Windows Server 2012 and SMB 3.0 demos at TechEd showcase File Server with multiple storage configurations and technologies

1. Introduction We recently had our TechEd North America event and all sessìon slides and recordings are now publicly available (links are provided below). We’re also getting ready to deliver our TechEd Europe talks this week. With hundreds of talks to attend and/or review, it will probably be a few weeks or maybe months before … Continue reading Windows Server 2012 and SMB 3.0 demos at TechEd showcase File Server with multiple storage configurations and technologies →

File Server team sessions at TechEd 2012 North America available for streaming/download

We had a great time showing Windows Server 2012 at TechEd North America and I wanted to share that the recording for our team’s sessions are now publicly available. That includes our sessions on SMB 3.0 and a number of demos, many of them using one of the Cluster-in-box configurations we were showing at the … Continue reading File Server team sessions at TechEd 2012 North America available for streaming/download →

Windows Server 2012: Which version of the SMB protocol (SMB 1.0, SMB 2.0, SMB 2.1 or SMB 3.0) are you using on your File Server?

Note: This blog post is obsolete. Please find the updated version at http://blogs.technet.com/b/josebda/archive/2013/10/02/windows-server-2012-r2-which-version-of-the-smb-protocol-smb-1-0-smb-2-0-smb-2-1-smb-3-0-or-smb-3-02-you-are-using.aspx 1. Introduction With the upcoming release of SMB 3.0 as part of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, I am frequently asked about how older versions of Windows will behave when connecting to or from these new versions. Upgrading to … Continue reading Windows Server 2012: Which version of the SMB protocol (SMB 1.0, SMB 2.0, SMB 2.1 or SMB 3.0) are you using on your File Server? →

TechEd 2011 Session WSV317: Windows Server 2008 R2 File Services Consolidation – Technology Update

This week at TechEd 2011 I will be delivering a presentation about “Windows Server 2008 R2 File Services Consolidation - Technology Update”. If you’re attending the conference in Atlanta-GA, this is session WSV317 on Wednesday at 10:15 AM, plus a repeat on Thursday also at 10:15 AM. The presentation is divided into 5 main topics: Overview … Continue reading TechEd 2011 Session WSV317: Windows Server 2008 R2 File Services Consolidation – Technology Update →

FSCT test results detail the performance of Windows Server 2008 R2 File Server configurations – 23,000 users with 192 spindles

1. Introduction The File Server Capacity Tool (FSCT) is a free download from Microsoft that helps you determine the capacity of a specific file server configuration (running Windows or any operating system that implements the SMB or SMB2 protocols). It simulates a specific set of operations (the “Home Folders” workload) being executed by a large … Continue reading FSCT test results detail the performance of Windows Server 2008 R2 File Server configurations – 23,000 users with 192 spindles →

File Server improvements from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 R2. 8 items for 8 years…

Introduction The File Server team often talks to customers about file server migration and file server consolidation projects. Many times, these are customers running Windows Server 2003 that can point to a number of issues they wanted fixed. In most cases, those issues have been identified and corrected in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server … Continue reading File Server improvements from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 R2. 8 items for 8 years… →

Ranking the SMB rules in the File Services Best Practices Analyzer tool (BPA)

As you probably know, the File Services team provides a Best Practices Analyzer tool (BPA). It includes several rules for the configuration, operation, performance and security of the SMB, NFS, DFS-N, DFS-R and FSRM.I was recently looking at the pageview statistics for each of the rules for the SMB component and found how how the … Continue reading Ranking the SMB rules in the File Services Best Practices Analyzer tool (BPA) →

New white paper: Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Architecture and Deployment

A new white paper about Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Architecture and Deployment (including the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3) has just been published. Here's an outline of this content: Introduction Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Overview Comparing Windows Server Operating System Storage Offerings Comparing Windows Storage Server with Windows Server Identifying Windows Storage Server … Continue reading New white paper: Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Architecture and Deployment →

Simple SQL Server script to create a database and generate activity for a demo

I am doing a little demo this week and it includes a simple SQL Server script to generate activity on the network while I demo SMB2 durability. First, the database is created: USE [Master]GO CREATE DATABASE [Sales] ON PRIMARY ( NAME = N'Sales', FILENAME = N'FSASQLDBSales.mdf' , SIZE = 2GB , MAXSIZE = 8GB, FILEGROWTH = 1GB … Continue reading Simple SQL Server script to create a database and generate activity for a demo →

Currently available hotfixes for SMB and SMB2 File Server components in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

If you’re installing a Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 file server, we always recommend getting the latest hotfixes from Windows Update. That will include all security updates and updates that are considered important enough to be delivered to all Windows Server users. However, there is a class of hotfixes there not pushed … Continue reading Currently available hotfixes for SMB and SMB2 File Server components in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 →