In trying to re-configure Routing and Remote Access on I was getting the following error: "The Routing and Remote Access service terminated with service-specific error A device attached to the system is not functioning." Found a solution on the www.petri.co.il forums: Delete the following registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemcurrentcontrolsetservicesremoteaccessroutermanagersIPV6

Windows Server 2008 Remote Desktop Servers require Network Level Authentication. The RDP Client available for XP is not set to use Network Level Authentication by default. The result is that XP machines may not be able to connect with the message "The remote computer requires Network Level Authentication, which your computer does not support." Or you might have to click connect one more time after clicking Ok to the error message. To correct this issue configure Network Level Authentication in the registry of the client machine. 1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER. 2. In the left navigation pane, go to the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlLsa 3. In the details pane, right-click Security Packages, and then click Modify. 4. In the Value data box, add tspkg to the list of packages. 5. In the left navigation pane, go to the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSecurityProviders 6. In [...]

I ran across an issue with Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2008 R2. In several cases once the service pack was installed I could not log on the servers remotely. Some research found that the issue was with update KB 2667402. On one server I was able to resolve the issue by checking for updates again. On another I had to uninstall KB2667402 and leave it uninstalled. I found the answer to this issue at http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverNIS/thread/f5d... Thanks to posts by MyITNetowrk and Gryffon-G-Wiz.

In today’s electronically connected world information security is vital to our financial security both in the workplace and at home. This means we have to juggle multiple user names and passwords. Here are a few ideas on making your passwords hard to crack and easy to remember. First - don’t make it obvious (like leaving the combination to your brief case as “0000”). “P@ssword” or “passw0rd” or even “p@ssw0rd567” will be guessed. Second - don’t use words and numbers that are easily associated with you. If you were born in July of 1985 “0785” is a bad pin for your bank card. “julie0785” is and equally poor password for your online credit card accounts. Third - Don’t share your passwords. Many hackers use social engineering to obtain access. Rather than trying to pick a lock they will ask for the key. This could be as simple as a phone call [...]

The Cost of Bad Project Management -- Gallup Management JournalWhen I read this article from Gallup Management Journal, I chuckled.  Having managed many projects over the last 20 years, I've noticed a dynamic that cannot be explained.  That dynamic is the human dynamic.  You see, early on in my project management career, I had managers and colleagues espouse the value of a good project plan, mostly using MS Project, Excel and other tools.  Then, as I matured, I was turned onto the "project dynamics" of having the right people in the right roles, accountability and holding people to their deadlines.  Yea, right.  I remember one of my project contributors who could have cared less about the deadline... the world revolved around him, his schedule and when he would "get to it".  Recently, I managed a project that technically was one of the most well run projects but the team that [...]