TechNet Flash - Volume 10, Issue 15: July 23, 2008
Note from the Editor
Greetings and Welcome to TechNet Flash,
Whether you are managing a Windows XP environment or deploying Windows Vista, the new Windows Client TechCenter on TechNet is now your one-stop destination for resources to guide your client operating system adoption and management processes. It is also the new home of the Springboard Series of informational videos, providing desktop IT professionals with the right resources, at the right technical level, at the right point in their technology adoption path.
For instance, you can join Microsoft Technical Fellow Mark Russinovich for a lively discussion with independent experts and IT professionals who have tackled Vista adoption in the Springboard Live Virtual Roundtable II: Let's Talk Windows Vista Security. You also will find support resources including free support for Windows Vista Service Pack 1 issues.
If you are confused by the conflicting comments floating about regarding some of the notable new features in Windows Vista, here’s a paper that addresses the Five Misunderstood Features in Windows Vista, including User Account Control, image management, the display driver model, search, and 64-bit architecture.
For Windows Vista deployment, the August issue of TechNet Magazine features Windows Deployment Services 101 to help you explore the different versions of Windows Deployment Services. See how you can capture a custom OS image, and find out what you need to perform more highly automated installations.
On September 8, Microsoft will formally launch its new virtualization products, and you are invited. Register for the launch event and find out how Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V, Microsoft System Center (including Virtual Machine Manager 2008), and Microsoft Desktop and Application Virtualization allow you to virtualize your environment from the data center to the desktop, and manage it all with the same tools you’re already using for your physical infrastructure. When you register, use VIRTTECH when prompted for a registration code.
Finally, we announced the availability of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V in the last edition; now TechNet Plus subscribers can download the Hyper-V bits through the TechNet Plus portal.
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash
Your Featured Content
Ensure that the content most relevant to you is presented in this section.
Slipstreaming Internet Explorer 8 into Windows Vista
Watch a screencast showing how to slipstream IE 8 into a Windows Vista image.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers
This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network.
TechNet Magazine: Taking Your Server’s Pulse
Your users are complaining that a server is running poorly—do you know where to look to diagnose the problem? PerfMon can be an indispensible tool for this as it has numerous diagnostic capabilities. Get an overview of the key indicators you should use to diagnose a variety of common bottlenecks that can slow down your servers.
Springboard Live: Real Talk about Windows Vista
Listen to an interactive discussion with a panel of Microsoft bloggers as they tackle current challenges surrounding Windows Vista deployment. Learn about workarounds, tips and tricks, and leveraging Springboard Series resources to assist with each phase of the adoption and deployment lifecycle.
Windows Vista Deployment with the Springboard Series
Join Network Specialist Stephen Rose as he discusses Windows Vista deployment, and offers tips and tricks based on real IT pro deployment experiences. Stephen talks about BitLocker and other laptop tools, secure deployment, improvements in SP1, and his thoughts on Windows Vista versus Windows XP.
Implementing Volume Activation 2.0 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
Product activation is a new requirement for volume-licensed customers of Microsoft. Here’s a tool that enables you to meet this requirement in a simple and automated manner.
Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Release Candidate Is Now Available
Microsoft recently announced Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5, formerly known as SoftGrid Application Virtualization. It includes new capabilities that make it easy for enterprise IT organizations to support large-scale, global application virtualization implementations.
Virtual Lab: PerformancePoint Server 2007 - Designing a Revenue Forecasting Model
See how to create a revenue forecast model and input forecast values.
Business Productivity Online Beta
To introduce Microsoft Online, we are offering a suite of services for you to try, including:
" Exchange Online and Outlook Web Access
Download the SQL Server 2008 RC0 Feature Pack
The June 2008 Feature Pack RC0 for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is a collection of stand-alone install packages that includes the latest versions of redistributable components for SQL Server 2008, add-on providers for SQL Server 2008, and backward compatibility components for SQL Server 2008.
SQL Server 2008 RC0 Books Online
Download the Release Candidate (RC0) version of Books Online for Microsoft SQL Server 2008, the primary documentation for SQL Server 2008.
TechNet Magazine: Windows PowerShell in System Center Operations Manager
Windows PowerShell has been integrated into System Center Operations Manager 2007, offering a powerful way to perform and automate common administrative tasks. Get an overview of how you can use Windows PowerShell in OpsMgr to perform routine maintenance, manage agents, and more.
Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
This update improves Internet calendaring functionality and compatibility with Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) servers.
Research Report: Why Choose Windows Mobile over RIM?
Review and compare Microsoft Windows Mobile and Research In Motion Blackberry solutions for business, and learn how Windows Mobile provides richer functionality and optimal flexibility and scalability. This Advaiya comparative research study provides both user and administrator perspectives.
Use the Windows Mobile Business Value Calculator
The Windows Mobile Business Value Calculator gives you immediate visibility into the impact of deploying mobile business solutions on the Windows Mobile platform.
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 2.1
The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer provides a streamlined method of identifying common security misconfigurations. MBSA 2.1 adds Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 compatibility.
Download Enterprise Library 4.0 for Visual Studio 2008
Let Enterprise Library guide you in managing common enterprise development challenges, and join others in our community.
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 Beta
Visual Studio 2008 SP1 includes support for SQL Server 2008, new ADO.NET features such as the Entity Framework, improvements to the WPF designers, WCF templates for Silverlight projects, and debugger support for the .NET Framework public symbols and source release.
This add-on for Visual Studio 2008 provides a Silverlight project system for developing Silverlight 2 Beta 2 applications using C# or Visual Basic.
Microsoft’s PDC Looks to Be Big
InformationWeek – July 14, 2008
During the last few months, with the prospect of significant news about the futures of Windows, Office, and online services, there's been a familiar refrain coming from Microsoft camps, both clearly and implied: wait until PDC.
Outlook 2007/2003/2002 Add-in: Personal Folders Backup
The Personal Folders Backup download creates backup copies of your .PST files at regular intervals, in Outlook 2002 and later versions, making it easy to keep all of your Outlook folders safely backed up.
July 28, 2008, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time
In this session we will explore how to support Exchange Server 2007 deployment with ILM 2007 and how ILM “2” will further help to alleviate pains around distribution list management and user provisioning.
Evaluation Center Updates
Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Release Candidate 1 Public Preview Now Available
Windows Essential Business Sever 2008 is an integrated and affordable solution that offers the Microsoft software midsize businesses require - preconfigured, integrated, manageable from a single administrative console, and at a significant discount compared to standalone products. When you download the latest public preview, you're automatically registered to access valuable public preview resources assembled in one convenient location.
Scripting for IT Pros
Hey Scripting Guy...
" How Can I Replace a Series of Variables Found in a Text File with Values Taken from That File?
" How Can I Summarize Information Found in a Spreadsheet Row?
" How Can I Copy Specified Sections of an .RTF File to a New Word Document?
See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.
Support and Troubleshooting
How-to Articles
" How to install and configure the Indexing Service on a Windows Server 2008-based computer
" How to obtain the latest Windows Vista application compatibility update
Hotfixes
Knowledge Base Articles
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.
Featured Downloads
New Service Level Dashboard Released
The Solution Accelerator team is pleased to announce the release of the Service Level Dashboard Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007. This accelerator provides end-to-end reporting on the performance and availability of line-of-business (LOB) applications using System Center Operations Manager 2007.
See an online demonstration of this solution accelerator.
Download the New Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool
The Solution Accelerator team has released the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool, which is now available for download on TechNet. This accelerator automates the effort of keeping virtual machines that are not in constant use up to date with the latest OS patches using Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007 and either Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 or Microsoft Windows Server Update Services.
Upcoming Webcasts
Best Practices for Citrix XenApp and Windows Server 2008 from Early Adopters (Level 200)
August 5, 2008, 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Discover what’s new in the upcoming Citrix XenApp release and learn how Windows Server 2008 improves the XenApp Windows application delivery solution. We’ll discuss migrating to XenApp on Windows Server 2008 and managing the transition through a mixed Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 environment.
How Microsoft IT Handles Master Data Management
July 29, 2008, 9:30 A.M. Pacific Time
Microsoft IT is developing a system-of-record for key customer information, but also as a metadirectory holding references to customer data in other business applications, helping Microsoft realize over US$200 million in revenue and cost savings.
Security
Microsoft Learning Forefront Online Technical Training
Learn the technical aspects of Forefront Client and Server in these free two-hour Microsoft Learning eClinics online.
On Demand
InformationWeek and Windows Mobile Webcast: The Way to Mobile Enterprise Success
Learn how to provide access to line-of-business applications in the enterprise - without putting your corporate data at risk, as InformationWeek mobility expert Eric Zeman and Microsoft mobility expert Chip Vollers walk you through the strategies, insights, and tools your enterprise needs to efficiently and effectively deploy and manage mobile devices.
Understanding Activation and Validation in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (Level 200)
Get a business and technical overview of the activation and validation changes in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Volume Activation 2.0 supports new types of license keys and several new modes of activation for customers deploying Windows using volume licensing rights. We also cover changes to Key Management Service (KMS) and Multiple Activation Key (MAK), Volume License Keys (VLKs), notification versus reduced functionality mode (RFM), activation grace periods, and re-arms.
Virtual Labs
Forefront Security for SharePoint
In this lab you will learn about scanning documents for viruses and how to run a manual scan job.
Managing Microsoft Updates with System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007
Get hands-on experience configuring integration between WSUS 3.0 and Configuration Manager, analyzing required updates, distributing an update, and using Configuration Manager Reporting to report update status.
Received TechNet Flash from a Friend?
The TechNet Flash is full of pointers to in-depth technical information that we encourage subscribers to forward to friends and co-workers. If you've received this issue from someone via e-mail and would like to receive the freeTechNet Flash newsletter biweekly, all you have to do is register.