Removing a VM from Hyper-V High Availability cluster

 To remove a virtual machine from a Hyper-V High Availability cluster is really relatively trivial, so long as you don't have any system on the cluster in failover, you right click on the role and click remove

You will then be prompted; asking if you want to remove the role and you select YES.

Then the system is removed from the cluster and is operating on the host the VM was assigned to run to.

Automating SQL Data Dump and SFTP File Transfer with Powershell and WinSCP on Windows

We work with a third party that takes care of a few systems for us that we automated and to make that work we had to script an automated process to export data from our SQL server and automatically upload it to an SFTP Server.

For this setup we are using WINSCP for doing the file transfer and a combination of a bat file and powershell for exporting the data out of SQL and automating the process.  I am using windows for automating this process.

What will be required:

WINSCP

Powershell

So install powershell and WINSCP on to the system.  

Open powershell as and administrator and install the Clobber the WINSCP Module and the SQLServer module

Install-Module -Name PowershellGet

Install-Module -Name SQLServer

Install-Module -Name WinSCP

Once done we will make two files, they will be running from the same directory.

SQLDataExport.ps1 and gen_sql_data.bat

The powershell file is fairly straight forward. It essentially gets and runs the sql query and saves it to a directory as a txt or csv.

SQLDataExport.ps1

$serverInstance = "$address, $port" 

$databaseName = "$databaseName" 

$Username = "$databaseUser" 

 $Password = "$databasePassword" 

$filePath = "$PATH\$FILENAME" + (Get-Date).ToString("yyyyMMddTHHmmss") + ".txt" 

Import-Module SqlServer 

$sqlQuery = "$YOURSQLQUERY" 

Invoke-Sqlcmd -ServerInstance $serverInstance -Username $Username -Password $Password -Database $databaseName -TrustServerCertificate -Query $sqlQuery | Out-File $filePath -Encoding UTF8

BatFile (This is where all the FTP Magic happens)

@ECHO OFF

powershell.exe -executionpolicy remotesigned -File $PATHTOPOWERSHELLSCRIPT.ps1

timeout /t 120

echo "FTP Started" >> seed_exReport.rpt

date /t >> exReport.rpt

time /t >> exReport.rpt

echo option batch abort > ftpPutCmds.txt

echo option confirm off >> ftpPutCmds.txt

echo open sftp://$USERNAME@$SFTPURL -privatekey=$SFTPPRIVATEKEY.ppk -passphrase=$PASSWORD -hostkey=acceptnew >> ftpPutCommands.txt

echo option transfer binary >> ftpPutCmds.txt

echo cd seed >> ftpPutCmds.txt

echo put $SQLDATA_*.txt >> ftpPutCmds.txt

echo close >> ftpPutCmds.txt

echo exit >> ftpPutCmds.txt

"C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP\WinSCP.exe" /console /script=ftpPutCmds.txt /log="$PATH2Error.log" /loglevel=1* /logsize=5*100M

echo "FTP Finished" >> seed_exReport.rpt

IF EXIST *.txt (move *SQLDATA_*.txt Old\) REM move old file to a folder called old

date /t >> exReport.rpt

time /t >> exReport.rpt

echo. >> exReport.rpt

Once done you can setup the task scheduler to run the batfile.  You will need the script to start in the directory that the bat file and powershell file are in.

Allowing Windows 11 Access to Unauthenticated Shares

Windows 11 prevents you from accessing open SMB shares because they are a security risk.  However sometimes you need to access these unauthenticated shares for a variety of reasons.  Here is how you do that.

Method 1: Use the Local Group Policy Editor 

1. Open the search menu and type gpedit.msc, then select "Edit group policy" to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Lanman Workstation.
3. Find and double-click the policy named "Enable insecure guest logons".
4. Select "Enabled," click "Apply," and then "OK".
5. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. 
6. 
   
   

Method 2: Use the Registry Editor 

1. Open the search menu, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters.
3. In the right-hand pane, find the AllowInsecureGuestAuth value. If it doesn't exist, right-click in an empty space, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowInsecureGuestAuth.
4. Double-click AllowInsecureGuestAuth, set the "Value data" to 1, and click "OK".
5. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. 
6. 
   
   
   

Method 3: Powershell Commands

Run the following powershell commands in an elevated powershell window.

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -EnableInsecureGuestLogons $true

Enabling Java Virtual Console on Windows 11 and Windows Server

I wrote a post about bypassing Java MD5 to run Java KVM viewer, well now to get it to run on the latest version of java and Windows you need to disable it completely or have an alternative to using the iKVM Viewer.

With the MD5 algorithm disabled with the new java, you get an application error attempting to launch the iKVM Viewer as shown below.

To resolve the issue you need to open a text editor program as administrator on windows and browse to your JAVA directory a typical default example is 

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre-1.8\lib\security\"

Open java.security

an go to line 694 and disable the jdk.jar.disabedAlgorithms by putting a # in front of the line as shown below.

You will then be able to run the iKVM viewer as shown below.

Replacing a drive and repairing a storage spaces volume

When you have a drive fail in a storage spaces, changing out the drive isn't straight forward, however well worth the effort when you consider the advantages storage spaces has over regular RAID.  Specifically the lack of a an expensive disk controller, and tiered spaces with the use of HDDs and SSDs.

So in my case it is a 2U server with a RAID Controller set to JOBD, and I had a failure of a Seagate drive as shown in the picture above.  On the server we removed the bad physical drive, if on a raid controller prepare the drive, should be set to JOBD.  Formatting may be required.  As shown in image below, I added a Toshiba drive; and to replace it we need to the the following.

PS C:\> $PDToRemove = Get-PhysicalDisk -FriendlyName "$DISKNAME" 

In this case the drive's friendly name is "SEAGATE ST600MP0006" then we need to remove the disk with the following Powershell statement.

PS C:\> Remove-PhysicalDisk -PhysicalDisks $PDToRemove -StoragePoolFriendlyName "$PoolName"

(in this case SEAGATE ST600MP0006)

Once the old disk is removed we can run a repair with the following powershell statement

PS C:\>Repair-VirtualDisk -FriendlyName "$VIRTALDISK"

This will take some time to run, but it is much faster then repairing a RAID setup, taking about 20 minutes to repair the storage spaces mirror setup.  While the dive is being repaired you will see it in a InService status.

When storage spaces finishes the drive will show as being in good health.

Troubleshooting Edifact Import Files on SirsiDynix Horizon ILS

Some libraries use edifact files for automating purchasing from different vendors.  In this case acquisition librarian uses an FTP client to download and load the edifact file into the ILS.  Errors can easily happen where you can then no longer access the invoice from the vendor and a new edifact file must be issued and imported into horizon.

What is an Edifact File?

The UN/EDIFACT Syntax Rules were approved as the ISO standard ISO 9735 by the International Standardization Organization.

The EDIFACT standard provides:

• a set of syntax rules to structure data

• an interactive exchange protocol (I-EDI)

• standard messages which allow multi-country and multi-industry exchange

Read more about it here

Edifact File Sample

UNA:+.? ' UNB+UNOC:3+###:###+####:###+250903:1557+B000025704' UNH+B000025707+INVOIC:D:###:UN:EAN008'	Header
BGM+380+#####+43' DTM+137:20250903:102' NAD+BY+####::###' NAD+SU+#####::###' NAD+SU+++Name.+Address .+City+Province+PostalCode+Country' CUX+2:CAD:4'	Vendor Info
LIN+000001' IMD+L+050+:::Library MARC - CUSTOM' ALC+C++++ABK::28' QTY+$$$$' MOA+####' RTE+Quantity:1.07' RFF+LI:'	PO/Item Info
UNS+S' CNT+2:8' MOA+####' TAX+7+GST' MOA+#####'	Summary
UNT+69+B000025707' UNZ+1+B000025704'	Footer

The UNB number the B number MUST match the B number in UNZ, also the UNH B number MUST match the UNZ B number.  These are unique identifiers for the invoice generated by the vendor.  If there is an issue with the import of an invoice such as cancelled items on the PO, or any other error you will need to get a new Edifact file from the vendor.

How to check the error on edifact files in Horizon

To check for errors on edifact imports (uploads) you need to view them in table Editor

Double click table editor to open up the search and type in edifact

Then select double click on “edifact exceptions” and scroll to the bottom for the most recent errors.  You will want to look for the errors highlighted in Green, not errors stating the edifact file has already been uploaded.

If you try import a file and it fails do the following:

1. Ask the vendor for a new Edifact File with new header numbers.  (Once you try import it once it can not be imported again with the same header numbers)

2. Check the PO in horizon, verify everything is ok and there is nothing cancelled, etc.

3. Check for error codes in table editor using the edifact exceptions view

4. Either fix the PO or remove the troublesome line in the edifact file using Notepad.

5. Once the PO or the edifact file is fixed, reimport (upload) the file into horizon.

Additional Error info:

If you get an error like Process Invoice Error PO/Line, means there is a mismatch with the PO and the invoice, and the PO in Horizon needs to be fixed or an item in the edifact file needs to be removed shown in the example in orange.  Verify the PO in horizon before trying to re-import the edifact file in Horizon.   The PO either needs to be corrected or remove anything that is not in the PO in the edifact file.

Unfortunately you have to go back to the vendor and ask for a new edifact file because there was an error on import and a new header needs to be generated so the Unique identifier matches what the vendor gives for the import and once a file has been imported it can not be easily deleted in Horizon.

Meraki AP Management Changes

I work for a smallish organization and we have a network that is locked down that we use for managing devices, however we don't run a DHCP server on it.  The MR36 unlike the MR32 and MR33 requires a network with a DHCP server for internet access and management of the access points.  Trying to double up using an already established network you are using for wifi clients for example causes connectivity issues for the wifi clients.

In the past we would configure the meraki ap on a network with a DHCP server and change the VLAN and network settings on the AP to match the statically assigned ip we wanted for the device on our management network.  When we did that it worked just fine as shown below on an MR32.

However not so with the MR36, setting the VLAN's for the AP's worked the same but when I switched it back to the network without DHCP server the device became unavailable along with not routing traffic properly.  The AP goes offline.  Shown below VLAN X is a network where devices are statically assigned, and when the meraki switch has that VLAN setup for the AP the AP cannot connect, and the dashboard times out.

Switch Settings

Dashboard

But when I change the VLAN to one with a DHCP Server (VLAN A) the dashboard becomes responsive again.

To resolve the issue what I had to do was create a Management AP network for the Meraki AP's that has a DHCP Server.  So instead of using VLAN X I have it using VLAN Y for the native VLAN.   When I tried to use a network for double duty such as VLAN A, your wifi clients cannot connect and their mobile devices give a connection error.

On my firewall I created a new network (VLAN Y as described above) and I put the VLAN throughout where it is required, and will use that as the native VLAN and management network for the Meraki APs.

Error opening PDF's In Chrome with Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools enabled

If you start having trouble opening PDF's in chrome or edge you might need to check for the "Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools".  

If you disable or uninstall the extension in chrome you will be able to see the PDF again in chrome and/or edge.

To do that go to the Chrome Menu > Extensions > Manage Extensions

Then disable or remove the extension.

How to generate a QRCode for connecting to a wifi network

Here is how to generate a QRCode so people can access your (or a) wifi network.

Using a QRCode generator that can do plain text or allow the customization or the URL field where it will not put in https:// in front of the text like the QRCode generator in Adobe express does.  If the service your using puts in https:// in front of your SSID code it will fail to connect the mobile device to the network.

Adobe Express

Canva and other free qrcode generators will allow you to customize the URL field without it pre-propagating the URL with https:// or by allowing you to use the plan text field.

CANVA

QRCODE TEC-IT

Below is the code you need to use to generate the QRCode for allowing devices to connect to your wifi network.  Replace the <$SSID> and <$PASSWORD> with your ssid name and password and anyone should be able to connect but a quick caveat; you do have to make sure your wifi security is compatible, so if your using WPA3, you will have to make sure your using WPA3 and not WPA2.

WIFI:T:WPA2;S:<$SSID>;P:<$PASSWORD>;;

This allows you more flexibility in a more corporate or creative environment the using the "share" network that comes up on your phone. 

Updating a SMTP Relay Server without less secure apps

Starting May 1, 2025, Google Workspace accounts no longer support less secure apps, third-party apps, or devices that ask you to sign in to your Google Account with your username and password. You must use OAuth to let these apps and devices access your account. 

Now there are a variety of ways to deal with this issue such as setting up a google SMTP Relay, which I did in 2017 and now google wants you to use oauth which means any google workspace account has to have 2FA enabled and you need to setup app passwords.

To generate an app password first enable 2FA if you have not.  Once that is setup and configured you can use the link below to create an app password for the SMTP Server.

https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords

For the sake of this documentation let's say it is Account created in December 2023.  It is a 16 character password that you will need to copy and keep somewhere safe.  Let's say it is the password shown directly below.

YTLE PUYV LHMW QXBT

So in our relay server you want to find the auth file for the relay server, which if you followed my Tutorial Creating a GMAIL SMTP Relay Server Using Ubuntu On Hyper-V, is in 

/etc/mail/authinfo

Edit gmail-auth, and update the AuthInfo with the following:

AuthInfo:smtp-relay@gmail.com "U:$ComputerUsername" "I:$GoogleEmailAddress" "P:$PASSWORD"

and save the file.  ***NOTE *** There should be no spaces in the password.

Once done recompile sendmail using sudo sendmailconfig and you can test using

echo "subject: test email" | sendmail -v $emailAddress

That is it your done.  You now have an update SMTP Relay server that is in compliance with Google's new security policies.