WindowsNetworking.com - Monthly Newsletter - April 2015
Hi Security World,
Welcome to the WindowsNetworking.com newsletter by Debra Littlejohn Shinder <http://www.windowsnetworking.com/Deb_Shinder/>, MVP. Each month we will bring you interesting and helpful information on the world of Windows Networking. We want to know what all *you* are interested in hearing about. Please send your suggestions for future newsletter content to: dshinder@windowsnetworking.com
1. What is Microsoft Nano Server and Do You Need It?
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This month, Microsoft announced a set of new technologies related to containerization. Containerization has been all the rage since Docker exploded on the scene about two years ago, but many IT pros still aren’t quite clear about what it is and what â€" if anything â€" it can do for their organizations.
Docker was designed as an open source solution for packaging and deploying applications inside software containers running on Linux. Each container can be set to use a specified amount of memory, processor and I/O resources. It has become very popular and now can be integrated into AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure, among other IaaS solutions.
Although some have said containerization will replace virtualization, containerization is actually itself a form of virtualization. However, it doesn’t work in the way that most of us have traditionally thought of virtualization; that is, it doesn’t use a hypervisor running a bunch of virtual machines, each of which runs a full copy of the operating system and software libraries. When you think about it, this is a waste of resources if all you’re trying to accomplish is separation of your applications.
Software containers depend on virtualization at the operating system level, which creates isolated spaces for different applications. These isolated “containers� run within a single instance of the OS. This way, they don’t use as much memory and processor as running separate virtual machines so you have less resource overhead. That means you can run many more applications per physical server, so it also cuts down on hardware costs. Containers can be quickly provisioned or deprovisioned.
Container technology can be especially useful in this BYOD era. Users are co-mingling work and personal applications and data on their phones, tablets and laptops to an increasing degree â€" much to the consternation of IT administrators and corporate security teams. Containerization on the device can be used to separate the corporate apps and the data generated by them from the personal ones. Then IT managers can force encryption or rights management on the company resources, or even wipe them completely, without interfering with users’ personal data.
In June of 2014, Microsoft brought support for Docker apps to Azure, but you had to run them on the Linux OS in the Azure cloud. Then back in October, they announced that they would be building support for containers into the next version of Windows Server. Earlier this month, they announced Windows Server Containers, which works similarly to Docker to package applications that you can then move from one Windows Server to another.
One of Microsoft’s new container technologies is called Nano Server. This is a minimalist version of Windows Server that will be designed for the express purpose of only running containers. It will use far less disk space than a full-fledged instance of Windows Server. You’ll be able to manage Windows Server containers via the Docker engine, which means if you have Docker containers running on your Linux machines and Windows Server containers running on Windows, you can manage them together.
Nano Server is optimized for the cloud, and will be preloaded with what Microsoft calls “born-in-the-cloud applications.� Because it’s made for such a specialized purpose, it will have only those features and services that are needed for that purpose. That means better performance as well as better security, and fewer patches will be necessary since many of the features that have vulnerabilities won’t be there. Microsoft says Nano Server will reboot 80% faster and will have 92% fewer critical security patches than the traditional versions of Windows Server.
Nano Server won’t be for everybody. It’s pretty limited in functionality (by design). There is no GUI or 32 bit (WOW64) support. You can’t use Remote Desktop Services or log in locally; you manage it using WMI and PowerShell. Visual Studio is fully supported, though, and Microsoft is working on new web-based tools.
We can expect to see sessions about Nano Server at Microsoft’s BUILD and Ignite conferences this year and if you can’t attend, those sessions will be available later on Channel 9. You’ll have to wait a while to get your hands on it, though. Nano Server apparently won’t be part of the next Windows Server 2016 update.
We’ll be looking more closely at this stripped-down Windows Server option when it’s available for testing.
‘Til next time,
Deb
dshinder@windowsnetworking.com
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Quote of the Month - Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. â€" Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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2. Windows Server 2012 Security from End to Edge and Beyond â€" Order Today!
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Windows Server 2012 Security from End to Edge and Beyond
By Thomas Shinder, Debra Littlejohn Shinder and Yuri Diogenes
From architecture to deployment, this book takes you through the steps for securing a Windows Server 2012-based enterprise network in today’s highly mobile, BYOD, cloud-centric computing world. Includes test lab guides for trying out solutions in a non-production environment.
Order your copy of Windows Server 2012 Security from End to Edge and Beyond. You'll be glad you did.
<http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-2012-Security-Beyond-ebook/dp/B00CMQK0OG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387293428&sr=8-1&keywords=windows+server+2012+end+to+edge+and+beyond>
3. WindowsNetworking.com Articles of Interest
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Why use Enterprise wi-fi security?
The two Wi-Fi Protected Access versions (WPA and WPA2) both have two very different modes that you can use to implement encryption and password protection on your wireless network. In this article Eric Geier will discuss ways in which the Enterprise mode of Wi-Fi security is superior to the Personal mode in regards to security, usability, and maintenance.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/wireless-networking/why-use-enterprise-wi-fi-security.html
Managing network adapters using PowerShell
When the network goes down, everything grinds to a halt. You can't do your work, and your business can't earn money. Always-on connectivity is a must in today's deeply interconnected world. This makes being able to properly configure, manage and troubleshoot network adapters, both wired and wireless, a must for the system administrator. This article by Mitch Tulloch demonstrates several ways you can use Windows PowerShell to configure and manage network adapters.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/windows-server-2012/managing-network-adapters-using-powershell.html
Windows 10: Nearing the Finish Line (Part 1)
On October 1, Microsoft released a technical preview of Windows 10 to the IT world. Many of us have been playing with it for a few months now and getting to know some of the nuances of Microsoft’s next (and according to some reports, last) major operating system release. In this two-part series, we’ll take a look at Microsoft’s latest and greatest client operating system that’s expected to be released later this year, with a focus on its most promising new features that make the OS more touch- and voice-friendly in keeping with the evolving way that people use their computers and portable computing devices today.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/windows-10/windows-10-nearing-finish-line-part1.html
What you need in your PC support toolkit
If you’re going to work on-site PC support calls, you’ll likely want to carry along a full toolkit to be prepared. This is especially important if you support multiple locations; you don’t want to make more trips than needed. Even if you only do servicing in a depot or shop, you’ll still want the same tools. In this article, Eric Geier will describe and discuss many software and hardware tools you can consider putting into your PC support toolkit. Though you may already have some, you might find new interesting tools as well.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/netgeneral/what-you-need-your-pc-support-toolkit.html
4. Administrator KB Tip of the Month
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Removing an IP address using PowerShell
A tip that tests your knowledge about using PowerShell to remove an IP address from a network interface.
Quick Check
What cmdlet would you use to remove an existing IP address from a network interface? (Hint: Examine the list of the cmdlets and functions in the NetTCPIP module.)
Quick Check Answer
A good guess would be the Remove-NetIPAddress cmdlet!
The above tip was excerpted from Mitch Tulloch's book Training Guide: Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735673101/> from Microsoft Press.
5. Windows Networking Links of the Month
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Microsoft updates Windows 10, debuts Project Spartan browser
http://www.networkworld.com/article/2904252/windows/microsoft-updates-windows-10-debuts-project-spartan-browser.html
This tool can warn you about evil access points nearby
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2905427/this-tool-can-warn-you-about-evil-access-points-nearby.html
Networking Survival Guide: 8 Essential Rules
http://www.networkcomputing.com/storage/networking-survival-guide-8-essential-rules/d/d-id/1319789
Cloud-driven competition compels company collaboration
http://www.enterprisenetworkingplanet.com/netsysm/cloud-driven-competition-compels-company-collaboration.html
A Linux user tries out Windows 10
http://www.networkworld.com/article/2904365/opensource-subnet/a-linux-user-tries-out-windows-10.html
How to own any Windows network with Group Policy hijacking attacks
https://labs.mwrinfosecurity.com/blog/2015/04/02/how-to-own-any-windows-network-with-group-policy-hijacking-attacks/
6. Ask Sgt. Deb
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QUESTION:
In Windows I used to be able to find out how fast my connection is in Task Manager. Like the connection speed (like one gigabit per second) and then the actual bandwidth you’re using and percent of the total connection that is. What I see now is send and receive throughput but I can’t find that other info. Can you help? - Bob J.
ANSWER:
The Performance tab in Task Manager will display a graph with your Send and Receive rates underneath it when you select the Ethernet or Wi-fi connection in the left pane. Now if you right click on the graph and select “See network details,� you will get a very detailed list of information that does include your link speed and percentage of current network utilization.
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