Using C# to Automate Java Keytool Certificate Signing Requests

December 2, 2020 / Peter Viola / ASP.NET, Windows Server

The Java keytool is a utility to manage public/private key pairs for certificates used in authentication services. Keytool is straightforward to use and runs from the command line. Creating a new certificate at high level involves first creating a keystore to store the private / public key pair, then creating the certificate signing request, and […]

java keytool asp.net

Using C# to Modify Windows Server Environment Variables

September 27, 2020 / Peter Viola / ASP.NET, Windows Server

Recently I was working on an issue where the path to an application needed to be in the server Path Environment Variable. I didn’t have physical access to the server and needed an easy way to get the path updated so I created a simple Asp.net Windows Form to accomplish this task. Change Windows Environment […]

asp.net, c#, Windows Server

IIS 8.5 SNI – Fixing SSL_ERROR_BAD_CERT_DOMAIN

June 2, 2019 / Peter Viola / IIS, Windows Server 2012

As you probably know SSL certificates use the https protocol to encrypt communication between your web browser and the web server hosting the web site you’re visiting. You can always tell when your session has been encrypted because your browser will display a lock icon near the address of the site in the browser’s location […]

IIS, IIS 8.5, SSL, Windows Server 2012

Resolving IIS WMSVC Underlying Connection Was Closed

December 8, 2018 / Peter Viola / IIS, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

IIS Manager Remote Administration is a handy tool for for a web server administrator when you have multiple servers to manage. This feature will save you the trouble of having to Remote Desktop into each server every time you need to touch IIS. With IIS Manager Remote Administration you can login to one server for […]

IIS, Windows Server 2008, Windows Sever 2012

Using aspnet_regiis.exe to Encrypt Connection Strings

February 6, 2016 / Peter Viola / ASP.NET, IIS, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

When it comes to securing IIS web applications on Windows Server 20008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 R2 one typically thinks of firewalls, access control lists (ACL), and using an application pool identity. These security measures will protect a site from external threats . However, .Net configuration files which typically store username and password data […]

asp.net, aspnet_regiis.exe, encryption, IIS, IIS7, IIS8

PhpMyAdmin makes MySQL Backups and Restores Easy

December 29, 2015 / Peter Viola / Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

The Microsoft Web Platform Installer (WPI) has made installing WordPress and MySQL on your Windows servers incredibly easy. With just a few clicks one can deploy a new WordPress site in minutes. When it comes to managing a MySQL database you may first think of MySQL Workbench which is a great tool however depending on […]

PHP, phpMyAdmin

Automate MySQL Backups on Windows Server 2012

November 8, 2015 / Peter Viola / Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

Hosting MySQL and WordPress on your Windows Server 20008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 R2 has never been easier thanks to Microsoft Web Platform Installer (WPI). However, backing up the MySQL databases is another story. Running mysqldump is certainly easy enough but manually taking a backup once in a while won’t be useful for disaster […]

backups, MySQL, Task Scheduler

Blocking SQL Injection with IIS Request Filtering

February 6, 2015 / Peter Viola / IIS, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

SQL Injection became a favorite hacking technique in 2007. Despite being widely documented for so many years it continues to evolve and be utilized. Because SQL Injection is such a well known attack vector, I am always surprised when as sysadmin I come across someone’s site that has been compromised by it. In most instances […]

IIS, IIS 7, IIS 8, Request Filtering, SQL Injection

Troubleshoot Windows Server 2012 Performance with a Data Collector

December 14, 2014 / Peter Viola / Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

Regardless of whether you are running Windows Server 2012 on virtual server or physical server, the success of your business depends on having the server run at optimal capacity. To ensure the server delivers uninterrupted service, you have be aware of potential performance issues before they arise.\r\n\r\nOne of the best methods to analyze the performance […]

How To Quickly Analyze Windows Server Disk Space Utilization

November 29, 2014 / Peter Viola / Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012

When your Windows server is low on space or runs out of space entirely you need to quickly identify where the disk space is being utilized and free up space. Low disk space or worse yet no disk space can have a negative impact on your server’s performance. Knowing the paths to a few folders […]