From the Editor

Summer is finally here, and you know what that means—vacations, travel, long days by the pool sipping margaritas, without a care in the world!

Not for you, though. You’re an IT pro and you’re always on call. You get to sit by the pool and stare at your beeper. The flashing light mocks you as you never quite relax, worrying when the next page will come.

And come it does. You raise yourself up from that lounge chair and call in to find that a VP forgot his remote access PIN, and yes, also the address of the extranet site for the reset tool. Another day in paradise ruined.

An IT pro is never off duty. This year, however, we’re doing our part to help you enjoy your summer trips. With this issue, TechNet Magazine is going monthly!

So how does that help? Never again will you have to plan your getaways around our bimonthly publication schedule. No more waiting around the mailbox until we show up, just to make sure no one swipes your copy while you’re away. You’ll have plenty of reading material on the plane. And when you take TechNet Magazine to your poolside lounge chair, you’ll be treated to a bit of extra shade as admiring throngs crowd around to read over your shoulder. You’ll be so popular!

Each month, we’ll bring you a feature-packed issue of TechNet Magazine, filled with the tools you need to get your job done. Just as your beeper keeps you on duty 24 hours a day, think of us as being on call for you whenever you need the best in topical, hands-on information. Put us under your pillow every night to absorb more content.

This month’s issue gets deep into the world of identity and access management. We start with an overview of identity, including a synopsis of Kim Cameron’s well-known "Seven Laws." We then take a trip through Microsoft Identity Integration Server, look at tools to simplify identity system design, and see how to use ADFS to simplify single sign-on. We show you how to create custom directories with ADAM, and how to give your network and extreme VPN makeover. We even step back and take a look at InfoCard, a system that will soon take off in popularity.

There’s something else to notice about TechNet Magazine: its eye-catching new cover. As part of our upgrade to monthly status, we’re implementing a new design. Over the next few months, you’ll be seeing changes to the way the magazine looks. We’re taking many of your suggestions on usability and incorporating them into a pleasing new layout. TechNet Magazine 2.0 is on the way! (And no, wise guy, this doesn’t mean you’ve been beta testing version 1.0 for the last two years.)

A new monthly schedule and an enhanced design are great news, but we have even more to report. Kerry Gates, our publisher since our first issue, is moving on (but not out). Kerry, whose belief in TechNet Magazine made it all possible when it was but a glint in our eyes, has been named the vice president for software development publications at CMP Media, our publishing partner for both TechNet Magazine and MSDN Magazine. After years of working with her, I can tell you that there’s not a better person to have on your side in all of publishing.

We also welcome Jill Thiry as our new publisher. Jill has over 15 years of publishing experience, including a stint as the publisher of Network Computing magazine. Jill, CMP, and the rest of the staff here at TechNet Magazine, will be working hard all summer so you can enjoy that margarita at the pool.—J.T.

Thank you to the following Microsoft technical experts: Bruno Aziza, Kim Cameron, Derek Del Conte, Jenn Goth, Scott Greene, Geoff Grisso, George Holman, Kannan C. Iyer, Ryan Johnson, Mike Jones, Paul Jones, Brad LeRoss, Michael Murgolo, Aung Oo, Paul Randal, and Steve Riley.

© 2008 Microsoft Corporation and CMP Media, LLC. All rights reserved; reproduction in part or in whole without permission is prohibited.