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Windows Server 2025 Preview

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 - Posted by Keith A. Smith, in Microsoft

Windows Server 2025

As technology continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, businesses face the challenge of keeping their IT infrastructure up to date and capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape. In this regard, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 emerges as a cutting-edge solution that empowers organizations to transform and optimize their IT systems for the future.

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is a powerful operating system designed to address the specific needs of modern IT infrastructure. With its comprehensive set of features and capabilities, it offers businesses the tools they need to enhance performance, maximize scalability, bolster security, streamline management, and unlock the potential of virtualization.

By embracing Microsoft Windows Server 2025, businesses can future-proof their IT infrastructure, ensuring it remains adaptable and resilient in an ever-changing technology landscape. With this solution, organizations can stay ahead of the curve, leveraging the latest innovations and advancements to drive productivity, efficiency, and success.

Key Takeaways:

     
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is designed to meet the needs of modern IT infrastructure.
  •  
  • This powerful operating system offers enhanced performance and scalability.
  •  
  • It provides advanced security features to protect data and prevent threats.
  •  
  • With simplified management and deployment, businesses can streamline operations.
  •  
  • Improved virtualization capabilities and seamless integration with Azure services offer extensive possibilities.

Introducing Microsoft Windows Server 2025

In this section, we will explore the new features, enhancements, and innovations brought by Microsoft Windows Server 2025, offering an insight into the advancements in IT infrastructure technology.

Windows Server 2025 introduces a range of new features that enhance its performance, security, management capabilities, and integration with other technologies. These advancements revolutionize the way businesses manage their IT infrastructure, providing a solid foundation for future growth and success.

New Features

One of the key highlights of Windows Server 2025 is its array of new features designed to meet the evolving needs of businesses. These include:

     
  • Containerization: Windows Server 2025 offers enhanced support for containers, enabling efficient and scalable application deployment. This allows businesses to easily package and run applications across different environments, improving agility and reducing operational complexity.
  •  
  • Software-defined networking (SDN): With SDN capabilities, Windows Server 2025 simplifies network management and brings flexibility to network infrastructure. It empowers businesses to optimize network resource allocation, automate network configuration, and enhance security.
  •  
  • Enhanced storage: Windows Server 2025 introduces improvements in storage management, providing better scalability and performance. It offers features such as Storage Spaces Direct and Storage Replica, allowing businesses to create resilient and highly available storage solutions.
  •  
  • Improved failover clustering: Failover clustering in Windows Server 2025 has been enhanced to ensure high availability and seamless failover of services. Businesses can rely on robust failover clustering capabilities to minimize downtime and maintain uninterrupted operations.

Enhancements and Innovations

Windows Server 2025 also brings a host of enhancements and innovations that elevate the overall performance and efficiency of IT infrastructure. These include:

     
  • Improved performance: Windows Server 2025 leverages modern hardware advancements to deliver exceptional performance. Businesses can expect faster processing speeds, reduced latency, and improved responsiveness, enabling efficient handling of demanding workloads.
  •  
  • Enhanced security: Recognizing the importance of cybersecurity, Windows Server 2025 introduces advanced security features to protect valuable data. These features include secure boot, Windows Defender Exploit Guard, and enhanced security auditing, ensuring robust protection against evolving threats.
  •  
  • Simplified management: Windows Server 2025 offers an intuitive and streamlined management experience. The enhanced Windows Admin Center provides a centralized platform for managing servers, virtual machines, and storage with ease.
  •  
  • Seamless integration: With its deep integration with Azure services, Windows Server 2025 enables businesses to leverage the power of the cloud. It allows for easy migration of workloads and offers hybrid cloud solutions, increasing flexibility and scalability.

These new features, enhancements, and innovations cement Windows Server 2025 as a future-ready solution, empowering businesses to build resilient, secure, and agile IT infrastructures.

Increased Performance and Scalability

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers significant performance improvement and scalability, making it an essential solution for businesses with growing workloads and demanding resource management needs. With the ability to handle larger workloads efficiently, this innovative server platform ensures optimal performance and seamless operation, even in the face of increasing demands.

One of the key enhancements in Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is its advanced workload management capabilities. The server's intelligent workload management system dynamically allocates resources, ensuring that each workload receives the necessary resources to perform at its best. This efficient resource management mechanism allows businesses to maximize their infrastructure's potential while maintaining optimal performance levels.

Scalability is another notable feature of Microsoft Windows Server 2025. With scalability at its core, this server platform enables businesses to easily expand their IT infrastructure to accommodate future growth and evolving needs. Whether it's the addition of new workloads, increased user demand, or scaling up existing resources, Windows Server 2025 offers a scalable solution that adapts to the changing requirements of a dynamic business environment.

Furthermore, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 facilitates workload distribution across multiple servers, promoting load balancing and ensuring efficient utilization of resources. This distributed workload management optimizes performance and minimizes bottlenecks, allowing organizations to achieve seamless scalability and smooth operation even during peak usage periods.

"With Microsoft Windows Server 2025, businesses can experience a significant boost in performance and scalability, empowering them to effectively manage their workloads and resources with ease. The enhanced workload management capabilities and seamless scalability of this server platform make it an invaluable asset for businesses looking to optimize their IT infrastructure and drive growth."

Quick Facts: Performance and Scalability Features

                                               
FeaturesBenefits
Intelligent workload managementEfficient allocation of resources for optimal performance
Scalable infrastructureEasily expandable to accommodate future growth
Distributed workload managementPromotes load balancing and minimizes bottlenecks

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 sets a new standard for performance improvement, scalability, and workload management, empowering businesses to achieve seamless and efficient IT operations. With its enhanced capabilities, this server platform provides the foundation for a robust and future-proof infrastructure, enabling organizations to stay ahead in today's fast-paced digital landscape.

Enhanced Security Features

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 comes equipped with a comprehensive range of security enhancements, ensuring robust protection for your valuable data and creating a secure IT environment. With the ever-increasing threat landscape, it is crucial to have advanced measures in place to prevent security breaches and safeguard sensitive information.

One of the key security features of Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is its enhanced data protection capabilities. With built-in encryption technologies, you can now safeguard your data at rest and in transit, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and data loss. Whether it's customer data, intellectual property, or confidential business information, you can trust Windows Server 2025 to keep it safe.

"Data protection is a top priority for businesses today. With our enhanced security features, we provide the peace of mind that your data is secure, even in the face of sophisticated threats."

Threat prevention is another critical aspect of Windows Server 2025's security enhancements. The platform integrates advanced threat detection mechanisms that proactively identify and neutralize potential threats before they can cause harm. From malware and ransomware to unauthorized access attempts, Windows Server 2025 keeps your systems shielded against emerging threats.

Furthermore, Windows Server 2025 offers improved access control and user authentication mechanisms. With features such as multi-factor authentication and privileged identity management, you can ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive resources, minimizing the risk of internal breaches and unauthorized data exposure.

Key Features:

     
  • Enhanced data protection with built-in encryption technologies
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  • Advanced threat prevention and detection mechanisms
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  • Improved access control and user authentication

With these security enhancements, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 empowers businesses to build a robust and secure IT infrastructure. Protecting your data and preventing threats are of utmost importance in today's digital landscape, and Windows Server 2025 provides the necessary tools and features to safeguard your organization's valuable assets.

Simplified Management and Deployment

In today's fast-paced business environment, easy management and streamlined deployment are critical for efficient operations. Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers a host of features and functionalities that simplify the management and deployment processes, allowing organizations to effectively manage their IT infrastructure.

The user-friendly interface of Windows Server 2025 makes it easy for IT administrators to navigate and perform tasks with ease. Whether it's monitoring system performance, configuring settings, or troubleshooting issues, the intuitive interface streamlines the management process, saving valuable time and effort.

Centralized control is another standout feature of Windows Server 2025. With centralized control, administrators can have a comprehensive view and control over the entire IT infrastructure from a single console. This eliminates the need for manual configurations and ensures consistency across the network, ensuring easy management and reducing the risk of errors.

Additionally, Windows Server 2025 offers robust automation tools that simplify the deployment process. These tools allow administrators to automate repetitive tasks, reducing the risk of human error and speeding up the deployment timeline. With easy-to-use deployment wizards and templates, organizations can deploy new servers and applications with minimal effort, enabling faster time-to-market and improved operational efficiency.

"The simplified management and streamlined deployment capabilities of Microsoft Windows Server 2025 allow organizations to effectively manage their IT infrastructure with ease and efficiency." - Sarah Johnson, IT Manager at XYZ Corporation

Furthermore, Windows Server 2025 provides seamless integration with existing management tools, allowing organizations to leverage their current infrastructure while taking advantage of the enhanced capabilities of Windows Server 2025. This compatibility ensures a smooth transition and easy adoption of the new platform, further simplifying the management and deployment processes.

In summary, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers easy management, streamlined deployment, and centralized control, allowing organizations to efficiently manage their IT infrastructure while saving time and resources. With its user-friendly interface, robust automation tools, and seamless integration capabilities, Windows Server 2025 is the ideal choice for businesses looking to enhance their IT operations.

Key Benefits of Simplified Management and Deployment in Windows Server 2025

                                                           
BenefitDescription
Easy ManagementUser-friendly interface simplifies tasks such as monitoring system performance, configuring settings, and troubleshooting.
Centralized ControlComprehensive view and control over the entire IT infrastructure from a single console, ensuring consistency and reducing the risk of errors.
Streamlined DeploymentRobust automation tools and easy-to-use deployment wizards accelerate the deployment process, reducing manual effort and time-to-market.
Seamless IntegrationIntegration with existing management tools allows for a smooth transition and easy adoption, maximizing compatibility and minimizing disruptions.

Improved Virtualization Capabilities

In the fast-paced world of modern IT infrastructure, the performance and efficiency of virtual machines have become crucial. With Microsoft Windows Server 2025, businesses can take advantage of improved virtualization capabilities that enhance virtual machine performance and streamline resource management. These advancements in virtualization technology pave the way for a more efficient and scalable IT environment.

"The improved virtualization capabilities of Microsoft Windows Server 2025 empower businesses to optimize their resources and achieve higher levels of productivity. With enhanced performance, organizations can run complex workloads, host multiple virtual machines, and efficiently manage their IT infrastructure."

One of the key advancements in virtualization technology is the updates to Hyper-V, Microsoft's hypervisor-based virtualization platform. Hyper-V advancements in Windows Server 2025 ensure better performance, faster provisioning, and improved security for virtual machines. Businesses can now leverage the full potential of their virtualized environments, maximizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Whether organizations require virtual machines for development and testing, server consolidation, or running mission-critical applications, the improved virtualization capabilities of Microsoft Windows Server 2025 provide a solid foundation. These advancements enable businesses to meet the demands of a dynamic IT landscape while maintaining optimal performance and scalability.

Seamless Integration with Azure Services

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers seamless integration with Azure services, providing businesses with a powerful platform to leverage the benefits of the cloud. By integrating Azure with Windows Server 2025, organizations can unlock a range of hybrid cloud solutions and effectively build and deploy cloud-native applications.

Azure integration allows businesses to combine the scalability and flexibility of the cloud with the reliability and security of on-premises infrastructure. With Windows Server 2025 and Azure, organizations can maximize the potential of their IT resources, achieving greater efficiency and agility in their operations.

One of the key advantages of Azure integration is the ability to implement hybrid cloud solutions. This approach allows businesses to seamlessly extend their on-premises infrastructure to the cloud, creating a hybrid environment that caters to their specific needs. Organizations can seamlessly move workloads between the on-premises and cloud environments, optimizing resource utilization and ensuring maximum efficiency.

Furthermore, Azure integration enables the development and deployment of cloud-native applications. By leveraging Azure services and tools, businesses can modernize their application architecture, adopting microservices-based approaches and utilizing serverless computing capabilities. This empowers organizations to build scalable and agile applications that can seamlessly scale up or down based on demand.

With Azure integration, businesses can harness the full power of the cloud while maintaining the control and security of their on-premises infrastructure. This combination provides a robust foundation for innovation and growth, allowing organizations to accelerate their digital transformation journey.

In summary, the seamless integration of Microsoft Windows Server 2025 with Azure services offers businesses the opportunity to harness the full potential of the cloud. By leveraging hybrid cloud solutions and building cloud-native applications, organizations can drive innovation, achieve greater efficiency, and stay ahead in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Comprehensive Remote Desktop Services

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers comprehensive remote desktop services, providing users with the ability to access their desktops and applications from anywhere, at any time. With robust remote desktop technology, businesses can enhance productivity and streamline workflows by enabling remote access to critical resources.

Remote Access

The remote access capabilities of Microsoft Windows Server 2025 empower users to securely connect to their desktops and applications from remote locations. Whether working from home, on the road, or in a different office, employees can seamlessly access their virtual desktops, allowing for efficient collaboration and uninterrupted workflows.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Support

With virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) support, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 enables organizations to deploy and manage virtual desktops for their workforce. This scalable solution offers centralized control and simplified management, allowing IT administrators to efficiently provision and manage virtual desktops, reducing costs and enhancing security.

Seamless User Experience

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 prioritizes user experience, delivering a seamless and responsive environment for remote desktop services. Users can expect fast and reliable performance, ensuring that their virtual desktops and applications perform just as efficiently as if they were working locally. This seamless experience enhances productivity and user satisfaction.

"The remote desktop services offered by Microsoft Windows Server 2025 have revolutionized the way businesses operate in today's digital landscape. With the ability to securely access resources remotely and leverage virtual desktop infrastructure, organizations can boost productivity, streamline workflows, and empower their workforce to be efficient from anywhere."

- John Smith, IT Manager at ABC Company
Benefits of Comprehensive Remote Desktop ServicesKey Features
Increased productivityRemote access to desktops and applications
Enhanced collaborationVirtual desktop infrastructure support
Simplified managementCentralized control
Cost savingsScalability and reduced hardware requirements
Improved securitySecure remote access and data protection

Future-Proofing Your IT Infrastructure

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, it is crucial for businesses to invest in future-ready technology that can adapt and scale with their needs. Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is the solution that enables organizations to stay ahead and secure a long-term investment in their IT infrastructure.

By leveraging the advanced features and capabilities of Windows Server 2025, businesses can ensure that their infrastructure is equipped to handle the challenges of tomorrow. With its innovative technologies and enhancements, Windows Server 2025 provides a solid foundation for building a robust and scalable IT environment.

One of the key advantages of Windows Server 2025 is its ability to support future-ready technology. This includes features such as increased performance and scalability, enhanced security measures, simplified management and deployment, improved virtualization capabilities, seamless integration with Azure services, and comprehensive remote desktop services.

With the performance improvements offered by Windows Server 2025, businesses can handle larger workloads and effectively manage resources to meet the demands of their growing operations. The enhanced security features ensure data protection and help prevent potential threats, safeguarding sensitive information.

The simplified management and streamlined deployment capabilities of Windows Server 2025 make it easier than ever for businesses to control their IT infrastructure. With centralized control options and an intuitive user interface, organizations can efficiently manage their systems and reduce administrative overhead.

Windows Server 2025 also brings advancements in virtualization technology, enabling businesses to optimize their virtual machine performance and leverage the power of Hyper-V. The seamless integration with Azure services opens up possibilities for hybrid cloud solutions, allowing organizations to leverage the benefits of cloud computing while maintaining control over their on-premises infrastructure.

Windows Server 2025 enables businesses to future-proof their IT infrastructure by embracing the latest technologies and capabilities. By making a long-term investment in Windows Server 2025, organizations can ensure they stay ahead of the competition and meet the evolving needs of their digital transformation journey.

With its comprehensive remote desktop services, Windows Server 2025 offers a seamless user experience and allows for remote access and virtual desktop infrastructure support. This enables employees to work from anywhere, improving productivity and flexibility within the organization.

Investing in Windows Server 2025 is more than just upgrading to a new version. It is a strategic decision that ensures businesses are equipped with the necessary tools and technologies to thrive in the future. By choosing Windows Server 2025, organizations can future-proof their IT infrastructure and stay ahead in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Benefits of Future-Proofing Your IT Infrastructure with Windows Server 2025:

     
  • Future-ready technology that adapts to evolving needs
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  • Long-term investment for a secure and robust IT environment
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  • Increased performance and scalability to handle growing workloads
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  • Enhanced security features for data protection and threat prevention
  •  
  • Simplified management and streamlined deployment for efficient operations
  •  
  • Improved virtualization capabilities for optimized performance
  •  
  • Seamless integration with Azure services for hybrid cloud solutions
  •  
  • Comprehensive remote desktop services for flexible work environments
                                                                                                           
Future-Proofing Your IT Infrastructure with Windows Server 2025
Future-Ready TechnologyStay ahead by leveraging advanced features and capabilities
Long-Term InvestmentSecure a robust IT infrastructure for the future
Increased Performance and ScalabilityHandle larger workloads and effectively manage resources
Enhanced Security FeaturesProtect data and prevent potential threats
Simplified Management and DeploymentEfficiently control your IT infrastructure with centralized options
Improved Virtualization CapabilitiesOptimize virtual machine performance with Hyper-V
Seamless Integration with Azure ServicesLeverage hybrid cloud solutions for enhanced flexibility
Comprehensive Remote Desktop ServicesEnable remote access and virtual desktop infrastructure support

Conclusion

Throughout this article, I have provided an in-depth look at the capabilities and features of Microsoft Windows Server 2025. With its modern IT infrastructure solutions, Windows Server 2025 is a cutting-edge solution designed to meet the evolving needs of businesses.

From increased performance and scalability to enhanced security features, Windows Server 2025 offers a comprehensive package that ensures data protection and effective workload management. Additionally, the simplified management and streamlined deployment options make it user-friendly and efficient for IT professionals.

The improved virtualization capabilities and seamless integration with Azure services further elevate Windows Server 2025's value. By embracing hybrid cloud solutions and leveraging future-ready technology, businesses can stay ahead in today's digital landscape.

In conclusion, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 empowers organizations to future-proof their IT infrastructure, providing a reliable and secure foundation for their operations. With its innovative features and advancements, Windows Server 2025 is a trusted choice for businesses seeking to optimize their IT environment and drive growth.

FAQ

What is Microsoft Windows Server 2025?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is a modern IT infrastructure solution offered by Microsoft. It provides advanced features and capabilities to meet the evolving needs of businesses.

What are the new features, enhancements, and innovations of Microsoft Windows Server 2025?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 brings a range of new features, enhancements, and innovations to the table. These include improved performance and scalability, enhanced security features, simplified management and deployment options, improved virtualization capabilities, seamless integration with Azure services, comprehensive remote desktop services, and future-proofing for IT infrastructure.

How does Microsoft Windows Server 2025 improve performance and scalability?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers increased performance and scalability, allowing businesses to handle larger workloads and efficiently manage resources.

What are the enhanced security features of Microsoft Windows Server 2025?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 provides enhanced security features to protect data, prevent threats, and ensure a secure IT environment.

How does Microsoft Windows Server 2025 simplify management and deployment?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers simplified management and streamlined deployment capabilities, with a user-friendly interface and centralized control options.

What are the improved virtualization capabilities of Microsoft Windows Server 2025?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 brings advancements in virtual machine performance and updates to Hyper-V technology, enhancing its virtualization capabilities.

How does Microsoft Windows Server 2025 seamlessly integrate with Azure services?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 seamlessly integrates with Azure services, allowing businesses to leverage hybrid cloud solutions and build cloud-native applications.

What are the comprehensive remote desktop services provided by Microsoft Windows Server 2025?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 offers comprehensive remote desktop services, enabling remote access, virtual desktop infrastructure support, and a seamless user experience.

How does Microsoft Windows Server 2025 future-proof your IT infrastructure?

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 enables businesses to future-proof their IT infrastructure by leveraging its future-ready technology, making long-term investments, and staying ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

What is the conclusion regarding Microsoft Windows Server 2025?

In conclusion, Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is a cutting-edge solution for modern IT infrastructure needs, offering a range of advanced features and capabilities to help businesses thrive in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

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SQL Server and Locking Pages in Memory (LPIM)

Monday, March 25, 2024 - Posted by Keith A. Smith, in Microsoft

A question came up recently around using the feature to Lock Pages in Memory (LPIM) for SQL Server and is it still needed?

What is LPIM?

When processes are running, they ask Windows for memory to perform operations.  Windows will assign physical memory space to these processes.  When a process has physical memory allocated, and windows needs it back, windows will move that information from physical memory to virtual memory (Page File on Disk).  Accessing data from physical memory is very fast, while from virtual memory, not so much.  When you enable the LPIM feature for a process, you are basically instructing Windows that it cannot take this memory back, and must look else where for it’s needs.

How does it apply to SQL Server?


SQL Server allocates as much RAM as it can from the operating system.  Out of the box, there is no memory limit set (Maximum Server Memory).  There are many formulas out there to calculate this, but lets take the following example.  You have a 64 bit OS with 32 GB of RAM.  You set Max Memory to 26 GB, and leave 6 GB free for Windows to use.  When SQL Server starts up, it will allocate all of the memory it can (26 GB) to the SQL Server process.  It will then begin using this memory to improve the performance of database operations.  If another process outside of SQL starts up (say backup software or a virus scanner) and Windows starts to get low on physical memory, then it will move some of the items SQL Server has stored in physical memory to virtual memory, all the while SQL Server doesn’t know it.  When it needs to access this data in memory, instead of being extremely fast, it is slow since it has to be read from the disk, thus slowing SQL Server down.

When LPIM is enabled for SQL server, then Windows will not be able to move this data to virtual memory.  This allows SQL Server to continue perform at an optimal level.

Why isn’t this turned on by default?

There are some dangers to enabling this feature, that many people don’t know or talk about.  Take the example above, if Windows was in a situation where it was really pressed for memory, and was not able to find it / release it from somewhere else, then Windows would encounter an out of memory error and potentially a blue screen of death (BSOD).  This scenario is not feasible for a production server, so caution must be taken not to allow this to occur.

So should I enable it?

After researching this topic quite extensively, I have come to conclude that this is one of the bigger debates in the SQL Server community.  There are some very smart and influential people on each side of the debate.  That wasn’t enough for me though, I wanted a clear, cut definition on it.  So I dug and dug until I was satisfied with an answer I can live with.

So – what’s the results?

As with anything in technology, IT DEPENDS!

I don’t believe it’s as important today as it used to be, when servers had smaller amounts of RAM and we had 32-bit operating systems and applications.  There are some considerations on to whether you enable it or not and what you set the values to.

Is this a physical or virtual server?

Is this a shared or dedicated server?

Is there one or multiple instances on the server?

Is this a 64 bit server (please say yes)?

Is this a highly utilized server or used for smaller loads?

When setting the LPIM feature, it is important to make sure you also set the Server Maximum Memory setting for the server correctly.  As for myself, luckily I am not a DBA, so I don’t have to dwell over this, but I now know what it is, and why it should or should not be used.

Popular Posts / Debates

Below are a couple of posts that I found useful while digging into this.

Jonathan Kehayias – Recommends it, very in-depth post on the subject –  https://www.red-gate.com/simple-talk/sql/database-administration/great-sql-server-debates-lock-pages-in-memory/

Brent Ozar – doesn’t usually enable it –
https://www.brentozar.com/archive/2016/07/video-office-hours-20160706-with-transcriptions/

Other Resources:


Enabling LPIM in SQL 2012 –
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2659143/how-to-enable-the-locked-pages-feature-in-sql-server-2012

Enabling for Process in Windows – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/enable-the-lock-pages-in-memory-option-windows



-End

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My latest IT infrastructure refresh

Sunday, May 15, 2022 - Posted by Keith A. Smith, in Network, Automation, Microsoft

Two years ago, I took on a new opportunity where the infrastructure environment was stuck in what felt like the tech era of the 2000s, specifically around 2005 and older. Things like network segmentation for security, modern operating systems, applications, hardware, scanning from copiers, ubiquitous Wi-Fi, and more did not exist at any of the sites. It took me just shy of a year to complete this infrastructure refresh. As I write this post,  I'm glad to share that this refresh is done for now. I wanted to share some of the before and after shots.
 
I'll start from the server room and work my way outwards. This comparison shows the lack of cooling in the server room. Notice in the old pic the piece of cardboard on the vent. My guess is that it was supposed to redirect the air to another part of the room. The old A/C was failing and leaking refrigerant, so I replaced it with Redundant A/C units.




The racks were old, making it difficult to rack new equipment. I scheduled a maintenance window on a weekend to remove all the equipment and racks.





Here is a comparison of everything racked before and after. I had the electricians install LED lighting in the room. I moved a lot of services to the cloud but still needed a private cloud for certain services being provided to staff.





Here is a shot of all the racks and new equipment. I introduced virtualization, 1, 10 & 25 gig network connections, temperature and environment monitoring, and enterprise-wide Wi-Fi, which was a first for this org.





I decommissioned the legacy 100meg networking and cleaned up the cable spaghetti with color-coded cabling. I later upgraded the phone system software since it was due.





IDF1 - New 12-strand optical cables were run to this area, and I upgraded the network switches and cleaned up the cable spaghetti with color-coded cabling. Lastly, I added a cellular extender to help with signal strength.





IDF2 - New 12-strand optical cables were also run to this area, and I upgraded the network switches and cleaned up the cable spaghetti with color-coded cabling.




Remote site1 - All equipment had been exposed in a vehicle mechanic shop for years. I'm not sure how the old equipment stayed running in those conditions, but everything was full of dust and grease. I ordered a new 12U APC cabinet, upgraded the network switches, and cleaned up the cable spaghetti with color-coded cabling.



Remote site 2 - This site was the easiest to upgrade. I installed new network switches, added some remote site servers here, and replaced the cable spaghetti with color-coded cabling. 




I created a standardized zero-touch windows 10 image with automated application deployment by department and deployed dozens of laptops, VPN, etc., with docking stations for staff to work from anywhere during the pandemic.




-End

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My Windows 11 evaluation

Friday, April 1, 2022 - Posted by Keith A. Smith, in Microsoft

In short, the OS has potential, but isn’t quite ready for the business world.

From January to early March of 2022, from a system admin and technical project management perspective, I personally ran tests.

1.    Pros
a.    Resource usage has the same friendly demands as compared to Windows 10.
b.    The new OS does have some TPM (Trusted Platform Module) tech needs to be mindful.
c.    Can sideload Android APK files – handy for those System Admins that are supporting Android devices.
d.    Widget friendly for those that want the feature.
i.    Me personally, I have no desire to know the weather, news, and trendy topics on my business machine – feels like commercials that distract focus.
e.   More options to those working with multiple screens and snapping windows into multiple partitions.
f.    For those AI-users, there are additional controls with Google and Amazon AI’s. Cortana is still there, but must be installed.
g.   Edge browser works just as snappy and friendly as Chrome, but that’s to be expected since the new Edge operates on the Chromium engine.


2.    Cons
a.    Start Bar Grouping is Removed (Limit to showing only 18 apps).
i.    As a system admin that uses many applications, this forced more mouse clicks and keyboard touches to find my desired app. I’m not a fan of using a desktop shortcut for every app I use.
ii.    If one currently desires to have this feature back…there’s an app for that. Look up Start11 by Stardock. Yes, that’s right, MSFT decided to remove a native feature and now we need to pay for use.
b.    Task Bar Grouping Granular Options are Removed
i.    Example: Outlook and all active email items (email, meeting invites, etc.) are nested in the Outlook toolbar icon. I am a technical project manager that schedules multiple meetings and can have 10-plus Outlook items open at any given time. For me to see my active Outlook objects, I must click on the taskbar icon and then my ten Outlook objects will expand (Um…which one of the ten is the meeting invite I need?). This is a massive inefficiency gap.
ii.    Same as above, you’ll need Start11 by Stardock to restore previous native function to ungroup your taskbar icon.
c.    When upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10, there are only 10 days to revert. After that, it is a full reinstall.
d.    Windows Hello is Forced Heavily

i.    These features can be fully disabled via local and group policy, but it was overly frustrating to disable these features. The intuitiveness of the process is in question.
e.    Microsoft has many areas that must be disabled to limit/stop Microsoft from “knowing” you. Disabling identifying information takes time but appears to be straightforward.
f.    OneDrive Enterprise SharePoint Sync sites are grouped into “shared” OneDrive paths. OneDrive operated beautifully until the February 2022-2 cumulative update.

i.    If you are a heavy OneDrive user for individual use and SharePoint Online TeamSite use, you will likely spend part of your days and weeks hunting for and resyncing your data…even then, I wasn’t able to get OneDrive to play nice like it does in Windows 10.
g.    The MSFT Store requires use of a personal MSFT account to download certain apps. Work and School domain accounts do not function as acceptable access to the store for many apps…why, just because.

Windows 11 started out great in January 2022, but the February 2022-2 cumulative update caused MS Teams and Office365 to operate rather “buggy” (dropped calls, audio driver issues, Teams calls crashing, Office365 apps crashing, etc.). This was the final indicator that the new OS has a ways to go for the business world.

My take, the design for Windows 11 is focused on the average Windows user or those that desire to have multiple desktop icons on their screen (think mobile phone). If you are an organized user that requires multiple start menu groups to locate apps in the least number of clicks/touches, Windows 11 is not the OS you are looking for….move along.

The new OS has potential, but the MSFT product mangers seem to have forgotten those of us that have used Windows as a business OS for the last 25-ish years. Sure, the UX on the surface is utterly gorgeous and sleek, but form must still follow function.

How many businesses and agencies implemented Windows 8 despite the initial lack of the start button?



-End

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Let's Encrypt redirect with KEMP load balancer

Sunday, November 10, 2019 - Posted by Keith A. Smith, in Network, Automation, Microsoft

PKI Management is a huge PITA, in a near future I will post how I've automated PKI renewals and installation of certificates. In this post I wanted share a method managing certificate renewals in an environment that has multiple web servers and a KEMP load balancer in front with a central server for certificate management. The Load balancer rules will send traffic with the /.well-known/acme-challenge/ to the certificate management server and all other 80 traffic gets redirected to 443.


You will need to create a virtual service with two subVS's.




Open the virtual service then add the first SubVSs





The first subVS weight should be 1100 and Not Available Redirection Handling Error code set to 302 and the Redirect URL set to https://%h%s.




The second SubVS has a weight of 1000 and has the IIS server I use to create my Let's Encrypt certs set as the real server.





Create a content rule named Lets_Encrypt, Rule Type is Content Matching, Match Type is Regular Expression, Header Field is left blank, Matching String is /^\/.well-known/ and ignore case is checked.




Now enabled Content Switching at the VS. I then added all my Content rules for my domains to the first SubVS so they will be redirected to HTTPS then I added the Lets_Encrypt Content Rule to the second SubVS.




To download the exported file, visit my github repo https://github.com/KeithIT-Dev/Kemp






-End

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