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LettersReaders Speak Out

Active Directory Domain Services

I have definitely enjoyed the March 2008 issue of TechNet Magazine. I think I've read it about 12 times by now! In particular, I really enjoyed the article "What's New in Active Directory Domain Services," by Gil Kirkpatrick. In the article, Gil mentions a product called Microsoft® Audit Collection Services. Is this product available today, and does it work as a standalone application?

—Erasmo M.

Microsoft Audit Collection Services (ACS) is part of System Center Operations Manager (SCOM), the management software formerly known as Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM). It's not available as a standalone product, only as part of SCOM.

—Gil Kirkpatrick, NetPro CTO and TechNet Magazine Author

Signatures

In the second paragraph of the Windows PowerShell column from the April 2008 issue of TechNet Magazine ("Sign Here, Please," technet.microsoft.com/magazine/cc434702), author Don Jones states, "The word signature is the correct technical term for what I'm talking about, though the word itself isn't really a good description of what is actually happening here. Signing a script doesn't mean you're approving or authorizing it, as you might do with a contract or a credit card slip."

I would argue that signing a contract or credit card slip doesn't necessarily approve or authorize those items either. The action performed is only meaningful in the context of a larger view of the environment. For instance, when I was younger, I played with credit card slips at my father's service station—never did anyone attempt to collect on debts that I incurred in those transactions.

In the context of a "properly configured" Active Directory® network implementation, the signature is exactly what authorizes the script to operate. The presence of the signature indicates that the person signing is accepting responsibility for the thing signed, and the presence of the signature may then trigger further activity—billing by the credit card company or acceptance of code as authentic by the network.

Please keep up the good work folks— TechNet Magazine is very beneficial.

—Jeremy P.

Thanks for the feedback, Jeremy. It's nice to know that our readers pay such close, critical attention to what TechNet Magazine has to say.

SharePoint Services

When running Windows® SharePoint® Services (WSS)—not Microsoft Office SharePoint Server—are additional CAL licenses required for users accessing it through a Web site interface/URL?

—Douglas M.

There are a few documents available regarding this topic. Here are some helpful links: www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/caloverview.mspx; microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/extconnector.mspx; and technet.microsoft.com/windowsserver/sharepoint/bb684457.

—Pav Cherny, Columnist, Inside SharePoint, TechNet Magazine

Inside SharePoint Idea

I recently read the SharePoint column in the May 2008 issue of TechNet Magazine (technet.microsoft.com/magazine/cc462809). You asked readers for suggestions on topics. A big article on integrating SharePoint with Project/Project Server would be wonderful.

—Phil H.

Project/Project Server is a great idea! We will definitely be considering this topic for a future column. Thanks for responding.

Other Inside SharePoint Ideas

The Web as a whole has a wealth of documents regarding site customization using either the standard SharePoint UI or SharePoint Designer, but there is very little regarding Site Definitions (and the articles that are out there are so basic that they are of little use when faced with a real-world problem). As this is an area many people are beginning to explore, a wealth of how-to's can only help the adoption of SharePoint. In particular, at my company we have struggled with the following topics:

  1. Setting custom permissions to lists within a Site Definition.
  2. Custom list item forms within a Site Definition.
  3. Web part connections from within a Site Definition.
  4. How a Site Definition could be delivered incrementally.

—Adam C.

Thank you for your suggestions. This is exactly the kind of reader feedback we'll be taking into account as we continue to develop this content.

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