc.msc and edit the "Windows SBS User Policy".
2. Navigate to User Configuration -> Policies -> Windows Settings -> Internet Explorer Maintenance -> URLs.
3. View the properties of Favorites and Links.
4. Make a note of all the Favorites and Links (This has likely been customized from the default).
5. Remove all the Favorites and Links and save the policy.

Once you complete the migration, the favorites for OWA, RWW and Companyweb will be automatically recreated. You will then have to manually re-add your custom URLs.

SBSSetup.log Errors:

[908] 080925.155308.3044: Setup: Task ConfigureIE succeeded.
[908] 080925.155308.3200: TaskManagement: In TaskScheduler.RunTasks(): The "ConfigureIE" Task or the "NET" TaskProcessor threw an Exception during the ITaskProcessor.Run() call:System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility._normalFavoritesEX()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility..ctor()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility.DelIEFavorites(String keyName)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.IWorker.Tasks.ConfigureIE.Run(ITaskDataLink DataLink)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.TaskProcessors.NetTaskProcessor.Run(Task currentTask, ITaskDataLink dataLink)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.Data.Task.Run(ITaskDataLink dataLink, IDictionary`2 taskProcessorMap)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.TaskScheduler.RunTasks(String taskListId, String stateFileName)

[908] 080925.155308.3200: Setup: An error was encountered on the TME thread: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility._normalFavoritesEX()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility..ctor()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility.DelIEFavorites(String keyName)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.IWorker.Tasks.ConfigureIE.Run(ITaskDataLink DataLink)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.TaskProcessors.NetTaskProcessor.Run(Task currentTask, ITaskDataLink dataLink)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.Data.Task.Run(ITaskDataLink dataLink, IDictionary`2 taskProcessorMap)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.TaskScheduler.RunTasks(String taskListId, String stateFileName)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Setup.SBSSetup.ProgressPagePresenter._RunTasks(Object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
[2228] 080925.155308.5384: Setup: _UnhandledExceptionHandler: Setup encountered an error: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: The TME thread failed (see the inner exception). ---> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility._normalFavoritesEX()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility..ctor()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.ClientSetup.IEUtility.DelIEFavorites(String keyName)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.IWorker.Tasks.ConfigureIE.Run(ITaskDataLink DataLink)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.TaskProcessors.NetTaskProcessor.Run(Task currentTask, ITaskDataLink dataLink)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.Data.Task.Run(ITaskDataLink dataLink, IDictionary`2 taskProcessorMap)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.TaskManagement.TaskScheduler.RunTasks(String taskListId, String stateFileName)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Setup.SBSSetup.ProgressPagePresenter._RunTasks(Object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.WorkerThreadStart(Object argument)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Setup.SBSSetup.ProgressPagePresenter.TasksCompleted(Object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeMethodFast(Object target, Object[] arguments, SignatureStruct& sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeTypeHandle typeOwner)
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethodFast(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeTypeHandle typeOwner)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture, Boolean skipVisibilityChecks)
at System.Delegate.DynamicInvokeImpl(Object[] args)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackDo(ThreadMethodEntry tme)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackHelper(Object obj)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.runTryCode(Object userData)
at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode code, CleanupCode backoutCode, Object userData)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallback(ThreadMethodEntry tme)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbacks()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DebuggableCallback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(Int32 dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Common.Wizards.Framework.WizardFrameView.Create()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Common.Wizards.Framework.WizardChainEngine.Launch()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Setup.SBSSetup.MainClass._LaunchWizard()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Setup.SBSSetup.MainClass.RealMain(String[] args)
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Setup.SBSSetup.MainClass.Main(String[] args)
[2228] 080925.155308.5696: Setup: Removed the password.
[2228] 080925.155308.5696: Setup: Deleting scheduled task at path Microsoft\Windows\Windows Small Business Server 2008 with name Setup
[2228] 080925.155308.5852: Setup: Removed SBSSetup from the RunOnce.

Source & inspiration: http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2008/12/16/sbs-2008-to-sbs-2008-migration-fails-when-windows-sbs-user-policy-edited.aspx