SDDC extension update in Windows Admin Center
Create thinly provisioned volumes in Windows Admin Center Thin provisioning is a standout feature exclusive to Azure Stack HCI 21H2 and offers flexible capacity management. With thin provisioning, storage is allocated when needed and volumes can be over-provisioned (size larger ... continue reading
Windows Server 2022 is full of new file services!
Heya folks, Ned here again. As you’ve heard by now, Windows Server 2022 is available and supported for production deployments. This new OS brings many new features around security, storage, networking, web, containers, applications, virtualization, edge, and Azure hybrid. Today ... continue reading
Configure SMB Signing with Confidence
Heya folks, Ned here again. Many years ago, we made configuring SMB signing in Windows pretty complicated. Then, years later, we made it even more complicated in an attempt to be less complicated. Today I'm here to explain the SMB ... continue reading
What the heck is the File Server “role” in Windows Server???
Heya folks, Ned here again. Today I clear up an old idiosyncrasy of Windows Server: if the SMB Server service is always installed, why is there a role called "File Server" and what does enabling it do? Let's... role ;) ... continue reading

SMB Compression in Windows Server 2022 and Windows Insider
Heya folks, Ned here again. Today I announced the new SMB compression feature for Windows Server 2022 and Windows Insider at the Windows Server 2022, Best on Azure webinar. A proper article will be on docs.microsoft.com in the next 24 ... continue reading
SMS “HRESULT E_FAIL from COM component” workaround coming
Heya, Ned here again. Storage Migration Service admins: if you're seeing "Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component" during transfer validation after installing the November cumulative update, we have a workaround coming to WAC, ... continue reading
Defending SMB Clients from Interception Attacks
Heya folks, Ned here again. I recently wrote a guest post on the IT Ops Talk blog about increasing security on your SMB clients. It's about defending against interception attacks (previously called "man-in-the-middle" attacks) and includes specific recommendations, steps, and ... continue reading
SMB Traffic Control
Heya folks, Ned here again. I recently wrote a guest post on the IT Ops Talk blog about increasing security by controlling SMB traffic's ingress, egress, and lateral movement. You'll learn best practices, hands-on steps, and gain a deeper understanding ... continue reading
SMB over QUIC
Heya folks, Ned here again. I wrote a new blog post, SMB over QUIC: Files Without the VPN. Learn about this new optional feature coming to replace TCP/IP for scenarios like hybrid computing and mobile workers - VPN'less SMB 3.1.1 ... continue reading
SMB is Dead, Long Live SMB!
Hello again, James Kehr here with another guest post. Titles are hard to do. They must convey the topic to the reader while being both interesting and informative, all at the same time. Doing this with a technical article makes ... continue reading