Solving Common Problems by Using the Windows Troubleshooting Platform

Marcius TribelhornPremier Field EngineerMicrosoft South AfricaWCL401

Current Helpdesk Issues

The cost of running a service desk can be as much as 10% of companies' IT operations staffing budgetThe typical support center supports over 300 applications The average call volume increased from less than 1 call per employee per month to 1.36 calls from 1995 to 2001

Traditional Troubleshooting

Low-bandwidthInconvenientInvasiveFrustratingRepetitive

Windows Troubleshooting Platform

Reduce number of support callsMake support calls more efficientIncrease customer satisfaction

A Bit of Background

The Windows Troubleshooting Platform is a new featureThe Windows Troubleshooting Platform runs on Windows 7 and beyondWindows 7 trouble shooting focuses on relationship between helpdesk and end-user

Today

Troubleshooting Overview & ArchitectureUsing the Windows Troubleshooting Pack Designer (TSPDesigner)Deploying & Running TroubleshootersGoing beyond the TSPDesignerBeyond TechEd

Troubleshooting Overviewdemo

Windows Troubleshooting Platform

AutomatedEfficientRepeatableStandardizedSecure

Windows Troubleshooting Philosophy

Use well-known methodsAllow designers to focus on their expertiseAddress configuration issuesFix problems when we are certainCollect data when we are not

Troubleshooting Client Demodemo

Troubleshooting Pack

Win7 Troubleshooting Implementation

Root Cause

Root CauseDetect VerifyResolve

Diagram of Troubleshooting Pack

Identification metadata identifies pack, security signature and user interactionScripts contain the logic to find and fix the problemUser-visible information stored in localized resources (MUI-support)

Identification MetadataDetection

ScriptsResolution

ScriptsVerification

ScriptsLocalized Resources

Trouble-shooting Pack

Troubleshooting Pack Details<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><dcmPS:AdvDiagnosticPackage SchemaVersion="1.0" Localized="false" xmlns:dcmPS="http://www.microsoft.com/schemas/dcm/package/2007" xmlns:dcmRS="http://www.microsoft.com/schemas/dcm/resource/2007"> <DiagnosticIdentification> <ID>91f3d9b6-aca6-435d-b9ca-829ab02a4aef</ID> <Version>1.0</Version> </DiagnosticIdentification> <DisplayInformation> <Parameters /> <Name> <dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement comment="Comment" index="1">Fabrikam Billing Troubleshooter</dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement> </Name> <Description> <dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement comment="This is a comment" index="2">This troubleshooter will help solve common problems with the Fabrikam billing software</dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement> </Description> </DisplayInformation> <PrivacyLink>http://www.fabrikam.com/privacy/</PrivacyLink> <PowerShellVersion>2.0</PowerShellVersion> <SupportedOSVersion clientSupported="true" serverSupported="true">6.1</SupportedOSVersion> <Rootcauses> <Rootcause> <ID>WrongBillingServer</ID> <DisplayInformation> <Parameters /> <Name> <dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement comment="This is a comment" index="3">The application is trying to contact the wrong billing server</dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement> </Name> <Description> <dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement comment="This is a comment" index="4">The billing server can change but the application has no way to update the billing server outside of the registry. This will check that the registry points to the most current billing server</dcmRS:LocalizeResourceElement> </Description> </DisplayInformation> <Troubleshooter> <Script> <Parameters /> <ProcessArchitecture>Any</ProcessArchitecture> <RequiresElevation>false</RequiresElevation> <RequiresInteractivity>false</RequiresInteractivity> <FileName>TS_WrongBillingServer.ps1</FileName> <ExtensionPoint />

A Little Less Detail

<DiagnosticIdentification/><DisplayInformation/><PrivacyLink/><PowerShellVersion /><SupportedOSVersion /> <RootCauses>

<ID/><DisplayInformation/><Troubleshooter/><Resolvers/><Verifiers/>

</RootCauses><Interactions/>

Writing and Deploying Troubleshooters

Windows Troubleshooting Pack Designer

GUI-based authoring environmentGenerates the metadata to describe a troubleshooting packLinks to Graphical PowerShell Editor to create PowerShell scriptsSigns each pack with a certificatePackages the troubleshooting pack into a cab

Two New Concepts

Root CausesInteractions

Four New PowerShell Commandlets

Get-DiagInputWrite-DiagProgressAdd-DiagRootcauseUpdate-DiagReport

Component Interaction

Windows Troubleshooting Framework

Process 1

Process 2

Troubleshooting Runtime

Engine

PowerShell Runtime

Results and

Reports

GUI CMD

Troubleshooting Pack

Get-DiagInputUpdate-DiagReportUpdate-DiagRootCauseWrite-DiagProgress

PowerShell Scripts

Platform cmdlets

Authoring a Troubleshooting Packdemo

Deploying Troubleshooting Packs

Deploy Troubleshooting Packs using Configuration Manager or Group PolicyPost troubleshooting packs online

Intranet SharePoint siteInternal network sharesTechnical support websites

Provide links in your help documentation

Command Line Execution

Uses Powershell to run scripts remotely via the command line

Get-TroubleshootingPackInvoke-TroubleshootingPack

Runs the same Troubleshooting packs as the wizard runsEasy to discover package contentsProvides scripted or remote execution

Running a Troubleshooting Pack from the Command Line

demo

Beyond the TSP Designer

Basic .diag file structure

<DiagnosticIdentification/><DisplayInformation/><PrivacyLink/><PowerShellVersion /><SupportedOSVersion /> <RootCauses>

<ID/><DisplayInformation/><Troubleshooter/><Resolvers/><Verifiers/>

</RootCauses><Interactions/>

Extension points

XML markup tags that customize the declarative UINot available from the designerRequires using commandline tools to generate a troubleshooting pack

Commandline tools

sdmc.exe – compiles a .diag file into a .diagpkgsdcatalog.exe – creates the security catalog for a troubleshooting packsigntool.exe – creates a digital signature for the security catalog and .diagcab filecabarc.exe – packages the troubleshooting pack into a .diagcab file

Extending a Troubleshooting Packdemo

Topics That We Didn’t Cover Today

Answer filesExtension pointsLocalizationCustom icons Global TroubleshootersSigning with a trusted certificateGroup policy

More information

Learn more by searching for Windows Troubleshooting Platform on msdn

Give feedback by e-mailing tspdinfo@microsoft.com

In Summary…

The Windows Troubleshooting Platform makes finding and fixing problems both more approachable and more efficientThe Troubleshooting Pack Designer allows you to rapidly create simple troubleshootersThe Windows Troubleshooting Platform provides an extensible framework beyond the Designer

Track ResourcesMicrosoft Deployment Toolkit, which can be used to automate Windows 7 deployments – note that for Windows 7, you need the 2010 version which is in beta: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd407791.aspx

If you need to use it for legacy applications, you can download XPMode & Virtual PC here http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

Are your applications compatible with Windows 7? Run the Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=24da89e9-b581-47b0-b45e-492dd6da2971 Are your machines capable of running Windows 7? Run MAP 4.0 to find out http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd537566.aspx

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© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS,

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