TechNet Flash - Volume 11, Issue 9: May 6, 2009
Note from the Editor
Greetings, and Welcome to TechNet Flash.
A quick public address announcement: If you are reading this newsletter on a mobile device, check out our new mobile-friendly TechNet Flash, delivered in a format more suitable for smaller screens, including Windows Mobile devices.
As of yesterday, you can download the Windows 7 Release Candidate. Yes, the RC is now available and features several changes and improvements since the beta release, including improved boot performance, FAT32 support, and User Account Control (UAC) design changes. To assist in your evaluation, here are some key resources:
" What’s New in Windows 7 RC video
" How to Start a Windows Pilot Deployment
" Demonstration: Migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7
" Additional pilot and deployment guidance
" Windows 7 Application Quality Cookbook
" Windows 7 IT Pro at Home: Tips and Tricks
To keep up with the latest guidance and tools for testing Windows 7, bookmark the Springboard Series for Windows 7. To see how you can use the latest planning tool for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 migration and virtualization projects, the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 beta program is now open. Also remember to mark your calendar for the July 1, 2009 Windows 7 Beta expiration.
And just a reminder, Windows 7 RC is available to TechNet Plus subscribers.
Coinciding with the Windows 7 RC, you can now download the Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate. Check out the new R2 additions to the Windows Server 2008 Product Technologies and the following key resources:
" Windows Server 2008 R2 Support Forums
" Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 Better Together
" Getting Started with Windows Server 2008 R2
Throughout the month of May, TechNet Magazine is running a month of daily Virtualization tips. Here are some of the tips you’ll find:
" Install Hyper-V on Windows Server 2008
" 7 Best Practices for Physical Servers Hosting Hyper-V Roles
" Use Terminal Services to Manage Hyper-V from an Older Version of Windows
For tips on other products and technologies, including Windows Vista and Windows 7, check out the TechNet Magazine Tips library.
Thanks for reading,
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash
Subscribe to the TechNet Flash Feed blog for news updates as they happen, often several times a day. You can also follow the updates on Twitter.
Note from the Editor
News and Notes from Your IT Pro Evangelist Harold Wong
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/dd744668.aspx
Greetings, and Welcome to TechNet Flash.
Want to know more about “stuff” happening in the western United States that applies to IT professionals? What might this be, you ask? How about TechNet Unleashed Events happening in a city near you or an upcoming user group meeting? For some useful resources, including West Region-specific ones, read more...
Note from the Editor
News and Notes from Your IT Pro Evangelist John Weston
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/dd759413.aspx
Greetings, and Welcome to TechNet Flash.
Hello Central Region of the United States. What’s going on, you ask? Well, how about 15 TechNet Unleashed events in a city near you. Or how about finding a user group near you that is doing a job fair or Windows 7 Loadfest? To find these resources for the Central Region only, read more...
Find a World Where the IT Pro Rules
As an IT pro you’ll have to dig deep into your surroundings, solve puzzles, and uncover Easter eggs and mini games that will help you inch your way closer to the prize - and closer to carving your name into the annals of geekdom.
Your Featured Content
Ensure that the content most relevant to you is presented in this section.
May 19, 2009, 9:30 A.M. Pacific Time
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment (OSD) provides administrators with a tool to create images that can be deployed to managed and unmanaged computers. Join subject matter experts from Microsoft IT as they share best practices. These include complex scenarios such as using OSD with network access protection (NAP).
Windows Internals with Sysinternals (Two-Day Webinar)
June 1 & 3, 2009, online
Explore the internals of key Windows kernel components and mechanisms with the Sysinternals tools in this two-day webinar. Topics include kernel architecture, memory management, thread scheduling, interrupt processing, time accounting, and crash dump analysis. This knowledge will help you help you troubleshoot difficult system problems as well as understand the true meaning behind key system performance counters.
Webcast: How Microsoft IT Deploys Application Virtualization
May 26, 2009, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Learn how Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 (App-V) and System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 are helping to significantly reduce application compatibility issues when running a number of virtualized applications. In addition, App-V and Configuration Manager 2007 are helping to address inefficiencies related to desktop application packaging, deployment, and security.
Webcast: Information About Microsoft May Security Bulletins (Level 200)
May 13, 2009, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time
On May 13, 2009, Microsoft releases its monthly security bulletins. Join us for a brief overview of the technical details of the May bulletins.
Video: Microsoft Security Assessment Tool 4.0
Join Microsoft security experts Jeff Jones and Thomas Dawkins as they walk you through the new release of the Microsoft Security Assessment Tool, MSAT 4.0. Once you're familiar with the improvements, check out an in-depth demo on how to use the tool.
IT Manager Community Talk with Kevin - Security (Level 100)
May 18, 2009 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Learn from fellow experts in the new community chat addressing security and answering your questions to help increase your understanding of Microsoft solutions, and discuss the ways in which Microsoft can help jumpstart your efforts.
May 7, 2009, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time
This presentation provides an overview of Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange and Microsoft Forefront Security for SharePoint technologies.
May 7, 2009, 9:30 A.M. Pacific Time
System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 with Service Pack 1 has three ways to help you achieve your disaster recovery goals. In this session, we’ll walk through these capabilities, do several demonstrations, and discuss how to get started with each of these approaches.
Improving the Sustainability and Use of SQL Server at Microsoft
Join this webcast on demand
With more than 4,700 Microsoft SQL Server instances in operation, Microsoft IT sought to reduce operational and capital expenses through server consolidation and multi-tenancy. The SQL Utility Service and related server consolidation efforts contribute to environmental sustainability, more efficient utilization, and improved quality of service.
IT Pro Tiki Hut Tour – Spring 2009
May 19, 2009, 6:00 P.M., Reston, VA
Join us at this free event for Hawaiian pizza, and cool giveaways, and take home a Windows 7 Beta DVD.
• Session 1: Moving to the Modern OS Roadmap
• Session 2: Windows Security and Application/Driver Compatibility
• Session 3: Windows 7 Beta Sneak Peek
IT Pro Tiki Hut Tour – Spring 2009
May 21, 2009, 6:00 P.M., Charlotte, NC
Join us at this free event for Hawaiian pizza, and cool giveaways, and take home a Windows 7 Beta DVD.
• Session 1: Moving to the Modern OS Roadmap
• Session 2: Windows Security and Application/Driver Compatibility
• Session 3: Windows 7 Beta Sneak Peek
IT Pro Tiki Hut Tour – Spring 2009
May 28, 2009, 6:00 P.M., Ft. Lauderdale, FL
June 1, 2009, 6:00 P.M., Pensacola, FL
June 2, 2009, Heathrow, FL
June 4, 2009, 6:00 P.M., Lakeland, FL
Join us at this free event for Hawaiian pizza, and cool giveaways, and take home a Windows 7 Beta DVD.
• Session 1: Moving to the Modern OS Roadmap
• Session 2: Windows Security and Application/Driver Compatibility
• Session 3: Windows 7 Beta Sneak Peek
June 3, 2009, 1:00 P.M., Malvern, PA
Come spend an afternoon with Microsoft TechNet presenters for a fun, hands-on-lab and presentation-based seminar that will demonstrate some of the key new features and benefits of Windows 7. Register for this free event now as space is limited.
June 5, 2009, 1:00 P.M., Reston, VA
Come spend an afternoon with Microsoft TechNet presenters for a fun, hands-on-lab and presentation-based seminar that will demonstrate some of the key new features and benefits of Windows 7. Register for this free event now as space is limited.
June 11, 2009, 1:00 P.M., Alpharetta, GA
Come spend an afternoon with Microsoft TechNet presenters for a fun, hands-on-lab and presentation-based seminar that will demonstrate some of the key new features and benefits of Windows 7. Register for this free event now as space is limited.
June 17, 2009, 1:00 P.M., Pittsburgh, PA
Come spend an afternoon with Microsoft TechNet presenters for a fun, hands-on-lab and presentation-based seminar that will demonstrate some of the key new features and benefits of Windows 7. Register for this free event now as space is limited.
New Videos for IT Pros
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/cc952342.aspx
Managing Hyper-V from the Command Line with Windows PowerShell and WMI
8 Minutes, 22 seconds
In this video Mark Wilson looks at using PowerShell to perform some basic operations on a Hyper-V workload. It is intended to show how straightforward it is to control Hyper-V using WMI from PowerShell and give the viewer enough information to develop the concepts further in their own environment.
https://technet.microsoft.com/office/ocs/dd253221.aspx
How Do I: Build a GPO Containing OCS Client Software
4 Minutes, 14 seconds
Learn how to build a GPO to deploy all three pieces of the OCS client: Microsoft Office Communicator 2007, Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007, and the Microsoft Office Outlook Add in for Live Meeting 2007.
Featured Downloads
Evaluate Microsoft Forefront Codename “Stirling” Beta 2
Microsoft Forefront codename “Stirling” is an integrated security suite that delivers protection across endpoint, servers, and the edge. By delivering simplified management and providing critical visibility into threats, vulnerabilities, and configuration risks, Forefront codename “Stirling” helps you protect your business with greater confidence and efficiency.
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Beta
Microsoft Exchange 2010 Server helps you achieve new levels of reliability and performance by delivering features that simplify your administration, protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater business mobility.
IT Management
Latest Resources for IT Managers from the “Platform Blueprint Solutions” Series:
" Podcast: Platform Solution Blueprints - Collaboration and Enterprise Content Management
" IT Manager Poster: Platform Solution Blueprint - Collaboration and Enterprise Content Management
IT Manager Webcast: Platform Solution Blueprints: Unified Communications (Level 200)
Watch this webcast with your peers to see how Microsoft Unified Communications simplifies access to information no matter where you are. If you struggle with information overload, then register for this webcast and see how context, relevance, and immediacy help move you from being available to being ready.
To stay updated on the next installment for IT Managers, visit the IT Management Hub.
Scripting for IT Pros
Hey Scripting Guy...
" How Can I Write and Run a Windows PowerShell Script?
" How Can I Work with Directories, Files, and Folders by Using Windows PowerShell?
" How Can I Use the Do...While...Loop in Windows PowerShell?
See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.
Support and Troubleshooting
How-tos
" How to disable autocomplete for an entire SharePoint farm
" How to generate a kernel or a complete memory dump file in Windows Server 2008
Hotfixes
Knowledge Base Articles
" Windows feature lets you generate a memory dump file by using the keyboard
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.
Upcoming Webcasts
Improving Energy Efficiency with Windows 7 Power Management (Level 200)
May 08, 2009, 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time
In this webcast, we detail how the Windows 7 operating system helps improve energy efficiency through new power management innovations. We illustrate how IT professionals can improve battery life and power consumption using new Windows diagnostics utilities.
Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager “2” (ILM "2") for IT Professionals (Level 300)
May 19, 2009, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time
This session will cover common deployment topologies and the challenges they present, best practices for managing the product, and configuration tips and tricks to help ensure a successful deployment.
Identity and Security
Forefront Anti-Spam Portal Now Live
The Microsoft Forefront team has released an anti-spam portal to provide the latest news and tools about anti-spam resources. This portal is a “one-stop” resource for anti-spam information, including risks and business impacts associated with spam, blogs, forums and communities, evidence, and related technical and product information.
Download the New Capacity Planning Tool for Forefront Security for Exchange Server
The new Forefront Security for Exchange Server capacity planning tool helps you understand what hardware, architecture, and configuration settings will produce recommended system performance and message throughput results for comprehensive protection your Exchange servers.
On Demand
Microsoft Forefront: Integrate and Simplify with Greater Protection and Control
Explore the Microsoft Forefront security suite of products through these webcasts, podcasts, and virtual labs and arm yourself with the knowledge and tools to simplify your budget and security decisions.
Managing a Microsoft Infrastructure: Improve Reliability and Performance
Learn how Microsoft System Center products and solutions can help you take advantage of your IT resources. Join this month’s series of webcasts, podcasts, and virtual labs to increase your insight into, and control over, your IT infrastructure.
Virtual Labs
Managing Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS)
After completing this lab, you will be better able to configure new management features provided by AD RMS, AD RMS template management, and configure AD RMS by registry settings and GPO on the client side.
Information Protection Using AD RMS in the Intranet
After completing this lab, you will be better able to install Microsoft Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) and understand the provisioning and enrollment process for the AD RMS server.
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