Microsoft has bundled their basic Firewall application with the Windows Operating System (OS) since Windows XP SP 3. The firewall is used to provide consistent protection against Internet intrusion and attacks on computers and will block connection attempts that have previously been associated with malicious behavior. Error 0x8000ffff can be generated when the Microsoft Firewall Service fails to start or has a corrupted firewall rule. Although many Windows users disable their computer’s firewall connection when this error is triggered, it leaves the PC exposed to attacks. Therefore, the firewall should Read More

A PST (Personal Storage Table) file is an archive file that stores messages, calendar events, and other Microsoft Outlook items. PST files allow Microsoft Outlook to keep an original item on a server and a copy of that item on a computer. Whenever the user downloads email messages to Microsoft Outlook by updating his/her inbox, Microsoft Outlook stores the information in a single PST file for later access. This PST file is usually stored in a Microsoft Outlook subfolder, which can be found in the primary hard drive’s Program Files Read More

The Different Monitoring Tools for Monitoring Windows and BizTalk Server Systems You can use System Monitor, Task Monitor, Network Monitor, Event Viewer, and Performance Logs And Alerts to monitor the system. You can use System Monitor and Performance Logs And Alerts to create baselines, identify bottlenecks, determine performance trends, and test any configuration changes. Windows Server provide tools and utilities that can be used to monitor a system. It is recommended to draw up a thorough server monitoring plan once you have established your baseline performance metrics for a server. Read More

A Domain Name Server (DNS) is a computer that uses networking software in order to save a database of network IP addresses and domain names for other Internet hosts. A DNS helps client computers use the web more efficiently by storing previous address look-ups, which allows them to surf the Internet faster. Older Windows Servers used the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) for name resolution on the local network. It is recommended that a DNS Server be installed with the Windows 2008 server in order to provide a higher quality Read More

Configuring Software Distribution The process for distributing packages can be broken into a number of steps: Specify the CAPs for the package. Specify the distribution points for the package. Create the necessary collections. Collect the necessary source files, installation scripts etc. Create the SMS package. Define one program for the package. This is the minimum requirement. You can define multiple programs for a package. Advertise the programs to one or multiple collections. Distribute the package to the specified distribution points. Run the program being advertised on the client. With SMS Read More

PXE Boot (Pre-eXecution Environment) is a protocol that boots computers without using a hard drive or an operating system. It is often used in industrial computers that do not require a graphical user interface, but require other applications to be run. PXE Boot is run over a network of computers and may or may not include Internet access. It is almost exclusively used in systems that are connected to a central server and uses subsequent computers to run virtual operating systems or DOS-like APIs. How PXE Boot Works PXE Boot Read More

Mail Server Role Security Issues Mail servers store e-mail data, process client requests, and receive incoming e-mail from the Internet. The Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) protocol provides clients with mailboxes and enables mail to be retrieved from the mail server. The e-mail accounts of users are POP3 accounts, and are stored on the configured mail server. POP3 makes is possible for clients to use Microsoft Outlook, or some other e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from the mail server. The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) protocol is utilized to transfer Read More

Most Windows XP computer users need to adjust the screen brightness of their laptop or desktop computer monitor at some point. The Windows XP display settings let users configure both the screen brightness and contrast settings to fit their individual preferences. Many computer users have started dimming their PC’s screen brightness to save a little bit on energy costs, but many display adapter control panels also automatically dim the Windows XP display when on battery power to prolong battery life. Manually adjusting screen brightness can be accomplished in a few Read More

Server Roles Review The physical hardware and logical components of the network are necessary to provide a number of features for the network, such as connectivity, routing and switching capabilities, network security, and access control. The network infrastructure has to exist before the servers needed to support services and applications which are required by your users can be deployed into your networking environment. While Windows Server 2003 provides a number of features and tools when you install it on a computer, you have to implement additional features and functionality on Read More

The Windows Media Center Edition is a version of Microsoft Windows designed specially for use as a media center PC. It utilizes the desktop computer's hardware to provide media storage as well as integration and navigation functions needed to integrate the functions of a home theatre system with a desktop computer. Windows Media Center Edition Features The Windows Media Center Edition includes the standard Programs and applications, a DVR capable of displaying a program guide, over-the-air HDTV support, DVD playback capability with progressive scan, MP3 playback, photo/video viewing and editing, Read More