Performance Analysis of Logs (PAL) Tool

Ever have a performance problem, but don't know what performance counters to collect or how to analyze them?  The PAL (Performance Analysis of Logs) tool is a powerful tool that reads in a performance monitor counter log and analyzes it using known thresholds.

Features

• Thresholds files for most of the major Microsoft products such as IIS, MOSS, SQL Server, BizTalk, Exchange, and Active Directory.
• An easy to use GUI interface which makes creating batch files for the PAL.ps1 script.
• A GUI editor for creating or editing your own threshold files.
• Creates an HTML based report for ease of copy/pasting into other applications.
• Analyzes performance counter logs for thresholds using thresholds that change their criteria based on the computer's role or hardware specs.

http://pal.codeplex.com/

Rockbox

Rockbox is an open source firmware for mp3 players, written from scratch.  Rockbox is a replacement firmware for the iPod, iriver, Cowon, and many other devices.  What the firmware does is extends the functionality and features of your current digital music player.

http://www.rockbox.org/

NMCap

NMCap is a command-line executable that is included within Microsoft’s Network Monitor installation.  It allows for network capture via a non-GUI method such as a batch file.  The command nmcap /displaynetwork will show the available network cards.

The command nmcap /network * /capture /file C:\users\swalker\desktop\test.cap will capture all traffic on all network cards, and will place the data within a file called test.cap.

The command nmcap /network * /capture “tcp.port == 80” /file C:\users\swalker\desktop\test.cap will capture traffic only using TCP port 80 for all network cards, and will place the data within a file called test.cap.

One option is to create capture files based on file size.  This would prevent the creation of one large single file.  The command nmcap /network * /capture /file C:\users\swalker\desktop\test.chn:1MB will capture traffic on all interfaces and create a series of 1 MB files.

After using the command above, several separate files will be created after a period of time.

 

The individual files can be combined into a single file after the fact.  The command nmcap /inputcapture test.cap test(1).cap test(2).cap test(3).cap test(4).cap /capture /file out.cap will combine the various individual files into one file.

After the command is used, a new single file with all of the captured data should be present.

To see more sample options, use the command nmcap /examples.  For example, the command nmcap /network * /capture  (!ARP AND !ICMP AND !NBTNS AND !BROWSER) /File NoNoise.cap creates a capture file excluding several traffic types.

Restore default libraries within Windows 7

If you attempt to modify the default libraries within Windows 7 and wish to go back to the initial default values, open Windows Explorer.  Right-click on the Libraries icon and select “Restore default libraries.”  This will not affect any custom library entries that may have been created.

How to create a “God Mode” shortcut within Windows 7

A shell shortcut (nicknamed the “God Mode”) was discovered to work with Windows 7.  It is simply a list of every single Control Panel feature.  To enable this view, right-click on the Desktop and select New –> Folder.  Copy and paste the following text as the name:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

After hitting the return key, the icon of the folder should change.

If the shortcut is accessed, a list of all Control Panel features should be present.

Encrypt your backup within iTunes

By default, iTunes will perform a backup of your Apple device.  But this backup is not encrypted on your computer’s hard drive.  To enable this feature, launch iTunes and connect your device.  Under the Summary tab, enable the option “Encrypt iPod backup.”

A dialog box should appear asking for a password.

List of utilities for Hyper-V

• Wim2VHD
  Creates a Windows Server 2008/Vista/Win7 VHD from media in 5 minutes.
  
• VHDtool
  Command-line tool for VHD manipulation including instant creation of large fixed-size VHDs
  
• Hyper-V PowerShell library
  PowerShell Library for Hyper-V, simplify Hyper-V scripting
  
• CoreConfigurator
  Server Core/Hyper-V Server configuration interface
  
• Hvremote
  Configures servers and clients for remote management of Hyper-V in both workgroup and domain environments
  
• nvspbind
  Tool for modifying network bindings from the command line
  
• nvspscrub
  Tool for removing Hyper-V Virtual Networking Configuration from the parent partition
  
• BootfromUSB-HVS
  Simplify the creation of bootable Hyper-V Server USB drives
  
• VM Migration Test Wizard
  Discovers which hosts need the "Enable Processor compat" option for Live Migration

Eventlog to Syslog Service for Windows

This program is written in C and provides a method of sending Windows Eventlog events to a syslog server. It works with the new Windows Events service found in Vista and Server 2008 and can be compiled for both 32 and 64-bit environments. The program is designed to run as a windows service.

http://code.google.com/p/eventlog-to-syslog/

SAGAN

SAGAN is a real time event log monitoring system that is able to detect incidents on hosts or network and can correlate information with the snort sensor present on your network. It gathers syslog events and then correlates them with other alerts such as snort logs.

http://sagan.softwink.com/

Kace’s Secure Browser

Kace’s Secure Browser is a virtualized and contained Firefox v3.6 Browser with Adobe Reader and Flash plug-ins pre-installed.

http://www.kace.com/products/freetools/secure-browser/