Microsoft KMS Host

Recently I have to setup KMS server to activate Windows 2008/R2 and Windows 7 on our network.

Here are some necessary steps/tricks:

• If a Windows was activated with KMS key, it will automatically become a KMS host
• Depending on the KMS host OS and the KMS group key entered, different KMS clients can be activated through this KMS host
• KMS group key C is the highest you can enter which basically can activate all Windows 2008/R2, Vista, and Windows 7 with any edition
• To enter KMS key, run cmd prompt in escalated mode and do:

slmgr.vbs /ipk

• To activate KMS host, do:

slmgr.vbs /ato

• Once KMS host has been activated, check DNS entry for _VLMCS SRV record that points to this KMS host
• To check how many KMS client has been trying to activate themselves through KMS host, do:

slmgr.vbs /dli

• Now all the KMS clients (Volume License Key) should by default try to activate through KMS host
  
• If you accidentally entered a KMS key to a KMS client, you can de-activate the KMS client by entering the "client type" key. Client type key depends on the Windows version, check on the following link

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303280.aspx

• Once you have the client type key, enter it and activate it:

slmgr.vbs /ipk
slmgr.vbs /ato

Running PEAP with Cisco Aeronet 1231G and Cisco Wireless IP Phone 7925G

To run WiFi with WPA and PEAP using Cisco Aeronet and Windows IAS/NPS, you need the following:

• Cisco Aeronet Access Point
• Windows Server (2003/2008) running IAS/NPS as the Radius server
• Server authentication certificate (commercial or self-signed)

Setting the Access Point

Login to the access point using HTTP/HTTPS, navigate to Security - Server Manager

Create a new radius server, point it to the Windows IAS/NPS (installed later). Speficy the shared secret and port for authentication and accounting

Set the default server priorities to or the new Radius server's IP address you just added

Navigate to Security - SSID Manager

Create a new SSID, attach it to the VLAN and tick the Radio checkbox

For Client Authentication Settings, tick Open Authentication with EAP and Network EAP. Change the Server Priorities to Customize or use defaults

For Client Authentication Key Management, select Mandatory for Key Management and tick WPA

SSID Settings. (optional) select Multiple SSID if you are running this SSID as multiple SSID

Navigate to Security - Encryption Manager

Select Encryption Modes to Chipher with AES CCMP + TKIP

Select Encryption Keys to Key 2 and let the value blank

Setting IAS/NPS

Once the NPS installed, run the wizard to setup the Wireless network.
We need to add a radius client which is the IP address of the Cisco Access Point

Navigate to Advancced tab, select the vendor name to Cisco

Navigate to Policies and select Connection Request Policies. Select the Secure Wireless Policy

Most of the following settings are the default value

Navigate to Use Windows authentication for all users. The following settings are having the default value

Navigate to Secure Wireless Connections. The following settings are having the default value

We specify which AD Security Group has access to this policy

Up to this stage, you need to import a server authentication certificate. This can be a commercial certificate or self-signed certificate. If you use self-signed certificate, you need to make sure the clients machine that is going to connect to this WiFi must trust the Root CA who generate this certificate

Select Microsoft Protected EAP (PEAP) and select Edit

If you have the certificate installed correctly, you should see the option which certificate you want to use

On the Settings tab

MCITP: Server Administrator (Windows 2008)

Just passed 70-649 today with score 1000!! Not expecting that, but hey, I am officially an MCITP: Server Administrator

Windows 2008 UAC

I have SQL 2008 x64 (mixed mode) installed on Windows 2008 x64. When trying to login to SQL using my Domain Admins account, I get the following error:

Login failed for user 'DOMAIN\username'. Reason: Token-based server access validation failed with an infrastructure error. Check for previous errors. [CLIENT: X.X.X.X]

answer? "Run as administrator" the SQL Server Management Studio!!

Apparently UAC does not pass your user group membership properly to the SQL Server Management Studio.