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In today’s episode, Sr. IT Pro Evangelist, Chris Henley welcomes Distinguished Engineer and Lead Architect for Windows Server, Jeffrey Snover to the show. Tune in as they discuss new storage management features in Windows Server 8, how it integrates with PowerShell and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 as well as what this all means for Cloud Computing and Virtualization going forward.

Click here to read the article: “Windows Server 8: Standards-Based Storage Management”

If you're interested in learning more about the products or solutions discussed in this episode, click on any of the below links for free, in-depth information:

Resources:

• Microsoft Virtual Academy
• Free 180 Trial! Download All Available System Center 2012 products here

Blogs:

• Chris Henley’s Blog
• Windows Server and Cloud Platform Blog

Videos:

• How to Build a Private Cloud (part 1)
• TechNet Radio: IT Time- Debunking Myths around Virtualization and the Cloud
• Your First Steps to Building a Private Cloud (3 part series)
• Windows PowerShell: Learn It Now Before It’s an Emergency (5 part series)
• Technical Videos for IT Pros on Microsoft Private Cloud solutions
• Technical Videos and Audio Podcasts for IT Pros on Windows Server 2008 R2

Get Ready for Tomorrow Today!

Private Cloud 201

Today Microsoft released new evaluation versions of the System Center 2012 family of products.  It is your opportunity to download and enjoy the amazing experience of using System Center.  When I think of System Center I immediately think of VIrtual Machine Manager, Configuration Manager, and Operations manager, but System Center is oh so much more. 
So what products are available for download?  This from the System Center Website…..

“Available System Center 2012 Products:

• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager RC provides comprehensive configuration management for the Microsoft platform that can help you empower users with the devices and applications they need to be productive while maintaining corporate compliance and control.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection RC, built on System Center Configuration Manager, provides industry-leading threat detection of malware and exploits as part of a unified infrastructure for managing client security and compliance that can help you simplify and improve endpoint protection.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center Operations Manager 2012 Beta provides deep application diagnostics and infrastructure monitoring that can help you ensure the predictable performance and availability of vital applications and offers a comprehensive view of your datacenter, private, and public clouds.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center Data Protection Manager 2012 Beta provides unified data protection for Windows servers and clients that can help you deliver scalable, manageable, and cost-effective protection and restore scenarios from disk, tape, and off premise.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center Orchestrator 2012 RC provides orchestration, integration, and automation of IT processes through the creation of runbooks that can help you to define and standardize best practices and improve operational efficiency.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 RC provides virtual machine management and services deployment with support for multi-hypervisor environments that can help you deliver a flexible and cost effective private cloud environment.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center App Controller 2012 Beta provides a common self-service experience across private and public clouds that can help you empower application owners to easily build, configure, deploy, and manage new services.
  Available in these languages: English
  System Requirements >>
• System Center Service Manager 2012 Beta provides flexible self-service experiences and standardized datacenter processes that can help you integrate people, workflows, and knowledge across enterprise infrastructure and applications.
  Available in these languages: Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish
  System Requirements >>

The list of products is long and distinguished.  I would highly recommend that you get started on the downloads and put these new products to the test in your environment.  They are Fantastic!

The tool is called the Display Color Calibration Wizard, or DCCW for short.  You can run this tool by going to the pearl (new lingo for the start button) and typing DCCW in the search box.  Start the DCCW tool and we are under way.  I will walk you through the process lest you think it is difficult or somehow otherwise prohibitive and then you too can watch your own DVD’s on a display that you have taken the opportunity to customize to your liking. 

First you will see the splash screen for the tool indicating that you should move the window onto the display that you are going to calibrate.  Not rocket science so far. 

Go ahead and click NEXT

The screen indicates that if you display has a menu option that will allow the setting to be returned to factory defaults please do so now.  If you don’t have a menu option for this (Like say on most laptops) just go ahead and click NEXT

Now we are going to work on the Gamma Adjustment for the display.  If you are wondering what you are going for there is an example of the desired outcome on the center of the screen along with 2 examples of what not to do. Click Next

Here is what the initial gamma settings looked like on my laptop.  Looks Like they might be a little too low. 

Use the slider to set the gamma to match the desired standard.  Here is what mine looks like now.

Its not perfect but if I go too high it swings the other direction quite rapidly. 

Click Next

Brightness and contrast settings are you personal preferences and can be set accordingly.  Click Next

Again they give you a sample of appropriate brightness. 

Click Next.

Use the image provided to accurately set the brightness.

Click Next.

On to the Contrast Adjustment.  Here again we get the 3 samples. 

Click Next.

Use the image to adjust the contrast to your desired setting.  Click Next.

The next item of adjustment is the color balance.  Again we get some good samples for the right settings. 

Click next. 

Now we have the opportunity to use sliders for Red, Green, and Blue.  Remember we are shooting for bland shades of gray.  No color.

When you are finished click Next. 

You can see that you have created a new calibration.  You can click the buttons on the screen to compare the current settings to the previous ones.  If you like the new settings save them by clicking Finish.  

You will also notice that there is another tool that is checked to run by default when we are finished with the calibration called the Clear Type Text Tuner.  More on that tool later. 

Enjoy your amazing quality video!  Remember you can come back and adjust the settings any time you would like by simply running the DCCW again.

I know kids lean fast but how long does it take to learn to do that.  Amazing!

So I’m reading through All Things D this morning and I see this sidebar video about a company called Instinct that has built a web application that runs entirely through the browser and teaches you how to play the guitar.  I haven’t tried the application yet but my assumption is that this is going to be a lot like the traditional method of hundreds of hours of practice to become really proficient at playing the guitar.  I am hoping that Blake and Brian have learned the lesson of Guitar Hero and will build and interface that satisfies all of our needs to be lauded far beyond the actual reaches of or accomplishments.  For example when I finally do get the easy version of Mary had a little lamb out it would be nice if the on screen graphics showed a wowed audience cheering my success as though I had just learned Eddie Van Halen's Eruption.  I think this is how you keep people coming back for more.  No one wants to be motivated by pain and suffering.  We all want to hear the positive feedback of our screaming fans, get fan mail on our Facebook pages and hear our twitter tag mentioned and then retweeted.  The technology is already in place to make this a reality.  Check out the video.

If I were building a web application to teach kids (we are all kids at heart) how to play guitar I would build the app like guitar hero.  Avatars and all.  Build the fantasy in deep.  Make sure the audience is there wanting more.  The teacher has to be your biggest fan, in fact they should probably lead your fan club.  the app has to integrate with Facebook.  Each time you reach an accomplishment it has to automatically go on you wall with a cool certificate or trophy.  The app needs to integrate with twitter and automatically tweet practice hours and successful milestone events.  I guess what I am saying is that perhaps its time for our applications to take a game like feel into a real world audience.  We can mix fantasy and reality just fine in this world.  I am very excited about the changes that are coming in applications.  I have always believed that technology should make a real difference in peoples lives.  Instinct is taking one of those Steps down that path.  I love it! 

Here are the abstracts and the registration Links. 

Get Ready for Tomorrow, Today - Hyper-V Virtualization for the Cloud

Virtualization is one of the critical elements of networks operations of all kinds. Virtualization is a key to cloud operations. Joins us as we discuss the key components of virtualization that provide the operational foundation for both Public and Private Cloud.

Private Cloud 201: Microsoft Private Cloud Tools and Technologies

So you have heard the private cloud story from a 101 level and you want to know more. Join us as we discuss Private cloud in greater detail with a focus on the tools and technologies that make Private Cloud such an appetizing It and business opportunity for business both large and small.

Are you up for the Challenge?

If you answered yes, and if you are you a student, and you can answer a question like this then you’re ready for Round 1 of the Imagine Cup 2012 IT Challenge:

You are the administrator for the company network. You are bringing a new remote office online. The office has a domain controller that also runs DNS and WINS. It also has a file server that runs DHCP. DHCP enabled workstations are not getting DHCP addresses as expected. What should you do?

1. Move the DHCP service to the domain controller

2. Disable WINS since it interferes with DHCP on the same network

3. Authorize the DHCP server in Active Directory

4. Enable DHCP forwarding on the workstations

Well if you can answer that (btw this is from the practice test) then you may be ready to take the test to pass round 1, Until October 20th, go take the practice exam here:

Imagine Cup 2012 IT Challenge

The IT Challenge sets out to connect with students around the world who have the brainpower, interest, and the technical knowledge to design, run, and support enterprise infrastructures while managing diverse customer needs and scenarios. The IT Challenge puts the world's brightest IT minds to the test! In the IT Challenge, students are tasked to develop, deploy, and maintain IT systems that are efficient, functional, robust, and secure. Each competitor needs to demonstrate proficiency in the science of networks, databases, and servers and an intimate understanding of how it must all fit together, both on-premise and in the cloud. The competition is broken into 3 rounds:

o Round 1: Qualifying Quiz: During Round 1, competitors will need to complete and pass at least one (1) quiz during one of the six (6) quiz periods. The specific quiz times will be announced on the IT Challenge Competition page. The questions will test your knowledge around both on-premise Microsoft technologies such as Windows 2008 R2, Hyper-V Virtualization, Exchange 2010, SharePoint 2010, Windows 7, System Center Operations Manager 2012, System Center Configuration Manager 2012, TMG 2010, UAG 2010, SQL 2008 R2, Office 2010, Lync 2012 as well as cloud-based Microsoft services such as Office 365, Windows Azure, and SQL Azure. Each quiz will have a unique blend of questions on each topic. Remember you just need to pass 1 of the 6 to qualify.

o Round 2: Case Study: If you successfully advance to compete in Round 2 of the IT Challenge, you will compete against other Round 2 competitors in a single case study submission. The specific deliverables and questions for the IT Challenge Round 2 Case Study will be emailed to the Round 2 competitors at the beginning of Round 2.

o Round 3: Final Challenge – Virtual Hands-On Lab: If you are invited to compete in the Final Challenge, you will compete in a “Hands-on Virtual Lab” in a virtual environment. This lab will challenge the finalist competitors to build servers, server images, and configurations on a Hyper-V host server and in the Cloud to prove their practical knowledge and experience with the technologies. Competitors will be asked to set up, install, and demonstrate knowledge and expertise of Windows 2008 R2, Exchange 2010, Windows 7, Office 2010, System Center Configuration Manager 2012, System Center Operations Manager 2012, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012, TMG 2010, SQL 2008 R2, Lync 2010, Office 365, Windows Azure, SQL Azure, etc.

Depending on how you do there is even a potential of Final world wide round in Australia. If you are one of the top three (3) finalists will receive a trip to the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals in Sydney, Australia. Trip includes round trip coach airfare from a major airport closest to each competitor’s home, standard hotel accommodations, and select meals and activities. Here is the current exam schedule Date and Time (all times 00:01 GMT) , I will try to post a reminder before each exam period)

o Practice Quiz: Available beginning October 17

o Quiz 1, 20 October 2011:
October 19th, 2011 8:01 p.m. EST (7:01 p.m. CST, 6:01 p.m MST, 5:01 p.m. PST)

o Quiz 2, 15 November 2011:
November 15th, 2011 8:01 p.m. EST (7:01 p.m. CST, 6:01 p.m MST, 5:01 p.m. PST)

o Quiz 3, 1 December 2011:
November 30th , 2011 8:01 p.m. EST (7:01 p.m. CST, 6:01 p.m MST, 5:01 p.m. PST)

o Quiz 4. 14 December 2011:
December 13th, 2011 8:01 p.m. EST (7:01 p.m. CST, 6:01 p.m MST, 5:01 p.m. PST)

o Quiz 5, 9 January 2012:
January 8th, 2012 8:01 p.m. EST (7:01 p.m. CST, 6:01 p.m MST, 5:01 p.m. PST)

o Quiz 6, 26 January 2012:
January 25th, 2012 8:01 p.m. EST (7:01 p.m. CST, 6:01 p.m MST, 5:01 p.m. PST)

HOW DO I ENTER THE CHALLENGE?

If you wish to participate in this Challenge, you must sign up as instructed during the Challenge sign up period. To sign up, visit Imagine Cup 2012 IT Challenge IT Challenge is an individual competition. To compete in IT Challenge, you must be a legal resident of the country/region you are representing. See all the official rules and Eligibility Requirements here: The Imagine Cup Official Rules

IPV6 is here to stay!  The standard is in place and the opportunity is ours to embrace it.  There are some pretty significant benefits of IPV6, not the least of which includes a significantly expanded address space.  If you are in IT anywhere you need to read this article for the wake up call that it is truly meant to be.  Find the resources you need to get a handle on IPV6. 

Read Ed’s latest article in Network World here….https://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/100511-ipv6-thought-leaders-251649.html

Great Job Ed!!

1.  The price changes that went into effect for Netflix services are still in effect.

2.  The customers hated the idea of Qwickster so the DVD’s will remain under the Netflix name.

Here’s a copy of the mailing. 

Dear Chris,

It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.

This means no change: one website, one account, one password…in other words, no Qwikster.

While the July price change was necessary, we are now done with price changes.

We're constantly improving our streaming selection. We've recently added hundreds of movies from Paramount, Sony, Universal, Fox, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, MGM and Miramax. Plus, in the last couple of weeks alone, we've added over 3,500 TV episodes from ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, USA, E!, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, ABC Family, Discovery Channel, TLC, SyFy, A&E, History, and PBS.

We value you as a member, and we are committed to making Netflix the best place to get your movies & TV shows.

Respectfully,

The Netflix Team

Now here is where I think Netflix just did something exceptionally smart (and I assume they understand that it is smart)  Netflix was going to move their DVD distribution business to a different brand, complete with its own website and presumably its own operations team, distribution team, etc.   That’s on of the reasons to hike the price is to cover the cost of both operations.  With this decision Netflix maintains brand loyalty and broadens scope of brand recognition while at the same time consolidating online operating costs to a single site.  Genius!  This a perfect example of how a company may benefit from a more cloud based operating model.  In this example the business resources can be allocated as services to customers from a single online portal and provide maximum level of service to the customer, maximum insight to the company, and maximize the utilization of the companies resources.