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If you need to add a network adapter, first choose which method you want to use to install it. Most people prefer to use a USB (Universal Serial Bus) network adapter, because it’s easy to install. If you have a portable computer, you might find a CardBus (also known as PCMCIA or PC Card) or CF network adapter better meets your needs. If you have a desktop computer with the proper amount of available space, you may also have the option of adding an internal network adapter.

The instructions you follow to install a network adapter depend on how you connect it:

How to determine if you have a network adapter

Many newer computers have a network adapter built in that you can use to connect to a wired network. If you want to install a wired network adapter and aren’t sure whether your computer already has one, look for a network port on the back of the computer. Network ports resemble phone jacks, but they are slightly larger and have eight pins inside.

To see what kind of network adapters may already be installed in your computer.

• Click Start, and then
• click Control Panel.
• Click Network and Internet Connections.
• Under or pick a Control Panel icon,
• click Network Connections.

·         Microsoft Windows XP displays your network adapters. If an adapter has a red X over it, it is disconnected. If the Network Connections window is blank, your computer doesn’t have a network adapter

If you already have a network adapter, you are ready to configure your network.

How to install a wired USB network adapter

Connecting a USB network adapter is as easy as plugging in headphones.

Once you have the adapter

• If your USB network adapter came with software, insert the CD or floppy disk into your computer, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the software.
• Find an available USB port on your computer.
• If you need to move your computer to reach the USB ports, you should shut down Windows to avoid damaging your computer. If you can easily reach a USB port, you do not need to shut down your computer.
• If you do not have an unused USB port, connect a USB hub to add additional ports. Then connect your USB network adapter to the unused USB port.
• Connect the network cable to the network adapter.
• Connect the other end of the network cable to your networking equipment.

If you had to shut down your computer to get to the USB port, you can now turn on your computer. Windows detects and installs the new hardware, and then displays a notification informing you that the hardware has been successfully installed.

How to install a wired CardBus or CF network adapter

Most portable computers have either a CardBus or CF card slot. CardBus and CF cards are more convenient than USB network adapters for portable computers because they are stored within your computer. However, some network adapters stick out from your CardBus slot.

Before installing, you need to buy a wired CardBus or CF network adapter.

Once you have the adapter

• If your network adapter came with software, insert the floppy disk or CD into your computer, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the software.
• Insert your network adapter into the slot on your computer.
• Connect the network cable to the network adapter.
• Connect the other end of the network cable to your networking equipment.

Within a minute or so, Windows detects and installs the new hardware, and then displays a notification informing you that the hardware has been successfully installed.

How to install a wired internal network adapter

Internal network adapters can be more complicated to install than USB network adapters, and they can only be installed in desktop computers that have a space (generally called a slot) available for you to add the card.

If you are not comfortable opening your computer’s case, you should have internal hardware installed by a professional.

Once you have the adapter

• Open the packaging and read the instructions.
• If the network adapter came with a CD or floppy disk, you should insert the CD or floppy disk into your computer, and install the software prior to connecting the hardware.
• Shut down your computer by clicking Start and then clicking Turn Off Computer. Then click Turn Off.
• After your computer shuts down, make note of where each cable is connected to the back of your computer. It’s handy to tape a small note on each cable with a number or letter, and put a matching note next to the spot on your computer where the cable was plugged in. Then unplug all cables from your computer.
• Lay your computer on a flat surface, like a desk or table. Remove the side panel from your computer’s case. Depending on the case, you may need to remove screws at the back of your computer.
• With the side panel removed, you can see the inside of your computer. Identify an available slot that fits your card. If necessary, remove the small metal panel protecting the opening for the slot at the back of your computer, and save the screw.
• Touch an unpainted portion of your computer’s case to discharge any static electricity. Then carefully insert the network adapter into the open slot. Gently wiggle the card back and forth until it rests firmly in the slot.
• Replace the screw that you removed in step 6, which will help hold the card in place.
• Replace the side panel to your computers case.
• Connect the network cable to the network adapter.
• Connect the other end of the network cable to your networking equipment.

Reconnect all cables to your computer, start your computer, and log on to Windows. Windows detects and installs the new hardware, and then displays a notification informing you that the hardware has been successfully installed.

A basic wireless network needs just two things: a wireless gateway and a wireless network adapter card in each computer.DSL modem and communicates via radio with your PCs. Gateways go by many names, and although there are technical differences between those names, many products use the terms interchangeably.DSL connection, choose a gateway with an Ethernet port to connect to the cable modem. Popular models include the Linksys WRT54G and the NetGear DG834G.

Step 1: Choose A Wireless GatewayThe heart of a wireless network is the gateway, a device that connects to your cable or

If you’ll be using the access point along with your cable modem or

Some models, such as the Linksys WCG200 Cable Gateway, can replace your cable modem too. Instead of connecting the gateway to your cable modem, you plug your cable Internet line directly into the gateway. If you’re renting a cable modem from your cable company, this option can save you money over time, but make sure the access point and the cable company support the same cable communication standard. (DOCSIS [Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification] is the most common.)ISP’s dial-up connection to be shared amongst the PCs on your network.

If you don’t have a broadband connection, choose an access point with a built-in modem. It will allow your

You also need to decide which wireless protocol you want to use. The two main choices for homes and small offices are 802.11b and 802.11g. 802.11b is a slower, older technology, so consequently the hardware is less expensive. 802.11g is about five times faster than 802.11b. Although hardware prices have fallen considerably, 802.11g hardware still costs a few dollars more than 802.11b-compatible hardware. Unless you are on a tight budget, 802.11g is worth the extra expense. It is backward-compatible with 802.11b, so that if a houseguest wants to surf the Internet using his 802.11b card, he’ll be able to do so with your 802.11g network.

There is yet another protocol called 802.11a, but it is generally used in corporate networks, not in the home. Because it uses a different part of the spectrum, it isn’t compatible with 802.11a or 802.11g. Access points that support these two are available, but unless you have a special need for 802.11a in your home, the extra protocol isn’t worth the extra money.

Step 2: Choose Wireless Network Adapters

You’ve chosen an access point, but don’t check out at the computer store just yet. Each computer or other device that you want to access the wireless network will need a network adapter, the transceiver that talks to the gateway.USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, or Ethernet port.USB adapter. For a desktop PC, a PCI adapter will provide a fast, inexpensive wireless upgrade. CompactFlash and Secure Digital adapters are available for PocketPC and PalmOS PDAs.

Many new laptop computers have one already built-in. If yours does, you won’t need to add any equipment to it. If it doesn’t, there are a myriad of ways to add one: Network adapters are available that plug into the computer’s PC Card slot, PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) slot,

If your notebook has a free PC Card slot, a PC Card adapter is the best way to go. Otherwise, opt for a

It isn’t vital that the network adapter that you choose is the same brand as the access point. Because 802.11b and 802.11g are standards, you can mix and match hardware from different companies to create your network. You may be able to save cash by choosing the cheapest access point and network adapters without regard to brand.

On the other hand, there are advantages to choosing hardware from the same manufacturer. First, the configuration software will have similar interfaces, which can make setup go more smoothly. Secondly, some manufacturers offer hardware that can transmit data much faster than the 802.11g protocol officially supports. However, these performance enhancements can only be realized when you use hardware from the same manufacturer. Linksys hardware with SpeedBooster technology can run significantly faster than standard 802.11g. Similarly, D-Link’s XtremeG protocol runs twice as fast as 802.11g. But both speed-ups only work with hardware from the same company, so if you’re looking for the ultimate in wireless networking speed, it pays to be loyal to one brand.DSL modem or phone line, the access point’s location will be dictated by the location of cable or phone jacks. Stake out the jacks in your home and choose the one that is both central to where you want wireless broadband access and located near a power outlet.DSL modem, use an Ethernet cable (which will be included with the gateway) to connect the gateway’s Internet or WAN (wide-area network) port to your cable/DSL modem’s PC Ethernet port. Plug the access point into the power outlet and turn it on. Turn your cable/DSL modem off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on: This will force the modem to recognize its connection to the new access point.ISP, along with your account username and password. Although you’re probably used to your PC’s modem dialing in to connect to the Internet, from now on the access point’s built-in modem will make the connection.USB port. After configuration, you can disconnect the cable and move the PC farther away for wireless access.United States, 11 wireless channels are available. In isolated areas without many other wireless networks nearby, it doesn’t matter much which channel you use. But in an office building or apartment with a lot of other wireless activity, there may be more interference on one channel than another. Cordless phones, baby monitors, and microwave ovens can create interference, so if your wireless connection seems slow or unreliable later, try changing the channel.

Step 3: Choose A Location For The Wireless Access PointThe location of your access point is important: It will affect the quality of the wireless network through the rest of your home.

A wireless access point can typically interact with computers in a 200- to 300-foot radius, more or less, depending on obstructions. As you move farther away from the access point, the connection will become slower. Walls and other obstructions, especially concrete and steel beams, further limit wireless range. So it’s best to position the access point centrally in your home.

If you install the access point in the office on the east side of the house, the signal may not reach all the way to the living room on the west side. However, the same access point located somewhere in the middle could serve both rooms. Because it connects to your cable/

Step 4: Install The GatewayNow you’re ready to install the wireless gateway. The procedure will vary from product to product, so follow the instructions specific to your model.

If you have a cable or

If you use a dial-up modem connection, use a standard phone cable to connect the access point’s modem jack to the phone line. You’ll have to configure the access point with the phone number of your

If the access point came with PC software, install it on the computer that you want to configure the access point from. The first time you configure it, you may have to connect the access point to the PC’s Ethernet or

Step 5: Configure The GatewayNow you need to configure the gateway. Again, read the manual to find out how. On some models, the configuration interface is accessed through your Web browser; others use special configuration software on the PC. The configuration software will walk you through the steps of setting up the wireless network.

You’ll be asked to choose a channel for your wireless connection. In the

One of the steps will ask if you want to use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), which makes network management easier by letting the access point dole out IP (Internet Protocol) addresses, domain name server information, and other network information to the computers on the LAN (local-area network). This allows the networking details to be managed from a central point. If your ISP’s domain name server needs to be changed, for instance, the router will feed the new information to each computer so you won’t have to update the network settings on each PC manually. In a home environment with even a couple of networked PCs, DHCP can make life much easier.DSL connection, it is essential to enable your access point’s firewall function. The firewall is typically enabled by default; be sure to leave it activated.USB and PC Card adapters, this simply means plugging in the card. If you’ll be installing a PCI card on a desktop PC, you need to unplug the computer, remove the side panel, and install the card into an empty PCI slot. It’s a simple process that will take five to 10 minutes.DWL-G810 to your game console’s Ethernet port. The console will see that it’s connected to a network and let you play. It won’t know or care that it’s not a wired network.

The access point does another important job: It is also a firewall. A firewall isolates your PC from incoming connections by unauthorized computers on the Internet—such as crackers and your service providers’ other customers—while still allowing you to access the Internet. For users with a cable modem or

A firewall can conflict with certain software on your PC, preventing it from accessing the Internet. This is common with networked games, file-sharing applications such as BitTorrent and servers. If the firewall blocks your legitimate traffic, you can configure the gateway to allow incoming traffic for specific applications on specific PCs. Don’t disable the firewall entirely.

Step 6: Choose Wireless SecurityBecause wireless networking transmits your information over radio waves, anyone within range of your hardware’s antennas could snoop on your network. Don’t worry, though. Every access point includes encryption protocols that can keep your private data private. However, encryption is usually disabled by default and the vast majority of access point owners don’t bother to turn it on.

That means, potentially, a nosy neighbour could use his PC to surf the Web using your Internet connection, read the private email that you send and receive, monitor the Web sites that you visit, snoop around the files on your computer, or send spam from your network. It seems that most people don’t understand these risks, so they don’t bother to turn on their access point’s encryption.

That said, some people do intentionally leave their wireless networks unencrypted in order to share Internet access with nearby neighbours and passersby. It can be a friendly gesture, but anyone who intentionally leaves her network unencrypted needs to take strong precautions to protect the files on her computers, keep email private, and so on. Unless you’re committed to learning how to batten down the hatches on your PCs, protect yourself by enabling encryption.

Two types of encryption can protect the data on your wireless network. The older system, WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol), is supported by all wireless equipment. A newer system, WPA (Wireless Protected Access), is available on more recently released hardware. WPA provides stronger encryption: If all of your hardware and operating systems support it, use it. If your access point or any of your network adapters don’t support WPA, use WEP instead. WEP doesn’t provide total security, but it is good enough to keep out casual snoops.

All of your wireless hardware needs to support the encryption protocol that you choose, so if you have one older wireless card that doesn’t do WPA, all of your equipment will need to use WEP. However, a firmware upgrade (see below) could add WPA encryption to an access point that doesn’t have it now.

The procedure for enabling encryption varies from product to product, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You’ll find a security menu in the access point’s configuration software. Generally, you’ll pick or be assigned a password in the access point software. The password may be a long series of hex digits, such as 35BBD4F1C73CFC40A42382077C. Later, you’ll enter that password in the wireless security configuration window of each PC.

Step 7: Install & Configure The Network AdaptersNow that the access point is humming, it’s time to get each of your notebooks and desktop PCs on the wireless network. You might have just one PC or a whole gaggle of them: Either way, every machine that you want to use away from the access point needs a wireless card. You should have no problem installing wireless access on any version of Windows, from Windows 95 though Windows XP. You’re not limited to just Windows: Computers running Linux, Mac OS, and other operating systems can be members of your network, too.

It’s a good idea to install and configure network adapters one at a time. Get one computer online before moving on to the next machine.

The installation procedure is different from product to product, so read the manual for each network adapter. The usual procedure is to install the software for the adapter and then install the card itself. For

If a computer is permanently located in the same room as your access point, it doesn’t need a wireless card. Most access points offer bridging functionality, which means they can connect two networks—in this case, the wireless network and a wired one. So you can connect a computer (or several—usually up to four, depending on the access point) to the access point with an Ethernet cable.

Step 8: Upgrade The Access Point’s FirmwareChances are the access point you just bought was sitting on a store or warehouse shelf for some time, so it’s possible that the manufacturer released a new version of the access point’s firmware during that time. Now is a good time to check for a firmware upgrade and, if there is one, install it.

Firmware is the software that’s built into hardware, like any software, you can upgrade it. Manufacturers release firmware upgrades to patch security holes, increase compatibility with other products, and add features.

Look at the status page of the access point’s configuration interface to find out what firmware version it is currently running. Then check the manufacturer’s Web site to see if a newer version is available.

If there is, follow the manual’s directions to upgrade it. This is usually simply a matter of downloading a file to the PC and then running it. The program will write the new firmware to the access point’s permanent memory. The program may take several minutes to do the job. Do not turn off the computer or access point until the program says that the new firmware is installed. Interrupting the process could leave your access point comatose, with partially installed firmware. When the firmware upgrade is done, you can delete the installer program from the PC.

Step 9: Enjoy Your Wireless Internet ConnectionNow that the network and each computer are configured, enjoy your fast, wireless Internet connection. Roam with the notebook from room to room as you read your favourite blogs or send files effortlessly from one PC to another.

Step 10: Consider Connecting Other DevicesYou also might want to consider ways you can expand your network; it doesn’t have to be limited to computers. You can add your Sony PlayStation 2 or Xbox to the wireless network, which will let the kids (and you) play networked games without having an Ethernet wire trip- hazard running from the computer room to the living room.

Just connect an Ethernet-to-wireless bridge, such as the Linksys WET54G Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge or D-Link

In the same way, you can add any other device with an Ethernet port to your wireless network. If there’s a printer taking up space on your desk (marooned there because it’s within a cable’s reach of your PC) you could move that printer virtually anywhere—to a closet, perhaps—as long as there’s a power source in the new location. As a bonus, you may be able to share that printer with every computer on the network, so you can print from the notebook and the PC in the kids’ room.

Many digital video recorders, such as Series 2 TiVo and ReplayTV, can download program guide information over the wireless connection instead of over the phone. TiVo officially recommends using the Linksys WUSB11 adapter for this, although other adapters may work.

Step 11: Expand The Reach Of Your NetworkIf you find that your access point doesn’t reach the far-flung nooks and crannies of your home, there are a number of ways to expand the reach of your wireless network. You don’t need to live in a mansion to have this problem: Too many walls can prevent the signal from reaching the den, or you may want Internet access out on the porch.

If your access point has an external antenna jack, attaching a new antenna to it can boost its signal. Built-in antennas are typically adequate, but an add-on antenna can boost the power by double or more.

But there’s a problem, a super-powerful antenna on the access point may make its signal reach the next city, but your notebook’s little antenna isn’t powerful enough to transmit its signal back. For regular use around the house, a better solution could be to add a wireless bridge, which is a second wireless access point that retransmits everything it receives back to the main access point, thus expanding the range of wireless access in your home. The bridge doesn’t need to be connected to a cable/DSL modem—all it needs is power.

Bridging isn’t limited to just two access points: You can create a complex network of bridges that cover a large area. Many bridges use a technology called WDS (Wireless Distribution System). The WDS implementation from one manufacturer may not be compatible with another manufacturer’s version, so choose a bridge from the same company that made your main access point.

There is a downside to bridging. The extra “hop” it takes for your data to be received and retransmitted by the bridge adds to the latency of your network connection, so your data will move a bit more slowly.

Yet another option is to run an Ethernet cable from the main access point to a bridge located in the far-flung section of the house. Although this means stringing a wire through the attic or other equally inaccessible areas (something you were trying to avoid, right?) it can allow you to place a bridge that isn’t within radio range of the main access point. So, you could have the access point at the east side of the house and a bridge at the west: Together they will cover the whole house and the patio, too. There’s no additional latency as there is with the wireless bridge.

Modifying a VMware Server Virtual Disk Configuration will include enlarging, shrinking and removing a VMWare Server Virtual Disk. 

The current configuration of a virtual disk can be viewed and modified by logging into the VI Web Access interface and selecting the virtual machine to which the disk is attached from the Inventory panel. Once the workspace updates to reflect the selected virtual machine, locate the disk drive from the Hardware panel, click on it and select Edit… from the menu. This will display the hard disk settings dialog.

An important point to note is that many of the settings will be read-only (and consequently grayed out) if the selected virtual machine, or any other virtual machine which shares the disk, is currently powered on. In addition, the Increase capacity… link shown in the above figure will not be visible if the virtual machine is powered on. To make changes to configuration values, or to increase disk capacity, it will be necessary to power off all virtual machines that utilise the virtual disk.

Enlarging a VMware Server Virtual Disk

The capacity of a virtual disk may be increased using the disk settings dialog (described above). As with most other virtual disk settings, a disk may only be increased in size when all virtual machines sharing the disk are powered off. Once this is achieved, select a virtual machine which uses the virtual disk from the Inventory panel of the VI Web Access interface, click on the required hard disk from the Hardware panel and select Edit… from the menu. Once the disk settings dialog appears, click on the Increase capacity… link to display the disk capacity fields.

The current size of the virtual disk is listed, together with two text boxes for the amount by which the disk is to be increased and the new capacity. Both are specified in gigabytes (GB), and either may be used to increase the size of the virtual disk. The amount of space available for allocation to the virtual disk is dictated by the available space on the datastore in which the virtual disk file resides. The current free space on the datastore is also listed beneath the capacity text boxes. The increase in virtual disk capacity cannot exceed this value.

Shrinking a VMware Server Virtual Disk

Unlike increasing the capacity of virtual disks, which is performed outside the virtual machine using the VI Web Access interface, virtual disks can only be reduced in capacity from within the virtual machine’s guest operating system and requires the installation of VMware Tools.  If VMware Tools are not currently installed on the guest operating system, then it is good idea to install them.

Once VMware Tools are installed into the guest operating system, the next step is to access the VMware Tools Control Panel. The default configuration for VMware Tools on Windows should have placed a VMware Tools icon in the Windows notification area in the bottom right hand corner of the Windows task bar (where the date and time are typically displayed) and also as an icon in the Windows Control Panel (accessed via Start->Control Panel). Double clicking on either of these options will invoke the control panel.

To invoke the VMware Tools control panel on Linux and Solaris systems, simply execute the following at a command-line prompt:

/usr/bin/vmware-toolbox&

The “Shrink” tab of the VMware Tools control panel allows virtual disks associated with the virtual machine to be reduced in size by reclaiming unused areas on the disk. In the first instance, free space on the disk is reclaimed within the guest operating system. Subsequently, the virtual disk image on the host file system is then reduced in size by the VMware Server software.

In order to be able to perform a shrink operation the virtual disk must not have been created as a pre-allocated disk and there must be no current snapshots of the virtual machine.

If the virtual disk is an independent disk it must be in persistent mode. In the case of Linux guest operating systems, the operation must be performed as superuser.

Removing a VMware Server Virtual Disk

Virtual disks are removed using the VI Web Access interface. As with previous tasks, any virtual machines which access the virtual disk must first be powered off. Assuming this to be case, select the virtual machine to which the disk is attached from the Inventory panel, click on the disk drive in the Hardware panel and select either Remove or Delete from disk. The Remove option simply removes the disk from the configuration of the currently selected virtual machine. The physical .vmdk file which represents the virtual disk remains intact in the datastore in which it was created and is available for use by other virtual machines.

The Delete from disk option, on the other hand, both removes the disk from the configuration of the select virtual machine and also physically removes the .vmdk file from the datastore. As such the disk is no longer available and the space it used is released.

Rather than using a physical disk drive to store the system and user files for a guest operating system, VMware Server virtual machines use files (known as virtual disks) located on the disk drives attached to the host system.

This guide will provide an overview of the creation and management of virtual disks. VMware Server Virtual Disk and Device Types

Virtual disks provide the storage for guest operating system and user files. Each VMware Server virtual machine will likely have one or more virtual disks configured and during the lifecycle of a virtual machine virtual disks may be added and removed as needed. The size of a virtual disk is specified at creation time and can range from 1MB up to a maximum of 950GB.

When a virtual disk is first created (either during the virtual machine creation process or later) it may be configured as growable or pre-allocated. The virtual disk type may subsequently be converted using the vmware-vdiskmanager command line tool. A growable disk is initially created smaller than the specified disk size, and subsequently grows as space is needed up until the maximum specified size is reached. This has the advantage that the disk creation process is shorter and less disk space on the host is used initially. A further advantage of growable disks is that the size of the disk can be reduced at a later time using the VMware Tools Shrink Disk feature. These features, however, come at the cost of reduced performance.

In the case of a pre-allocated virtual disk, the entire space required for the disk is allocated at creation time. This has the advantage that virtual disk performance is not degraded due to the need to increase the disk size as more space is needed. Disadvantages include an increased amount of time needed to create the disk (taking several hours for a 950GB virtual disk) and the inability to reduce the size of the disk at a later time unless the disk is converted to growable.

An additional option allows virtual disks to be split amongst multiple 2GB files on the host, rather than contained in a single file. This option has little benefit unless VMware Server is hosted on a file system which limits file sizes to 2GB.

To the guest operating system running inside a virtual machine, virtual disks appear as though they are physical devices. As such, the disk can be configured to appear to the virtual machine as either an IDE or SCSI device. In the case of SCSI virtual disks, VMware uses a virtual SCSI controller which appears to the guest as either an LSI Logic or BusLogic controller. As such, guest operating system hardware drivers for these devices may need to be installed accordingly.

VMware Server Disk Modes

VMware Server virtual disks may be configured to run in Independent mode which provides two additional options in terms of disk configuration:

Persistent - Data written to the disk by the guest operating system is retained when the system is powered off. This is the normal mode of operation for most virtual disks.

Nonpersistent - Data written to the disk during a virtual machine session are discarded after the virtual machine is powered off or reset. This is useful if the guest operating system is required to be started with a clean system each time the virtual machine is powered on, perhaps in a testing or secure environment.

Disks configured as independent are not included in snapshots.

VMware Server Virtual Disk Caching Options

The disk write caching policy for virtual disks defines the point at which new data is written to the virtual disk (as opposed to being cached in memory before being written) by the guest operating system. These settings have implications for performance, with increased performance being available at the cost of data integrity. A choice of two policy options is available:

Optimise for safety - Data is not cached. Write operations made by the guest operating system are written immediately to the virtual disk image. Reduces risk of data loss in the event of a system failure, but results in slower disk write performance.

Optimizs for performance - Write operations performed by the guest operating system are initially cached prior to being written to the virtual disk. Provides increased write performance at the cost of increased risk of data loss in the event of a system failure.

Adding a New Virtual Disk

A new virtual disk may be added to a virtual machine via the VI Web Access management interface. SCSI based virtual disks may be installed on running virtual machines as long as those machines are running on VMware virtual hardware version 7 or later (the default setting when virtual machines are created in VMware Server 2.0). IDE based virtual disks or virtual machines running on older versions of the virtual hardware require that the virtual machine be powered off prior to the addition of a new virtual disk.

Once logged into the VI Web Access interface, the first step in adding a new virtual disk is to select the required virtual machine from the Inventory panel. In the Commands section of the virtual machine workspace, click on the Add Hardware link to invoke the Add Hardware Wizard.

To add a new virtual disk, select the Hard Disk option from the list of new hardware devices to proceed to the Hard Disk page. Options are available to either create an entirely new virtual disk, or to use an existing virtual disk that may already have been created for a pre-existing virtual machine. In fact, this second option can be used to enable multiple virtual machines to share a virtual disk, although careful steps should be taken to avoid disk write conflicts (for example both guests attempting to write simultaneously to the same disk block will likely cause problems for most standard file systems).

Once a decision has been made about creating or re-using a virtual disk, the next wizard screen provides the option to configure the disk type, mode and caching options. Finally, a summary page is displayed highlighting the choices made during the configuration process. Clicking the Finish button will begin the addition process which, depending on the settings, may take some time to complete.

Before we proceed with learning on how to prevent Exchange 2000/2003 from being used as a mail relay, let’s see what a relay is?,

1.      A user in your domain wants to send e-mail to another user in your domain - This is NOT relaying.

2.      An outside user (from the Internet) wants to send e-mail to another user in your domain - This is NOT relaying.

3.      A user in your domain wants to send e-mail to an outside user (on the Internet) - This IS relaying.

4.      An outside user (from the Internet) wants to send e-mail to an outside user (on the Internet) - This IS relaying.

The default Exchange 2000/2003 configuration does not allow unauthenticated users to relay through the server.

Exchange 2000/2003 provides full Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) mail services. The Exchange 2000 SMTP server can be used to receive and relay e-mail messages to other Exchange 2000/2003 servers on your network or to other SMTP servers on the Internet. Mail relay allows Exchange 2000 mail clients to send mail to users in other organisations. If mail relay is not allowed, the Exchange 2000 server can only receive and send mail for users in the same mail domain as the Exchange 2000/2003 servers.

When the Exchange 2000/2003 server relays e-mail messages, the Exchange 2000/2003 server can forward mail that is addressed to mail domains other than its own. This allows Exchange 2000 to forward mail to any internal or external network SMTP server.

There are dangers inherent in making an Exchange 2000/2003 server accessible to Internet users. The Exchange 2000/2003 server might be used as a mail relay by Internet users, which is undesirable because unscrupulous users might forward mail to your Exchange 2000/2003 SMTP server to distribute unsolicited commercial e-mail messages to large numbers of computers. This can have a severe adverse impact on available bandwidth for your Internet connection and might lead to your mail server being placed on “black hole” lists of open mail relays. If your server is placed on such a list, other mail servers may not accept mail from your domain.

It is important to know that for a user or computer to relay e-mail messages through an Exchange 2000/2003 SMTP server, two conditions must be met:

·         The user or computer must be able to gain access to the Exchange 2000/2003 server.

·         The Exchange 2000/2003 server must be configured to relay e-mail messages to other domains.

If these conditions are not both met, the server does not relay e-mail messages.

How to prevent Exchange 2000/2003 server from relaying e-mail messages:

In order to prevent the Exchange 2000/2003 server from relaying e-mail messages:

1.      Start Exchange System Manager.

2.      Expand the organisation_name object, and then expand the Servers node. Expand the server_name object of the server on which you want to prevent mail relay, and then expand the Protocols node.

3.      Expand the SMTP node, right-click the virtual SMTP server on which you want to prevent mail relay, and then click Properties.

4.      Click the Access tab, and then click Authentication.

5.      Click to select either the Basic Authentication check box, or the Windows security package check box, or both of these check boxes, and then click to clear the Anonymous access check box. When you select the Basic Authentication check box, you need to provide a default user domain. Click OK.

6.      If you click to select the Anonymous access check box and do not select any other check box on this page, all of the users and computers can gain access to the Exchange 2000/2003 SMTP server. This setting disables inbound authentication.

7.      If you click to select either the Basic Authentication check box, or the Windows security package check box, or both of these check boxes, and you click to clear the Anonymous access check box, authentication is required to gain access to the Exchange 2000/2003 SMTP server. If the user or computer does not successfully authenticate, the user or computer cannot send mail to the server.

8.      Click Relay.

9.      In the Relay Restriction dialog box, several options are available. The only the list below option is enabled by default; the list below this option is empty. The Allow all computers which successfully authenticate to relay, regardless of the list above option is also enabled by default, which allows users and computers that can authenticate with the server to relay through the server. This option allows the Exchange 2000/2003 server to relay mail from your internal network clients. Note that if you allow only anonymous access, the server cannot authenticate users or computers.

10. Click Add. You can allow a single computer, a group of computers, or an entire domain to relay through the server by making the appropriate selection in the Computer dialog box.

11. Allowing access by IP address or domain name is helpful for users who do not authenticate with the Exchange server (for example, in an Internet service provider [ISP] implementation).

12. Click Cancel if you do not want to make any changes.

13. In the Relay Restrictions dialog box, click OK.

14. Click Apply, and then click OK in the Default SMTP Virtual Server Properties dialog box.

Recommendation

Keeping the SMTP Virtual Server’s default settings (the authentication and relay buttons) will safely protect you from relaying un-authorised messages while still enabling outside users to send e-mail to your domain.

Hyper-V is a role in Windows Server 2008 that provides you with the tools and services you can use to create a virtualised server computing environment. This type of environment is useful because you can create and manage virtual machines, which allows you to run multiple operating systems on one physical computer and isolate the operating systems from each other. This guide introduces Hyper-V by providing instructions for installing this role and configuring a virtual machine.  In order to go ahead with this process, it is a good idea to find out the requirements for Hyper-V.  This will then take us through various steps which will form a part of this tutorial guide.  

Hyper-V has specific requirements. Hyper-V requires an x64-based processor, hardware-assisted virtualisation, and hardware data execution prevention (DEP). Hyper-V is available in x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 specifically, the x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Windows Server 2008 Enterprise, and Windows Server 2008 Datacenter.  

Known issues 

Known issues are described in the release notes. We recommend that you review the release notes before you install Hyper-V.  These notes can be downloaded on the following links:  

• To download the Hyper-V release notes, please visit following web page http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=98821 .
• The release notes are also available in the Windows Server 2008 Technical Library (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=102060).

Step 1: Install Hyper-V

You can install Hyper-V on either a full installation or a Server Core installation. You can use Server Manager to install Hyper-V on a full installation, as described in the following procedure. To install on a Server Core installation, you must perform the installation from a command prompt. Run the following command:

Start /w ocsetup Microsoft-Hyper-V

To install Hyper-V on a full installation of Windows Server 2008

1. Click Start, and then click Server Manager.
2. In the Roles Summary area of the Server Manager main window, click Add Roles.
3. On the Select Server Roles page, click Hyper-V.
4. On the Create Virtual Networks page, click one or more network adapters if you want to make their network connection available to virtual machines.
5. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.
6. The computer must be restarted to complete the installation. Click Close to finish the wizard, and then click Yes to restart the computer.
7. After you restart the computer, log on with the same account you used to install the role. After the Resume Configuration Wizard completes the installation, click Close to finish the wizard.

Step 2: Create and set up a virtual machine

After you have installed Hyper-V, you can create a virtual machine and set up an operating system on the virtual machine.

Before you create the virtual machine, you may find it helpful to consider the following questions. You can provide answers to the questions when you use the New Virtual Machine Wizard to create the virtual machine.

• Is the installation media available for the operating system you want to install on the virtual machine? You can use physical media, a remote image server, or an .ISO file. The method you want to use determines how you should configure the virtual machine.
• How much memory will you allocate to the virtual machine?
• Where do you want to store the virtual machine and what do you want to name it?

To create and set up a virtual machine

1. Open Hyper-V Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.
2. From the Action pane, click New, and then click Virtual Machine.
3. From the New Virtual Machine Wizard, click Next.
4. On the Specify Name and Location page, specify what you want to name the virtual machine and where you want to store it.
5. On the Memory page, specify enough memory to run the guest operating system you want to use on the virtual machine.
6. On the Networking page, connect the network adapter to an existing virtual network if you want to establish network connectivity at this point.

Note

If you want to use a remote image server to install an operating system on your test virtual machine, select the external network.

1. On the Connect Virtual Hard Disk page, specify a name, location, and size to create a virtual hard disk so you can install an operating system on it.
2. On the Installation Options page, choose the method you want to use to install the operating system:
   • Install an operating system from a boot CD/DVD-ROM. You can use either physical media or an image file (.iso file).
   • Install an operating system from a boot floppy disk.
   • Install an operating system from a network-based installation server. To use this option, you must configure the virtual machine with a legacy network adapter connected to an external virtual network. The external virtual network must have access to the same network as the image server.
3. Click Finish.

After you create the virtual machine, you can start the virtual machine and install the operating system.

Step 3: Install the operating system and integration services

In the final step of this process, you connect to the virtual machine to set up the operating system. As part of the setup, you install a software package that improves integration between the virtualisation server and the virtual machine.

The instructions in this step assume that you specified the location of the installation media when you created the virtual machine. The instructions also assume that you are installing an operating system for which integration services are available.

To install the operating system and integration services

1. From the Virtual Machines section of the results pane, right-click the name of the virtual machine you created in step 2 and click Connect. The Virtual Machine Connection tool will open.
2. From the Action menu in the Virtual Machine Connection window, click Start.
3. Proceed through the installation.

Important points to note.

1.  
   • When you are at the point where you need to provide input to complete the process, move the mouse cursor over the image of the setup window. After the mouse pointer changes to a small dot, click anywhere in the virtual machine window. This action “captures” the mouse so that keyboard and mouse input is sent to the virtual machine. To return the input to the physical computer, press Ctrl+Alt+Left arrow and then move the mouse pointer outside of the virtual machine window.
   • After the operating system is set up, you are ready to install the integration services. From the Action menu of Virtual Machine Connection, click Insert Integration Services Setup Disk. On Windows operating systems, you must close the New Hardware Wizard to start the installation. If Autorun does not start the installation automatically, you can start it manually. Click anywhere in the guest operating system window and navigate to the CD drive. Use the method that is appropriate for the guest operating system to start the installation package from the CD drive.

After you have completed the setup and integration services are installed, you can begin using the virtual machine. You can view or modify the virtual hardware that is configured for the virtual machine by reviewing the settings of the virtual machine. From the Virtual Machines pane, right-click the name of the virtual machine that you created in step 3 and click Settings. From the Settings window, click the name of the hardware to view or change it.

Step 4: Configuring virtual networks

You can create virtual networks on the server running Hyper-V to define various networking topologies for virtual machines and the virtualisation server. There are three types of virtual networks: a private network, which provides communication between virtual machines only, an internal network, which provides communication between the virtualisation server and virtual machines, and an external network, which provides communication between a virtual machine and a physical network by creating an association to a physical network adapter on the virtualisation server.

To create a virtual network

1. Open Hyper-V Manager.
2. From the Actions menu, click Virtual Network Manager.
3. Under Create virtual network, select the type of network you want to create. The types of network are External, Internal, and Private. If the network you want to create is an external network, see “Additional considerations” below.
4. Click Add. The New Virtual Network page appears.
5. Type a name for the new network. Review the other properties and modify them if necessary.
6. Click OK to create the virtual network and close Virtual Network Manager, or click Apply to create the virtual network and continue using Virtual Network Manager.

To add a network adapter to a virtual machine

1. Open Hyper-V Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.
2. In the results pane, under Virtual Machines, select the virtual machine that you want to configure.
3. In the Action pane, under the virtual machine name, click Settings.
4. In the navigation pane, click Add Hardware.
5. On the Add Hardware page, choose a network adapter or a legacy network adapter. Network adapters can only be added to a virtual machine when the machine is turned off. For more information about each type of adapter, see “Additional considerations” below.
6. Click Add. The Network Adapter or Legacy Network Adapter page appears.
7. Under Network, select the virtual network you want to connect to.
8. If you want to configure a static MAC address or virtual LAN identifier, specify the address or identifier you want to use.
9. Click OK.

Additional considerations to be taken into account

• By default, membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. However, an administrator can use Authorisation Manager to modify the authorisation policy so that a user or group of users can complete this procedure.
• A legacy network adapter works without installing a virtual machine driver because the driver is already available on most operating systems. The legacy network adapter emulates a physical network adapter, multiport DEC 21140 10/100TX 100 MB. A legacy network adapter also supports network-based installations because it includes the ability to boot to the Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE). The legacy network adapter is not supported in the 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2003 or the Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.
• After you install Hyper-V and create an external virtual network, your computer will operate differently. After installation, the parent partition uses a virtual network adapter to connect to the physical network. When you look at Network Connections on the parent partition, you will see the original network adapter and a new virtual network adapter. The original physical network adapter has nothing bound to it except the Microsoft Virtual Network Switch Protocol, and the virtual network adapter now has all of the standard protocols and services bound to it. The virtual network adapter that appears under Network Connections will have the same name as the virtual network switch with which it is associated. It is possible to create an internal virtual network, which will expose a virtual network adapter to the parent partition without the need to have a physical network adapter associated with it. Hyper-V only binds the virtual network service to a physical network adapter when an external virtual network is created. However, networking will get disrupted for a short period of time on the network adapter when a virtual network gets created or deleted.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008) is the successor to SBS 2003, and it brings the various components SBS is based on up to date.

This includes the server itself being based on Windows Server 2008, the mail server component up to Exchange Server 2007, and in the Premium Edition, SQL Server 2008 Standard Small Business Edition. Before we go ahead with the process of installing SBS 2008, it is a good idea to have a look at the minimum hardware requirements for Windows SBS 2008.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Like all operating systems, SBS 2008 requires a minimum amount of power to run. To run well, the server hardware should easily cover the minimum requirements.

SBS 2008 requires a 64-bit processor (2 GHz min.) and 4 GB of RAM but Microsoft recommends 6GB to 8GB with a 32GB maximum. SBS 2008 also requires at least 60 GB of disk space and an Ethernet connection.

Installing Small Business Servier 2008

The main purpose of SBS 2008 is so that small businesses without technical support staff can take advantage of Microsofts powerful, but complex server based technologies. For this reason, most people will purchase a SBS 2008 server from the manufacturer with SBS 2008 already installed.

In that case, setup will only require handling the server configurations steps. However, in the interest of being complete, we will cover the full installation from the DVD installation media.

If you’ve setup a couple of workstations before, you may be used to installing the computer and then worrying about getting the network setup later.

With SBS 2008, it needs the network connection from the very beginning, so this is not an option. Make sure that your live network connection is plugged into the SBS 2008 server before starting the installation.

1. Put the SBS 2008 DVD in the DVD drive and power up the computer. Your specific computer will determine what you see as the server boots up.

Look for a message that says something like, “Boot Menu,” or “Choose Boot Device,” or “Press F10 To Enter Boot Menu”.

The server may go right to a screen which allows a choice of boot device based on detecting the bootable SBS 2008 DVD in the drive.

2. Select to boot from the DVD.

3. If you have never installed a Server in a country other than America, the next three questions seem a little silly. Choose the Language, the Time and Currency format, and the Keyboard Type.

4. Click Next, and then Install Now.

5. Inputting the product key and agreeing to the license agreement are next. Now, we can get down to some real business.

6. Choose Custom for the installation type. This allows you to choose where to put the operating system.

Ideally, SBS 2008 should have the operating system on its own partition on its own hard disk and the data on a separate partition and separate disk or disks.

To accomplish this, select the disk the operating system is to be installed on and Choose Drive Options and click New.

The default partition size that appears will be the size of the entire disk. Click Apply and setup will create a single partition which fills the entire disk. This will be the SBS 2008 system partition.

7. Setup will begin copying files to do the install. Keep in mind that this is around 60GB worth of files, so even on a fast system, this will take several minutes.

Configuring SBS 2008 for Initial Installation

When setup is done copying files, it will display the Continue Installation screen.

1. Click Next and setup will move on to collecting the information required to turn the server into a functioning business server.

2. Choose your time zone and then click Go online and get the most recent installation updates.

3. Next comes the Company Information. The data input into the Company Information screen doesn’t actually do anything at this point.

4. The next step is to choose a Server Name (just make sure you don’t have any other servers with the same name) and a Domain Name.

Consider the Domain Name to be the name of your network. It may sound good to use the company name as the Domain Name, but it really is not. You aren’t naming your company, you are naming your Microsoft security resource and network model and structure.

Your company name can be part of the domain name, but it is a good idea to keep it short. The last thing you want is to be dealing with typing in a big domain name over and over again should the need arise.

5. Next, it is time to setup the administrator account. This is not the same as the built-in administrator account, so you want to choose another name.

Microsoft recommends you write down your network administrator account name and password and keep it in a safe place.

6. At this point, the summary page shows up and you can double check everything one more time. Unfortunately, the only way to fix anything is with the BACK button, so hopefully there are not any changes to be made.

Click Next, and setup will finish installing the SBS server.

Microsoft finally have closure as the man behind the sales firm ITAC, Barry Omesuh, is sentenced to up to nine months in jail per sentencing and must pay £2.5 million in damages to Microsoft after an overwhelming battle against piracy.  The Manchester based distributor, ITAC, who are now out of business, were behind selling ‘grey’ copies of Microsoft’s software.

Omesuh was sentenced due to the fact that he was parallel importing by selling a software in a region that is actually intended for a different region, thus finding himself outside of his rights.  Omesuh was given 7 sentences which range between one month to nine months and he has been ordered to carry out his time simultaneously by the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Microsoft are clearing not taking any prisoners in their protection to their intellectual property and have proved that they will settle for nothing less than justice.  ITAC were originally made to pay out £1 million to Microsoft in 2006 for parallel importing, however the company continued on selling the software through an unauthorised company in the Middle East.  Microsoft have been battling against the company since 2004, and although they have won their battles in the past this victory is coming as great news for Microsoft as it should herald in the end of the illegal dealings through ITAC.

The High Court found Omesuh to be in contempt of court as he was found to have misled the court regarding the reality of the value of his assets.  When issuing her judgement, Mrs Justice Proudman highlighted how, “The defendant was a wholly unreliable witness who on his own admission told a number of bare-faced lies about relevant matters over a period of time.”

The anti-piracy attorney for Microsoft UK, Graham Arthur, has underlined Microsoft’s stance on piracy, saying, “This case against ITAC and Mr Omesuh shows that Microsoft takes a zero tolerance approach to anyone who undermines the level playing field for our retailer community.

“We are working hard, sometimes behind the scenes, to ensure the software reseller market is a place where all retailers can compete on an equal footing. We want to make sure that retailers caught cheating the system are held accountable for their damaging actions,” said Arthur.

ITAC can no longer damage Microsoft as the company went into administration in March 2008, however, Microsoft faces an ongoing battle against many other organisations around the world who continue to supply illegal copies of its software.  However, ITAC are one less organisation to worry about and Arthur continued to discuss how resolute Microsoft is about tackling the crisis.

“We caught ITAC trading illegally more than once which shows how determined we are to protect genuine, honest businesses from being undercut by unscrupulous traders.  In today’s climate, we believe this is more important than ever, particularly when the culprits blatantly persist in their unlawful trading,” continued Arthur.

The future of DAB is in the balance as sales of the technology have been recorded to have slowed through 2008 according to figures recently released.  Unfortunately for the DAB technology sales in the digital radios fell by 10 per cent through the final three months of 2008 in comparison to 2007, marking the first recorded quarter that the digital radio technology has felt a drop in year on year sales since digital radio sales were first recorded six years ago.

Being market as a success throughout the middle-class homes in the country, the digital radio was set to take over from analogue radio in the same way that digital television is gearing up to take over from analogue television.  However, there has been no date set as yet as to when analogue radio will be completely switched off and this uneasiness is starting to ripple through the growth of the DAB market.

Still, the battle that DAB faces against the ongoing pressure applied by the popular internet radio platform rages on and could in the end derail DAB’s hopes for taking over the future of the radio waves.  The effects of Internet radio are being compared to what is being seen stunting the growth of Blu-Ray DVDs as video content is being delivered digitally.

The figures speak for themselves in this situation and clearly show the popularity of the DAB radio could simply have fallen into being labelled a ‘fad’.  More than 500,000 DAB units were sold through December 2008, however that figure is down by 10 per cent compared to December 2007 and has fallen well short of predictions made by the Digital Radio Development Bureau, falling around 20 per cent below the forecast.

The chief executive of DRDB, Tony Moretta, claimed that the figures were encouraging despite falling below the forecasted sales as the results could have been much worse in the wake of the economic recession.

“At the end of the day any forecast from any body a year ago would not have predicted what has happened to the economy.  There aren’t many industries or companies that have hit their targets for the year. We are still seeing growth. Despite lots of sometimes negative stories in the press, consumers are still going out and buying digital radios,” said Moretta.

Moretta felt that the outlook for the DAB device is bright and that these figures do not represent the country’s feelings on the technology.  “Consumer confidence in DAB remains high and it is important that retailers and manufacturers do not lose sight. At a time when other consumer electronics products are suffering declining volumes and value, DAB radio is holding its market position and growing its share versus analogue devices,” continued Moretta, who also blamed a “lack of stock” in many retail stores to be a key issue around the Christmas period.

2009 will be a decisive year for the future of the DAB device which will be looking to make progress in a difficult economy.

AMD have announced that they are modernising their 45 nanometer “Shanghai” Opteron processors by creating new energy efficient chips that will be able to operate within thermal envelopes powered by as little as 55 Watts.  Advanced Micro Devices are hoping that the new, greener processor chips will wind up in servers such as Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Sun Microsystems.

There are five of the newly green processor chips each varying from the original Shanghai Opteron chips, running at a much lower power consumption than their predecessors.  Where the original Shanghai Opteron chips would run at an ACP (Average CPU Power) rating of 75 Watts, the newly updated chips run at a cooler 55 Watts.

“When we first came to market we brought out the standard power (Shanghai processors) because that’s where the bulk of our market is.  As always, we follow up fairly quickly with the HE, which are the energy efficient models, and the SE, which are the high-performance models,” announced the director of business development for server and workstation products at AMD, John Fruehe.

AMD are claiming that the rush to produce these high performance, low energy chips is to fulfil the need to compete with the massive amount of “computing cloud centres” that are popping up by the likes of Apple and Google who deliver cloud services.  Not so long ago these greener processor chips with their lower clock speeds would have been a flop on the market, however with the unexpected growth of the cloud computing market, AMD’s senior product manager, Steve Demski, is predicting that they will be seeing a high demand for these newly undated processor chips.

Fruehe continued to discuss the plans for the processors in the market through 2009, saying, “These processors basically fill out the 2P, 4P and 8P products.  We had the standard products that were introduced in November so this will fill out the line-up and give [customers] a standard model, a low-power and a high-performance part. 

“As we get into the later part of this year, you’ll see us bring out our ‘Istanbul’ product and those will be six-core processors and those will also fit in the same 1207-socket (Socket F) and so the customers that have a “Barcelona” [65-nm Opteron] system can also take advantage of a Shanghai part or the upcoming Istanbul processor,” said Fruehe.

However, AMD have also recently made the news headlines due to the fact that they have decided to cut down their processor production in an attempt to avoid creating “unwanted” chips that they won’t be able to sell.

“We’re slowing everything down quite a bit.  We think our CPU sales out of AMD will be less than consumption… our inventories will drain in Q1 - we’ll clearly be manufacturing below our shipment level,” announced the chief financial officer for AMD, Rob Rivet.  AMD are claiming that once the demand for their processors returns then they will return to their original rate of production.