TechNet Flash - Volume 14, Issue 15: July 11, 2012
Top Stories
Windows Phone 8 Makes Its Business Case
Windows Phone 8 will take its place as a key component of a flexible enterprise environment, with simplified management, better security, and features on par with its PC counterparts. Find out why in this TechNet feature package.
Windows 8 on Track for August RTM
Windows 8 is on track for release to manufacturing the first week of August, with general availability by the end of October.
Download MDT 2012 Update 1 Beta 1
This release expands your deployment capabilities with support for the latest software releases, including Windows 8 Release Preview, Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate, and System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 Community Technology Preview.
Your Featured Content
Check Out Cloudshare for Cloud POC/Test Scenarios
Cloudshare is a Microsoft Certified Partner and delivers a really cool, template-driven way to stand up pre-production, test, and POC VM-based environments in the cloud. With a few clicks, you can have a ready-to-use, pre-configured environment to test your solution for dev/test or pre-production, and then deploy into production. Better yet, it works with both Windows Server and Windows Azure.
New System Center 2012 Courses Released on MVA
The Microsoft Virtual Academy System Center 2012 portfolio of courses has now expanded to eight with the release of six new courses.
Download HPC Pack 2008 R2 SP4
HPC Pack 2008 R2 Service Pack 4 and Windows Azure HPC Scheduler updates are now available.
Download the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter Beta
Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter (MVMC) provides a Microsoft-supported, freely available, standalone solution for converting VMware virtual machines (VMs) and VMware virtual disks (VMDKs) to Hyper-V VMs and Hyper-V virtual hard disks (VHDs). This tool is a quick, low-risk option for VMware customers wanting to evaluate Hyper-V.
Data Classification Toolkit for Windows Server 8 Beta
Get ready for Windows Server 2012 and stay on top of your compliance efforts. The toolkit offers support for new Windows Server 2012 features, Dynamic Access Control, and forward compatibility for existing functionality in the earlier version of the toolkit.
New Video: How Microsoft IT Runs Private Cloud
Microsoft IT implemented its first private cloud for hosting the development and test environments internally for Microsoft. The private cloud infrastructure supports Microsoft's internal businesses, giving them the flexibility, scale, and cutting-edge technology to serve some of the most important product teams.
TechNet Radio: Productivity and IT Management Benefits of Windows Phone
Technical Product Manager Alan Meeus and Mobility Solution Specialist Ken Milner are back to talk about the added benefits of using Windows Phone from the perspectives of consumers, business productivity, IT management, and security. Tune in as we cover how Windows Phone integrates easily with Microsoft products such as Office 365, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Lync, and System Center 2012.
New MVA Course - System Center Advisor (Part 1)
In this new Microsoft Virtual Academy course, we will explain the benefits of System Center Advisor and how it can be used to optimize your installations of Windows Server, SQL Server, Exchange, and SharePoint. You will also understand Advisor's high-level architecture for optimizing data security, privacy, and control, all delivered through a user-friendly cloud service.
IDC White Paper: Why Sticking with Windows XP Is a Bad Idea
This IDC white paper presents a case for the many reasons why remaining with Windows XP is no longer a good business decision. Costs tend to soar when older products are used beyond their intended lifecycle, and IDC research has clearly confirmed that trend.
Join the Microsoft User Experience Virtualization Beta 2
Microsoft User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) is an enterprise-scale user state virtualization solution that provides users a consistent, personal Windows experience that matches their unique work styles.
Open Beta for IPD Guide for System Center 2012 VMM
This Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide outlines the elements that are crucial to an optimized design of Virtual Machine Manager. It leads you through a process of identifying the business and technical requirements for managing virtualization, designing integration with Operations Manager if required, and then determining the number, size, and placement of the VMM servers.
Download Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 2.5
Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 2.5 (SCM 2.5) provides ready-to-deploy policies and DCM configuration packs that are tested and fully supported. SCM product baselines are based on Microsoft Security Guide recommendations and industry best practices, allowing you to manage configuration drift, address compliance requirements, and reduce security threats.
Video: Monitoring Applications via Windows Phone 7.5
Volume Licensing IT Monitor (VLIT) is designed to provide near real-time status on availability and performance for critical apps in the VLIT ecosystem, along with their business process mapping. Previously, monitoring might entail sending email and pinging support staff, and result in conflicting messages. Now with VLIT Monitor, monitoring alerts can be sent directly to your Windows Phone 7.5 device wherever you are.