TechNet Flash - Volume 11, Issue 8: April 22, 2009
Note from the Editor
Greetings, and Welcome to TechNet Flash.
You’ve heard that Windows 7 includes new features and enhancements to help improve security. But what are they specifically and how will they make your Windows clients safer? To find out, look no further than TechNet Magazine’s An Introduction to Security in Windows 7 for a great overview of everything you’ll find, from the new Biometric Framework and AppLocker to improvements for BitLocker and UAC. And while we’re on the topic of Windows 7 security enhancements, TechNet Magazine also features in the May issue an article on PKI Enhancements in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
Go Green with TechNet Magazine
To celebrate Earth Day and help you create a more energy efficient IT infrastructure, TechNet Magazine is delivering a special online-only edition dedicated to Green IT.
And the magazine continues its month of daily Windows Server 2008 tips. Here’s an example of the tips you’ll find:
" Use Windows PowerShell to Manage Virtual Machines
" Uncover Memory-Related Bottlenecks
" Create a New Failover Cluster in 12 Steps
Download the Exchange Server 2010 Beta
The public Exchange Server 2010 Beta is now available. Designed and developed to work on-premises and as an online service, Exchange 2010 introduces a new integrated e-mail archive and features to reduce costs and improve the user experience.
Become a Microsoft IT Showcase Fan on Facebook
Join your peers and Microsoft IT professionals in discussions about how Microsoft plans for, deploys, and manages its global solutions. Fans get real-time access to Microsoft IT’s content as it publishes, participate in discussions on hot IT topics, tell us what new topics to cover, register for IT webcasts and workshops, and more.
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash
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.
SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 Now Available
Primarily a roll-up of Cumulative Updates 1 to 3, quick-fix engineering (QFE) updates, and fixes to issues reported through the SQL Server community, SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 also includes capabilities for easier deployment and management of service packs.
Microsoft Online Services - Get Your Free 30-Day Trial
As a component of Microsoft Online Services, Business Productivity Online Standard Suite can help improve productivity and extend IT resources. Register for your free 30-day trial, and sign up for the live 4-part webcast series.
Free Web Hosting, Free Web Tools, and Free adCenter Credit
We’ve got a great place for you to host your Web site. When you select one of our hosting partners, you’ll get:
• 60 days free Web hosting
• Free Microsoft Expression Web (a US$299 value)
• Free Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2008 Express
• US$100 Microsoft adCenter search advertising credit
May 19, 2009, 9:30 A.M. Pacific Time
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).
New Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide for Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V)
Now available for free download, this guide outlines the critical infrastructure design elements for a successful implementation of the MED-V desktop virtualization technology. Following the steps in this guide will result in a design that is sized, configured, and appropriately placed to deliver the stated business benefits.
Live Chat Session on Microsoft Virtualization
May 14, 2009, 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Have questions about virtualization? Log into the live chat session through TechTarget’s IT Knowledge Exchange center to have your questions answered by Microsoft subject-matter experts.
Webcast: Introducing Windows Storage Server 2008 (Level 300)
May 5, 2009, 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Learn about the new improvements in the OS, including OEM extensibility, single instance storage (SIS), Java-based remote desktop features, and the new iSCSI Software Target package.
Test Your VBA Coding Skills and Win
Running through May 1, 2009, MSDN is sponsoring a coding contest for Office 2007, named OfficePalooza. This contest features ten fun VBA coding challenges in the form of puzzles and games. Each entrant will earn a chance to win one of hundreds of available prizes, determined by a random drawing at the end of the contest.
Free E-Learning with the Purchase of Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007
Get Microsoft Office Project 2007 Core Essentials e-learning free when you purchase Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007. You’ll be able to access more than 140 instructor-led courses covering a broad range of Office Project functions. This also prepares you for Microsoft exam 70-632, and makes you eligible for 16 PDUs.
MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3) is a complete replacement of MSXML 4.0, MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1), and MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2). MSXML 4.0 SP3 provides a number of security and reliability bug fixes.
Webcast: Secure Collaboration Using AD RMS, MOSS and AD FS (Level 300)
May 5, 2009, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time
Drill down on how to provide extranet access to information rights management (IRM) protected documents stored on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) using Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS), providing external users single sign-on and delegating the account management to the external parties.
Labcast: Deploying the 2007 Microsoft Office System with the Deployment Workbench (Level 200)
After completing this lab, you should be able to add the 2007 Microsoft Office system to the Deployment Workbench, configure the deployment, perform multi-language integration, and understand the dependencies when using config.xml and the OCT.
Webcast: Operations Manager 2007 R2 Deployment and Upgrade Best Practices (Level 300)
April 30, 2009, 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time
You will gain useful insights into what worked, as well as what didn't, when deploying Operations Manager 2007 into different environments.
Just Released: the Hyper-V Security Guide
Now available for free download, the Hyper-V Security Guide provides you and your customers with guidance, instructions, and recommendations to address your key security concerns around server virtualization.
The IT Infrastructure Threat Modeling Guide Beta
This guide provides an easy-to-understand method that enables IT pros to develop threat models for their environments and prioritize investments in IT infrastructure security.
Discover time savings. Uncover cost savings. Try SQL Server 2008 today.
Looking to deliver value and achieve efficiencies throughout your organization? Try Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Enterprise. See how you can reduce database costs through consolidation, virtualization, policy management, and more. Realize greater returns from existing IT staff with training, certification and community resources.
New Videos for IT Pros
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/cc895496.aspx
How Do I: Getting Started with Windows Server 2008 Server Core
17 Minutes 12 seconds
Server Core is a new installation option for Windows Server 2008. With a limited user interface and streamlined component model it can also be daunting for some administrators. In this video, Mark Wilson takes a look at the commands that are needed to get started with a Server Core installation.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/cc895499.aspx
Windows Server 2008 Server Core – Remote Management, Tips and Tricks
26 Minutes 18 seconds
This video examines remote administration of server core computers using WS-Management and Windows PowerShell as well as some tips to help out administrators who are working from the console.
Featured Downloads
Evaluate Operations Manager 2007 R2 Release Candidate (RC)
System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 introduces new and enhanced capabilities including:
• Extending its monitoring capabilities to UNIX and Linux servers and workloads
• The ability to report on service levels across IT availability and performance
• Enhanced system and Web monitoring capabilities
What’s New in Operations Manager 2007 R2
Service Level Dashboard 2.0 Beta
The new Service Level Dashboard works in near real time, so you can more accurately monitor performance and systems availability, and head off problems before they occur. If you're working with SCOM 2007 R2 SP1, the new Service Level Dashboard is a must-have.
IT Management
TechNet Magazine: Reinventing IT in Difficult Times
IT organizations have more intrinsic value than is immediately apparent. They need to find ways to demonstrate that value in order to reclaim their rightful standing in their companies. This article, by Romi Mahajan, discusses five approaches they can take.
InformationWeek: New Analytics Reports for IT Managers InformationWeek surveyed its readers to help you align current business objectives with upcoming technology challenges, analyzing the benefits and costs. Download “Virtualization: Facing IT and Business Realities,” a report about taking advantage of virtualization technologies, and “Setting Up Priorities for the Next-Generation Web Apps,” about selecting the right rich Internet application (RIA) platform to fit your organization.
Latest Resources for IT Managers from the “Platform Blueprint Solutions” Series
" Podcast: Platform Solution Blueprints: Service-Oriented Architecture and Business Process Management
" Platform Blueprint Solutions Poster
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 Create a Phone Directory from Text Files with Varying Formats?
" How Can I Query Event Logs to Discover Active Directory Information?
" How Can I Check My Event Logs to See Why My Computer Isn’t Performing Well?
See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.
Support and Troubleshooting
How-tos
" How to prevent profile creation on server even when an encypted file is copied in plain text mode
Hotfixes
Knowledge Base Articles
" Deleting an application in the Operations Manager console may fail with verification errors
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
An Early Look at SQL Server “Kilimanjaro” and Project “Madison” (Level 100)
April 27, 2009, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time
This session will introduce at a high level the set of upcoming technologies for self-service business intelligence, application and multi-server management, scale-out data warehousing, plus several other key capabilities planned for the next release of SQL Server.
Identity and Security
Download New Forefront Security for Office Communications Server Trial
Help protect your instant-messaging environment by blocking malware and out-of-policy content in IM conversations and file transfers with Forefront Security for Office Communications Server. The new release supports Office Communications Server 2007 Enterprise and Standard Editions, as well as OCS 2007 R2.
Fast, Free Readiness Assessments for Forefront Client Security
Download the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit to assess the virus and spyware vulnerability of your client infrastructure, as well as your readiness for implementing Forefront Client Security.
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for April 2009
On Demand
Community Talk with Kevin: Service-Oriented Architecture and Business Process Management (Level 100)
Participate in the new community chat that addresses service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business process management (BPM), and answers your questions to simplify your understanding of the technology and its purpose.
Designing Microsoft Systems Center Data Protection Manager 2007 for Branch Environments (Level 300)
Designing Data Protection Manager 2007 (DPM) for Branch Environments highlights two different scenarios within a typical enterprise branch environment. Demos will be used wherever possible to illustrate key objectives.
Virtual Labs
Security Compliance Management Toolkit Series:
" How to Configure the Desired Configuration Management (DCM) Feature
Also watch the video.
" How to Use the Built-in or Customized Reporting Capabilities of Configuration Manager
Also watch the video.
How to Protect Exchange Server with DPM 2007
After completing this lab, you will be better able to add disks to DPM using the DPM Management Shell, use the DPM Console to create protection groups, and recover Exchange databases in a variety of ways.
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