Published: Sept 22, 2008 | Updated: June 17, 2009
Welcome to the technical library for Solution Accelerators.
Here you will find a complete alphabetical listing off all Solution Accelerators.
To find Solution Accelerators for the most recent Microsoft products and technologies, grouped by Solution Accelerator Suite (Desktop, Server, Virtualization…) or by MOF IT Service Lifecycle (Plan, Deliver, Operate…), see the Solution Accelerators Home Page.
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Active Directory Product Operations Guide
Describes processes and procedures for improving the management of Microsoft Active Directory directory service in an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
Administrator Accounts Security Planning Guide
Because of their inherent permissions and power, administrator accounts on computers that run Microsoft Windows Server 2003 are both the most useful and potentially the most dangerous accounts on your computer. This guide is an indispensable resource inIt provides prescriptive guidance to address the problem of intruders who acquire administrator account credentials and then use them to compromise the network.
Antivirus Defense-in-Depth Guide
The Antivirus Defense-in-Depth Guide provides an easy to understand overview of different types of malware, or malicious software, including information about the risks they pose, malware characteristics, means of replication, and payloads. The guide details considerations for planning and implementing a comprehensive antivirus defense for your organization, and provides information on defense-in-depth planning and related tools that you can use to help reduce your risk of infection.
Applying the Principle of Least Privilege to User Accounts on Windows XP
Users with administrative rights on their client computers are at increased risk from malicious software encountered via browsers, e-mail clients, and instant messaging programs. The least-privileged user account (LUA) approach is a key part of an effective defensive strategy to mitigate this risk. LUA ensures that users follow the principle of least privilege and always log on with limited user accounts.
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Business Desktop Deployment 2007
Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 has been replaced by the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008.
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Data Encryption Toolkit for Mobile PCs
The Data Encryption Toolkit for Mobile PCs provides tested guidance and powerful tools to help you protect your organization’s most vulnerable data. The strategies outlined in this Toolkit are easy to understand, and the guidance shows you how to optimize two key encryption technologies already available to you in Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista: the Encrypting File System (EFS) and Microsoft BitLocker Drive Encryption (BitLocker).
DHCP Product Operations Guide
Describes processes and procedures for improving the management of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service in an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
DNS Product Operations Guide
Describes processes and procedures for improving the management of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Domain Name System (DNS) Service in an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
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Extranet Collaboration Toolkit for SharePoint
Consists of software and guidance that will help you to deploy a customizable solution built on Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 or Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 that teams can use to collaborate securely with partners outside the firewall. The toolkit’s familiar SharePoint interface makes the solution easy for project team members to understand and use.
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File Service Product Operations Guide
Describes processes and procedures for improving the management of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 File Service in an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
The Fundamental Computer Investigation Guide for Windows
This guide discusses processes and tools for use in internal computer investigations. It introduces a multi-phase model that is based on well-accepted procedures in the computer investigation community. It also presents an applied scenario example of an internal investigation in an environment that includes Microsoft Windows–based computers. The investigation uses Windows Sysinternals tools (advanced utilities that can be used to examine Windows–based computers) as well commonly available Windows commands and tools.
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Implementing Quarantine Services with Microsoft Virtual Private Network Planning Guide
VPN connections allow employees and partners to connect to a corporate local area network (LAN) over a public network in a secure manner. Although a VPN provides secure access by encrypting data though the VPN tunnel, it does not prevent intrusions by malicious software that initiates from the remote access computer. Virus or worm attacks can result from infected computers that connect to the LAN. VPN quarantine provides a mechanism to address these issues. This guide describes the challenges in planning and implementing quarantine services with VPN through the new features available in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1).
Infrastructure Optimization
Provides a logical roadmap to progress from reactive to proactive IT service management, moving from one of four defined levels of IT services to the next more efficient and streamlined level of services. Each document briefly describes each of the four levels, and explains each capability in the Microsoft Core Infrastructure Optimization Model. It then introduces high-level concepts for planning, building, deploying, and managing these capabilities and provides links to relevant resources where more detailed and actionable content can be found.
Infrastructure Planning and Design
The Infrastructure Planning and Design (IPD) series provides guidance for Microsoft infrastructure products, including Windows Server 2008 and SoftGrid. The series is a collection of documents that will lead the reader through a sequence of core decision points to design an infrastructure for Microsoft products. It also provides a means to validate design decisions with the business to ensure that the solution meets the requirements of both business and infrastructure stakeholders.
- Microsoft Internet Information Services
- Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007
- Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008
- Selecting the Right NAP Architecture
- Selecting the Right Virtualization Technology
- Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization
- Windows Server Virtualization
- Windows Deployment Services
- Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services
- Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services
- Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios
The Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios relate the IT and user business requirements for a flexible, efficient, and managed desktop environment to sets of complementary Microsoft technologies. The guide and supporting tool in this Solution Accelerator use five standard user scenarios such as Office Worker and Mobile Worker to map requirements to technologies. This new version (v1.1) includes new features of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 such as BranchCache, DirectAccess, BitLockerToGo, and AppBlocker.
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2007 Microsoft Office Security Guide
Although e-mail systems and desktop applications are essential collaboration and productivity tools, attachments, macros, and add-ins can contain viruses or other malware. This Solution Accelerator is designed to help you keep users productive while protecting your systems and keeping your data secure.
Malware Removal Starter Kit
This free kit provides a comprehensive plan to combat malware, and gives you tools to uncover 'stealthy' malware and restore infected PCs-so users can safely get back to work.
Mapping International Security Standards to MOF 1.1
A white paper that provides guidance on how to use Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) to implement security measures that comply with the requirements found in ISO/IEC 17799:2000.
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1
Infrastructure readiness assessment tool for desktop and server OS migration and virtualization, including Hyper-V.
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008
This fourth generation deployment accelerator adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and automated installation of desktops and servers.
Microsoft Identity and Access Management Series
This series of papers provides numerous identity and access management concepts, techniques, and solutions for use in heterogeneous IT environments. Identity and access management combines processes, technologies, and policies to manage digital identities and specify how they are used to access resources.
Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0
Microsoft® Operations Framework (MOF) 4.0 delivers practical guidance for everyday IT practices and activities, helping users establish and implement reliable, cost-effective IT services. It encompasses the entire IT lifecycle by integrating:
- Community-generated processes for planning, delivering, operating, and managing IT
- Governance, risk, and compliance activities
- Management reviews
- Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) best practices
MOF Continuous Improvement Roadmap
Use this IT service management toolkit to enable service management assessments and execute service improvement programs.
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Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool
The Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool manages the workflow of updating large numbers of offline virtual machines according to their individual needs. The tool works with Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007 (VMM) and with software update management systems (at present, either Windows Server Update Services 3.0 (WSUS) or System Center Configuration Manager 2007).
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Print Service Product Operations Guide
Describes processes and procedures for improving the management of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Print Service in an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
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Regulatory Compliance Planning Guide
Regulatory complexity makes it hard for IT managers to know what they need to do to meet their compliance goals. Since consequences of noncompliance can be quite severe, many IT managers are understandably apprehensive about this subject. The Regulatory Compliance Planning Guide helps IT professionals efficiently address regulatory requirements; it outlines the leading thinking in regard to specific IT control requirements related to a number of major regulations and standards; and it demonstrates how currently available Microsoft software and guidance can help address regulatory compliance issues for your organization.
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Secure Access Using Smart Cards Planning Guide
Administrators are increasingly aware of the dangers that result if they rely only on user names and passwords to provide authentication to network resources. Smart cards and their associated PINs are an increasingly popular, reliable, and cost-effective form of two-factor authentication. With the right controls in place, the user must have the smart card and know the PIN to gain access to network resources. The two-factor requirement significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access to an organization's network.
Securing Wireless LANs with Certificate Services
Securing Wireless LANs with Certificate Services is a prescriptive guide that addresses vulnerabilities in today's wireless networks. Despite the many productivity and technology benefits that WLANs offer, insufficient security has prevented a number of organizations from deploying them. This guidance provides information for IT Professionals about how to design, implement, and operate a wireless security infrastructure built with 802.1X and WLAN encryption, RADIUS, and a public key infrastructure (PKI).
Securing Wireless LANs with PEAP and Passwords
Securing Wireless LANs with PEAP and Passwords is designed to guide you though the complete life cycle of planning, deploying, testing, and managing a wireless security solution. It uses a flexible architecture that is adaptable for organizations ranging in size from less than 50 users to those with several thousand users. The guide comprises an end-to-end solution that encompasses the complete life cycle of planning, building, testing, and managing the solution. Its prescriptive guidance provides solution design choices based on best practices and knowledge gained from WLAN deployments at Microsoft and its customers.
Security Monitoring and Attack Detection Planning Guide
Extensive media reporting about the spread of malicious software through the Internet has significantly raised the profile of external threats to organizations' network resources. However, some of the greatest threats to any organization's infrastructure come from attacks that originate from within the internal network. This guide describes how to plan a security monitoring system on Windows-based networks. This system can detect attacks that originate from internal and external sources. The main aim of a security monitoring system is to identify unusual events on the network that indicate malicious activity or procedural errors.
Security Risk Management Guide
Customers can be overwhelmed when attempting to put in place a plan for security risk management. This can be because they do not have the in-house expertise, budget resources, or guidelines to outsource. To assist these customers, the Microsoft has developed The Security Risk Management Guide. This guide helps customers of all types plan, build, and maintain a successful security risk management program. In a four phase process, depicted below, the guide explains how to conduct each phase of a risk management program and how to build an ongoing process to measure and drive security risks to an acceptable level.
Server and Domain Isolation Using IPsec and Group Policy
Large organizations face increasing challenges in securing the perimeters of their networks. Wireless networks and wireless connection technologies have made network access easier than ever. This increased connectivity means that domain members on the internal network are increasingly exposed to significant risks from inside and outside the organization. This guide provides tested guidance around two solutions: server isolation, to ensure that a server accepts network connections only from trusted domain members or a specific group of domain members; and domain isolation, to isolate domain members from not trusted connections. These solutions can be used separately or together as part of an overall logical isolation solution.
Services and Service Accounts Security Planning Guide
This guide is an important resource to plan strategies to run services securely under the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP operating systems. It addresses the common problem of Windows services that are set to run with highest possible privileges, which an attacker could compromise to gain full and unrestricted access to the computer or domain, or even to the entire forest. It describes ways to identify services that can run with lesser privileges, and explains how to downgrade those privileges methodically. This guide can help you assess your current services infrastructure and make some important decisions when you plan for future service deployments.
SharePoint Capacity Planning Tool
The SharePoint Capacity Planning Tool is a general-purpose modeling tool that complements SharePoint’s deployment planning documentation. With this tool and the analysis it provides, you can get a head start on planning your SharePoint topology. After you provide the tool with basic information about your organization, the tool provides a first approximation of the topology your organization needs.
SharePoint Monitoring Toolkit Executive Overview
Contains two management packs for System Center Operations Manager 2007: Windows® SharePoint Services 3.0 Management Pack and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Management Pack. These monitor the health state of the components in a SharePoint environment that affect performance and availability. When there is an issue that may cause service or performance degradation, Operations Manager 2007 uses the management packs to detect the issue, alert system administrators to its existence, and facilitate diagnosis and corrective action.
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Threats and Countermeasures Guide
The Threats and Countermeasures guide provides you with a reference to all security settings that provide countermeasures for specific threats against current versions of the Microsoft Windows operating systems. This guide is a companion to two other Microsoft publications: The Windows Server 2003 Security Guide and the Windows XP Security Guide. The guide explains how an attacker might mount an attack if settings are configured in an insecure manner; how to implement the countermeasure; and the possible negative consequences of countermeasure implementation.
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Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates Guide
This solution accelerator provides guidance and tools to enable IT Professionals and WSS users to successfully upgrade their Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 custom sites and templates.
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Windows Server 2003 Security Guide
The Windows Server 2003 Security Guide provides specific recommendations about how to harden computers that run Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) in three distinct enterprise environments—one in which older operating systems such as Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98 must be supported, one in which Windows 2000 is the earliest version of the Windows operating system in use, and one in which concern about security is so great that significant loss of client functionality and manageability is considered an acceptable tradeoff to achieve maximum security.
Windows Server 2008 Security Guide
This guidance provides best practices and predefined Security Templates to help you strengthen the security of servers running Windows Server 2008.
Windows Vista Security Guide
The Windows Vista Security Guide provides instructions and recommendations to help strengthen the security of desktop and laptop computers running Windows Vista in a domain with the Active Directory directory service. The guide provides best practices and automated tools to help quickly and easily deploy Windows Vista, and provides tested guidance to balance your organization's needs for security and functionality.
Windows XP Security Guide
As your organization plans to implement Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 (SP2), ensure that security is an integral part of your deployment plans. Although the default installation of Windows XP is quite secure, it is important to remember the trade-offs that exist between security, usability, and functionality of the client computers in your environment. The Windows XP Security Guide provides specific recommendations about how to harden computers that run Windows XP with SP2, and gives you a thorough understanding of the tradeoffs between security and functionality in your Windows XP deployment.
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