IT Operations
Top Stories
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Tip
15 Jul 2026
14 steps to implement IT automation at enterprise scale
IT organizations can't implement automation all at once. But by following proven steps, they can safely scale workflows while improving governance, efficiency and control. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Jul 2026
6 trends shaping IT automation in 2026 and beyond
Enterprises are expanding their use of automation in IT, where AI is changing the landscape with trends such as agentic workflows, automated decision-making and AI-driven pipelines. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Aug 2008
Branch office security: Pros and cons of read-only domain controllers
Windows administrators have long wondered whether or not to use domain controllers for authentication in remote branch offices. In this tip, learn about the pros and cons of domain controllers in Windows environments and how read-only domain controllers can improve security in your organization. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jun 2008
How to access SharePoint sites through Microsoft Outlook
If you have both Microsoft Exchange Server and SharePoint, you can easily access SharePoint sites directly from Microsoft Outlook. Here's how. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
21 May 2008
How to test Exchange Management Shell commands
Understand how to use the Exchange Management Shell parameters WhatIf and ValidateOnly in Exchange 2007 to preview and test EMS commands before executing them. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Apr 2008
Tracking a deleted Active Directory object's replication status
Learn how to track a deleted Active Directory object's replication status and how to determine if the object has been replicated throughout the DC forest. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Feb 2008
Optimizing NTFS file system performance
The hard disk can sometimes become a bottleneck in overall system performance. While not much can be done to overcome hardware-related limitations, admins can optimize the NTFS file system for better performance. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2008
How to use RACI charts to define service desk roles and responsibilities
Using a management tool called RACI charting can help IT managers simplify the daunting task of clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the service desk. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Dec 2007
Best practices for using Outlook .PST files on portable USB drives
You can save Microsoft Outlook email data in a .PST file to a portable USB storage drive, but make sure you understand these best practices first. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Dec 2007
Troubleshoot Outlook Web Access (OWA) login error: 'Access denied'
Learn how to troubleshoot Outlook Web Access (OWA) login errors that prevent OWA users from accessing their email. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Dec 2007
Set Outlook calendar permissions for group to view private meetings
Learn how to grant Microsoft Outlook calendar permissions, including access to private Microsoft Outlook calendar meetings, to a select group of users. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Nov 2007
How the DC locator works in Active Directory
The DC locator depends heavily on DNS to not only locate a domain controller with the right role but also to locate one that will be efficient. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Nov 2007
Get Outlook meeting requests to show as 'tentative'
Find out how to set up Microsoft Outlook so that meeting requests will show up on attendees' calendars as tentative until they respond to the meeting request. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2007
When and how to use worker process recycling with IIS
Configuring Internet Information Services to automatically reset worker processes can solve a lot of Web application issues, but it should only be used in certain situations. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
15 Oct 2007
How to install the Microsoft IIS Diagnostics Toolkit
In this excerpt from "Inside the IIS Diagnostic Toolkit," contributor Tim Fenner explains the ways Windows admins can install the Toolkit so they can use it to tackle IIS-related issues. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
15 Oct 2007
How to use Debug Diagnostics to troubleshoot IIS issues
Learn how to use the IIS Diagnostic Toolkit's Debug Diagnostics utility to troubleshoot performance issues in any Win32 user-mode process. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Sep 2007
OWA users can't open PDF attachments in Web browser
Some Outlook Web Access users can't open PDF attachments in the Web browser, but they can save them. Find out how to enable users to view PDF attachments. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Sep 2007
Exchange Server and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
Learn to install, configure and secure Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) for Exchange Server email communications with these tips, tools, and tutorials. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Sep 2007
Sysinternals TCPView monitors network connections on Windows systems
Learn how to use Sysinternals TCPView 2.51, the network monitoring tool from Mark Russinovich that keeps track of endpoint connections and processes on your Windows desktop and server systems. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
06 Sep 2007
How to use SMTP queues to troubleshoot mail flow
Find out how you can use SMTP queues to diagnose and troubleshoot Exchange Server mail flow and email performance issues. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Aug 2007
How to create a network printer pool
You can avoid congestion on a network printer by creating a printer pool -- a group of printers attached to a common print queue, so multiple documents can be printed simultaneously. Here's how to create a printer pool in a Windows Server 2003 environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Aug 2007
Microsoft Office's CiceroUIWndFrame component crashes Outlook
A Microsoft Office component called CiceroUIWndFrame can crash Microsoft Outlook. Find out how to fix the CiceroUIWndFrame issue with these steps. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Aug 2007
How to get process information with Windows PowerShell
In this column, Christa Anderson explains how to use Windows PowerShell's get-process cmdlet to retrieve information about the processes on your computer and how to kill the unnecessary ones. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Aug 2007
Can freezing a hard drive that's crashed restore it to life?
You may be able to bring a hard drive that has crashed or cannot mount back to life by leaving it in the freezer overnight. Not every hard drive having problems responds to this treatment, but in some cases it does seem to work. But why? Here's the technical truth behind this digital urban legend. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jul 2007
Troubleshooting Microsoft Outlook toolbar problems
Microsoft Outlook toolbar buttons will stop working correctly if the OUTCMD.DAT file becomes corrupted. Find out why third-party add-ins are often the culprit and learn how to fix the problem. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2007
Cracking the TPM chip – is it possible?
The integrity of the TPM chip is vital to the future of computer security and the value of Windows Vista's BitLocker technology. Cracking it could turn the IT industry on its ear. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jul 2007
Guide to using chkdsk to detect file and folder corruption
Follow these steps for configuring Windows to periodically run the chkdsk tool against a volume in order to detect file and folder corruption. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
05 Jul 2007
Active Directory Tutorial
This guide helps Active Directory administrators better understand the basics of the Active Directory infrastructure, including design strategies, DNS, replication and security. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jun 2007
Hacking for Dummies: Test your firewall rules
Before someone else hacks your firewall, test your firewall rules during the self-hacking process to test your network's security. Learn about the tools involved in this excerpt from Chapter 9, "Network Infrastructure," from, Hacking for Dummies, 2nd edition. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
27 Jun 2007
Step 3: Create an Edge Subscription
An Edge Transport server needs an Edge Subscription to access Active Directory data. Learn how to set one up and caveats you need to watch out for before deploying. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2007
Multi-core systems vs. multi-CPU systems
Can you get better performance from a dual-core system or a dual-processor system? This article evaluates the two configurations and determines that multi-core chips tend to be more efficient than multi-CPU systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jun 2007
How to detect data corruption in files and folders
Data corruption that occurs within a file or folder will usually go unnoticed if you're simply backing up the data and testing the backup by restoring it elsewhere. If the files or folders that have been corrupted are used infrequently, you may never even notice the problem until Windows generates a warning message. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Jun 2007
Not receiving email messages that have file attachments
Discover options to explore if you're not receiving email messages that have file attachments and the sender isn't receiving non-delivery reports (NDRs) for the undelivered messages. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jun 2007
Distributed File System feature prioritizes target servers in Active Directory
DFS target prioritization is a helpful feature that has slipped under the radar for some IT admins. Directory services expert Gary Olsen breaks down how to use (and not use) this tool to its full effectiveness. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Jun 2007
New Active Directory account not showing up in Exchange Global Address List
If you can't find names in an Exchange Server Global Address List after entering them as new accounts in Active Directory, here's what you need to check. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 May 2007
How to recover email in a specific date range from a .PST file
Get step-by-step instructions on how to recover email that falls within a specific data range from a Microsoft Outlook 2003 .PST file. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 May 2007
AGDLP reduces account management, permissions management headaches
AGDLP is a practice that can greatly reduce your administrative headaches related to account management and permissions management. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 May 2007
Filtering output from Windows PowerShell
With PowerShell, it's pretty simple to browse Windows Management Instrumentation classes without cheating by filtering the content -- all it takes is a new cmdlet and working with variables. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 May 2007
Daisy-chaining SCSI devices
With SCSI, you can daisy-chain (physically wire) multiple devices together. However, if you're considering daisy-chaining multiple SCSI devices together, you should know the SCSI bus will only support a certain number of devices. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
02 May 2007
An overview of Microsoft Outlook email security features
In the following tip from "8 tips in 8 minutes: A Microsoft Outlook email security tutorial," you'll gain an in-depth overview of Microsoft Outlook's email security features including security zone changes, the Outlook security update, S/MIME security, Information Rights Management and RPC over HTTPS. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Apr 2007
Create and manage hardware profiles
Hardware profiles, which are set by a systems administrator, describe which pieces of hardware are enabled or disabled when a system is booted under a given profile. They eliminate the process of Windows having to redetect hardware. This tip will show you how to create and manage hardware profiles. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Mar 2007
Fix USB audio problems like sputtering or glitching
USB audio often suffers from sputtering or glitching— playback riddled with clicks and pops. The bitstream is being interrupted, and the cause is hardware-related. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2007
Server data sheets: How they can simplify your server installations
Servers are complex environments that are constantly changing, especially if users are assigned to them. A server data sheet allows you to keep track of all those changes. Here's what a server data sheet should contain. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Feb 2007
Cannot reply or forward in Outlook Web Access
If you can't reply or forward in Outlook Web Access (OWA), you may need to add your Exchange Server URL to Internet Explorer's Trusted Sites list. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Feb 2007
Simple WMI tricks for AD administrators
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) can be a great asset for Active Directory admins. Expert Gary Olsen offers useful WMI tips and tricks for locating and gathering information from objects in an enterprise. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jan 2007
Beware of bare linefeeds in Exchange Server email
A bare linefeed is a single linefeed character that isn't preceded by an ASCII carriage return. In some instances, virus scanners or security appliances will insert bare linefeeds into an Exchange Server email and cause delivery failures. Continue Reading