Put an ESX(i) host in Maintenace Mode using command line

Every time I have to put ESX(i) hosts into maintenance only by means of command line I have some kind of blackout which ends in "googleing" for proper syntax.

It is high time to finally remember how to put ESX(i) host into maintenance mode from command line:

For ESX Host:
vmware-vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter
vmware-vim-cmd hostsvc/hostsummary | grep inMaintenance
vmware-vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

For ESXi Host:
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter
vim-cmd hostsvc/hostsummary | grep inMaintenance
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit


Hope putting it down will help at least for some time...:)
 

Windows Server Core - check for installed roles and features

How to find all roles and features installed at Windows Server 2008 Core without remote MMC console...?? How to easily do this without looking at the entire oclist.exe tree...??

There are two simple methods:

• oclist.exe |find "Installed" |find /v "Not Installed"

And if you have the W2K8R2 version you can use dism.exe command:

• dism.exe /online /get-features /format:table |find "Enabled"  

HP Firmware sources

I usually spent a lot of time to check if there is any new firmware for HP Blade Systems family.

To simplify my further searches below you will find links to all necessary firmwares and tools.
Remember to look at Revision History and check if there is any new version available:


OnBoard Administrator
Firmware DVD
Virtual Connect
VC Support Utility
iLO3
iLO2

Hopefully HP won't change sources...:)

And they did... Links updated...

What does the "Cloud in the box" means for you...??

Great explanation:

 

References:

Neovise 

vCritical 

ESX and HP Virtual Connect references

I found some decent articles about ESX and Virtual Connect compatibility and configuration.
I strongly recommend reading those articles to everyone who have to setup new environment or is facing issues with existing configuration.

General HP Flex and VMWare ESX prerequisites  -> side note: Firmware DVD 9.30 have already been released
HP Flex Design Part 1
HP Flex Design Part 2
HP and Cisco Interoperability


Amazing stuff...:)

YouTube, a ZOO

Miałem obejrzeć jakąś nudną zapowiedź, a tu YouTube poprawił mi humor na cały dzień...

A w weekend idziemy do zoo... :)

PowerShell - protect all OUs from accidental deletion

I recently had to run the BPA (Best Practices Analyzer) for the AD Directory Services – and to be honest that was for the first time…:) As a result I received the following message: „All OU's in this domain should be protected from accidental deletion".

 

And as we all want to follow the best practices I decided that something needs to be improved... :) I estimated manual clicking time on the containers for 2 or 3 hours so the PowerShell came with help.

A little reading on the TechNet sites and a few commands saved a lot of time.

Here's what to do:

• Launch PowerShell and then type:
• Get-Module ActiveDirectory
• Get-ADOrganizationalUnit -filter * | Set-ADOrganizationalUnit -ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion $true

And that's all… :) Now you are protected… :)

Following best practices is easy, isn't it...??