Monthly Archives: October 2012

System Center Orchestrator 2012 sp1 beta VHD

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I’m evaluating the system center orchestrator 2012 beta 1.  Here is a pre-done VHD.  I wish they’d just give me the bits   

System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 Beta – Orchestrator – Evaluation (VHD)
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34778

This download consists of files that you extract into a single pre-configured VHD file for this System Center component. The VHD enables you to create a virtual machine to evaluate the different System Center components.
 

Enjoy,

Steve

Status message query for retrieving from within CM 2012

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Here is a status query I use to see status messages in Configuration Manager 2012 like you do normally in SCCM 2007.

select SMS_StatusMessage.*, SMS_StatMsgInsStrings.*, SMS_StatMsgAttributes.* from  SMS_StatusMessage left join SMS_StatMsgInsStrings on SMS_StatMsgInsStrings.RecordID = SMS_StatusMessage.RecordID left join SMS_StatMsgAttributes on SMS_StatMsgAttributes.RecordID = SMS_StatusMessage.RecordID where SMS_StatusMessage.MachineName = “ServerX”

Steve

Orchestrator Gold

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The internet today is a vast amount of unorganized data although Google helps some. This reminds me of watching a TV show called “Gold Rush”.  For those not familiar, it’s a group of guys who started on a journey a few years ago with no knowledge how to dig for gold.  They put together some equipment, went north to Alaska and started digging.  For months, they stumbled, bumbled and didn’t find much gold.  They moved massive amounts of earth only to find enough gold to fill a coffee cup.   I give them credit for taking the risk and at least trying it, not many people would .

Finding information on the internet is like this, there is so much information (dirt) to filter through. I’ve never been a regular user of RSS feeds although when coming up to speed on technologies, I like to join as many feeds, forums, email lists as possible. I review them periodically to pick up tips and look for ideas, and answers to any issues I might run across. It’s amazing reading other people’s issues how much you learn and for me, helps understand things better.

Thankfully with a few tools, I can find Orchestrator articles, tips and links.  I found FeedReader has an offline reader as well as an Online option.   I created a few search terms using their smart search option.  I used Orchestrator, Orchestrator 2012, Scorch, Opalis, System Center Orchestrator, Runbook and was amazed the speed it retrieved the results to a central spot.  I also use a Twitter Feed as a secondary means to finding information.  Here is the search “#scorch OR #orchestrator2012 OR #Orchestrator OR #SCO2012” I use.  Twitter is pretty noisy although I do pickup a GEM or two of information.  I review this feed about once a week.   One other GEM I found is the forums on Microsoft for Orchestrator (there are 6 individual forums) discussing various topics.  Each individual forum has an RSS feed.  Now I can review the forums among other information searched all in one spot.  This is about as much information as one can process (and make it useful). 

In conclusion, this is just a start of learning a technology, although it’s a niche product right now, Microsoft appears to be positioning Orchestrator as a key tool to achieve many things across all their products.  If you have a tip, a cool website or place for information regarding Orchestrator 2012, pass it along. 

Until Next time,

Steve Schofield
Microsoft MVP – ASP.NET/IIS

Orchestrator and Opalis resources

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One of the coolest technologies Microsoft acquired is Opalis (Now known as Orchestrator 2012).  I thought I would pass this along, many of these resources are Opalis, but should be applicable to Orchestrator.   I’ll be pass along more resources I’ve found or was provided. 

Blog D’Joy Video Collection

General Videos

· 8-Minute-Demo – Why Opalis

· 8-Minute-Demo – Automated Hyper-V IS Upgrade with OIS and VMM

Opalis Integration Server Installation Video Tutorials

· Opalis Integration Server 6.2.2 – Installation Video Tutorial

· Opalis Integration Server 6.3 – Installation Video Tutorial

· Opalis Integration Server – Operator Console – Installation Video Tutorial

· Opalis Operator Console as a Service

Opalis Integration Server Best Practices

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Auditing

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Complex Link Logic

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Data Mapping

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Error Handling

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – External Interfaces

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Global Settings

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Junction Object

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Looping

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Making Everything Dynamic

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Multi-Value Data Handling

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Naming Conventions and Versioning Policies

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Pipeline vs Legacy Mode

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Policy Engine Rules

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Policy Logging

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Policy Promotion

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Restartable / Haltable Policies

· 8-Minute-Demo – OIS 6.3 – Best Practice Video Shorts – Securing Policies

Quick Integration Kit Video Tutorials

· QIK Video Tutorial 1 of 3 – QIK CLI

· QIK Video Tutorial 2 of 3 – QIK SDK

· QIK Video Tutorial 3 of 3 – QIK Icons

Other Videos

· Webcast–Using Opalis to perform DR based on an Application State

· Customizing Service Manager and Opalis

Blogs

· Triggering Opalis Workflows Using Complex Schedules

· MS SQL Server Dump / Copy / Load

· Data Manipulation Functions

· Field Mapping

· Global Settings

· Working with XML

· Integrating Scripts into Workflows

· Workflow Control

· Working with SNMP

· Working with Multi-Value Data

· Working with SSH

· Working with Text Files

· Working with Web Services

· Opalis Web Service Example Workflows

· Workflow Design – Branching

· Working with Databases

· Working with Remedy

· Workflows running on Testing Console but not on Action Server?

· Using Opalis to automate Standard Operating Procedures

· Does Opalis have an Integration Pack for ________________?

· Using Opalis to get info from the SCX Cross Platform Agent

· Making Custom Objects & Integration Packs Using PowerShell Scripts

· Opalis 6.3: System Center Service Manager Driven Hyper-V VM Provisioning

· Opalis 6.3: Getting Started with the Service Manager Integration Pack

· Opalis 6.3: Automating Hyper-V Cluster Patching using the Configuration Manager IP (Part 1)

· Opalis 6.3: Automating Hyper-V Cluster Patching using the Configuration Manager IP (Part 2)

· Opalis 6.3: Automating Hyper-V Cluster Patching using the Configuration Manager IP (Part 3)

· Opalis 6.3: CMDB Automation with System Center Service Manager and Opalis

· Opalis 6.3: VM Provisioning with Deep Customization with Opalis and System Center Virtual Machine Manager

· Opalis 6.3: VM Checkpoint Orchestration with Opalis and System Center Virtual Machine Manager

· Opalis 6.3: Checkpoint Cleanup with Opalis and System Center Virtual Machine Manager

· Opalis 6.3 to orchestrate SharePoint 2010

· Opalis 6.3: Running PowerShell scripts on 64-Bit Operating Systems

· Opalis 6.3: What version do I have installed?

· How to monitor for Opalis Integration Server Platform Events

· Opalis 6.3: Incident Escalation using the System Center Service Manager IP

· Opalis 6.3: Opalis System Center Service Manager Integration Pack: Attachments

· Exploring VMM Live Migration as part of a patching workflow

· Test your ability to run remote PowerShell on a computer before you actually do it

· Opalis – Add a User to a Service Manager Review Activity

· MMS BB51 session demo – User Initiated Server Restart

· MMS BB53 session demo – Automated Protection of Resources

· MSIT internal Opalis adoption – Using Opalis to Move Files Across Untrusted Domains

· Handling PowerShell Switch Parameters in QIK CLI Activities

· Evaluating the “Reach” of Our Opalis Infrastructure at Microsoft

· Building Scalable Workflows in Opalis

· Sending Email with PowerShell and the Run.Net Object

· Opalis and the Internal Microsoft Adoption Story (On Demand Webcast)

MVP 2012 award renewed!

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I was honored to receive the Microsoft 2012 MVP award for IIS/ASP.NET.  Not sure how many years I’ve been doing this, but every year it’s really cool to be honored by the MS team.

Thanks and to another year of geeking!

Steve Schofield
Windows Server MVP – IIS
http://www.iislogs.com/steveschofield

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