SystemTools ToolNews

SystemTools 'ToolNews' - November 14, 2012 - Hyena v9.2 is Here

  1. Hyena v9.2 Now Available
  2. Other News
    • Hyena Meets Windows 8 Compatibility Requirements
    • Hyena v9.0 Updated to rev 'E'
    • Vote for Hyena !
  3. Tips
    • Hyena and the Browser Service
    • Active Directory Attribute Management
  4. Hyena Maintenance
  5. Resources
    • SystemTools' Discussion Board
    • Help Us Keep You Informed
    • Help Us Spread the Word !
  6. Contact Information


.Hyena v9.2 is Here

We are excited to announce the release of Hyena v9.2.

Group MembersThe primary new feature in Hyena v9.2 is the capability to customize group membership displays, much like any other Active Directory query. With v9.2, group membership listings can include the user's email address, phone numbers, or any number of attributes that you choose to add to the display. Multiple queries can be created and customized as well. The new group membership query capability applies to all groups and members, including listing direct and indirect (nested) members, as well as listing the current members of dynamic groups.

To get a complete look at all of the new features in this release, visit our What's New page.

To receive a free update to Hyena v9.2, your maintenance expiration date must be after November 1, 2012. See the 'Hyena Maintenance' topic below for information on updating and how to check the maintenance expiration date. Everyone who purchased a Hyena v9.0 license is eligible for a free upgrade to v9.2.

Hyena v9.2 is available now in both x86 and x64 versions in English, French, German, and Spanish. Visit the main Hyena download page to get this upgrade.


.Other News

Windows 8Hyena Meets Windows 8 Compatibility Requirements

Hyena v9.x versions (9.0 and 9.2) now meet both Windows 7 and the new Windows 8 Compatibility requirements. As more and more organizations move to migrate their client operating systems to Windows 7 / Windows 8, Hyena will be there to both operate on as well as take advantage of unique management features built into the operating system.

For instance, Hyena can access and manage the new Task Scheduler and Event Management systems that are entirely new to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 and later operating systems. If your organization is looking at other system administration tools, the task and event management areas are important components to evaluate for compatibility.

Hyena v9.0 Updated to rev 'E'

Hyena v9.0 has been updated to rev 'E'. This revision includes many of the fixes in Hyena v9.2, including:

  • Fixed sorting of results from "View Deleted Objects" function.
  • Fixed problem with viewing event details on events that are forwarded from another computer using Microsoft's new Forwarded Events feature in newer EVTX/Crimson event logs.
  • Fixed problem on non-English versions with incorrect time offset being displayed on filtered events.
  • Fixed problem with Exchange 2010 settings being reset under certain conditions.

Hyena rev 'E' is available in English, French, German, and Spanish. Visit the main Hyena download page to get this update.

VoteVote for Hyena !

Windows Networking has opened voting for the best network administration product in their annual Reader's Choice Awards. To vote, visit www.windowsnetworking.com and find the Readers Choice poll on the lower left side of the website. We appreciate your help in giving Hyena your vote as well as everyone's support over the years.


.Tips

Hyena and the Browser Service

Hyena depends on the Windows Browse list for its 'Servers' object in the left window. Unlike the 'Computers' and 'Domain Controllers' objects, which come directly from Active Directory (AD), Windows doesn't offer a function to quickly retrieve only servers. For this reason we use a legacy function to extract the list of servers from the Windows Browse list.

Note: A common misconception is that the 'Computers' object in Hyena only contains workstations, when in fact it is a list of all computer accounts in AD.

As Windows has moved away from using the Browse List, we've seen a few changes with newer operating systems that affect the 'Servers' object in Hyena. Mainly, the Computer Browser service is now stopped by default in Windows 7/8 and Server 2008. One solution to this issue is to start the Computer Browser service, and set it to Automatic so it starts after each reboot. You'll want to do this on the system running Hyena, as well as on any 2008 servers or Domain Controllers.

If you are in an environment where use of the Computer Browser service is not allowed, we've put together a list of alternate methods to get a list of servers:

1. Right-click on the 'Computers' object for the domain and choose Query Active Directory > Computer(Detailed). Then filter the OS column for the word 'Server'.

2. Navigate through the Containers/OUs to the location where your servers reside in Active Directory (assuming your servers are grouped together in an OU or OUs).

3. Create an OU in the directory and place all of your servers into this OU structure (then manage them with option #2).

4. Create a static Object Grouping under File > Manage Object View. The limitation to this method is you have to manually add all of your servers, and you must add/remove them over time as this is not a dynamic list.

5. Create an AD query to filter for computers with 'Server' in the OS description. Go to File > Manage Object View > AD Queries, change the Query Type to 'Container/OU Contents'. Click the New Query icon and enter a Query Name of 'Servers'. Check the box to Include subcontainers and sub-OUs in search, then paste this into the LDAP Search Filter box:

(&(objectCategory=computer)(objectClass=computer)(operatingSystem=*server*))

Click OK to save the new query. To run this query right-click on the Containers/OUs object for a domain and choose Query Active Directory > Servers.

AD Attribute Management

One of the drawbacks to the conventional method used by Hyena and nearly all Microsoft applications when managing Active Directory objects is the presentation of a dialog box to request user input.   Some of the disadvantages to the standard GUI dialog for managing Active Directory include:

  • Active Directory offers many more additional properties (attributes) than can be displayed on most GUI interfaces.
  • Limited options exist for managing the attributes for multiple directory objects at the same time, resulting in lost time performing one-by-one updates.
  • Extended schema attributes will not usually be available in Microsoft or 3rd party utilities.
  • Tools for direct access to AD attributes such as ADSI-Edit are difficult and clumsy to use.
  • Scripting solutions offer only a non-interactive method of updating directory objects.

Hyena's Active Directory Attribute Management functions are designed to overcome these limitations and provide new capabilities for direct access and manipulation of AD objects.  By utilizing advanced techniques and optimized directory access functions, this capability greatly enhances AD management, especially where multiple attributes need to be modified on a large collection of directory objects.  

To access the attribute management function, right click on any directory object, and select "Manage Directory Attributes" from the menu.

To see how to use this powerful feature, including how to replace all or part of one directory attribute with another (for example, putting the first few characters of the last name field into an email address), see Hyena's Help file section "Active Directory > Active Directory Attribute Management".

 

.Hyena Maintenance

All Hyena licenses have a built-in maintenance expiration date, which can be displayed under the Tools > Settings > Licensing dialog. The maintenance expiration date determines whether new releases can be installed with the active license. If your maintenance has recently expired or about to expire, it can be renewed now. For maintenance information and renewal options, visit:

http://www.systemtools.com/hyena/maint_main.htm

If you prefer to get an email quotation on maintenance renewal, send your current license information to sales@systemtools.com and request a maintenance renewal quote. You can easily get the current license information under Hyena's Tools > Settings > Licensing dialog.

If your maintenance expiration date is before November 1, 2012, the upgrade cost is only 50% of the licensing cost, which includes one year of maintenance. Maintenance expirations on or after November 1, 2012 can be renewed now.


.Resources

SystemTools' Discussion Board

Our online discussion board, with thousands of postings, is a great online resource for all Hyena users. Our discussion board can be both a source for solutions to frequently encountered problems, but also a place to learn how others use many of Hyena's features. To access our discussion board, visit:

http://www.systemtools.com/toolboard

There is also a link on Hyena's Help menu (Help > Online Discussion Board) to go directly to our discussion board.

Help Us Keep You Informed

Help us keep you and other users in your organization informed of updates and releases of SystemTools products.

Any Hyena user can register for this newsletter (ToolNews) by selecting "Newsletter Signup" on Hyena's Help menu. You can also go directly to our
ToolNews registration page as well. We could also use the help of our existing customers by passing along this newsletter to other SystemTools users within your company.

We use an automated service to handle sending this newsletter, including subscribing and unsubscribing. All new subscriptions require confirmation, and we will never share our newsletter email list with anyone.

Help Us Spread the Word !

For over 15 years Hyena has helped tens of thousands of IT managers, administrators, help desk personnel, and auditors simplify the management and reporting of Windows. We have found over and over that the number one source of newcomers to our products has come from word-of-mouth of other happy users. The entire SystemTools Software family and community would very much appreciate it if you would mention Hyena to friends and associates that you feel could use it to simplify their jobs as well.

As our user base has grown, the amount and quality of feature recommendations has grown as well, making for an even better product for existing and future users. Simply put, the more we grow the exposure of SystemTools Software products, the more return you get from your investment.

Thank you for your help in keeping Hyena improving and growing !

 

.Contact Information

Sales - sales@systemtools.com
Support - support@systemtools.com
Telephone - 1-877-SYS-TOOL (1-877-797-8665) or International Customers - 1-830-779-2349

SystemTools Software Inc.
P.O. Box 1209
La Vernia, TX 78121

Thank you for your support.