TechNet Flash - Volume 13, Issue 2: January 26, 2011
Top Stories
TechNet ON: System Center in the Cloud
See how the System Center product portfolio provides a unified management approach for applications and workloads across on-premises datacenters, private cloud and public cloud environments.
Be a Part of Talk TechNet, the New IT Pro Radio Show
Register for Friday's broadcast when your host Keith Combs discusses System Center Configuration Manager with Microsoft MVP Jason Sandys. Join the discussion and get your questions answered. Also check out the first show, available on demand, covering Group Policy with MVP guest Jeremy Moskowitz.
Career Factor: Real People, Real Career Quests
Career Factor is an online reality show based on the experiences of nine IT personalities. Each of our candidates has set a professional goal for themselves, and has invited you to follow their every step along the way.
Your Featured Content
MAP Toolkit 5.5 Is Ready for Download
The next version of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is now available for free download. This multifaceted tool is now even better, with assessment for easier migration to the Windows Azure platform, heterogeneous database discovery for SQL Server migration projects, Windows Internet Explorer migration assessment, and more.
Video: Migration from Windows XP to Windows 7
This video discusses backup considerations and options, preparing hard drives and partitions, capturing Windows XP data and settings with the Windows Easy Transfer Tool, installing Windows 7, restoring captured data and settings with the Windows Easy Transfer Tool, and confirming settings.
Springboard Series App Now Available for Your Windows Phone 7
The Springboard Series on TechNet is your destination for technical resources, free tools, and expert guidance to ease the deployment and management of your Windows client infrastructure. To give you better access to these key resources no matter where you are, we created the Springboard Series App for Windows Phone 7.
Try Out Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
Microsoft just announced the global launch of the cloud version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, and you can try it out free for 30 days. The on-premises and partner-hosted versions of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will be globally available on February 28, 2011.
Windows Small Business Server 2011 Trial Download
Designed and priced especially for small businesses with up to 75 users, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard (SBS 2011 Standard) is a complete solution built on Windows Server 2008 R2. SBS 2011 Standard includes Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010, and Windows Software Update Services.
New SQL Azure White Paper: Sharding with SQL Azure
Database sharding is a technique of horizontally partitioning data across multiple physical servers to provide application scale-out.
Get the Windows Azure Platform 30-day Pass
Use promo code MSDNT1 when signing up for the Windows Azure Platform 30-day pass and get access to online training to help you put Windows Azure and SQL Azure through their paces. No credit card required.
New Windows Azure Platform Management Portal
The new Windows Azure Platform Management Portal has launched, and with it the database manager (formerly known as Project Houston). Now, you can manage all your Windows Azure resources from a single location - including your SQL Azure database.
Windows 7 Compatibility Video: Evaluation and Remediation
In this video, you'll learn about potential driver and application issues, then how to evaluate the compatibility of your applications using tools like the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit and Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT). Dive into remediation solutions such as compatibility mode, Windows XP mode, shims, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V), and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V).
TechNet Magazine: Microsoft Lync and Your PBX - the Best of Both Worlds
Replacing a legacy PBX may not be feasible, but full unified communications (UC) functionality - especially integration with Office, Exchange and SharePoint - has become a compelling tool. With Lync, you can maximize your PBX investment and prepare for the future.
SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training Kit (January 2011 Update)
This training kit is a great resource for developers, trainers, consultants, and evangelists who need to understand SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 improvements from a developer perspective. It contains a rich set of presentations, demos, hands-on labs, and videos.
Four Engineers: Ask Them Anything About Lync on Reddit
Four Microsoft Lync systems engineers are live on Reddit answering questions. Ask them anything about Microsoft Lync. Give them your feedback on Lync Server 2010. See what others are asking.
TechNet Radio: What Can Office 365 Do For You?
SharePoint Technical Product Manger Bill Baer interviews Joel Oleson, Sr. Product Manager and SharePoint Evangelist at Quest Software. Listen in as they discuss Office 365 and the cloud - what its benefits are vs. on-premises-only solutions, cloud sourcing, and what all this means for IT pros.
Announcing the DataMarket and Windows Azure Contest
Code Project has launched a contest for developers to build innovative cloud apps on Windows Azure Platform using datasets from DataMarket on Windows Azure Marketplace. The contest runs until March 1, 2011. We are giving free trial passes, and all apps submitted will have a chance to win an Intel i7 laptop or the grand prize of an Xbox 360 with Kinect.