Posey's Tips & Tricks


Why Restarting a Failed SCVMM Job Might Be a Bad Idea

Occasionally, restarting a failed System Center Virtual Machine Manager job can leave your virtualization infrastructure in an unknown state. Here's how to avoid that.

How To Enable SQL Server Reporting for System Center Operations Manager

One of the most useful features in Microsoft System Center Operations Manager is its reporting engine. Installing it can get a little tricky, though. Here's a step-by-step guide.

How To Fix a (Seemingly) Corrupt PowerShell Script

A simple four-line script unexpectedly returned a host of errors for Brien. The issue turned out to be deceptively simple.

How To Debug a PowerShell Script

Here are three pointers for finding and fixing any bugs in your PowerShell script, no matter how long it is.

Is It Better To Use Replication or a Two-Node Cluster with Hyper-V?

Brien details the pros and cons of Hyper-V replication versus clustering, and what scenarios work best for each method.

Create a Backup Plan for Your Backups with Hyper-V Replica

Backup solutions are more reliable now than they've ever been, but it's still important to have a second data-protection measure in case your backup fails. That's where Hyper-V comes in.

Comparing Microsoft 365 List-Making Apps

What's the difference between Microsoft Lists and Microsoft To Do? Brien gives an overview for what use cases suit which app the best.

Working with Excel's New Data Types

Microsoft has started to roll out a new feature that promises to turn Excel into a much more valuable data-surfacing tool than ever before. Here's how it works.

How To Protect Your Personal Data Against Natural Disasters

Your personal data is just as vulnerable to disk failures and ransomware as corporate data. But right now, there are threats that are more difficult to protect against: wildfires and hurricanes.

Microsoft Ignite 2020 Reaction, Part 2: Standouts from the Tech Demos

Despite the strangeness of the keynote, Microsoft pulled off some its most geek-worthy product demos at Ignite this week.

Green City Illustration

Microsoft Ignite 2020 Reaction, Part 1: A New Normal for Tech Conferences

Something about Satya Nadella's opening keynote makes Brien wonder if Microsoft thinks we'd all be better off doing everything -- including conferences like Ignite -- remotely, even after the pandemic is over.

How To Work with Microsoft 365 Search Connectors

Microsoft now lets Microsoft 365 connect to various data sources -- whether in the cloud or on-premises -- so that those data sources can be indexed for searching.

How Microsoft 365 'Safe Documents' Works

Because sometimes (a lot of the time), Protected View isn't enough to guard against potentially malicious Office documents.

Microsoft Ignite 2020 Predictions

Ignite is Microsoft's most important event of the year. What direction will Microsoft take for Ignite's first-ever virtual outing, during the IT industry's most challenging year on record?

Microsoft Surface Duo: Some Early Misgivings

Why did Microsoft go with Android and not Windows 10? Why aren't other Surface devices supported? Microsoft's upcoming Surface Duo might end up being brilliant, but for now it has us scratching our heads.

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