Getting ready for Windows Azure - The Virtual Hard Disk

Eliza Hawthorn June 28, 2013

There are several aspects to get setup before ensuring your environment can be ready for the Windows Azure platform. In this article the focus is on creating and uploading a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD).

Prepare image to be uploaded in the VM environment.
Create a storage account in Azure.
Prepare the connection to Azure.
Upload the .vhd file

Detailed steps of the above processes can be found HERE

There are some areas to focus on that the above article does not mention, which is what we are going to cover here onwards.

Create a storage account in Azure

Make sure all the naming done here is in lowercase and no spaces between words. This is key for both ensuring URLs can be read in script and avoiding unnecessary character/symbol errors.

Prepare the connection to Azure
1. Login to the Azure management portal
2. Go to: https://windows.azure.com/download/publishprofile.aspx
3. Save the file to C drive

Then try the 'Get-AzurePublishSettingsFile' command in Windows Azure Powershell (make sure you are still logged in as this can time out).

Upload the .vhd file
1. Login to the Azure management portal
2. Go to the Storage tab in the left vertical menu and click on the account name.
3. Go to 'Dashboard' located in the top horizontal menu.
4. Look for the 'Blobs' service and make a note of the URL under the 'Endpoint' column.
5. Go to 'Containers' in the same location as the Dashboard option, and make sure there is a container there.
6. The 'VHDName' that forms part of the add-azure command can be defined as you wish and inputted as you write the URL in the powershell.

Now we should be ready to write the 'Add-AzureVhd' command, which, should look something like this (make sure the vhdname has the .vhd extension on it):

https://blobsurl/containername/vhdname -LocalFilePath C:\etc

Let this script run in the azure powershell, depending on the size of file this could take a few hours or even a few days in extreme cases. Check on the progress, if it looks like it has frozen let it run and try not to interfere as this could tamper with the process.

Stratex Reports - Printing Issues

Eliza Hawthorn June 14, 2013

Are you getting errors when printing Stratex Reports such as:

'An error occurred while copying file rsclientprint_3082.rll.

Cannot copy file to destination directory.'

Or variations such as rsclientprint_1049.rll and 'Unable to load client print control.'

These are generic errors indicating to possible ActiveX controls not being updated. The following steps may help to resolve the issue:

Clear the rsclient print cache and reload it from the reporting service server:

Run IE and open its Internet Options from the Tools menu.
In the Internet Options window box, click "Settings" button under Browsing history in General tab.
In the "Temporary Internet Files and History Settings" window box,click "View Objects" button.
In the opening window, select all the dll/rll/inf files with "rsclientprint" prefix and delete them.
After the above steps, close all window boxes and reopen IE to access a report, click the print icon, and reinstall the activeX control when get prompted, then try printing this report again to see if it works.

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, there is a manual deploy process:

Deploy the control manually:(the following files is of SSRS 2008, but the steps can apply to SSRS 2008 R2)

Go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.x\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin on the report server and copy the rsclientprint.cab file
Extract the files from the rsclientprint.cab file.
Copy all the files to the client computer to Windows\Downloaded Program Files (you might need to do it using the command windows) c:\print\RSClientPrint.dll c:\print\rsclientprint.inf c:\print\RsClientPrint1028.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint1031.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint1033.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint1036.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint1040.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint1041.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint1042.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint2052.rll c:\print\RsClientPrint_3082.rll
Register RSClientPrint.dll by opening a command line (Start->Run) regsvr32 [path]RSClientPrint.dll

The article in the link below also goes through the processes of installing RSClientPrint:

http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/client-side-printing-silent-deployment-of-rsclientPrint.aspx

Any queries please get in touch with me at: warwick.hall@stratexsystems.com

Every Spreadsheet Has An Error: 7 Lessons Motivated by Reinhart and Rogoff

Eliza Hawthorn May 14, 2013

“Every complex spreadsheet contains an error.” Back when Lotus 1-2-3 was new and cool, I read an article that made this claim. The topic was in the news last week with a challenge to the very widely quoted research by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff regarding financial crises. A graduate student tried to duplicate their results as a classroom assignment; he found a spreadsheet error (plus other reasons to criticize their work).

Spreadsheet errors are not just an academic problem. The potential for spreadsheet errors was cited by JP Morgan in its investigation of $7 billion of “London Whale” losses. There is substantial evidence for massive error rates in spreadsheets. Raymond Panko’s summary of the research on the topic indicates very high infestation of mistakes in business spreadsheets.

Several techniques I have learned over the years help reduce errors....

Almost 90% of All Spreadsheets Contain Errors

Eliza Hawthorn May 14, 2013

Microsoft Excel makes it easy for anyone to do the kind of number crunching once reserved for accountants and statisticians. But the world’s best-selling spreadsheet software has also contributed to the proliferation of bad math.

Close to 90% of spreadsheet documents contain errors, a 2008 analysis of multiple studies suggests. “Spreadsheets, even after careful development, contain errors in 1% or more of all formula cells,” writes Ray Panko, a professor of IT management at the University of Hawaii and an authority on bad spreadsheet practices. “In large spreadsheets with thousands of formulas, there will be dozens of undetected errors.”

Given that Microsoft (US:MSFT) says there are close to 1 billion Office users worldwide, “errors in spreadsheets are pandemic,” Panko says.

Such mistakes not only can lead to miscalculations in family budgets and distorted balance sheets at small businesses, but also might result in questionable rationales for global fiscal policy, as indicated by the case of a math error in a Harvard economics study. By failing to include certain spreadsheet cells in its calculations, the study by Harvard economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff may have overstated the impact that debt burdens have on a nation’s economic growth.

The problem is so widespread that there are now whole groups devoted to stamping out spreadsheet snafus, such as the European Spreadsheet Risks Interest Group. There’s no question that spreadsheets are a powerful tool, essential to the functioning of the modern world, the group’s chairman, Patrick O’Beirne, tells MarketWatch. “Chainsaws are also a very good tool, but who would use one without a chain guard,” he says. “People don’t take safeguards to ensure their work is correct — in fact, in many cases, all it would take to catch these errors is a second set of eyes.”

[VIA]

Gartner EGRC Magic Quadrant; StratexPoint is ahead of the curve!

Andrew J Smart April 23, 2013

In a recently released research note on Enterprise Governance, Risk and Compliance (EGRC) platform report, industry analyst, Gartner presented there EGRC ‘Magic Quadrant’.

In its opening paragraph the research report opens with two very interesting points; firstly it correctly suggests that the EGRC market has moved from its tactical focus of regulatory compliance to a strategic focus of enterprise risk management (ERM). Secondly, the research note suggests existing vendors are “looking forward to the next market phase, which includes adding or integrating with business performance management and scorecarding capabilities”

It is clear that a number of vendors are or will be looking to bolt-on business performance and scorecarding capabilities however this points to a key strength of StratexPoint – it is the only solution on the market today that was designed and built as an integrated solution. Integrating performance and risk management as core functionality.

This shows StratexSystems as a company and StratexPoint as a solution are ahead of the curve and delivering a solution today that other vendors will be promising for tomorrow.

FSA makes clear that firms must operate within appetite

Andrew J Smart April 23, 2013

“A key role of a board is to set the basic goals for a firm’s strategy and to ensure that they are within the agreed risk appetite. This requires that a board assure itself that a detailed consideration of risks is part of the process of considering future strategy” - The failure of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Financial Services Authority Board Report, December 2011

Welcoming the FCA and PRA

Andrew J Smart April 2, 2013

Yesterday, April 1, 2013 was the introduction of one of the most significant and far reaching changes to UK Financial Services regulation for many years. The change referred to is of course the splitting of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) into two new regulatory bodies, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

Who is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial services industry in the UK. Its aim is to protect consumers, ensure the industry remains stable and promote healthy competition between financial services providers. It will supervise the conduct of approximately 26,000 firms across all financial industry sectors and the prudential standards of approximately 23,000 firms not regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has one overriding purpose; to make financial markets work well which is underpinned by three main objectives:

Delivering consumer protection: securing an appropriate degree of protection for consumers.
Enhancing market integrity: protecting and enhancing the integrity of the UK financial system.
Building competitive markets: promoting effective competition in the interest of consumers.

Click here for more about the FCA

Who is the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)?

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is part of the Bank of England and responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms.

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has two statutory objectives:

To promote the safety and soundness of all the firms it regulates. This involves firms having resilience against failure and — in the event they do fail, or simply in the course of business —

It makes an important contribution to the Bank’s core purpose of protecting and enhancing the stability of the UK financial system.

Click here for more about the PRA

IRM Global Risk Awards 2013

Andrew J Smart March 28, 2013

We were invited to attend the IRM Global Risk Awards at the The Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

StratexSystems was one of the finalists for the IRM Global Risk Awards in the category of "Risk Management Service Provider of the Year".

List of a few Winners:

Delivering value through risk management

Winner: Balfour Beatty Fleet Services – UK

Managing risk across boundaries

Winner: TRIDEC Project – Germany

Innovation through technology

Winner: Scottish Power and Amor Group – UK

Highly commended: London Borough of Ealing – UK

Risk management solution of the year

Winner: Zurich Risk Room – Switzerland

Highly commended: Active Risk Group – UK / International

Excellence in the face of adversity

Winner: KA Goalkeeping UK – UK

Building risk management capability

Joint winner: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) – Dubai

Joint winner: Intel – USA

Pictures of the night below!

Executive Breakfast Briefing Post Event!

Andrew J Smart March 26, 2013

We are happy to say that our Executive Breakfast Briefing: “Understanding the ERM Journey” was a success! Many thanks to all who attended and special thanks to our Keynote Speakers Kevin Pearce of Aldermore Bank and Gillian Weatherill of Homeloan Management Limited (HML) for coming to present their individual ERM Journey’s!

The event began with networking and drinks (tea & coffee) at the Mercer followed by breakfast. The presentations soon kicked off with Andrew Smarts’ Introduction along with introducing our key speakers Kevin and Gillian.

Presentations of the Event can be downloaded on our resources page HERE
Videos of the event will soon be up on our YouTube Channel. Please Subscribe to not miss out on tutorials, industry interviews, and events.
Pictures Below!

Visit our Blog and Events pages to keep up-to-date on future events, risk management Industry news, and thought leadership content!

Executive Briefing Now Fully Booked

Eliza Hawthorn March 20, 2013

We are pleased to announce that all seats for our Executive Breakfast Briefing have now been taken. We will be recording the event so you will be able to view the event's proceedings at a later date.

If you are interested in attending future events, please fill in the contact form on the EVENTS page and we will be sure to inform you of our next event.

StratexSystems

Enterprise Governance, Risk and Compliance Software