TechNet Flash - Volume 10, Issue 23: November 12, 2008
Note from the Editor
Greetings and Welcome to TechNet Flash,
By now, you’ve no doubt heard about the newly unveiled Azure Services Platform operating system for the cloud. What does it mean for delivering enterprise-class software as a subscription service? See what benefits Azure holds for corporate developers, and find out more about Azure Services, including Live Services and SQL Services.
As you begin reusing services and composing new applications, new requirements arise for the application server, because composite apps are typically more complex to develop, deploy, manage, and change. Enter next platform wave: .NET Framework 4.0 and Windows Server “Dublin”. Microsoft is enhancing both the .NET Framework and Windows Server. A new set of enhanced Windows Server capabilities codenamed “Dublin” will offer greater scalability and easier manageability, while extending Internet Information Services (IIS) to provide a standard host for applications that use workflow or communications.
Microsoft has also started providing glimpses of its next client operating system. You can get a first look at Windows 7 in notes from the pre-beta announcement at the recent Professional Developers Conference. Then dive deeper as Mark Russinovich goes Inside Windows 7. Russinovich, of Sysinternals fame, talks about kernel changes in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, including the removal of the scheduler’s dispatcher lock, support for up to 256 CPUs, boot from VHD, MinWin, core parking for power savings, and more.
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2 has many features that are designed specifically to work with client computers running Windows 7, plus updates to Internet Information Services 7 (IIS 7). See the Reviews Guide for the Windows Server 2008 R2 beta and learn about the new Web server with features to help applications run faster while using fewer system resources. Also read the InformationWeek article Windows Server 2008 R2 Perks Up Virtualization.
New from Sysinternals:
ZoomIt 2.11
ZoomIt now includes the ability to change the color of the break timer and modifies the way it captures the screen so that it includes tooltip windows.
Process Monitor 2.0
This major update to Process Monitor adds real-time TCP and UDP monitoring to its existing process, thread, DLL, file system and registry monitoring.
Autoruns 9.35
This Autoruns update adds additional autostart locations, including lsastart, s0initialization, savedumpstart, and servicecontrollerstart, and fixes several bugs.
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/ms788692.aspx
Your Featured Content
Ensure that the content most relevant to you is presented in this section.
Snack Time: Get the New Vista Learning “Snacks”
Learning Snacks are short, interactive presentations delivered via Silverlight. You can learn something new in less than five minutes, so try a “snack” today. Several new Vista snacks are now available.
Webcast: Microsoft Solutions for Windows Vista Management (Level 300)
November 14, 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
We cover applications that help IT professionals resolve system problems and improve productivity across their IT infrastructure, including Microsoft System Center Essentials, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager, and Windows Server Update Services.
Download the Windows Server File Services & Print Services Guides
The Infrastructure Planning and Design (IPD) Guides for Windows Server have been updated. Follow a detailed decision path as you are guided through the process of planning and designing your file and print services infrastructures. Have confidence in knowing that critical phases are included while you set a strong foundation for future expansion.
Webcast: How to Implement Microsoft Hyper-V Server and Intel Virtualization Technology (Level 200)
November 19, 11:30 A.M. Pacific Time
In this webcast, we discuss current and future Intel VT technologies and describe the Intel vision of hardware-assisted virtualization. We also address installation, management, and high availability of the Hyper-V Server role on an Intel server chipset platform.
Top 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know Visio 2007 Could Do
Did you know that you can use the Export Table to Visio PivotDiagram option from Microsoft Office Excel 2007 to automatically create Visio-based PivotDiagrams? Check out what else you can do with Visio 2007.
TechNet Magazine: Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar
Whether you develop Web content or simply support a webmaster, here’s a free Microsoft utility that will make your job easier. See how the Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar can help you explore and troubleshoot Web pages.
Video: DPM 2007 for Disaster Recovery and Multi-Tiered Data Protection
View this 17-minute streaming video for an overview of DPM 2007 in disaster recovery configurations; step-by-step setup of the DPM server at the disaster recovery location; and how multi-tiered data protection meets branch office protection goals.
New Guide: Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 with R2
Download the guide by selecting "Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager" under the Guidance section. This guide enables you to quickly select which Configuration Manager features your organization needs in order to meet business requirements.
Supported Combinations of Hardware, Networks, Browsers, and Gateways for Mobile Information Server
Find a list of the tested combinations of handset models, networks, browsers, and gateways with the browse functionality of Microsoft Mobile Information 2001 Server version 1.0.
New Oslo Developer Center on MSDN
To support developers using Oslo, the code name for Microsoft’s platform for model-driven applications, MSDN has launched the new Oslo Developer Center featuring the Oslo SDK, videos, and great Oslo blogs.
November 13, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Learn how Microsoft IT determined it could increase productivity and quality for program management, analysts, and business process owners during the application envisioning phase. By using Expression Blend to quickly create compelling application interfaces for Windows and Web applications, the user interface designs created in Expression Blend can be directly associated with development code.
November 14, 9:30 A.M. Pacific Time
With data gathered from hundreds of millions of computers worldwide, the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report offers a unique insight into the IT threat landscape.
Webcast: Protect SQL Server 2008 with Data Protection Manager 2007 (Level 300)
Data Protection Manager 2007 uses wizards and workflows to help ensure that you can protect your organization’s data, and it doesn’t require an advanced degree, training, or certification in storage and backup technologies. Attend this webcast to learn more.
November 13, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time
Attend this webcast to discover how to create PerformancePoint key performance indicators (KPIs), how to implement a PerformancePoint application that you can roll out to your entire organization using Project Server, and how easy it is to create trend analysis reports.
The Fundamentals of Mobile Access to Exchange 2007
Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange ActiveSync let your users access their Exchange data anytime, anywhere. Read about some of the improvements in mobile access to Exchange 2007 and learn how you can get started.
Register Now for the SQL Server 2008 Roadshow
November 13 - Lawrenceville, GA (new date)
Learn more about the new enhanced capabilities of SQL Server 2008. Explore security and database management, how to best manage your data, and what’s new in business intelligence. Don’t miss this half-day event that will give you a better understanding of what SQL 2008 has to offer and how you can best put it to use at your company. Roadshows run from 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 noon.
Evaluation Center Updates
Download the Free System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 Evaluation
Get the free System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 evaluation by visiting the TechNet Evaluation Center or the Microsoft Download Center.
Get Search Server 2008 Express
Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express is a free application delivering search across Windows SharePoint Services sites as well as file shares, Exchange Public Folders, and Web sites.
Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Professional helps IT professionals visualize, analyze, and communicate complex information, systems and processes.
IT Management
IT Compliance Management Guide
The IT Compliance Management guide can help you shift your governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) efforts from people to technology. Use its configuration guidance to help efficiently address your organization's GRC objectives.
Microsoft Enterprise and Core CAL Suites
Watch, listen or read the suites for commonly used CALs that can be a simple and cost-effective for purchasing and deploying multiple Microsoft server products through a single license agreement.
Assessment Tool for Business Intelligence
Take 15 minutes to assess core areas of your organization's business intelligence.
The Future of Business Intelligence at Microsoft
Watch Kurt DelBene, Senior Vice President, Office Platform, talk about the future of business intelligence at Microsoft.
Scripting for IT Pros
Hey Scripting Guy...
" How Can I Add a Windows PowerShell Shortcut to the Quick Launch Toolbar?
" How Can I Format a Microsoft Word Paragraph?
" How Can I Check Spelling and Grammar in Microsoft Word?
See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.
Support and Troubleshooting
Hotfixes
" Description of the Office 2003 Post-Service Pack 3 hotfix package (Mso.msp): October 28, 2008
Knowledge Base Articles
" PRB: GetVolumeNameForVolumeMountPoint API may return Incorrect Name for Volumes with Multiple Names
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.
Featured Downloads
Download Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager “2” Release Candidate
Identity Lifecycle Manager (ILM) “2” RC dramatically changes the identity management landscape by delivering 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. Learn more. Also catch this ILM 2 webcast series:
" Part 1: Empowering Users with Self-Service Identity Management Solutions (Level 200)
" Part 2: Expressing and Enforcing Business Policy (Level 300)
" Part 3: Extensibility and Provisioning with ILM "2" (Level 300)
New Virtualization Solution Accelerators:
" Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide for SCVMM and App-V 4.5
" Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool
" Windows Server 2008 Security Guide
" Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit for Hyper-V and App-V
" Virtualization Solution Accelerators for Partners
Go Virtual and Go Green: Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 RTM
Get the newest release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 and see how you can accelerate your IT projects with new features such as the power savings calculator, SQL Server database discovery, and Forefront/NAP readiness assessment. Best part – the toolkit is free.
What’s New for TechNet Plus Subscribers
TechNet Plus is committed to providing subscribers with resources to learn how to successfully plan, implement and support Microsoft solutions. TechNet Plus subscribers now have access to a new set of three premium e-learning courses:
" Course 6690: Exploring the Fundamentals of Network Infrastructure in Windows Server 2008
" Course 6694: Fundamentals of Administering Windows Server 2008
" Course 6698: Fundamentals of Implementing Network Load Balancing and Virtualization
TechNet Plus Subscribers can access the e-learning courses through the Benefits portal.
Not a subscriber yet? Check out what TechNet Plus can do for you.
Upcoming Webcasts
New Horizons in Business Intelligence (Level 200)
November 14, 11:30 A.M. Pacific Time
At the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) conference this year, Microsoft will preview some very compelling new business intelligence (BI) technologies. These radical innovations redraw the line between end users and the IT departments in organizations. Attend this webcast to learn more about these exciting new technologies.
Deploying Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (Level 300)
November 19, 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
We cover Windows Vista features, what changes are in SP1, what you need to know before deploying SP1, and pre-deployment tasks. After discussing deployment planning and preparations, we walk you through Windows Vista SP1 deployments using Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), the installer executable, Windows Deployment Services, and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager.
Security
Download the Latest Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIRv5)
Get the free report with in-depth perspectives on the changing threat landscape, including software vulnerability disclosures and exploits, malicious software, and potentially unwanted software. Also watch the latest “Bret and Vinnie Show” as they discuss the latest report.
Get Dynamic Reports with Extended Content
Download the Microsoft Security Assessment Tool (MSAT) and access a set of dynamic reports that are generated from the assessment answers. The authoritative prescriptive guidance that is generated from your assessment answers will help you speed remediation of the security issues found.
On Demand
Information Regarding an Out-of-Band Security Bulletin Release (Level 200)
Join us for a brief overview of the technical details of the security bulletin. The intent of this webcast is to address your concerns. Therefore, most of the webcast is devoted to attendees asking questions about the bulletin and getting answers from our security experts.
Microsoft Office Project Server 2007: Solution Elements and Data Flow (Level 300)
In this webcast, we describe the elements of the Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 solution (Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007, Application Server, and Microsoft SQL Server), and we cover Data Flow components and key areas for scalability.
Virtual Labs
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Peer-to-Peer Replication
After completing this lab, you will be better able to understand appropriate uses for peer-to-peer replication, the prerequisites required to set up a peer-to-peer replication partnership, how to use the replication wizards to set up publishing, and more.
Managing Network Bandwidth Using Windows Quality of Service (QOS)
After completing this lab, you will be better able to control bandwidth usage using protocol definitions as well as control bandwidth usage for a specific application.
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