Nick MacKechnie https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/feed.xml Stuck somewhere between family life and IT... Wed, 17 Apr 2019 04:02:12 GMT en-US hourly 1 nickmac@microsoft is EOL as at 21/03/14 NZDST https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/nickmacmicrosoft-is-eol-as-at-210314-nzdst Wed, 19 Mar 2014 19:06:53 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2014/03/19/nickmacmicrosoft-is-eol-as-at-210314-nzdst/ Hi All,

Thanks so much for all of your support, feedback and interactions since 2002 -  It's been a blast!

Signing off,

Cheers,

Nick.

]]> How Microsoft IT Implemented Disaster Recovery in the Datacenter https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/how-microsoft-it-implemented-disaster-recovery-in-the-datacenter Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:07:20 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/04/25/how-microsoft-it-implemented-disaster-recovery-in-the-datacenter/ Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of How Microsoft IT Implemented Disaster Recovery in the Datacenter, which discusses DR consolidation and centralization within Microsoft, plus best practices for any large organization. 

Microsoft builds disaster recovery (DR) into its applications and systems. Recently, Microsoft Information Technology (Microsoft IT) improved DR planning by consolidating and centralizing its DR efforts. The new plan focuses on the critical processes and applications, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss in the event of an outage.

Video

Products & Technologies

· Exchange Server 2010

· SQL Server 2008 R2

· Windows Server 2008 R2

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]]> How Microsoft IT Deployed BitLocker Administration and Monitoring at Microsoft https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/how-microsoft-it-deployed-bitlocker-administration-and-monitoring-at-microsoft Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:04:53 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/04/25/how-microsoft-it-deployed-bitlocker-administration-and-monitoring-at-microsoft/ Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of How Microsoft IT Deployed BitLocker Administration and Monitoring at Microsoft, which discusses the provisioning, monitoring and key recovery benefits of MBAM. 

In Microsoft IT deployed Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) which builds on BitLocker in Windows 7. MBAM offers an enterprise solution for BitLocker provisioning, monitoring, and key recovery.  MBAM also helps to simplify BitLocker provisioning and deployments, improve compliance and reporting, and reduce support costs.

Video

Products & Technologies

· BitLocker

· MBAM

· Windows 7

· Windows Server 2008 R2

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]]> Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 – Service Pack 2 Released https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/microsoft-office-for-mac-2011-service-pack-2-released Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:52:59 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/04/15/microsoft-office-for-mac-2011-service-pack-2-released/ This update fixes critical issues. For detailed information about this update, please visit the Microsoft Web site.


Applies to: Office 2011, Office 2011 Home and Business Edition, Word 2011, Excel 2011, PowerPoint 2011, Outlook 2011, Office for Mac Standard 2011 Edition, Microsoft Office for Mac Home & Student 2011, and Microsoft Office for Mac Academic 2011.

Supported operating systems: Apple Macintosh, Mac OS X

  • Operating System Versions: Mac OS X version 10.5.8 or a later version of Mac OS
    Note To verify that your computer meets these minimum requirements, on the Apple menu, click About This Mac.
  • Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 Service Pack 1 (14.1.0): You can download this update for free from the Microsoft Web Site.
    Note To verify that you have installed this update, you can open any Microsoft Office 2011 application to check the version number. For example, open Word, and then on the Word menu, click About Word. In the dialog box, compare the version number next to Latest Installed Update.
Download this service pack from here.
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]]> Security Compliance Manager 2.5 now available for download! https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/security-compliance-manager-2-5-now-available-for-download Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:28 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/04/03/security-compliance-manager-2-5-now-available-for-download/ Security Compliance Manager 2.5 (SCM 2.5) is now available for download! SCM 2.5 is a free tool from the Microsoft Solution Accelerators team that enables you to quickly configure and manage both desktops and servers using Group Policy and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. In addition to key features from the previous version, SCM 2.5 offers new Exchange Server 2007 and 2010 baselines!

Additional SCM 2.5 client product baselines are included in the download, including Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, Office 2010 SP1, and Internet Explorer 8.

SCM 2.5 includes the following NEW baselines include:

·Exchange Server 2007 SP3 Security Baseline

·Exchange Server 2010 SP2 Security Baseline

SCM 2.5 includes Windows and Office client product baselines that deliver on Computer, Domain, and User scenarios:

· Windows 7 SP1 (4 Baselines; includes a BitLocker scenario)

· Windows Vista SP2 (3 Baselines)

· Windows XP SP3 (3 Baselines)

· Internet Explorer 8 (2 Baselines)

· Internet Explorer 9 (2 Baselines)

· Office 2010 SP1 (2 Baselines)

· Office 2007 SP2 (4 Baselines)

SCM 2 provides ready-to-deploy policies and DCM configuration packs that are tested and fully supported. Our product baselines are based on Microsoft security guide recommendations and industry best practices, allowing you to manage configuration drift, address compliance requirements, and reduce security threats.

Easily configure Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office applications, and Internet Explorer with industry leading knowledge and fully supported tools.

Key features in SCM 2.5 include:

· Gold master support: Create a snapshot of a reference machine or import an existing Group Policy to quickly build Configuration Manager DCM packs.

· Configure stand-alone machines: Deploy your configurations to non-domain joined computers using the new GPO Pack feature.

· Server and client baselines: Customize and deploy one of our 64 pre-built DCM packs or group policies that cover multiple operating systems, server workloads and client applications.

· Updated security guides: Take advantage of the deep security expertise and best practices in the updated security guides, and the attack surface reference workbooks to help reduce the security risks that you consider to be the most important.

· Address regulatory and standards requirements. SCM configuration baselines are integrated into the System Center 2012 Service Manager Process Pack for IT GRC to provide oversight and auditor-ready reporting of your compliance activities.

Next steps:

· Download SCM 2.5 from the Microsoft Download Center.

· Help spread the word: tell your friends about Security Compliance Manager 2.5.

· Thoughts? Favourite features? Feedback? Tell it to the dev team.

Want more information on a specific feature? Interested in speaking with the development team? Please contact Venkat Ganti.

Screenshots

clip_image004

clip_image006

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]]> Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 Released https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/microsoft-iscsi-software-target-3-3-released Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:27:19 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/04/02/microsoft-iscsi-software-target-3-3-released/ The Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 provides storage (disks) over a TCP/IP network. It turns a computer running Windows Server into a storage device which provides shared block storage. You can use Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 to perform a variety of storage-related tasks, including the following:

  • Provide shared storage for Hyper-V to enable high availability and live migration
  • Consolidate storage for multiple application servers (i.e. Microsoft SQL Server or Hyper-V)
  • Provide shared storage for applications hosted on a Windows failover cluster
  • Enable diskless computers to boot remotely from a single operating system image using iSCSI

The Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 is an economical solution suited for a development or test environment and a small, medium, or branch office production environment. It enables storage consolidation and sharing on a Windows Server by implementing the iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface) protocol, which supports SCSI-block access to a storage device over a TCP/IP network. For details on how to manage iSCSI targets, see

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg232606(WS.10).aspx
This download package includes the following items:
Root:

  • x64:
    • iSCSItarget_public.msi: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 service component for Windows Server 2008 R2.
    • iSCSITargetClient_public.msi: Virtual Disk Service (VDS) provider, Volume Snapshot Service (VSS) provider, and high-performance computing (HPC) providers to support diskless boot in HPC clusters.
  • x86:
    • iSCSITargetClient_public.msi: VDS provider, VSS provider, and HPC providers to support diskless boot in HPC clusters.
  • Documentation:
    • iSCSItarget_Gstart_R2.doc: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 Getting Started Guide
    • iSCSI_33_relnotes.doc: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 Release Notes
  • Autorun.inf: Automatically starts Index.htm to display install options
  • Index.html: Main menu page for installing software.
  • Bkgd-page-servers-dynagrid.jpg: Used by Index.html.
  • Copyright.jpg: Used by Index.html.
  • Wsr2logo.bmp: Used by Index.html.

https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=19867

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]]> NEW Windows Server "8" Beta Component Architecture poster is available !! https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/new-windows-server-8-beta-component-architecture-poster-is-available Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:15:25 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/03/14/new-windows-server-8-beta-component-architecture-poster-is-available/ The new “Windows Server “8” Beta Component Architecture Poster” on the download center - https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=29189

This poster provides a visual reference for understanding key Hyper-V technologies in Windows Server “8” Beta. This Hyper-V poster focuses on Hyper-V Replica, networking, virtual machine mobility (live migration), storage, failover clustering, and scalability.

The posterguy blog can be used to access all available architecture posters - https://blogs.technet.com/b/theposterguy/.

Here is a quick summary of previous posters – links below:

Windows Server 2008 Hyper-v Component Architecture with Service Pack 1
https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=2688

Hyper-v Component Architecture
https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3501

Windows Server 2008 R2 component posters
https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=7002

Windows Server 2008 Component Posters
https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=17881

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]]> Deploying FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/deploying-fast-search-server-2010-for-sharepoint Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:14:38 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/03/12/deploying-fast-search-server-2010-for-sharepoint/ Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of Deploying FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint, which discusses the migration from SharePoint search to FAST Search Server.

FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint quickly and reliably returns highly relevant results across thousands of sites and documents. FAST also enables applications to take advantage of its capabilities to deliver business value through productivity gains and simplified data and taxonomy management.
Technical White Paper

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]]> How Microsoft Reduced Bandwidth Utilization Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/how-microsoft-reduced-bandwidth-utilization-using-windows-7-and-windows-server-2008-r2-branchcache Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:58:47 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/03/12/how-microsoft-reduced-bandwidth-utilization-using-windows-7-and-windows-server-2008-r2-branchcache/ Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of How Microsoft Reduced Bandwidth Utilization Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache, which discusses the time and financial savings when leveraging Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache. 

In conjunction with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, Microsoft IT leverages BranchCache which caches local copies of content from Web and file servers to enhance performance and reduce bandwidth utilization on Wide Area Networks (WAN), eliminating the need for clients on a WAN having to go over slower links to get access to files. This functionality saves employees time and productivity while at the same time saving money on bandwidth costs.

Video |

Products & Technologies

· BranchCache

· Windows 7

· Windows 7 SP1

· Windows Server 2008

· Windows Server 2008 R2

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]]> How Microsoft Deployed System Center Operations Manager 2012 https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/nickmac/how-microsoft-deployed-system-center-operations-manager-2012 Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:57:08 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/nickmac/2012/03/12/how-microsoft-deployed-system-center-operations-manager-2012/ Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of How Microsoft Deployed System Center Operations Manager 2012 which discusses the improved benefits of deploying System Center Operations Manager 2012. 

Microsoft IT uses System Center Operations Manager 2012 to provide the monitoring of their datacenter, to delivering flexible and cost effective enterprise-class monitoring and diagnostics. Operations Manager 2012 reduces the total cost of ownership by leveraging commodity hardware, with standard configurations to monitor heterogeneous environments to ensure the availability of business-critical applications.

Video |

Products & Technologies

· System Center Operations Manager 2012

· System Center Suite

· VMM 2012

· SCCM 2012

· DPM 2012

· SCOM 2012

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