Windows - v12n.io

Windows

A collection of 13 posts

Cloudbase-Init with vRealize Automation and vSphere - No CD Drive!

Cloudbase-Init with vRealize Automation and vSphere - No CD Drive!

This article explains how to use Cloudbase-Init with vRealize Automation and vSphere without requiring a CD drive in every Windows VM.

Automating the installation of Cloudbase-Init in Windows templates using Packer

Automating the installation of Cloudbase-Init in Windows templates using Packer

A brief post that provides some PowerShell commands to install Cloudbase-Init in a Windows Server image produced by Packer

Installing Cloudbase-Init on Windows for vRA Customisation

Installing Cloudbase-Init on Windows for vRA Customisation

A brief guide to installing Cloudbase-Init in a VMware vSphere VM template to use with vRealize Automation 8

Creating vSphere VM templates with Packer (part 5) - Windows templates

Armed with some vSphere variables, it's now time to create a Windows template. In post 5 of this series that process is described.

Creating vSphere VM templates with Packer (part 4) - vSphere variables

In part 4 of this series it's finally time to introduce some JSON. The variables that I re-use in every template for telling Packer where to provision machines.

Creating vSphere VM templates with Packer (part 3) - Variables, builders and provisioners

In part 3 of this series I cover some of the configuration and terminology required to get going with builds and that will be used in the rest of the series.

Creating vSphere VM templates with Packer (part 2) - Preparation

Now Packer is introduced, it's time to prepare for using it to create some vSphere templates. This is part 2 of a series.

Creating vSphere VM templates with Packer (part 1) - Introduction

Bored of hand-rolling vSphere templates? I was! This is part 1 of a series that documents creating vSphere templates using Packer.

SIDs in Windows VMs

Today sysinternals [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx] retired the NewSID tool from their suite of utilities. Mark Russinovich (one of the writers of NewSID [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897418.aspx] – the other being Bryce Cogswell) explains in his blog how the decision to retire the

Windows VM MAC Address Change

Sometimes moving a server into a Virtual Infrastructure is not straightforward. Consider a server that has software on it that is licensed based on a MAC address for instance. MAC addresses start with a vendor ID and the rest of the address is made up with hexadecimal numbers to make

The Arc - Microsoft Architecture Magazine

I haven't read it yet (not enough hours in the day) but I came across The Arc Magazine yesterday. Described by Microsoft as “a multi-part publication showcasing the Microsoft ‘Software + Services' strategy from an architectural perspective” it's availble to download [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/dd458995.aspx] from Microsoft's MSDN

Setting up Sysprep for vCenter 2.5

Several of my recent clients (my current one included) have both avoided, failed or just not used Virtual Machine (VM) templates. Depending on who you ask the answer to the question “Why Not?” seems to vary between: * “I didn't know that you could do that” * “We couldn't make it work”

Remote Shutdown with PowerShell

Here's the scenario: You've just hit shut down in your remote desktop session. You're logged off Windows Server 2003 and your RDP session is closed. You wait a while and try to login again. Surely the server must have rebooted by now. But try as you might, you cannot get