Date: June 2008Listen: Windows Media Player| Download MP3
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcasts do not necessarily reflect those of Microsoft.
Date: May 2008Listen: Windows Media Player| Download MP3
Date: April 2008Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
On February 27, 2008, Microsoft launched Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 at the ‘Heroes Happen Here’ event in Toronto. The event gave attendees the opportunity to participate in Launch & Technical readiness events, workshops and Q&A sessions with development teams and software experts. Our podcast host, Ruth Morton recorded interviews with Microsoft Product Managers, key employees and Microsoft customers, who discussed everything from virtualization to security to reliability.
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Date: March 2008Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
High performance computing solutions are making steady inroads into the mainstream. For example, Great Northern Way Campus needed technology that could deliver more computer power and streamline server management, and be integrated into the desktop or workstation environment so students in the Master’s of Digital Media Program could render state of the art animations. This month, Mark Lange (Great Northern Way Campus), Anthony Brown (Seven Group) and Nik Garkusha (Microsoft Canada) will join Ruth Morton to discuss the affordability of high performance computing technology and how one school’s Digital Media students are using this technology to fuel their creative work.
Date: February 2008Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
This month, Darin Travis (Microsoft Canada) and Wilson Chan (Durham District School Board) talk with special guest host Rick Claus, an IT Pro advisor with Microsoft Canada, about using MDOP to accelerate and simplify desktop deployments, and about creating a dynamic infrastructure by turning software into centrally managed services.
Date: January 2008Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Businesses today are facing new hurdles when it comes to keeping their customers' personal and financial information secure. Managing a variety of technology tools can be time consuming and complex, so businesses are investing a significant portion of their IT budgets in software that can help them keep track of the security tools they have in place. Help is on the way. Ruth Morton, Rick Omar Kazi (Compugen) and Bruce Cowper (Microsoft Canada) discuss new Canadian IT security survey results and how innovations in the soon-to-be launched server technology from Microsoft will help make it easier for businesses to manage security.
Date: December 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
A survey of users attending a recent ComputerWorld BI Perspectives Conference indicated that many firms are still seeking ways to convince users to adopt Business Intelligence (BI) tools and processes ¾ tools designed to extract insight from large volumes of data in order to measure how a business is performing against certain strategic goals. Unfortunately, IT managers still face difficulties convincing users that BI tools are beneficial, and convincing corporate executives that this technology can offer a significant return on investment.
In order to help organizations strengthen BI adoption across their businesses, Ruth Morton, Ed Raffin (National Money Mart), Paul Barter (T4G) and Ryan Dochuk (Microsoft Canada) discuss common pitfalls of using BI for performance management and how National Money Mart is avoiding them and using BI for its planning department.
Date: November 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Unified Communications is changing the technology landscape and the roles of IT staff and telecommunications managers are beginning to overlap. As a result, many IT managers find themselves at a crossroads: How should IT Pros evolve their technology infrastructure? Should they be investing in the network or in the software? Ruth Morton talks with Vicki Mains (CNIB) Tony Rybczynski (Nortel) and Erin Elofson (Microsoft Canada) about the new role of the IT Pro and opportunities for software-powered telecom solutions.
Case Studies:
Videos:
Websites:
Find all the Unified Communications you need, including articles, white papers, downloads and trials, at http://www.microsoft.ca/uc
Date: October 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Today, Canadian organizations look to their IT managers to provide them with the technology tools that make finding information easier, improve security and simplify how people work together, all while reducing the cost of computing. In order to help achieve these goals, more and more businesses are adopting Windows Vista. Ruth Morton talks with Rob Geller, Windows Client Product Manager (Microsoft Canada), and Warren Shiau, Senior Associate (The Strategic Council), about common deployment myths of Windows Vista, various available tools and the best practices to ensure smooth deployment.
Find out how to activate DDPS and other similar SA Benefits at http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=7790695
The User Community Group page is located at http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=7790694
Find the CIPS resources at www.cips.ca
BruceCowper
Dale Hall
BobRoudebush
Melvin Goodyear
Many organizations rely on tape backup and manual processes as the main components of their disaster recovery plans. These offer good protection – but can only restore data to the point of the last backup. Unlike tape backup and manual processes, virtualization solutions can continuously capture server activity and replicate data in one or more target servers at local or off-site recovery locations. In this episode, Ruth Morton talks to Bruce Cowper and Dale Hall (Microsoft Canada), Bob Roudebush (Double-Take Software), and Melvin Goodyear (Newfoundland Power), about how virtualization can be used for advanced disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and managing remote offices.
Date: August 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Exposed to an increasing variety of software and online services, end users have come to expect much more than functionality from software. In response, developers and software companies are focusing more attention on user experience in the application development lifecycle. Ruth Morton talks to Danny Riddell, Executive Vice President, Creative, at San Francisco-based design firm Metaliq Inc., and Paul Laberge, a partner development evangelist with Microsoft Canada, about the designer’s role in helping to create the next generation of compelling and engaging software applications.
Date: July 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Until recently, High Performance Computing was associated solely with enormous supercomputers that filled entire rooms and that only government agencies and elite research organizations could afford. But thanks to rapid advances in HPC cluster technology, HPC is no longer just for academic research and government applications. This month Ruth Morton (Senior Technology Advisor, Microsoft Canada) discusses commercial uses of HPC technology with Glenn Bontje (Business Development Manager for High Performance Computing, HP Canada) and Nik Garkusha (Platform Strategy Manager, Microsoft Canada).
Commercial Applications of HPC Technology
Date: June 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
IT security is a top priority for Canadian businesses, yet still we hear frequent reports of significant security breaches. In the second Podcast episode on IT security a panel of experts including Bruce Cowper (Microsoft Canada), Rob Labbé (Application Consulting and Engineering, Microsoft Canada) and Brian Bourne (CMS Consulting) discuss the top reasons security policies fail, and how Defense in Depth security planning can help avoid IT security pitfalls. Discussion topics include application layer security, “defense in depth” security planning and incident response planning.
JeffreyNeven
JohnKrikke
Date: May 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Canadian businesses rely on their IT departments to keep employees, customers and partners connected. The demand for reliability has never been higher; anything less than 100% uptime can not only be frustrating for users but costly as well. In this episode Warren Shiau, analyst with the Strategic Counsel, discusses the evolution of IT reliability over the past decade. He is joined by Jeffrey Neven (Homestead Christian Care) and John Krikke (Krikke Computer Services), who discuss how the creation of a more reliable IT environment helped Homestead Christian Care lower its technology costs.
Related Resources
Case Study:
Homestead Christian Care Case StudyAdditional reliability case studies at microsoft.com featuring the London Stock Exchange, Barnes & Noble and more
Get the Facts on Windows and LinuxKrikke Computer Services
Join the discussion
Date: April 2007 Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
The immense quantity and variety of servers, hardware, e-mail systems, databases and mobile devices that comprise today’s corporate networks can make network management a challenging proposition. In this episode Derick Wong from Microsoft Canada and Jeff Kent from Cineplex Entertainment will discuss the evolution of network management and how Cineplex Entertainment overcame some of their IT challenges by centralizing their network management environment.
The Curtain Rises on a New IT Infrastructure for Major Theatre Operator (Cineplex Entertainment)
Infrastructure Optimization at Microsoft – Technical Solution Brief
Microsoft System Center
System Center Operations Manager 2007
Microsoft Systems Management Server
Microsoft Forefront Security Products
Date: March 2007 Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
Security threats are constantly changing and evolving. As we get better at protection, the hackers, virus makers and other malicious individuals are continually exploring new ways to get through our defenses. In this episode Stephen Ibaraki, National Vice-President of the Canadian Information Processing Society and Bruce Cowper, Security Lead at Microsoft Canada Co. discuss the top security trends/threats that IT professionals need to anticipate in 2007 – and tips on how to develop strategies to help meet them.
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity)
Deloitte & Touche global security survey (PDF)
Microsoft Canada IT Security Centre
Toronto Area Security Klatch
Microsoft Security Newsletter
Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS)
BryanRushe
EvanZaleschuk
Date: February 2007Listen: Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
With the explosion of e-mail, instant messaging, and mobile phone technology, the way Canadians work has changed dramatically. Businesses now have to deal with information overload and underload – the inability to access the right information when it is needed. Featuring Bill Buxton (Microsoft Research), Bryan Rusche (Microsoft Canada Co.) and Evan Zaleschuk (Director, MTS Allstream Collaboration Suite, MTS Allstream), who will discuss how the convergence of communications contributes to the evolution of Canadians’ work styles.
Allstream breaks new communications ground with Microsoft Real Time Collaboration
Microsoft Unified Communications (information and demos)
An Overview of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging
GregMathieu
Date: January 2007Listen: Play in Windows Media PlayerDownload MP3
From simplifying disaster and recovery planning to server consolidation, virtual technologies are emerging as one of the most effective ways for customers to make their IT operations more dynamic. Featuring Rodney Buike (Microsoft Canada Co.) and Greg Mathieu (Business Information Group) who discuss the role virtualization can play in making IT systems more dynamic and outline the top four virtualization scenarios and how they can help you manage existing business resources. Find out how Business Information Group used virtual server technology for server consolidation and disaster recovery, helping to save the company $30,000.
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2
Business Information Group
Run IT on a Virtual Hard Disk
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