SQL 2012 Installation: Missing NetFx3

When I installed MS SQL Server 2012, there was an error "Error while enabling Windows feature: NetFx3". NetFx3 refers to the .NET framework 3.5. 

However, .NET framework 3.5 is no longer installed as part of the new WS2012. To install this older feature, you would have to perform side-by-side (SxS) installation. Mount the WS2012 DVD or the ISO image on the same host. Do note that you can now mount ISO image directly without third-party software by right-clicking the image and choose "Mount". 

Open an elevated Powershell console. To install the Windows feature:

Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework-Core -source D:\sources\sxs

Once .NET 3.5 is installed, re-run the MS SQL installation. If you are also looking for the missing "Start" button to search for the SQL Server Management Studio, install the "Desktop Experience" feature as well:
Add-WindowsFeature Desktop-Experience

Prevent Users from joining Computers to AD

From a security standpoint, it would be pretty hard to control if normal domain users can join their machines to AD without authorization. By default, a user may join up-to 10 computers to AD.

Depending on your organizational security policy, users should only self-help themselves (or restricted to help-desk personnel) with proper authorization. To enforce such policy:

1) Limit the number of computers that a user can join domain from ten (10) to zero (0) by performing the following procedure. 

• Run Adsiedit.msc on a domain controller as Domain Admin. Expand the Domain NC node. This node contains an object that begins with "DC=" and reflects the correct domain name. Right-click this object, and then click Properties.
• In the Select which properties to view box, click Both. In the Select a property to view box, click ms-DS-MachineAccountQuota.
• In the Edit Attribute box, change the number from 10 to 0.
• Click Set, and then click OK.

2) Before joining any new computers to AD, enforce a pre-staging procedure. It means pre-creating the computer objects on AD before joining the computers to domain. Do note that the computer name of pre-created object should match the local computer name of the new machine.

• To conduct pre-staging, fire-up "AD Users and Computers Console", go to the OU that the pre-staging computer objects should reside.
• Click "New" and "Computer". Name the object. Click on the "Change" button as follows to the delegated AD group for help-desk personnel or to the individual self-help user account.

• Inform the delegated users to join the new computer according to the object name. Upon successful joining, you should be able to view the computer properties, such as the Operating System versions.

Updating Powershell Help Files

When needing help in some Powershell cmdlets, the Get-Help cmdlet is the equivalent "man" command for *nix systems. The Powershell cmdlets are updated so frequently that it is worthwhile updating the help files as well. If the Windows host is connected directly to Internet, the help file would be updated automatically. What about for systems on closed network? There is a "Save-Help" cmdlet to download the help files and "Update-Help" cmdlet for systems not connected to Internet.

For example, run "Save-Help" from a Windows system with Internet connection to download help files for all modules to a file share.

PS > Save-Help -DestinationPath \\Fileserver\PSHelp

Run "Update-Help" on a Windows system without Internet connection.

PS > Update-Help -SourcePath \\Fileserver\PSHelp

Both cmdlets are available to Powershell 3.0. To verify the current version of Powershell of your system, run "$PSVersionTable" and look at the "PSVersion" property. For example:

Powershell: Quickly view installed Windows feature

To quickly view a list of installed Windows feature using Poweshell on Windows Server:

PS > Get-WindowsFeature | Where-Object {$_.Installed -eq $true}

To filter only feature name

PS > Get-WindowsFeature | Where-Object {$_.Installed -eq $true} | Select-Object -Property Name

Cisco Multicast Expansion Table (MET) is Full

Today, some users aren't able to join multicast groups to watch their favorite video. After pinpointing to the upstream Cisco 7600 router, I noticed the following error message in the log:

 %MCAST-SP-4-MET_THRESHOLD_EXCEEDED: Multicast Expansion table has exceeded 98% of its capacity and is reaching its maximum
%MMLS-SP-6-MET_LIMIT_EXCEEDED: Failed to allocate MET entry, exceeded system limit of (32744) entries. Number of times MET limit is exceeded in the last 1 min : 1
%CONST_MFIB_LC-SP-6-MET_MCAST_ALLOC_FAILURE: Failed to allocate MET entries for IP multicast entry (S:*.*.*.*, G:*.*.*.*)

The router is configured PIM in sparse mode and an RP manually set.

(hostname)#show platform hardware capacity multicast
L3 Multicast Resources
  Replication mode: egress
  Replication capability: Module                              Mode
                          2                                                 Egress    
                          3                                                 Egress    
                          4                                                 Egress    
                          5                                                 Egress    
  MET table Entries: Module                             Total    Used    %Used
                     3                                                65526       28        1%
                     4                                                65526       38        1%
                     5                                                32744   32744     100%

Look like the Multicast Expansion Table (MET) is fully utilized. In Cisco multicast architecture, MET is populated with Output Interface Lists (OILs e.g. VLAN, routed interfaces) that requires packets to be replicated over. For example: (S,G) with three OIFs, multicast replication creates three copies of every packet received from source (S) destined to group (G). When MET is full, new users won't be able to join the igmp group, as their (S,G) and connected interface won't be added in the table.

There doesn't seem to be a way to clear MET entries except to reload the router. Cisco has a pdf guide that is useful for better understanding and troubleshooting of multicast in Catalyst 6500. The guide did mention about monitoring of MET utilization but short on the resolution.

After-note: Packet replication can be performed either egress (default) or ingress. Strangely, after changing the direction (not rebooting), the clients are able to join the IGMP group. The direction can be changed using:
(config)# mls ip multicast replication-mode ingress or the newer command (IOS 15.x)
(config)# ip multicast hardware-switching replication-mode ingress

Update:
According to Cisco TAC, there was a known bug (CSCtg53299) whereby MET entries are not deleted properly, which in turn, led to the filling up of MET table. A solution is to upgrade the firmware to version 15.1(01)S1 and above.