Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Windows Server 2008: Server Manager Broken

You have opened Server Manger only to find that when you click on the 'Roles' or 'Features' option you see 'Error' or 'Collecting Data' with a message at the bottom of the window stating that the 'Latest Refresh: Failed."

After clicking around for a bit and cursing, you find out that the [Error details] say, "Could not discover the state of the system. An unexpected exception was found:
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x80070543): Cannot open an anonymous level security token. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070543)."

Great, you can now search the web and try to solve the problem. Unfortunately, you keep hitting a dead end.

Here is what worked for my machine, and what could have caused the problem.

Problem:

The server-wide COM security settings have been changed to have a "Default Authentication Level" of 'None.'

Solution:

1. Using elevated permissions, run Dcomcnfg.exe

2. In the "Component Services" window, navigate to ComponentServices->Computers->My Computer.

3. Right-click on "My Computer" and select [Properties] from the context menu.

4. In the "My Computer Properties" dialog, select the [Default Properties] tab.

5. Change the "Default Authentication Level" drop to 'Connect'; if it is set to None.

7. Change the "Default Impersonation Level" to Identify; if it is set to something else.

8. Press the OK button in the "My Computer Properties" dialog.

Now, Close Server Explorer and then reopen it and see if your server's Roles and Features will enumerate. [Note: That it may take a while for the data collection to finish.]

Causes:

Some applications like Avaya or Daemon Tools can change the COM security settings for the machine. It would be a good idea to test these and other applications after following the steps above.

Best of luck.

PS I find it great that the bottom of the 'Roles' section says ['Enable' and 'Error details'] while the bottom of the 'Features' section says ['Error details' then 'Enable'].

Friday, February 15, 2008

ServiceU - A Microsoft Case Study

ServiceU continues to make the most of Microsoft technologies as outlined in our latest case study. The primary focus of this study is our utilization of the newest features in SQL Server 2008. This study also includes bits concerning architecture and other products such as Windows Server 2008, IIS7, and Visual Studio 2008 to name a few.

Check it out: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=4000001258
(I also recommend downloading the Microsoft Word version.)

Countdown to Launch:
The joint launch for
SQL Server 2008, Windows Server 2008, and Visual Studio 2008 starts in Los Angeles, CA on February 27th (http://www.microsoft.com/heroeshappenhere/register/default.mspx).

ServiceU will be there and represented by our CTO/CSO David Smith.


ServiceU Revisited:
Other ServiceU case studies and articles
.

Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=49683

Dell
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/casestudies/FY2008_Q2_id539
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/casestudies/2007_ServiceU_v7.pdf


COMPUTERWORLD
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyId=9&articleId=9037060&intsrc=hm_topic

TechRepublic
http://whitepapers.techrepublic.com.com/casestudy.aspx?docid=276374

ZDNet (Same study on TechRepulic)
http://whitepapers.zdnet.com/casestudy.aspx?docid=276374

Other (blogs, posts, and so on)
http://brettlive.com/2006/08/03/serviceu-part-of-microsoft-case-study/
http://www.nacba.net/Article/serviceU_Profiled.htm