TechNet Flash - Volume 10, Issue 4: February 20, 2008
Note from the Editor
Greetings New TechNet Flash Subscriber,
We know that many of you are anxious to get your hands on the Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RTM bits. And to that end, we have some good news. We are pleased to announce that--while broad RTW availability is still scheduled for March--the SP1 Update RTM bits are available now to TechNet subscribers. If you are subscriber, please visit TechNet Plus Subscriptions and sign in to access Top Subscriber Downloads. If you have a prior version of the SP1 beta installed, you must uninstall it prior to installing the final version. Check out Things to know before you download Windows Vista SP1 for more information, and for updated details on all aspects of Windows Vista SP1, stop by the Windows Vista TechCenter.
For a closer look Inside Vista SP1 File Copy Improvements pull up Mark Russinovich’s (of Sysinternals fame) blog and learn about the evolution of the file copy. Also catch Mark and a panel of experts on March 5 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time for a live, interactive discussion on adopting Windows Vista into a desktop infrastructure. Sign up for Still Undecided on Windows Vista? and hear about the challenges, workarounds, and tips & tricks they have learned along the way. For access to guidance, resources, tools, and straight-talk articles today, visit the Springboard Series for Windows Vista.
Also from the Sysinternals crew, you’ll definitely want to grab the update of Sigcheck, a command-line file version display and signature checking utility. Sigcheck v1.50 adds a new option for displaying file hashes.
Windows XP Service Pack 3, Release Candidate 2
Available now, the very latest build of SP3 for Windows XP includes all previously released updates for the operating system, similar to previous service packs. It also includes previously released updates to the latest versions of some system components, as well as functionality for improved compatibility with Windows Vista. The application to enable the XP SP3 RC2 download can be found at the Microsoft Download Center. Running this application on a machine with Windows XP Service Pack 2 will enable Windows Update to offer XP SP3 RC2 to that machine. Build-to-build upgrades are not supported for this beta release, so if you have installed XP SP3 RC1, please uninstall it before running this application. More information regarding XP SP3 can be found on the Windows XP TechCenter.
Finally, the 2007 Microsoft Office system includes design changes you should know about before you deploy or upgrade from previous versions in your Terminal Services server farm. Check out TechNet Magazine’s Online Extra before you deploy the 2007 Office system with Terminal Services.
Thanks for reading,
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash
Your Featured Content
Ensure that the content most relevant to you is presented in this section.
What You Can Expect in Windows Vista Service Pack 1
Learn about changes made to address specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues; support new types of hardware; and add support for several emerging standards. For more information see the Overview of Windows Vista SP1.
Automated Installation Kit for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008
The Windows Automated Installation Kit is designed to help corporate IT professionals customize and deploy the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 family of operating systems.
Watch the Windows Server Comparisons
View this six-part series and learn about the tools and technologies that make Windows a reliable, cost-efficient, and easy-to-manage platform.
Windows Server 2008 Infrastructure Planning & Design Beta Releases
The Infrastructure Planning and Design Beta Release for Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services and Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services are available as an open beta download.
Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide: Windows Deployment Services Released
The Infrastructure Planning and Design guides focus on describing architectural considerations and streamlining the design processes for planning and implementing Microsoft infrastructure technologies. These useful guides are now available to support architectural planning for Windows Server 2008 Windows Deployment Services, SoftGrid, and Hyper-V.
TechNet Magazine: How Presence Powers Office Communications Server 2007
Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 uses information about user availability to route communications to the most appropriate place -- whether it’s by using voice mail, e-mail, or IM, or holding a video conference. See how the OCS 2007 system uses presence to connect endpoints.
TechNet Magazine: Plan Your OCS 2007 Voice Deployment
Integrating Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 with an existing PBX system can be challenging: You need to select an integration scenario, understand call routing, know how to configure user settings, deal with number plans, and more. But don’t worry. This overview will show you what you need to know.
Deploy the 2007 Office System with Terminal Services
The 2007 Microsoft Office system includes design changes you must be aware of before deploying it in your Terminal Services server farm. This article gives you an overview of the changes.
Exchange Server Set-up Guide for Windows Mobile
This Windows Mobile and Microsoft Exchange Server Set-up Guide helps you develop a solution deployment plan based on proven Microsoft Mobile messaging architectures.
Deploying Windows Mobile 6 Devices with Exchange Server 2007
This guide provides an overview of new enterprise messaging features, security and performance best practices, and network architecture options, and teaches you how to integrate a mobile solution into a network infrastructure.
In this pair of webcasts we will examine how you can configure and monitor a Web proxy server on both Windows Server 2003 and Ubuntu Linux.
TechNet Radio: Learn About the IIS7 Security Features and Benefits
Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 provides a security-enhanced, easy-to-manage platform for developing and reliably hosting Web applications and services. Moreover, IIS7 is a major enhancement to the Windows Web platform and plays a central role in unifying Microsoft Web platform technologies.
Managing a Virtualized Environment Today and in the Future
Watch this webcast to learn more about the features and benefits of using Windows Server Virtualization and System Center working together and about the competitive differentiators for the current virtualization offerings.
Plan and Deploy Your Virtualization Technologies with Expert Tools
Microsoft is releasing a series of Virtualization Solution Accelerators that will help you confidently assess, plan, and securely deploy Microsoft Virtualization technologies such as Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, Terminal Services, and Microsoft Application Virtualization. Download these Virtualization Solution Accelerators including Microsoft Assessment and Planning, Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides, Windows Server Security Guide, and Microsoft Deployment.
Moving Mainframe Applications to Windows
Download as XPS (586 KB) | Get the XPS viewer (What Is XPS?)
Download as PDF (392 KB) | Get Adobe Reader for PDF files
Many organizations are now seeking ways to escape from their legacy technology and platform. This paper presents three options for addressing this challenge: preserve, translate, or rewrite. The paper analyzes each choice and provides resources for further investigation.
Visit Port 25, the Open Source Community at Microsoft
The new Port 25 is home to the open source community at Microsoft and to a conversation dedicated to Linux, Windows, and open source interoperability.
Learn about Forefront Edge Security and Get Free Trial Software
The Forefront edge security and access products provide enhanced network edge protection and application-centric, policy-based access to corporate IT infrastructure. Find out more by visiting the Forefront edge security website.
Webcast Series: Microsoft Forefront Client Security
Learn how simplified deployment, management, and analysis features allow Forefront Client Security to integrate easily with your organization's IT infrastructure and help you keep your infrastructure secure.
Webcast Series: SQL Server 2008 Data Warehousing
Learn about the new features in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 that provide a high-performance data warehouse and that will allow you to manage large-scale data warehouses and integrate growing volumes of data. In addition to webcasts, virtual labs and podcasts are also available.
Listen to this episode of TechNet Radio and hear about a strategic initiative within Microsoft IT to improve the overall productivity, quality, and predictability of internal software development projects. Microsoft IT partnered with Microsoft Research to create a Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2005 extension that counts lines of code and predicts system defects.
Puget Sound Small Business Server User Group (PSSBS)
Join PSSBS on February 21 for its monthly meeting.
West Sound Technology Professionals Association (WSTPA)
Join WSTPA on February 21 for its monthly meeting.
ISSA-Sacramento Valley Chapter (ISSA-SVC)
Join ISSA-SVC on February 21 for its monthly meeting.
Montgomery Windows IT Group (MWITG)
Join MWITG on February 21 for its monthly meeting.
Hampton Roads SQL Server User Group (HRSSUG)
Join HRSSUG on February 21 for its monthly meeting.
Microsoft Health Care User Group (MS HUG)
Join MS HUG on February 24 for Tech Forum 2008.
San Luis Obispo Society for Technical Communication (SLO STC)
Join SLO STC on February 25 for its monthly meeting.
Join BUG on February 26 for its monthly meeting.
BDPA-Richmond Chapter (BDPA-RMAC)
Join BDPA-RMAC on February 26 for its monthly meeting.
Southeast Management User Group (SMUG)
Join SMUG on February 27 for its quarterly meeting.
Join TW-SBS on March 1 for its monthly meeting.
West Michigan Small Business Technology User Group (wmsbtug)
Join wmsbtug on March 5 for its monthly meeting.
Cincinnati Networking Professionals' Association (CiNPA)
Join CiNPA on March 5 for its monthly meeting.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 26, Burlington, VT
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 26, Little Rock, AR
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 26, Phoenix, AZ
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 26, Sarasota, FL
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 28, Miami, FL
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 28, Oklahoma City, OK
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 28, Ontario, CA
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Secure Your Critical Data with Solutions from TechNet Events (Free Admission)
February 28, Providence, RI
Secure your company data with new solutions from TechNet Events. Learn how to protect sensitive information with Windows BitLocker disk encryption technology and check your network security with Windows Server 2008. Plus, top reasons why you should upgrade to Windows Vista.
Evaluation Center Updates
Register to Evaluate Windows Server 2008 Release Candidate -- Hyper-V Now Available
Windows Server Hyper-V, the next-generation hypervisor-based server virtualization technology, allows you to make the best use of your server hardware investments by consolidating multiple server roles as separate virtual machines running on a single physical machine. Find additional resources to make the most of your Windows Server RC1 evaluation.
Download Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Trial Software
Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, the next evolution of Live Communications Server, delivers streamlined communications for your users so they can find and communicate with the right person, right now, from the applications they use most, such as Microsoft Office Outlook.
Evaluate Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007
Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007 is a top-down portfolio management solution that helps your organization realize its potential by identifying, selecting, and delivering a set of investments that best align with your business strategy.
Scripting for IT Pros
Hey Scripting Guy...
" How Can I Remove Extraneous Spaces from Fields in a Text File?
" How Can I Change the Color of a Spreadsheet Cell Based on a Range of Values?
See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.
Support and Troubleshooting
How-to Articles
" How to extend the Windows Server 2008 evaluation period
" How to use the MpCmdRun.exe tool to enable definition updates diagnostics for Windows Defender
Hotfixes
" FIX: A blocking issue occurs when you update rows in a table in SQL Server 2005
Knowledge Base Articles
" Event ID 10 may be logged on a computer that is running a clean installation of Windows Server 2008
" Advanced resource configuration in Windows Server 2008 failover clusters
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
Test Drive Windows Server 2008
You can take the Windows Server 2008 test drive to try the latest release from Microsoft instantly. By simply logging on to our test-drive environment using your Web browser, you will be able to experience Windows Server 2008 firs hand through a collection of short virtual labs and video walk-throughs.
Test Drive the New Microsoft Assessment and Planning Tool
Prepare for success with a detailed and solid understanding of the IT infrastructure. With the new Microsoft Assessment and Planning tool, you have the ability to conduct networkwide assessment and determine the readiness for migration to products like Windows Server 2008, Windows Server Virtualization, Microsoft Application Virtualization, Terminal Services, System Center Virtual Machine Manager, Windows Vista, and the 2007 Microsoft Office system.
Upcoming Webcasts
Virtualization Capabilities of Windows Server 2008 (Level 100)
March 19, 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Attend this webcast to learn how virtualization can help you consolidate servers, maximize uptime, recover from disruptive events, and reduce the application-to-application conflicts that can cause compatibility problems in your IT environment.
Windows Compare Upcoming Webcast (Part 3 of 6): High-Performance Computing with Windows
March 25, 11:30 AM Pacific Time
In this webcast, we discuss HPC in Windows compared to a Linux solution. We first look at what comes built into Windows Compute Cluster Server, compared to what you get with a Linux solution. We then examine demanding workloads and show how to configure an HPC solution.
Security
Try the Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1 Trial Download
Now with support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1 and Windows Server 2008, Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1 helps provide comprehensive protection for Exchange Server 2007 environments through the integration of multiple industry-leading antivirus scan engines, content filtering, and enhanced manageability.
Looking to protect Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server environments? Get started by downloading the new Antigen 9.0 SP1 trial software.
Get a Free Trial of Forefront Security for SharePoint Server 2007 and SharePoint Services 3.0
Find out how to help protect your Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 collaboration environments with Forefront Security for SharePoint with SP1 and download free trial software.
Microsoft Security Updates for February 2008
On Demand
Watch these 90-minute Windows Server 2008 webcasts and learn how your organization can leverage the enhancements in Windows Server 2008 improve your organization's networking infrastructure and security, server performance and reliability, remote resource access, and client deployment. Tune in for live webcasts and stream or download webcasts for on-demand viewing.
Learn About the Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008
In this TechNet Radio session, we will discuss the Server Core architecture and functionality and how this installation option compares to Linux.
Virtual Labs
Windows Server 2008 Virtual Labs
Try Windows Server 2008 and experience how it will affect your daily routine. These virtual labs give you a chance to test drive the new features of Windows Server 2008, which include improvements to management, network protection, and Terminal Services. Sign up for a free 90-minute block of time, download a manual, and step through a lab.
Managing Windows Vista Using New Management Technologies
Learn how to use the new Event Viewer and Task Scheduler to perform preventative maintenance and react to system events. You will schedule tasks that occur based on event triggers, and configure actions such as e-mail messages. Finally, you will explore WinRM for remote system management using WMI.
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