Michael Reinders

This article explores the fundamentals of Group Policy Preferences, including their advantages over traditional Group Policy, common use cases, and step-by-step configuration guidance. It also addresses the ever-important security angle – we’ll provide additional guidance to ensure a safe and compliant deployment. What are Group Policy Preferences? Group Policy Preferences (GPP) are a powerful tool…

Microsoft Entra Identity Secure Score provides an easy-to-view dashboard of your organization’s identity security posture within Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). This blog post explains how your score is calculated, what recommendations it includes, and how organizations can use it to prioritize and implement security best practices. What is the Microsoft Entra Identity…

Microsoft Entra ID roles enable organizations of all sizes to secure resources by assigning permissions through predefined roles. This article provides an overview of Entra ID Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and a structured framework for administrators to implement RBAC effectively. What is Entra ID RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)? Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) Role-Based…

Learn how Microsoft Entra ID Groups (formerly Azure Active Directory Groups) work and their relationship to Entra ID Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). What is a Microsoft Entra ID group? There are two types of Entra ID group: – Entra ID Groups allow enterprises to manage and assign specific permissions to multiple users at once, simplifying…

Learn how to rename files using PowerShell. This guide covers the basics and a few advanced techniques, including syntax, common examples, the Registry, and even using a PowerToy. Basics and prerequisites The only prerequisites are PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7 or later, and administrator permissions with your logged-in account. The Rename-Item cmdlet is the most…

This step-by-step guide will help you master changing directories in PowerShell and navigating your file system. You will learn how to use basic and advanced techniques to change directories efficiently and streamline your workflow using PowerShell cmdlets like Set-Location, aliases like cd, and path shortcuts. Changing directory in PowerShell Changing file directories is essential when…

This guide will explore how to copy files and directories using the PowerShell Copy-Item cmdlet, cover advanced options (like recursion, filtering, and overwrite rules), and discuss performance considerations. Whether you’re a sysadmin or a developer, learn how to streamline your file operations with practical examples and best practices. What is the PowerShell Copy-Item cmdlet? The…

Use this guide to help you check your current PowerShell version, update PowerShell from one version to another, run two versions side by side in Windows Terminal, and update PowerShell to the latest revisions. Windows PowerShell has been an essential tool in the IT Pro’s toolbelt. PowerShell 5.1 was introduced back in 2016 with Windows…

This article will explore SharePoint vs Teams and how the tools work separately, together, and whether you should choose SharePoint, Teams, or both. Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams are powerful collaboration tools, but they serve different purposes. Let’s get started. What is Microsoft SharePoint? Microsoft SharePoint, released in 2001 as Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server, is…

This article delves into the essentials of setting up and activating a Windows KMS Server (Key Management Service), a crucial component for managing the volume activation of Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office products in on-premises (Active Directory) enterprise environments. Introduction – What is Windows KMS Server? The Key Management Service in Windows Server is…

Exchange Server Subscription Edition (ESSE) is the new version of Microsoft’s on-premises email and calendaring solution, due to be released early Q3 of 2025. This blog post provides a detailed overview of Exchange Server Subscription Edition, tailored for IT professionals new to Exchange Server or transitioning from older versions. Discover how little is new with…

This article provides a comprehensive guide for IT Pros on why Microsoft is replacing the MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules, and what it means for their current PowerShell scripts, and how best to migrate to the new modules. Microsoft announced the retirement and deprecation of the MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules back in the middle…