Free credit report

For those of you in the U.S.A. that are interested in your credit report, TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian offer a once per year free report service. Every once and a while, I mention the service to someone, but I never remember the URL so I figured I would blog it. The free report includes the cards, loans, mortgages, etc... but it does not give you your credit score; they expect you to pay $8.50 for that.

Jeffrey Hicks writes about Directory Update

I had a nice surprised today looking through the Redmond Magazine web site and reading Jeffrey Hicks' Mr. Roboto scripting/automation column. Check out his article At Your Self-Service: Directory Update puts users in charge of their own Active Directory administration.

Ithicos Solutions has now released new versions of Directory Update, Directory Manager, and Directory Search that includes the ability to store a user's photo in the jpegPhoto attribute. Now if the Global Address List could just make use of that!

The IT Crowd

Someone was recently lamenting that they were probably the last techie on Earth to discover the show The IT Crowd. No, I am afraid that dishonor may go to me. It is a Channel 4 comedy set in the IT department of Reynholm Industries; I have watched a few snippets and already gotten a few well needed laughs. Check it out.

Xobni Analytics and ClearContext IMS

Over the last few weeks, some interesting beta software has gotten the attention of Exchange and Outlook folks. These are snap-ins to Outlook that help you to analyze and organize your e-mail. The first of these is Xobni Analytics (shown in the graphic). If people wonder why it takes so long for you respond to their e-mails, well you can show them this.....





The other tool is called ClearContext IMS which helps you to better organize and categorize your e-mail plus helps you to see what e-mail senders have sent to you and the relationships between e-mail senders.

Both of these tools are pretty interesting, but I will warn you that Outlook will quickly begin consuming 150MB+ of RAM on your computer. Aaaahhhh, I can remember when you had to carry around 150MB of RAM with a foklift!

Distribution List / Mail Group manager

My partners in my Ithicos Solutions business have once again been discussing the possibility of developing a Mail Group manager. Interested in learning more? We are looking for feedback, too.

Mastering Exchange Server 2007 book - Feedback requested

Sybex/Wiley has asked me if the Mastering Exchange Server 2007 book should be revised. I am looking at what should be included if the book is updated for a 2nd edition. If you own or have read this book, I would like to hear from you. What should be added, removed, supplemented, improved, etc... in this book. Please contact me at jim (at) cta.net

Exchange Connections questions

Greetings from Exchange Connections! I had a few attendee questions that I wanted to post and share.

1) Is it possible to preserve the COLOR of the text that is logged in the PowerShell transcript (if you are recording a transcript). I talked to Jeff Hicks about this and he said that it was not easy to do since you would actually have to intercept some of the error code using additional code. So, no, not out of the box.

2) Can you do a report of all users that have ActiveSync enabled? Yes, you use the Get-CASMailbox cmdlet. Here is an example:
Get-CASMailbox where {$_.activesyncenabled -eq $True}

Where do technical books go from here?

Even though the Mastering Exchange Server 2007 book has been out for nearly a year, I have just had an opportunity to review some of the comments on the book for the first time. I do read the comments and take them seriously. After writing or contributing to nearly 10 technical books over the past 8 years, I wanted to share some insight on the process.

Often, the publisher approaches the writer with "their vision" of what the book will be. The writer has to work within those constraints. The publisher's vision of the book often sets the tone, voice, and target audience for the book. We (the writers) then have to figure out what to leave in and what to leave out based on the publisher's expectations for the title. We are usually constrained by factors such as "keep things simpler", "no more than 600 pages", "fewer graphics", "more graphics", and "make it a broader audience."

Reader T. Rhodes was not particularly pleased with the Mastering Exchange Server 2007 book (and I *don't* disagree with his observations about the material that I wrote.) Here was one salient point:

"I only read the first 1/3 of this book before I got involved in an Exchange 2003 to 2007 transition. Some of what I read was applicable, however doing further research on the topic on TechNet I was able to find practically the same information for free, and often, in greater depth than this book offers."

The other bad review of the book was from reader C. Gilbert. He was looking for a book that would help him get started as a messaging administrator. His experience was almost the opposite of T. Rhoades. And, he is right, the Mastering Exchange Server book will not help you if you are just getting in to messaging administration, we did make some assumptions about your previous skills.

Though I have ten years of IT experience, this book has not yet helped me with my first venture into e-mail server administration. It summarizes topics without providing implementation guidance and real-world tips. Though it was written during the beta cycle, isn't some of the authors' Exchange 2003 hands-on experience applicable to 2007? Perhaps I'm spoiled by Minasi's "Mastering Windows Server". Beginner e-mail administrators may want to look elsewhere.

Now, this brings up an interesting side question (at least from the perspective of someone that writes such tomes). Would a chapter or two on the basics of e-mail and messaging administration be useful for some people. Obviously, Mr. Rhoades does not need this, but Mr. Gilbert does. I contemplated putting in about 50 pages as an introduction to messaging administration (such as basics of messaging, SMTP, client/server versus shared file messaging systems, how Outlook works, etc....) in to the Mastering book. But I was honestly afraid it would be shunned by most readers. Thoughts?????

Often, when writing on a new topic, such as Exchange Server 2007, when we write the material (during the beta phase most of the time), the material exists no place else (at least publicly). However, shortly after the product is released, you can find the same ideas, concepts, and information in 100 different places. When I first wrote the Exchange Server 5.5 24Seven book, I would like to think that I had shared some useful experiences and information that was not found (at least not easily found) any place else.

Over the last 10 years, Microsoft has gotten better at documentation. A LOT better at documentation. The Exchange 2007 documentation is just about some of the best production documentation ever produced. Seriously, it is quite good, easy to read, has practical examples, and good documentation.

As the product gets released, TechNet ends up with literally thousands of pages of material on Exchange Server. Much of this is practical advice and real world (though usually from the Microsoft view) material.

However, on a product such as Exchange, Microsoft often has dozens of writers all churning out technical material. Some of these folks have the specific job of being a technical writer, some of them are people from the Exchange team, others are Microsoft Support personnel, some of them are even Microsoft coders/programmers, and still others work for Microsoft consulting services.

So, where does that leave independent writers (like me) and publishers like Sybex? I really don't know, to be honest. From the perspective of a customer and an Exchange implementer, it is a very good thing. LOTS of information that is widely available and all free.

From the perspective of someone that spends his nights and weekends trying to generate useful material for others, I'm not sure I'm thrilled with it. Maybe we are seeing the end of "independent" texts on the subjects like this and only the BIG sellers (like Minasi's Mastering Windows Server 2003) will remain on the book shelves? I'm just musing here, but encourage comments from people that have read my books as well as others.

Regular Expressions library

Regular Expressions (REGEXs) are not something I would expect to be blogging about about, but I have had more exposure to them recently since my company's software (Directory Update and Directory Manager) use Regular Expressions for data validation. So I am frequently either asking one of the programmers to create me a REGEX that validates some string or number. One of my developers politely showed me the Regular Expressions library site. I must say this is a nice site and VERY helpful. (By the way, you can use REGEXs for string/number searching with Exchange 2007 Transport Rules!)

Anti-social networking

Tired of social networking? Do people with a sunny outlook just get on your nerves? Do you want to let everyone in the world just how evil your co-worker really is? Is the Facebook generation getting on your nerves? Maybe it is time for hatebook.com, enemybook.info, or snubster.com. Enemybook.info allows you to "classify" your enemies and "keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer". Hatebook.com is "an open forum for abuse and aggression" and snubster.com allows you to put your enemies "on notice" or that they are "dead to me."

I'm certainly not the guy with a sunny disposition (at least not first thing in the morning). I usually somewhat upbeat and positive but with a sarcastic edge. However, I think one of these sites might be great fun to make up some evil (and humorous) things about my "enemies". I already have some entries for my hatebook:

• Devin Ganger turned my dog against me with crack-laced kibble.
• Julie Samante hacked the phone company and had the Crack Ho's Anonymous Hotline redirected to my home phone.
• David Elfassy replaced my shampoo with Nair
• Songsak Yongyingsakthaworn loosened the bindings on my skis before I went off the "widow maker" slope
• Bharat Suneja convinced my kids that I was Carlos the Jackal.
• Mike Brown photoshopped Osama bin Laden and me on to a picture with Britney Spears and sent it to my boss.
• Paul Robichaux replaced the air in my scuba tanks with laughing gas.
• Jordan Chang put itching powder in all my shoes
• Peter O'Dowd removed the lug nuts from the tires on my SUV before I went off-roading on Kilimanjaro
• Dan Holme had me put on a "no fly" list
• Stan Haskell started the rumor about Angelina Jolie and me so now I have to have a restraining order to keep Brad Pitt from beating me up
• Matt Suriya told the Paparazzi where to find me WHILE Brad Pitt was beating me up
• Mark Spotswood blew that whole "Jennifer Anniston-restraining-order-thing" out proportion.
• Clay Kamiya told my neighbors that I was going to vote for Ralph Nader. Now I can't leave the house without being egged.
• Ben Schorr tricked me in to an audition for Queer Eye for the Straight guy; they rejected me and told me there was nothing they could do to help me.
• Kevin Wile steals my newspaper every morning.
• Ryan Tung told me to buy Enron stock and that they were going to turn around
• Laura Robinson replaced my sunblock with Icy Hot

Too bad I don't have oodles of free time, I could make a bigger "enemies" list. :-)

U.S.A. is 7th in productivity, 1rst in hours worked

I saw an ad for Sprint the other day that spouted some interesting stats. The U.S.A. is 1rst in the world as far as average hours worked per person. Yet, we are 7th in productivity. (Their source is a study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation, and Development.)

I wonder if much of the rest of the world spends as much time as we do doing absolute idiotic activities. I spend 20% of my week working in Siebel documenting requirements, reviewing work tickets, etc... I spend 2 - 4 hours per week reviewing or documenting activities for the Regional Change and Configuration Management Board or the Enterprise Change and Configuration Management Board. I spend much of my week documenting requirements for changes to the enterprise (like disabling OMA and ActiveSync in an organization that does not use and will NEVER use mobile phones). I will generate approximately 50 hours worth of work just to get approval to set up a trust relationship between two Active Directory domains that I could do by myself in 5 minutes. Much of this documentation goes in front of people who see it as their job to tell others why something can't be done.

My personal business that I run with a few friends is no better. Many organizations require all sorts of paperwork from us just to buy a $300 piece of software via credit card. Government organizations require "single source" documentation from us as well as EOE statements.

If we wonder why we have to work so much just to keep up, it is because we are creating unnecessary work for ourselves.

Exchange Connections in April

I'm off to Exchange Connections at the end of April. So if you are planning to be in the neighbhood, please let me know! I am doing three sessions.

New book - Microsoft Exchange Server 2007: Implementation and Administration

This past fall my buddy Benjamin Craig and I worked on a new Exchange 2007 book called Exchange Server 2007: Implementation and Adminsitration. While there are some new pieces of information in this book and (I hope) some good tips, much of this information is a rehash from the Mastering Exchange Server 2007 book, so if you already own the Mastering book then much of this book is duplicate information.

This book is targeted towards people that are already familiar with Exchange Server 2003; Sybex/Wiley (the publisher) also hopes it can be used in a classroom environment.



Hopefully this also means that I can finally get started on the Exchange Server 2007 Advanced Adminsitration book (formerly known as the 24seven series). I have been working on plans for the Advanced Administration book and I think it will be one of the best books ever done on Exchange. Well, hopefully. :-)

My new magicJack

Back in December, my friend Stan sent me an e-mail about a new device called magicJack. Stan is almost as big a gadget freak as I am and knew I would like this thing. Their web site is cheesy and looks like they are selling newer, better, sharper Ginzu knives, but the product works. The device is two or three times larger than a thumb drive and plugs in to your computer's USB port. It has an RJ-11 phone jack on the other side. It allows you to make free phone calls anywhere in the U.S.

I ordered one and tried it out while I was in Canada. You plug it in and it automatically installs and then updates their software (it has a small amount of storage with their software on it.) The software took a few minutes to install and then update; once I did that I then had to configure the software. It assigned me a telephone number (I selected the area code - none in Hawaii, though) and I was good to go.

I plugged in a regular telephone to this device, got a dial-tone and dialed out. When I tested it here in Hawaii, it performed great about 80% of the time. Sometimes there was some "white outs" in the conversation; I am assuming this is must lost VOIP packets or something. This only happened while I was in Hawaii. When I was in Canada it worked great.

Based on some reviews I read, their customer service leaves something to be desired and they need to fire their Web site designer, but the device does work as advertised. I'm off on an overseas trip this next week so I'm going to see how well it works while I am traveling to Asia where I'm sure the bandwidth will not be as good.

Viva Whistler and Blackcomb!

A few weeks ago I made a trip with some friends up to Whistler/Blackcombe. It is a bit pricier that U.S. ski resorts, but they had a ton of snow and lots of things to do while we were there. I had a few observations about Whistler that I thought I should share:

I usually notice bad customer service, though I am very tolerant of lapses in good customer service. This comes from being a waiter when I was in college. The customer service at Whistler was really outstanding, though. One of my friends fell on his first run of the first day and twisted his knee. He could not ski the rest of the week. Whistler refunded his lift ticket and the ski rental place (Spicy Sports) refunded his equipment rental costs. Neither had to do that, but I'll remember that consideration when planning a trip next year.

The lift operators were the most polite and friendly ski resort personnel I have ever encountered. Most were from the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. They all had a friendly greeting or a kind word when you were getting on or off the lift. Zowie! Certainly not the kind of attitude you get from lift operators in California or Colorado where they seem to barely hide their disdain for you.

I was also impressed with Vancouver. Vancouver's "highways" really can't be called that since the main highway up from Washington state dumps right in to the city streets. However, parking there is very easy. You an pay your parking meter either with a credit card (using the machine on the street) or you can pay with your cell phone. A very cool feature that I did use.

So, Canada/Vancouver/Whistler - After you get that whole "Olympics thing" behind you in 2010, I'll definitely be back.

PFDAVADMIN, Exchange 2007, and the v1.1 .NET Framework

If you have never used PFDAVADMIN to manage public folders, it is a pretty neat utility. It helps you do a lot of things "in bulk" that you would not easily be able to do otherwise. At least certainly not quickly. And, it works with Exchange 2000/2003/2007!

However, on two different Exchange 2007 servers, I have received messages similar to this:

'Could not expand https://localhost/exadmin/admin/mydomain.com/public%20folders/ : name cannot begin with the '0' character, hexadecimal value 0x30. Line 1, position 386'

I figured something was wrong with my public folder configuration, but never did investigate it too closely. Thanks to a discussion I read recently, one of the gurus at Microsoft shed some light on this. This message occurs if you do not have the Microsoft .NET Framework v1.1 installed on the server. (Exchange 2007 uses the v2.0 Framework).

Microsoft recommends using the PFDAVADMIN utility from a workstation, not from the console of the Exchange server, though. If you get this message, do NOT install the v1.1 Framework on an existing Exchange 2007 server. You run the risk of resetting some of the v2.0 Framework settings and, thus, breaking Exchange Server 2007! If you want to run PFDAVADMIN from the console of an Exchange 2007 server, you need to install the v1.1 .NET Framework prior to building Exchange. Thus, the "workstation" option is much more desirable.

GPS, maps, and navigation skills

I'm a whiz at navigation; navigation is one of the few things at which I am probably uncannily good. In Army officer basic, I was the first in my company at land nav (they drop you off out there in "the woods" and you have to make your way through a series of check points. When I go my helicopter and airplane pilots licenses, I could just look at a map and navigate from point A to point B.

One ability that has served me well is taking the rental car company maps and getting to where I needed to go efficiently in a new city. Something I have had to do very frequently. Navigating city streets and subway systems (even in Japan) has always been simple for me.

It just got simpler. A few months ago, I bought a Tomtom GPS. I was in Whistler, British Columbia last week and had to drive to Seattle. When I got ready to leave Whistler, I popped it on the dash, entered the street address in Seattle that I wanted to go to and it calculated a map directly there. AND, it managed to navigate its way through Vancouver, bless its' fuzzy little circuit board.

While I am quite impressed with the technology (it did a few things that were not spot on, but it was nonetheless pretty accurage), I wonder if my land nav skills are going to go the way of my handwriting skills (don't EVER ask me to write something down for you now, I have to type it!)