Install PowerShell on Ubuntu 16.04

A game changer it could be :-)

PowerShell is an amazing admin magic tools that can do wonders if you know it. We know Microsoft know loves Linux and have openly accepted it. Releasing PowerShell for Linux and OSX shows the commitment towards the relation.

So here's what you have to do:

Install the pre-requisites for the PowerShell on Linux.

The PowerShell package is dependent on two other Debian packages: libunwind8 and libicu55. You can install them with apt-get:

sudo apt-get install libunwind8 libicu55

In case you see error while installing libicu55, you can download it manually and install it.

http://packages.ubuntu.com/en/xenial/amd64/libicu55/download

Since PowerShell is yet not available on the Ubuntu repository, you need to download it from the GITHUB

To simplify things for you, here's the link to download it directly :

wget https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases/download/v6.0.0-alpha.9/powershell_6.0.0-alpha.9-1ubuntu1.16.04.1_amd64.deb

Once you have downloaded the package, the next step to bring alive the PowerShell on Linux by installing the binaries

sudo dpkg -i powershell_6.0.0-alpha.9-1ubuntu1.16.04.1_amd64.deb

Once installed, just type in POWERSHELL and do the magic...

Microsoft Rollup Monthly Updates

MS has released guidance on the new update release process starting this month which will affect the following products:

ü  Windows 7 SP1

ü  Windows 8.1

ü  Windows Server 2008 R2

ü  Windows Server 2012

ü  Windows Server 2012 R2

ü  Internet Explorer

ü  .Net

From OCT’16 onwards, following update types would be released each month instead of traditional individual patches:

S. No	Release Date	Type
1	2nd Tuesday	Security-only quality update
2	2nd Tuesday	Security monthly quality rollup
3	3rd Tuesday	Preview of the security monthly quality rollup

Recommendations:

ü  Ensure “Security Updates” classification in the WSUS “Products and Classifications” or “Software Update Point” properties for the site is selected.

ü  Ensure that you have enabled support for “express installation files” in the WSUS “Update Files and Languages” options page

ü  Security-only update and monthly rollup are both classified as “Security Updates”, ensure your validate your Automatic approvals and Automation Deployment rules in WSUS and Configuration Manager.

ü  Define, document and test roll-up un-install procedure.

ü  Utilize Peer to Peer technologies to help distribute the updates.

ü  Sign-up for Microsoft SUVP.

Challenges:

·         In case of issues, the complete roll-up patch needs to be uninstalled.

·         Roll-up patches contains the complete update package for the current and previous month, and may affect the network bandwidth. Therefore, plan and deploy accordingly.

·         Express Installation File option isn’t applicable to Configuration Manager, therefore client will download the complete roll-up package and may impact the network bandwidth.

Microsoft has Security Update Validation Program which allows customers to test the updates before the general release. You may find more details in the below mentioned article under “The common concern:  What if an update causes an issue?” or you can get in touch with the Microsoft TAM.

Microsoft Security Update Validation Program:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/gg309155.aspx

For more details, please check the below mentioned blog link:

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/windowsitpro/2016/10/07/more-on-windows-7-and-windows-8-1-servicing-changes/

Windows 10 - Start Menu Missing or Corrupt

Post the upgrade to the latest technical preview of Windows 10, i started seeing issues related to start menu:

- Empty Application List.
- Start Menu Page doesn't show pinned items.
- Cortana doesn't show application searched.

It was frightening as well as  disappointing to see your easy to reach out START MENU missing. So, what to do next, huh?

Few things i tried before i panic and refresh my system. 

- Rebooted the system ; it did not help at all but worth a try.

- Logged out and logged in with a different user ; Aha, start menu was back, so its more related to my profile.

Before, i go for a new user profile on my system, i decided to re-register the Start Menu component and here's the little PowerShell trick you can use.

Open PowerShell with Run-as-Admin and run the following code

Get-appxpackage -all *shellexperience* -packagetype bundle |% {add-appxpackage -register -disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + “\appxmetadata\appxbundlemanifest.xml”)}

Last thing, REBOOT ;-)

WOW, my start menu is back but just in case you still can't see it, please go ahead and create a new profile for your account.

Windows Nano Server -TP 4

Here we go! Microsoft Introduces a new Server Class Operating System "Windows NANO Server". Although it is still in preview phase but overall intention looks promising.

Don't go by name, since it can take alot of stuff from your environment and reduce the risk of running a full blown server opearting system.

Download Windows Nano Technical Preview 4 version here:
Windows Nano Server Technical Preview 4 - Evaluation Version

to help you get started with Nano server, kindly visit
Help me with Nano Server

PowerShell - Import Module fails

I was trying to run a PowerShell command to connect to my azure instance and to my surprise the PS engine reported back error stating it can not find the command.. Interesting..

I started investigating what happened and tried importing the module directly and PS again threw an error:

Import-module : The specified module 'acbc' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module
directory.
At line:1 char:1
+ import-module acbc
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (acbc:String) [Import-Module], FileNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Modules_ModuleNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand

Now this was shocking.. the next obvious thing was to check the PowerShell module path in the System Environment to see if the module path includes the module i was trying to import..

here's the command to check the PS module path quickly

$env:psmodulepath

So, i checked the output and can see the module present but still i can't load it? hmm, now its really getting confusing..

I then ran Get-Module -ListAvailable and it just showed be VMware module only..huh!

so, i checked the environment variable under computer settings and found a PSMODULEPATH variable under user settings which was overriding system environment variable..

here's the quick fix:

Copy the path from the User Environment Variable to System Variable.. and remove the User variable. :)

or

Copy the PSmodules path to your User Environment variable if you want modules to be available to your account only.

Microsoft Azure Cost Estimator Tool

I am sure you need this to know the estimates for your cloud usage..

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=43376

Although, the original bill may differ based on my and other's experience but this should give you a good start to understand the minimum bill you should see at the month end 

Azure Limits

Isn't it obvious that even cloud services would have a limit? Yeah, its true like other Cloud Services AZURE does have some limits. Some of it are kind of make sense, some needs to be improved and some yet to be explored...

Here's an article to help you understand Azure limits .. This is a good place to start when you want to design an Azure solution for your customer.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/azure-subscription-service-limits/