Exchange Server Pro » Training

Announcing Exchange 2010 Boot Camp PLUS

Paul Cunningham — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:37:00 +0000

Back in January this year when I opened the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp I had no idea how many people would be interested in joining.

Well, as of right now, 2620 people have signed up to get access to more than 3 hours of free training videos.

Exchange 2010 Boot Camp video

I’m pleased that so many of you have found the training to be valuable. And amongst all of the positive feedback many of you are telling me the same thing – you want more.

More of the same quality, focussed, practical lessons on Exchange Server 2010 installation, configuration and administration.

So today I’m announcing the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp PLUS training program.

PLUS membership gets you more training modules, more advanced training scenarios, and extra access to download and watch videos offline on your computer or tablet.

Click Here to Find Out More

For a limited time I’m offering a special introductory price for those who want to sign up now before the first new training modules are released in a couple of weeks.

This introductory offer will end once the first new training modules are available, and the price will go up. But if you sign up now you’re locked in at the introductory price, and you won’t pay another dollar as new lessons are added to the training program.

I’m committed to providing quality training at an affordable price (especially in these tough economic times) so the regular price will not be super expensive, but this will be the only time this low introductory price will be offered.

By the way, there are some frequently asked questions on the page that may answer any concerns you have at this point, but if you have any other questions you can get in touch with me using this contact form.

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PowerShell Script to Generate Email Traffic in a Test Lab Environment

Paul Cunningham — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:50:57 +0000

For a long time now I’ve wanted to write a script that would automatically generate email traffic within an Exchange Server test lab environment.

Having realistic email traffic within a test lab environment means you can do such real world activities as:

test backup and recovery scenarios
learn how to use message tracking logs
test archiving solutions

In the past I’ve used some simple VBScripts that just sent random messages via SMTP as a way to fill up test lab mailboxes. That approach had some disadvantages though. The scripts I wrote only sent a stream of email messages at a single rate rather than at varying rates through the day as you would see in the real world. They also filled up inboxes only, never putting the messages in the Sent Items folder for the From address.

So last week I got to work creating a new PowerShell script to generate the email traffic. I tracked some of the development in the forums and can now share the complete script here.

This script does require some setting up before you run it, so please read the instructions to get it working in your test lab. I have only written and tested this script for Exchange 2010 training lab environments on the assumption that most people will be training for the latest version of Exchange.

Before we go further let me be absolutely clear that this script is for test lab environments only. Under no circumstances should you attempt to run this script in a production environment.

Using the Start-MailGen.ps1 Script in Your Test Lab

The scripts uses the Exchange Web Services Managed API so the first step is to download and install that on your test lab server.

EWS Managed API

Next, download the script and extract the three files to your server. I placed mine in C:\Scripts\MailGen.

Download the script file here: Start-MailGen.ps1 (downloaded 292 times so far)

Open the Start-MailGen.ps1 file in the PowerShell editor or in Notepad and check the following items.

The $dllfolderpath variable is set to the default installation path for the EWS Managed API v1.1. If you install a different version, or to a different path, update this variable.

#Path to the Exchange Web Services DLL
$dllfolderpath = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange\Web Services\1.1\Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.dll"

The script uses a switch statement to determine how many emails to send each hour of the day. These values are what I use but you can change them up or down to suit your test lab. The hours 6am to 7pm are individually specified, and then the default value at the end is used for the remaining hours of the day.

06 {$sendcount = 50}
07 {$sendcount = 80}
08 {$sendcount = 600}
09 {$sendcount = 600}
10 {$sendcount = 800}
11 {$sendcount = 1000}
12 {$sendcount = 600}
13 {$sendcount = 600}
14 {$sendcount = 800}
15 {$sendcount = 800}
16 {$sendcount = 900}
17 {$sendcount = 400}
18 {$sendcount = 200}
19 {$sendcount = 80}
default {$sendcount = 10}

You can just specify even numbers like the above because the script varies the send count further by adding a random number each time. This will give you a realistic level of email traffic through the different hours of the day.

Sample email traffic graph

The service account that will be running the script needs impersonation rights granted to it. I run mine as Administrator since it is just a test lab. Open the Exchange Management Shell and run the following command to grant the impersonation rights.

[PS] C:\>New-ManagementRoleAssignment -Name:impersonationAssignmentName -Role:ApplicationImpersonation -User:administrator

You may also need to set your script execution policy to unrestricted.

[PS] C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

Also, as the script file was downloaded from the internet you may need to right-click the file and choose Properties, and then click the Unblock button.

The script also depends on the Active Directory remote administration tools. These should be installed already on an Exchange 2010 mailbox server, but if you’re running the script from a non-Exchange server you may need to install them.

Finally, to start generating email traffic open the Exchange Management Shell and run the script.

[PS] C:\Scripts\Mailgen>.\Start-MailGen.ps1

The script begins to send email and will show a progress indicator.

Start-MailGen.ps1 running

The script will select a random sender and recipient from the available mailboxes in your test lab environment, and then construct a random email message using the two files that are provided with the script.

After sending the applicable number of emails for that hour of the day the script will sleep for 5 minute blocks until it reaches the next hour, and will start sending again.

You can leave the script running for several days if you wish, or set it as a scheduled task to ensure that it starts up again if the server is rebooted.

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Exchange 2010 Boot Camp Update

Paul Cunningham — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:32:12 +0000

I wanted to give you an update on how things are going with the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp. Since I last mentioned it here I’ve been overwhelmed by the response. At last count 831 people from all over the world have registered their interest in this online training. To me that is just amazing.

So, here are a few new bits of information about the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp.

I’m going to open up registrations on Thursday 26th at 10:00am AEST (that’s GMT+10:00). An email will be sent out to everyone who registered their interest.
The first set of registrations will be limited to 50 people. Don’t panic if you don’t get in the first time, I’m just limiting it in case of any technical issues with the website or other bits and pieces involved.
If all goes well for a few days I will open up registrations again and send another email to let you know.

In the mean time I’ve created this quick video to show you what the site looks like right now, so you know what to expect.

If you still haven’t registered you can head over to the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp site now and join the waiting list.

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Register Your Interest for the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp

Paul Cunningham — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:35 +0000

You can skip the back story and sign up for free here.

Earlier today I tweeted a brief message to see if anybody was interested in an Exchange 2010 online training course that I’m calling the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp.

There was a very strong response with a lot of people immediately expressing their interest.

So I’ve already begun making preparations to create the training, but I need to know a little bit more about the people who are interested in attending so that I can design the right lessons for you. Even if you are a complete beginner I want to try and deliver training that will be useful for you.

The Exchange 2010 Boot Camp will be:

free to attend
delivered 100% online, so you can do the lessons from anywhere in the world at the times that suit you
delivered using videos/webinars, written lessons, and forums for interaction such as Q&A

If that sounds interesting to you and you’d like to know more please enter your email address in the form below to register your interest. You’ll be sent a brief survey to help me understand your training needs, as well as announcements when the boot camp is ready to start.

You can sign up for free here.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments below or get in touch with me using the contact form.

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Exchange Server 2010 Training

Paul Cunningham — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 13:54:37 +0000

I’m often asked which is the best way to learn Exchange Server 2010. People are interested in either learning about Exchange Server 2010 for their job, or they want to learn about it so that they can pass the Microsoft certification exams.

The best Exchange Server 2010 training option for you will really depend on how you prefer to learn new skills. Some people like books, some like videos, and some just like to get hands on. So here are my recommendations for the different ways for you to do Exchange Server 2010 training.

How to Learn Exchange Server 2010 for Free

The cheapest way to do Exchange Server 2010 training is, obviously, to do it for free.

You can get free beginner’s training in the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp, which is a free video training series that I have produced.

Or if you’d prefer to use different training materials, then all it takes is a little bit of effort to seek out the resources that you will need.

First of all there is the software. The basic components you will need are:

Windows Server 2008 64-bit – you can download the 180-day evaluation version here.
Exchange Server 2010 – you can download the SP2 build here, and it will run for 120 days in trial mode. The certification exams are mostly aligned with RTM, and SP1 did change a few things so make sure you learn the differences if you plan to sit the exams.

If you’d rather get a pre-configured Exchange 2010 lab environment you could also download the Exchange Server 2010 VHD packages.

If you are willing to spend a little money getting a TechNet subscription makes it a lot easier to get access to Microsoft software and run it for longer than the normal evaluation periods.

The next thing you need if you plan to sit the certification exams is the exam preparation guides.

For exam 70-662 (MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuring) the preparation guide is here
For exam 70-663 (MCITP: Designing and Deploying Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010) the preparation guide is here

Work through the list of skills measured for each, and seek out the documentation that explains each of those items.

You’ll find all of it documented in the Exchange Server TechCenter on TechNet. The TechNet information for Exchange Server 2010 is actually very good, though sometimes it would benefit from more diagrams. The biggest downsides to using TechNet is that the content is not always structured in a way that makes sense for training.

Exchange Server 2010 Training Books

If you’re looking for more of an structured, instructional approach to learning Exchange 2010 then the official training kits from Microsoft Press are a good option.

These training kits align with the skills measured in the exam preparation guides. They are written as a learning tool, with good explanations and step by step demonstrations, rather than being a reference like TechNet.

I used to avoid getting training books because their size and weight made it impractical to carry them with me each day, but these days with ebooks and the Kindle for PC software it is a lot more convenient to have a library of these types of technical books on hand for training and reference.

Each exam has it’s own training kit. The books for exam 70-662 and exam exam 70-663 are both available now.

If you’re shopping for books I also recommend you pick up a copy of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Best Practices which is an invaluable reference.

Exchange Server 2010 Training Programs

For the last few years my personal favourite learning method has been video training. For some reason I just enjoy the format more and tend to learn faster. I can sit through a few hours of video in one session, whereas with books I tend to last only an hour or so without taking lots of breaks.

I also like that video lets me see Exchange Server 2010 in action even at times when I am away from any Exchange servers to work with. And most video training also comes with audio versions as well. I’ve spent a lot of time in my car driving long distances for work while listening to Exchange 2010 training MP3s on my iPod.

For Exchange Server 2010 certification I used the video training from Train Signal. I wrote reviews of the two courses they sell – for exam 70-662 here, and exam 70-663 here.

The video training costs more than books, but if you prefer video and audio like I do then they are worth paying the extra for. I scored 978 and 962 when I sat the two exams and I think the Train Signal courses had a lot to do with that.

Which Exchange Server 2010 Training is Best for You?

So with all of these options available which one should you choose? My recommendations are:

If you’re on a tight budget and have no money to spend, start with the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp, or download the trial software or the VHD images and use TechNet to get started
If you’ve got a little money to spend then go for the Microsoft Press training books
If you can afford the video training courses and like me you learn faster from video, then order those
If you can afford a TechNet subscription to go along with any of the above training options, I highly recommend you get one

I hope you found that useful in answering some of your Exchange Server 2010 training questions. If you have any further questions please feel free to ask them in the comments below or get in touch with me using the contact form on this site.

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Free Exchange Server Technical Education Videos

Paul Cunningham — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:06 +0000

Microsoft has released a series of Exchange Server 2010 technical education videos, available now on Technet.

Struggling to find an overview of what the latest EAS features are? Planning your migration from Exchange 2003 and looking for a basic introduction to Database Availability Groups (DAGs)? These videos are for you!

The Microsoft Exchange team has produced a new portfolio of videos designed to give customers a fundamental technical education on Exchange Server 2010. There are currently seven videos in the series covering the following topics:

Archiving and Discovery

Mailbox Resiliency

Management

Mobility

Outlook and Exchange

Outlook Web App

Unified Messaging

The objective of the video series is to provide an introductory curriculum for IT professionals to learn more about the benefits of Exchange Server 2010. While TechNet provides great technical documentation at a more granular level, this video series should help bridge the gap for those who are new to Exchange 2010 and still trying to learn about the technical fundamentals of the product.

You can access the videos from the front page of the Exchange Server TechCenter on the Microsoft website.

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Training for Exchange Server 2010 70-663 Exam

Paul Cunningham — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 01:30:46 +0000

When you think about Exchange Server 2010 skills for IT pros there are two ways to look at it.

Skills needed to operate and maintain Exchange 2010
Skills needed to design and deploy Exchange 2010

Anyone running an Exchange Server 2010 environment would naturally tend to go for the skills to operate and maintain it. Those skills are assessed by Microsoft exam 70-662.

But it may not occur to them to also train themselves on design and deployment of Exchange Server 2010. I see a lot of value in those skills even for someone who is managing an established Exchange environment, for these simple reasons:

You need to understand the design fundamentals of your Exchange environment (in other words, why it is the way it is)
You learn a lot about the inner workings of a product by deploying it yourself in a training lab (multiple times if necessary, since you don’t risk breaking a production environment)
You may need to design and deploy expansions for the Exchange environment as the business grows

And of course if you want to work as a consultant who designs and deploys Exchange Server 2010 for customers then it’s a no-brainer; you need these skills.

I recently sat (and passed) Microsoft Exam 70-663. Yes, I’d worked with Exchange Server 2010 already. And yes, I’d deployed it in my training lab and for customers. I figured I knew enough to get by with a pass. But I didn’t want to just pass the exam, I wanted a good score too.

I used to be a reader of big technical training books. But having learned how impractical it is to carry those around on public transport, not to mention every time I’ve had to pack them up to move house, I started looking at different training materials.

Let’s face it, these days most of us are carrying iPhones, iPads, or at least our laptops with us, and thats a lot more convenient then a 1000+ page book. So now I mostly go for training kits that come with video and audio lessons. Being able to watch a video on the train ride to work, or listen to the audio lessons while driving around on weekends, really helps me absorb the info a lot faster.

For exam 70-663 (Designing and Deploying Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010) I used this training kit from Train Signal.

Aside from the excellent coverage of the exam topics I also benefited a lot from going through some design and deployment scenarios that I hadn’t encountered in the real world yet.

The training is delivered by J Peter Bruzzese, an Exchange MVP who really knows the product in depth as well as being a great trainer.

Did this training help me pass? No doubt about it. And I scored 962 too!

If you want to pass exam 70-663 order the Train Signal Exchange Server 2010 Design and Deployment Training Kit.

You can also get free beginner’s training on Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 in the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp.

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Training for Exchange Server 2010 70-662 Exam

Paul Cunningham — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:42:09 +0000

Exchange Server skills have been in strong demand for a very long time. There are a few reasons for this, firstly that Microsoft Exchange Server is the leading messaging and collaboration product in the IT industry today. The other reason is that while a lot of people know a little about Exchange, not many have a real in-depth understanding of it.

I’ve sat and passed Microsoft exam 70-662, which earns you the MCTS credential for configuring Exchange Server 2010. When I sat the exam I had been using Exchange 2010 already, and was writing about it here on this website, but I still wanted to make sure I had all of the exam requirements covered.

To prepare for the exam I used the Exchange Server 2010 training kit from Train Signal. There were a few strong points about this training package that attracted me.

First, the training kit includes video, audio and written lessons. This was perfect for me because it meant I could watch the videos while I was at a computer, then listen to the lessons on my iPod when I was driving or taking the train to work.

I also knew that the lessons would be first class because they are written and delivered by Exchange MVP J Peter Bruzzese.

When I ordered the kit I actually started working through the lessons before the DVDs had arrived at my house thanks to the instant online access you’re given to the videos.

I was really impressed by the depth of coverage of the lessons. Even though I’d already been working with Exchange 2010 there were some concepts that I hadn’t yet looked at, and some of the ones I had only gone a little way into on my own.

For me this kind of training has real value. I don’t have a lot of free time, and even though I like self-training and discovering how to use technology on my own, when it comes to exam preparation I want to get ready fast and know that I’ve covered everything that I need to know.

By the way, I scored 978 on the exam, so I know this training helped.

If you want to pass exam 70-662 order the Train Signal Exchange Server 2010 training kit.

You can also get free beginner’s training on Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 in the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp.

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Microsoft Certified Master Video: Exchange 2010 Header Firewall

Paul Cunningham — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:00:22 +0000

Microsoft has released this video from MCM instructor Brian Reid about the header firewall, part of the Exchange Transport architecture that is covered in the Microsoft Certified Master program in depth. Very interesting stuff and well worth you taking the time to watch it.

Link: Microsoft Certified Master Video: Exchange 2010 Header Firewall

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Microsoft Exchange Server Training Portal

Paul Cunningham — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:08:44 +0000

Microsoft has launched a dedicated training portal for Exchange Server 2007 and 2010. You will find links to Technet document libraries, certification information, special offers, and eLearning catalogs for the Exchange Server product lines.

Check it out here.

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Exchange Server Pro » Training

Announcing Exchange 2010 Boot Camp PLUS

Related posts:

PowerShell Script to Generate Email Traffic in a Test Lab Environment

Using the Start-MailGen.ps1 Script in Your Test Lab

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Exchange 2010 Boot Camp Update

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Register Your Interest for the Exchange 2010 Boot Camp

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Exchange Server 2010 Training

How to Learn Exchange Server 2010 for Free

Exchange Server 2010 Training Books

Exchange Server 2010 Training Programs

Which Exchange Server 2010 Training is Best for You?

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Free Exchange Server Technical Education Videos

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Training for Exchange Server 2010 70-663 Exam

Related posts:

Training for Exchange Server 2010 70-662 Exam

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Microsoft Certified Master Video: Exchange 2010 Header Firewall

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Microsoft Exchange Server Training Portal

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