TechNet Flash - Volume 11, Issue 13: June 17, 2009

Top News

Join the MAP Toolkit 4.0 Beta Program and Get Ready for Windows 7

Evaluate your IT infrastructure readiness for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 Beta. MAP 4.0 Beta also conducts server virtualization assessments for Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V. Download the MAP 4.0 Beta today. (Live ID and registration required.)

Incredible Deal on TechNet Plus Direct Subscriptions

TechNet Flash U.S. readers are being offered an incredible end-of-fiscal-year deal on a TechNet Plus Direct subscription. Get 12 months for just $249 (that’s an unbeatable $100 off the regular $349 price) through July 3, 2009. Use the promo code TEYFY09 to get the special price (U.S. only).

Download System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 RC

R2 is the latest upgrade to VMM 2008 and enables consolidation of physical servers, rapid provisioning of new virtual machines, and unified management of physical and virtual infrastructure through one console. VMM 2008 R2 now manages many of the new features of Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V. The bits are available via Connect.

Inside Windows 7 User Account Control

New TechNet Magazine article by Mark Russinovich

Mark Russinovich of Windows Sysinternals fame covers the motivations behind UAC’s technologies, revisits the relationship between UAC and security, describes the two new UAC operating modes, and explains how exactly auto-elevation works. Also new from Sysinternals, check out these updates:

" VMMap v2.0, which now breaks out information on memory used by the .NET CLR, enabling detailed memory analysis of managed applications.

" ClockRes v2.0, a system utility that reports the frequency of the system clock, now shows the upper and lower resolution of the system clock.

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Virtual Roundtable: Windows 7 Application Compatibility

June 18, 2009, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time

Get your questions answered, discuss the most common challenges around application compatibility, and find methods for getting incompatible applications to run on Windows 7. We’ll share tips and tricks, anddemonstrate free tools to analyze and fix applications. Feel free to submit questions in advance.

Register for the Upcoming CTP of SQL Server 2008 R2

Microsoft in the second half of 2009 will offer a community technology preview (CTP) of SQL Server 2008 R2. Sign up now to receive an e-mail notification of the availability of the CTP and, while you are there, check out the new features planned for the R2 release.

Exchange 2010: Delivery Reports Explained

Exchange 2010 provides an easy way to verify that important messages are delivered to every recipient with a new feature called Delivery Reports. See what Delivery Reports can provide for users in this in-depth explanation on the Microsoft Exchange Team Blog. Evaluate Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Beta.

Download the Service Level Dashboard 2.0 for System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2

The dashboard automatically displays application or system availability and performance in near-real time, across the entire organization. The dashboard also lets you create role-specific dashboards to support different departments, such as HR, finance, or operations.

Get the New Resource Guide for Developing Virtualization Solutions

Developed in close collaboration with virtualization subject-matter experts, the resource guide helps infrastructure ISVs as well as business applications ISVs to learn, build, test, and market their solutions on the Microsoft virtualization platform.

Little or Large Virtualization Servers, Which Is Right for You?

Picking the right server configurations for a Hyper-V virtual server system is critical for getting the most out of hardware. See the two extremes of virtualization: one of the largest servers (Intel Nehalem-EX) and the littlest servers (Via Nano).

Webcast: Simplified Access and Single Sign-on with Microsoft Code Name “Geneva” Overview

June 23, 2009, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time

Learn how to use Microsoft “Geneva” and the claims-based identity model to enable single sign-on, strong authentication, federation, and the ability to flow user identity among applications.

Start Using the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) with the Microsoft SDL Process Template for Visual Studio Team System

The SDL Process Template for Visual Studio Team System 2008 enables you to automatically experience the benefits of the Microsoft SDL – discovering security issues early in your development lifecycle and reducing the total cost of development – without having to be a security expert.


New Videos for IT Pros

Migrate Exchange Mailbox Content to Microsoft Online Services
9 minutes, 48 seconds
This video shows how to activate synchronized MOS accounts, download and install the MOS Migration Tools, and use the Migration Tools to move mailbox content.

How Do I: Using Group Policy in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
18 minutes, 6 seconds
In this video, Kyle Rosenthal looks at the new format of Group Policy templates, the central store, and multiple local group policies, then drills down into device management using Group Policy.

More “How Do I?” Videos


Download the New Guide: SharePoint Online – Evaluating Software-plus-Services

If you are considering an online solution for your organization’s collaboration services, this new guide presents a clear comparison of SharePoint collaboration technologies across on-premises, standard hosting, and dedicated hosting scenarios.

Evaluate Microsoft Forefront Identity Manager 2010 RC0

Forefront Identity Manager 2010 RC0, formerly known as Identity Lifecycle Manager “2,” delivers an integrated identity management solution with powerful self-service capabilities for Office end-users, rich administrative tools and enhanced automation for IT professionals, and .NET- and WS-based extensibility for developers.


Scripting for IT Pros

Hey Scripting Guy...

" How Can I Collect System Restore Information in Windows Vista?

" How Can I Enable and Disable Offline Files?

" How Can I Back Up Specific Folders on My Windows Computer?

See More Scripting Tips

See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.


Support and Troubleshooting

How-tos

" How do I reset the hosts file back to the default?

" How to fix MSI software update registration corruption issues

" How to enable the half-open TCP connections limit in Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 and in Windows Server 2008 with Service Pack 2

Hotfixes

" FIX: Error message when you run a SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 Integration Services package (SSIS) after you install the .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 or the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: "ADO NET Source [1424]"

" FIX: Error message when you try to import a virtual catalog in Commerce Server 2007: "You should create the category before using it as a parent category"

" FIX: Access violations occur when you run an application under heavy load conditions after you install the 64-bit version SQL Server Compact 3.5 Service Pack 1

Knowledge Base Articles

" You are prompted to restart the Windows Server 2003-based computer upon the first use of a USB storage device

" The Ipconfig.exe utility crashes when you run the ipconfig command together with the /displaydns switch on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista

" The DBCreateWizard tool of System Center Operations Manager 2007 fails on a Windows Server 2008-based computer that has the Windows Internal Database feature installed

See a selection of new Knowledge Base articles on the TechNet Web site. KB articles feature an Article Translations box in the right column. You can select a language from the drop-down list and read the article in the selected language.

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IT Management

Tech·Ed 2009 Video: Interview with IT Management Hub’s Evren Toktas

Watch this short live interview with the driving force behind the community hub for IT managers as she walks you through the useful areas in this online resource.

View Video Interviews, Keynotes, and Blog Posts at Tech•Ed North America 2009

" Virtualize Now with Microsoft's Planning Guides and Tools - Virtualization Solution Accelerators

" Making Unified Communication Work for Your Organization

" De-mystifying the Cloud

" IT Strategy and Management: Navigating the Challenge Ahead

To stay updated on the next installment for IT Managers, visit the IT Management Hub.


Upcoming Webcasts

Using the Windows Server 2008 R2 Migration Tools (Level 300)

June 18, 2009, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time

In this webcast we explore the features, installation, and use of Windows Server 2008 R2 Migration Tools.

Federation in Exchange 2010 (Level 300)

June 22, 2009, 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time

Learn how federation enhances the capabilities of Exchange 2010 and enables advanced coexistence between Exchange Server and Exchange Online.

More Webcasts


Identity and Security

Information Rights Management Application Patterns White Paper

This white paper provides architecture and design guidance for building an information rights management (IRM)-aware application using Microsoft Active Directory Rights Management Services. The IRM Application Patterns Reference Implementation, available on MSDN, implements the patterns discussed within this article.

Download the Forefront Client Security TCO Analysis

Find out how Microsoft Forefront Client Security can help you reduce vulnerabilities and lower total cost of ownership.

Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for June 2009

Security Center


On Demand

IT Manager Community Talk with Kevin: Security (Level 100)

Learn from Kevin Remde and his colleagues at IT Management Community Talk as they answer questions and help simplify your understanding of Microsoft security solutions.

Forefront Code Name “Stirling” – the Next Generation of Forefront Security for Exchange Server

This session provides an in-depth review of new connection filtering and content filtering technologies in the recently released beta 2 version of the next generation of Forefront Security for Exchange Server. Learn how it will integrate with the Microsoft Forefront integrated security suite codenamed “Stirling.”

More on-demand webcasts...


Virtual Labs

Upgrading from Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 to System Center Configuration Manager 2007

After completing this lab, you will be able to identify a Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 SP2 site. You will use the System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) prerequisite check program to validate that a site is ready for updating, as well as upgrade SMS 2003 advanced clients to SCCM 2007 clients.

Introduction to System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007

After completing this lab, you will be able to use the SCCM 2007 Administrator Console to verify the site configuration, identify the software distribution and maintenance windows feature of SCCM 2007, identify the software updates and WSUS integration feature of SCCM 2007, and more.

More Virtual Labs


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