Windows Server 2012 --- Enable RRAS as NAT Router (part 1)

Recently, I want to realize the Hyper-V new function in Windows Server 2012 so that will build a lab in virtualization environment. After installing a Server,I find out one question that cannot connect to the Internet then.
Why need to connect to the Internet? For window update or download tool from Microsoft Web Site!
Based on this reason, I think what method can been done simply and quickly? The answer will be Server with RRAS enabled, I think.

For realizing the difference between Windows Server 2008 (or R2) and Windows Server 2012, I study some articles from Microsoft and summary the process as the following “How to…”.
How to configure TCP/IP on Windows Server 2012?
Before configure an RRAS Server as Router, we need to configure the TCP/IP setting for the Internet network interface and for the intranet interface.
For internet setting, the reference is from ISP as public IP address, subnet mask and the default gateway. For intranet setting, the key point doesn’t define the default gateway (that is empty value) and its IP will belong to the default gateway in internal computer.

How to install the RRAS role service in Windows Server 2012?
In Server Manager, click Dashboard next to click Add roles and features to launch Add Roles and Feature Wizard
In Before you begin page, directly click Next > button
In Select installation type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation option next to click Next > button
In Select destination server page, Choose Select a server from the server pool option, click one server as “VB-Router-01” where want to install RRAS and the click Next > button
When click Remote Access check box in Select server roles page,
a window will pop up and ask us some role services or feature need to be added before install Remote Access. Please click Include management tools (if applicable) check box next to click Add Features button.
So dose that Remote Access check box will be enabled now and some roles also are selected automatically. Click Next > button to go ahead the next step.
Continue to click Next > button because some related features also are chosen automatically.
In Remote Access page, click Next > button
In Select role services page, keep DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) selection and enable Routing check box (# 1) next to click Next > button
In Web Server Role (IIS) page, click Next > button
In Select role service page, still click Next > button
In Confirm installation selections page, enable Restart the destination server automatically if required check box so that a window message will pop up and tell us the server will restart but never notify us if require. If you agree it, click Yes button.
Click Install button
Installation progress now
In the installation process, the system will automatically restart for configuring windows feature.
After log on the computer again, the feature installation progress will complete so that click Close button to close this wizard.
Until now, the RRAS role service will be installed.

After install the RRAS server role, its initial status will be disabled.  So the later procedure will configure it to provide network address translation (NAT) services.
How to configure NAT for connecting a private network to the Internet?
In Server Manager/Dashboard page, click Remote Access in left panel
Right-click one Server as “VB-Router-01” and click Remote Access Management in menu
In Remote Access Management Console page, click Open RRAS Management in VPN Tasks to launch Routing and Remote Access
In Routing and Remote Access management, right-click the server next to click Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access in menu to launch Setup wizard
In Routing and Remote Access Server Setup Wizard page, click Next > button
In Configuration page, select Network address translation (NAT) option next to click Next > button
In NAT Internet Connection page, select Use this public interface to connect to the Internet option and one network adapter as “WAN-192.168.11.181” next to click Next > button
In Name and Address Translation Services page, select Enable basic name and address services option next to click Next > button
In Address Assignment Range page, click Next > button
Click Finish button for completing the Routing and Remote Access Server Setup Wizard
This Server has already been configured successfully now.

When finish the above steps, the computer in private network can communicate with the external system through this Server as Router.
AS-IS:
TO-BE:

Reference:
(# 1)   We cannot just install Routing because the DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) check box also need to be enabled.

View Outlook PST content

If Exchange System is your mail system in company, I think the client almost install Outlook Application as mail client to send/receive mail from/in Internet or Intranet.
If use Outlook application, the Exchange mode almost is set and mail format define PST file. In general, the PST is Microsoft private format so that just can open it by Outlook.

Whether has alternate method to view Outlook Mail but never open Outlook Application?
By Google, I find out an utility “Kernel Outlook PST Viewer” can help me to finish this target.

Down/Execute it from the Official Web Site and begin to launch the installation wizardClick Next > buttonIn License Agreement page, choose I accept the agreement option next to click Next > buttonIn Select Destination Location page, click Next > button if we don’t want to change the default path.In Select Start Menu Folder page, click Next > button if we don’t want to change the program’s shortcut.
In Select Additional Tasks page, click Next > button after we decide to create a desktop/quick launch icon or not.
In Ready to Install page, click Install button if we have already confirmed the settings.
When complete installation, select Launch Kernel Outlook PST Viewer check box and click Finish button
Click Browse button for selecting source PST file
Select one PST file from Folder Explorer
In loading PST process…
So do that we can view the PST content now.
Click a folder and one mail so that the content will be viewed now.

Windows 8 x64 --- WIM2VHD (part 4)

If we want to install a Windows 8 OS into VHD image, there is two method to do it
          (1). In Physical machine environment, we need to boot from Windows OS DVD next to   create/mount/install VHD image and add Boot Configuration Data (BCD) for Booted VHD image.
          (2). In Virtualization environment, we can create VM with VHD format and mount Windows OS DVD or ISO image next to boot it and install OS.

If we want to duplicate the bootable VHD image and let the copy also can run, we need to execute sysprepped on VHD image so that GUID doesn’t conflict each other and these OSs can on-live in the same time. It is not convenient for us because we have to do more and more steps for finishing this target.
Whether exist the alternative choice to easily build the pure OS? Yes, it is WIM2VHD for Windows 8! (# 1)

At first, we need to download a PowerShell “Convert-WindowsImage.ps1” from Microsoft Script Center (# 2)
Click I Agree button after reading License content
Select a path as “F:\My Source\Virtualization\Utility\WIM2VHD for Windows8\” to save it
When we open the Windows PowerShell and run the script as “.\Convert-WindowsImage.ps1 -ShowUI” for showing the graphic user interface, this script cannot be run due to Execution Policy limitation so that get the error message as “running scripts is disabled on this system” or “this script is not digitally signed” and so on. In the moment, we need to run the command “Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted” for allowing all Windows PowerShell scripts can be run.
When this PowerShell script run then, the screen show “Launching UI…” after keying R word.
and the Convert-WindowsImage UI will show up as well.
Click … button
Select install.wim file from Windows 8 Source
So dose that the field 2 will show SKU value as Professional for your choice if the source include other SKU.
and the PowerShell screen go another message “Scanning WIM metadata”
Choose VHD Format as “VHDX”, VHD Type as “Fixed”, VHD Size as “40 GB” next to click … button
Select a path for changing Working Directory
the PowerShell screen show the message “Selected Working Directory is …”
In Convert-WindowsImage UI page, please note that confirm whether Working Directory value is as we choose.
If no, please remember to change it so that the export file will put on the right location.
If yes,please assign VHD Name as “DW-WIN8-02.VHDX”, Unattend File next to click Make my VHD button
In the moment, the script begin to create VHDX image if we see the PowerShell screen.
Do the other activity as attaching VHD, Disk initialized/partitioned, Volume formatted, Assign Drive, Copy data, Applying image to VHDX,
BCD configuration, Make Drive is bootable, Closing VHDX and windows image. until now, the bootable VHDX image has already been created now.
Now this file can be use on boot from VHDX in Physical or Hyper-V environment. So, it is very simple, isn’t it?

Reference(# 1)  This PowerShell Script just can run on Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 and only create sysprepped VHD/VHDX image from Windows 7, Windows 2008 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 setup media.
(# 2)  The script can be download from this RUL Convert-WindowsImage.ps1 - WIM2VHD for Windows 8

<<<   Windows 8 x64 --- Loopback Network Adapter (part 3)

Windows 8 x64 --- Loopback Network Adapter (part 3)

Since Hyper-V is installed and select the loopback adapter as Hyper-V Internet Interface, someone ask me how to install loopback adapter and let VM can connect to Internet. Based on the before experience to install Microsoft Loopback Adapter, we cannot find it on Windows 8 because it is renamed as "Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter".
So How to do it for someone question?

Add Loopback Adapter
To add the loopback adapter to Windows 8, the arrow cursor move to the left-bottom next to right-click the mouse to click Device Manager in menu.
In Device Manager, click Actions –> Add legacy hardware to launch Add/Remove Hardware wizard.
In Add Hardware page, click Next > button
Select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced) option next to click Next > button
Select Network adapters hardware types next to click Next > button
Select Microsoft Manufacturer and Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter next to click Next > button
Click Next > button to start installing the new hardware
Windows has finished installing the Microsoft Loopback Adapter driver and we can see it in Device Manager.

Enable traffic on LoopbackWhen we right-click this “Loopback Adapter” in Network Connection and select Status in menu,
the Received traffic always be “0”.
In the moment, we need to correct some value to change the loopback network behavior. At first, we need to understand which Ethernet adapter name as “Hyper-V LAN01” will be set by running the command “ipconfig /all | more”.
In the command prompt with Administrator privilege, execute the command “netsh interface ipv4 set interface “Hyper-V LAN01” weakhostreceive=enabled” & "netsh interface ipv4 set interface “Hyper-V LAN01” weakhostsend=enabled"
So does that the loopback adapter will have package in receive traffic now.

Enable ICSFinally, we will enable ICS on the WAN Interface so that let Hyper-V VM can go through WAN to Internet. For enabling ICS, right-click this WAN adapter next to click Properties
In WAN Properties, click the Sharing tab next to enable Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection check box and select a private network adapter as “vEthernet(Group01 Virtual Switch)” in Home networking connection field.
So does that Internet connection will be shared for VM computers now.

<<<   Windows 8 x64 ---- Install CentOS 6.3 x64 on Hyper-V (part 2)