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Sometimes you need to backup a virtual machine that needs to remain in a running state. Volume Shadow Copy Service allows volumes to be backed up while applications continue to write to those volumes. In order to perform this task properly, you must first register the Hyper-V VSS writer with Windows Server Backup. The following article explains how this is accomplished.

Windows Server Backup on Windows Server 2008 R2 is an excellent backup utility that takes care of safe backups of just about anything on your Windows Server 2008. As one would expect, a convenient log of all of these backups is kept but it is not very apparent how one clears this log. The following article describes the few simple steps to clear the log.

This is the second in a series of Dial Peer Concepts and Configuration articles. This advanced overview goes into more depth about dial peer matching and the differences between inbound and outbound dial peer matching.

Every now and then an application on a virtual machine will become very resource hungry. If the application requires high-availability and is mission critical, shutting the application down to add more RAM or CPU is not an option. In such an instance, Hot-Adding CPU or RAM is a very useful skill. The following article describes how to Dynamically add CPU and Memory using vSphere Hot-Add.

A well documented error exists when you try to use the Hyper-V management tools from a Windows Vista or Windows 7 machine and try to connect to a remote Windows Server 2008 R2 machine. Fortunately there is a workaround to this issue but it does involve several steps. This article walks you through the required steps that will allow you to connect from your Vista or Windows 7 machine.

Cisco’s Communications Manager Express (CME) offers a wide range of features for voice networks. Although installation of CME is rather simple, there are certain steps that need to be considered. The following article provides a brief overview of the installation process.

Typically, mailbox servers are given priority to high-availability in Exchange but network admins should also provide high-availability to non-mailbox servers as well. The following article describes how to set up HA in Hub Transport, Edge Transport, Client Access and Unified Messaging Servers.

It happens rarely but systems do fail. A robust and reliable backup solution is paramount to ensuring the safety of valuable and irreplaceable data. Microsoft’s Data Protection Manager is one option that reliably backs up Exchange servers as well as a whole list of other services. The following article describes DPM’s capabilities as well as describes how to set the service up.

One of the more tedious tasks of a Windows install is entering the product key. This is compounded when you have to set up dozens of computers at a time. Fortunately, in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008, you no longer have to enter the product key to install the OS. Instead, Windows uses a list of valid install keys. The following article displays this list and shows you where to find it.

As high-performance networking switching equipment continues to drop in price, these systems are being implemented more frequently. This article gives a broad overview of one of these systems: Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CME). Like many of these systems, CME can be implemented over existing networks in several fashions.

J. Peter Bruzzese explains how to ensure High Availability in Exchange 2010 using Database Availability Groups. By properly configuring this component of Exchange 2010, you can ensure your company’s email system is always working efficiently and reliably.

A lot of the effort that goes into administering an Active Directory can be minimized by using Replmon. This tool provides a very useful GUI to accomplish several key tasks for AD administrators. Unfortunately, it does not come installed on Windows Server 2008, though it can be. This article will walk you through the process of setting up Replmon on Windows Server 2008.