Attach QNAP iSCSI Disk to Windows | Connect to Storage Without HBA Interface

Certainly, attaching a QNAP iSCSI disk to a Windows system involves several steps. Below is a general guide, but please note that specific steps may vary depending on the QNAP NAS model and the version of QTS firmware. Always refer to the documentation provided by QNAP for your specific model.

1. Configure iSCSI on QNAP NAS:

  • Log in to the QNAP NAS web interface.
  • Go to “Control Panel” > “Storage & Snapshots” > “iSCSI Storage.”
  • Create an iSCSI target and specify the settings, such as the target name and access permissions.
  • Create an iSCSI LUN (Logical Unit Number) within the target, specifying its size and other relevant parameters.
  • Note the iSCSI Target IQN (iSCSI Qualified Name) and the IP address of your QNAP NAS.

2. Connect Windows to the iSCSI Target:

  • On your Windows machine, open the iSCSI Initiator.
    • You can open it by searching for “iSCSI Initiator” in the Start menu.
  • In the iSCSI Initiator Properties window, go to the “Targets” tab.
  • Enter the IP address of your QNAP NAS in the “Target” field and click “Quick Connect.”
  • In the Quick Connect window, select the iSCSI target from the list and click “Connect.”
  • In the Connect to Target window, check the box next to “Enable multi-path” if your QNAP NAS supports it.
  • Click “Advanced Settings” to configure CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) settings if you have set up authentication on your QNAP NAS.
  • Click “OK” to connect to the iSCSI target.

3. Initialize and Format the iSCSI Disk:

  • Once connected, open the Disk Management tool on your Windows machine.
    • You can open it by searching for “Create and format hard disk partitions” in the Start menu.
  • You should see the new iSCSI disk as an uninitialized disk.
  • Right-click on the uninitialized disk and choose “Initialize Disk.”
  • Right-click on the newly initialized disk and select “New Simple Volume.”
  • Follow the wizard to create a new partition, assign a drive letter, and format the disk with your preferred file system.

4. Access the iSCSI Disk:

  • After formatting, the iSCSI disk should be accessible through the assigned drive letter.
  • You can now use the iSCSI disk for storage purposes, and it will behave like any other locally attached storage device.

Remember to follow best practices for iSCSI security, such as enabling CHAP authentication and restricting access to specific IP addresses, especially if your QNAP NAS is accessible over the internet. Always refer to the specific documentation for your QNAP NAS model for accurate and up-to-date instructions.

Login to ESXi with Domain User | VMware ESXi Active Directory Authentication

Configuring VMware ESXi for Active Directory (AD) authentication involves joining the ESXi host to the Active Directory domain and configuring user permissions accordingly. Here are the steps:

1. Access the ESXi Host:

  • Connect to the ESXi host using the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client.

2. Configure DNS Settings:

  • Ensure that the DNS settings on the ESXi host are correctly configured, and it can resolve the Active Directory domain controller’s name. You can set the DNS configuration in the ESXi host under “Networking” > “TCP/IP Configuration.”

3. Join ESXi Host to Active Directory:

  • In the vSphere Client, navigate to the “Host” in the inventory and select the “Configure” tab.
  • Under the “System” section, select “Authentication Services.”
  • Click “Join Domain” or “Properties” depending on your ESXi version.
  • Enter the domain information, including the domain name, username, and password with the necessary permissions to join the domain.
  • Click “Join Domain” or “OK.”

Example:

  • Domain: example.com
  • Username: domain_admin
  • Password: ********

4. Verify Domain Join:

  • After joining the domain, you should see a success message. If not, check the credentials and network connectivity.

5. Configure Permission:

  • Go to the “Permissions” tab in the “Host” section.
  • Add the AD user account to the appropriate role (e.g., Administrator or a custom role).

Example (PowerCLI):

New-VIPermission -Principal "EXAMPLE\domain_user" -Role "Admin" -Entity $esxiHost

6. Test AD Authentication:

  • Log out of the vSphere Client and log in using an Active Directory account. Use the format “DOMAIN\username” or “username@domain.com” depending on your environment.

Example:

  • Server: esxi.example.com
  • Username: example\domain_user
  • Password: ********

7. Troubleshooting:

  • If authentication fails, check the ESXi logs for any error messages related to authentication or domain joining.
  • Ensure that time synchronization is correct between the ESXi host and the domain controller.
  • Verify that the Active Directory user account has the necessary permissions.

Note: Always refer to the official VMware documentation for your specific ESXi version for the most accurate and up-to-date information. The steps might slightly differ based on the ESXi version you are using.

FortiGate Radius Configuration

Hello everyone , in this video I am going to integrate fortigate firewall with radius server , after that fortigate administrators can login and manage fortigate by using their active directory username and password.

Step 1: Log into FortiGate

Access your FortiGate device through a web browser or SSH client.

Step 2: Navigate to System Settings

  1. Go to System > Settings in the FortiGate web interface.

Step 3: Configure RADIUS Server

  1. Under Authentication Settings, click Create New to add a RADIUS server.
  2. Fill in the following details:
    • Name: A descriptive name for the RADIUS server.
    • Server: Enter the IP address or hostname of your RADIUS server.
    • Secret: This is a shared secret key that must match the one configured on the RADIUS server for authentication. It ensures secure communication between FortiGate and the RADIUS server.
    • Authentication Port: Usually set to 1812 for RADIUS authentication.
    • Accounting Port: Typically set to 1813 for RADIUS accounting, if needed.
  3. Click OK to save the RADIUS server configuration.

Step 4: Define a RADIUS Server Group

  1. Under Authentication Settings, click Create New to add a RADIUS server group.
  2. Give the group a descriptive name to identify it later.
  3. Add the previously configured RADIUS server(s) to the group. You can use multiple RADIUS servers for redundancy and load balancing.
    • Select the RADIUS servers from the list and use the right arrow button to move them to the “Selected” column.
  4. Click OK to save the RADIUS server group.

Step 5: Configure User Groups for RADIUS Authentication

  1. If you want to use RADIUS for user authentication, navigate to User & Device > User Groups.
  2. Edit an existing user group or create a new one based on your needs.
  3. In the user group settings, go to the Remote Groups section and select the RADIUS server group you created in Step 4.
  • This configuration ensures that users in this group will be authenticated against the RADIUS server.

Step 6: Testing

  1. It’s essential to test your RADIUS configuration to verify that it’s functioning correctly. You can do this by attempting to log in using user accounts associated with the RADIUS server.

Step 7: Monitoring and Troubleshooting

  1. FortiGate provides various monitoring tools under Log & Report where you can review RADIUS authentication and accounting logs. These logs can be instrumental in troubleshooting any issues with the RADIUS configuration.

Step 8: Additional Configuration

  1. Depending on your specific requirements, you may need to configure additional options such as RADIUS accounting, timeout settings, and other advanced features. Consult the FortiGate documentation for comprehensive details on these options.

Step 9: Save Configuration

  1. Make sure to save your configuration changes to ensure they are preserved across device reboots and updates.

By following these detailed steps, you can set up FortiGate to authenticate and authorize users through a RADIUS server effectively. This configuration enhances network security by centralizing user authentication and access control.

Install Web Deploy on IIS (Export and Import Websites With Application Pools)

Hello everyone , in this video I will show you how can migrate Websites in IIS from one server to another servers with all required components by using Web Deploy tools. Let me describe Web Deploy Tools: Web Deploy (also known as MSDeploy) in IIS refers to a technology developed by Microsoft that enables seamless deployment, migration, and synchronization of web applications, websites, and web server configurations across IIS servers. It streamlines the process of exporting and importing IIS configurations and content, making it easier to move web applications between different servers or environments. Web Deploy provides a set of tools and utilities that allow you to Export IIS Configuration and Content, You can use Web Deploy to create a deployment package that includes not only the web application’s files but also the IIS server’s configuration settings. This package captures everything needed for the application to run correctly on another server. Second provided option is  Import and Deploy, On the target server, you can use the same Web Deploy tool to install the application and its associated configurations using the deployment package. This process ensures that the target server’s IIS configuration matches the source server’s configuration. Also you can use Web Deploy to synchronize changes between a source and target server. For example, if you’ve made updates to a web application on your development server, you can use Web Deploy to sync those changes to your staging or production server.

Step 1: Installing Web Deploy

  1. Download Web Deploy:
  2. Install Web Deploy:
    • Run the downloaded installer with administrative privileges (right-click and choose “Run as administrator”).
    • Follow the installation wizard:
      • Accept the license terms.
      • Choose the installation location (you can leave it as the default).
      • Select the components to install. Make sure to select at least the following:
        • Web Deployment Tool
        • IIS Deployment Handler
        • Management Service Delegation UI
      • Click “Install” to begin the installation.

Step 2: Configuring IIS for Web Deploy

  1. Open IIS Manager:
    • Press Win + R, type inetmgr, and press Enter to open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
  2. Enable Management Service:
    • In IIS Manager, select your server node (usually the top node in the Connections pane on the left).
  3. Double-Click on “Management Service” under the “Management” section in the middle pane.
  4. Configure Management Service:
    • Check the “Enable remote connections” checkbox to allow remote management of the IIS server.
    • Set the “Start Type” to “Automatic” to ensure the service starts automatically with Windows.
    • Specify a unique port for the management service (default is 8172).
    • You can also configure other settings like SSL and client certificates if needed.
  5. Configure Permissions:
    • Under “Management Service Delegation,” you can configure permissions for various users and roles. Click “Add User…” to specify the users or groups that should have permission to deploy websites.
  6. Apply Changes:
    • Click the “Apply” button to save your configuration.

Step 3: Exporting and Importing Websites with Application Pools

Now that Web Deploy is installed and IIS is configured, you can use Web Deploy to export and import websites with application pools.

Export a Website:

  1. Open a Command Prompt:
    • Press Win + X and choose “Command Prompt (Admin)” to open a command prompt with administrative privileges.
  2. Run the Export Command:
    • Use the msdeploy command to export a website. Replace placeholders with actual values:
    bashCopy codemsdeploy -verb:sync -source:webServer,computerName=<ServerName>,userName=<Username>,password=<Password> -dest:package=<PathToPackage.zip> -enableRule:AppPoolExtension
    • <ServerName>: Replace with the server name or IP address.
    • <Username> and <Password>: Replace with the credentials of an account with sufficient permissions.
    • <PathToPackage.zip>: Specify the path where you want to save the exported package.

Import a Website:

  1. Open a Command Prompt:
    • Open a command prompt with administrative privileges.
  2. Run the Import Command:
    • Use the msdeploy command to import a website. Replace placeholders with actual values:
    bashCopy codemsdeploy -verb:sync -source:package=<PathToPackage.zip>,includeAcls=“False” -dest:webServer,computerName=<ServerName>,userName=<Username>,password=<Password>
    • <PathToPackage.zip>: Specify the path to the package you want to import.
    • <ServerName>: Replace with the server name or IP address.
    • <Username> and <Password>: Replace with the credentials of an account with sufficient permissions.
  3. Execute the Command:
    • Execute the command, and the website with its associated application pool will be imported to the target server.

By following these detailed steps, you should be able to successfully install Web Deploy, configure IIS for remote management, and perform website export and import operations with application pools. Always exercise caution when making changes to production servers and ensure you have backups in place.

Generate pfx and Install SSL Certificate in IIS, Enable https in IIS

Hello every one , in this video I will show you how can convert your certificate and key file to pfx format and also how to import that pfx in IIS webserver . as you know import pfx ssl certificate is easiest way to import in IIS.

Acquire an SSL Certificate:

  • You can obtain an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) or through a third-party provider.
  • Alternatively, you can create a self-signed certificate for testing purposes, but it won’t be trusted by browsers.

2. Generate a PFX File:

  • Once you have the SSL certificate, you need to generate a PFX (Personal Information Exchange) file. This file will contain both the certificate and the private key.

Using OpenSSL (for Windows):

  • Download and install OpenSSL for Windows if you don’t have it already.
  • Open a command prompt and navigate to the OpenSSL bin directory.
  • Run the following command to generate a PFX file:

openssl pkcs12 -export -out yourdomain.pfx -inkey yourdomain.key -in yourdomain.crt

  • Replace yourdomain.pfx, yourdomain.key, and yourdomain.crt with your actual file names.

3. Install the SSL Certificate in IIS:

  • Open the IIS Manager:
    • Press Win + R, type inetmgr, and press Enter.
  • In the left-hand Connections pane, select your server node.
  • In the right-hand Actions pane, click on “Server Certificates.”

For a Self-Signed Certificate:

  • Click “Create Self-Signed Certificate” on the right-hand side.
  • Follow the wizard, providing a friendly name for the certificate.

For a Commercial Certificate:

  • Click “Import” and follow the wizard, selecting the PFX file you generated.
  • Enter the PFX password when prompted.

4. Bind the SSL Certificate to a Website:

  • In the IIS Manager, expand the Sites node in the Connections pane.
  • Select the website you want to secure with HTTPS.
  • In the right-hand Actions pane, click on “Bindings.”
  • Click “Add” to add a new binding.
  • Set the type to “https” and select the SSL certificate you installed earlier.
  • Choose an appropriate IP address and port (usually 443).
  • Click OK to save the binding.

5. Configure HTTPS in IIS:

  • Make sure the URL Rewrite module is installed in IIS. You can download it if needed.
  • In your website settings, go to the “SSL Settings.”
  • Check the box that says “Require SSL” to force HTTPS.

6. Test the Configuration:

  • Open a web browser and enter your site’s URL with “https://” (e.g., https://yourdomain.com).
  • Ensure that the connection is secure and that your SSL certificate is valid.

By following these steps, you’ll generate a PFX file, install an SSL certificate in IIS, and configure HTTPS for your website. This will help secure the data transmitted between the client and your web server.

Fortigate Active Directory Integration

Hello everyone , in this video I will integrate my fortigate firewall with windows active directory , by doing this I can write the policies based on logged on users to their desktops , for example for one security group I can write a policy that can be access to facebook and for another group facebook will be blocked , or allow internet just for specific users that raised in security. Writing policies is depend on your environment.

1. Understanding Active Directory:

  • Active Directory is a Microsoft directory service that stores information about objects on a network, such as users, computers, groups, and more.
  • It provides centralized authentication and authorization services for network resources.

2. Purpose of Integration:

  • Integrating FortiGate with Active Directory helps streamline user authentication and access control for network resources.
  • It simplifies user management by allowing administrators to use AD user accounts for firewall policies.

3. Steps for FortiGate Active Directory Integration:

a. Configuration in Active Directory: – Ensure your Active Directory is properly configured with user accounts, groups, and organizational units (OUs).

b. FortiGate Web Interface Access: – Access the FortiGate web interface using a web browser.

c. Create a New LDAP Server Object: – Navigate to the “System” menu and select “Authentication” > “LDAP Servers.” – Click “Create New” to add a new LDAP server object. – Configure the LDAP server settings, including the server’s IP address or hostname, port (typically 389 for LDAP, 636 for LDAPS), and authentication credentials (usually a service account in AD).

d. Test LDAP Server Connectivity: – After configuring the LDAP server object, you can test the connectivity to ensure FortiGate can communicate with your AD server.

e. Create LDAP Authentication Group: – Go to “User & Device” > “User Definition” > “LDAP Servers.” – Create an LDAP authentication group and specify the LDAP server you created earlier.

f. Define Firewall Policies: – Create firewall policies that use LDAP authentication groups for user-based access control. – For example, you can define policies that allow or deny access to specific resources based on user group membership.

g. User Authentication: – When a user attempts to access a network resource, FortiGate will use the LDAP server to verify the user’s credentials. – Users will need to enter their AD username and password for authentication.

4. Additional Considerations:

  • Security: Ensure secure communication between FortiGate and Active Directory by using LDAPS (LDAP over SSL/TLS) for encrypted communication.
  • User Mapping: FortiGate can map AD groups to local FortiGate groups, simplifying policy management.
  • Fallback Mechanisms: Configure fallback authentication methods in case the LDAP server is unreachable or for users not in AD.

5. Monitoring and Maintenance:

  • Regularly monitor the integration for any issues, such as LDAP server connectivity problems or changes in AD group memberships.
  • Keep FortiGate and Active Directory servers up-to-date with security patches.

Capture Customized Windows Image by WDS

Step 1: Prepare the Reference Computer
Install Windows on a reference computer.
Customize the Windows installation as needed (install applications, configure settings, etc.).
Step 2: Sysprep the Reference Computer
Open a command prompt with administrative privileges.
Navigate to the Sysprep folder (usually located at C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep).
Run the Sysprep tool with the following options:
bash
sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml
  • /generalize: Prepares the Windows installation to be imaged.
  • /oobe: Configures the computer to boot to Windows Welcome upon the next restart.
  • /shutdown: Shuts down the computer after Sysprep completes.
  • /unattend:unattend.xml: Specifies an unattend.xml file to automate the Sysprep process. This file is optional but recommended for consistency.

Step 3: Boot the Reference Computer into Windows PE

  • Insert a bootable media (USB drive or DVD) containing Windows PE.
  • Boot the reference computer from the bootable media.

Step 4: Capture the Image

  • In Windows PE, open a command prompt.
  • Use the WDSUTIL command to capture the image. For example:

mathematica
WDSUTIL /Verbose /Progress /Capture-Image /Image:”CustomImage” /Name:”Custom Image” /Description:”Customized Windows Image” /CaptureDir:”D:\Captures”

  • /Image:"CustomImage": Specifies the name for the captured image.
  • /Name:"Custom Image": Specifies a friendly name for the captured image.
  • /Description:"Customized Windows Image": Provides a description for the captured image.
  • /CaptureDir:"D:\Captures": Specifies the directory to store the captured image.

Step 5: Upload the Captured Image to WDS Server

  • After capturing the image, navigate to the WDS server.
  • Use the WDS MMC snap-in or the WDSUTIL command to upload the captured image to the server.

Step 6: Create an Install Image

  • In the WDS MMC snap-in, right-click on “Install Images” and select “Add Install Image.”
  • Specify the location of the captured image file and follow the wizard to create the install image.

Step 7: Deploy the Image

  • Boot a client computer from the network using PXE boot.
  • Select the customized image from the WDS server for deployment.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to deploy the image to the client computer.

Make sure to test the deployment thoroughly before deploying to production environments.