|
|
|
From the Editor
To celebrate the launch of the products we'll be holding launch events in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, culminating in our high-energy product showcase event in Tripod in Dublin on Tuesday 11 March 2008.
At the event you'll be brought through a 2-hour experience which includes an introduction of the three products and a tour where you can observe and engage with product demos, and gather information on your own areas of interest.
The venue will be divided up into various sections, covering the complete range of topics in which the products have been designed to excel: virtualisation; web development and hosting; security; ease of deployment and management; business intelligence; and much more.
There are three 2-hour showcase sessions to choose from throughout the day:
- 12.00-14.00
- 15.00-17.00
- 18.00-20.00
Best of all, come to the showcase and you'll leave with a promotional kit that includes product licences for Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, to let you play with the products in your own time.
Interest is expected to be high so register now to avoid disappointment!
Thinking about Deploying Windows Vista SP1?
According to a recent report commissioned by reseller CDW, the number of organisations evaluating and testing Windows Vista increased from 29 per cent in February 2007 to 48 per cent by early November 2007. If yours is among them, here's some recommended reading:
Thanks for reading,
Colm Torris
TechNet Manager
Microsoft Ireland
|
Your Featured Content
|
|
Try out Windows Server 2008 instantly by simply logging-on to our test-drive environment using your web browser and experience Windows Server 2008 first hand.
|
|
|
Tune in for these short (5-10 minute) videos by Microsoft IT Pro Evangelists demonstrating different features of Windows Server 2008.
|
|
|
With the new Microsoft Assessment and Planning tool, you have the ability to conduct network-wide assessment and determine readiness for migration to Windows Server 2008, Windows Server Virtualization, Microsoft Application Virtualization, Terminal Services and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager.
|
|
|
Find out what to do before updating your computers running Windows Vista.
|
|
|
Check out this new article from the Springboard Series for five important ways that the Windows Deployment toolkit has been improved to make the process of deploying Windows Vista in your organisation an easier one.
|
|
|
Now available to the public, the SP1 RC contains changes to address specific reliability and performance issues, support new types of hardware, and add support for several new technologies.
|
|
|
SearchServerVirtualization.com judges awarded Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 its Gold award in the data protection category for its 2007 Products of the Year. Judges like Data Protection Manager 2007 because it offers a vertical, end-to-end, managed solution for virtualisation deployments and because it's the easiest to manage and integrate with existing data centre software.
|
|
|
Microsoft recently announced Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5. Formerly known as Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization, this is the first Microsoft-branded release of the product. Microsoft Application Virtualization is now available in a public beta on Microsoft Connect and will be generally available through both the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack and Terminal Services later this year.
|
|
|
Network Access Protection (NAP) is a policy enforcement platform built into Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 that allows you to better protect your private network by enforcing compliance with computer health requirements. Use the resources in this learning path to set up NAP so you can create customised policies and limit access for unhealthy devices.
|
|
|
In this hands-on-lab, you'll work with the new date data type, implement a Declarative Management Framework (DMF) policy and look at new features added to database mirroring. You'll also implement and work with table valued parameters and look at database changes using change data capture (CDC).
|
|
|
Declarative Management Framework is a policy-based system for managing one or more instances of Microsoft SQL Server 2008. In this hands-on-lab you'll implement a DMF policy and implement that on the server level, including filtering.
|
|
|
Thursday, January 24, 11:30 AM Pacific Time
In this session, we walk through administering and managing the Microsoft Office Live Meeting Service. We cover creating and managing user accounts, storage management, managing a Live Meeting Conference Center - including setting roles, policies and preferences - and generating administrative reports.
|
|
|
Friday, January 25, 1:00 PM Pacific Time
In this session, we cover some new client access features introduced in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and explore improvements to calendaring functionality, the new Unified Messaging, and the Exchange Server web services and programmatic access to messaging data. We conclude the webcast by looking at Exchange Server ActiveSync improvements.
|
|
|
This service pack delivers important customer-requested stability and performance improvements, while incorporating further enhancements to user security. It also includes all of the updates released for the 2007 Microsoft Office system servers prior to December 2007. Get a more complete description of SP1, including a list of issues that were fixed, in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 936984.
|
|
|
View this interactive video demo to learn how Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager can help you deliver robust device management, security and authenticated network access to mobile workers. Mobile Device Manager helps reduce the support time, costs and complexity of providing mobile devices throughout your enterprise.
|
|
|
Interested in tips from Microsoft Most Valued Professionals (MVPs) who are Windows Mobile power users or developers? Do you have tips you'd like to share with others? Visit the Windows Mobile TechCenter Community site to exchange ideas, information, knowledge and expertise about Windows Mobile and Microsoft products and services.
|
|
|
This guide helps you to plan and carry out a corporate deployment of Silverlight. The guide describes the system requirements and deployment methods, as well as the techniques to maintain and support Silverlight after deployment.
|
|
|
Monday, February 4, 11:30 AM Pacific Time
In this session, we illustrate how the new features of Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 can be used to create a more centralised method of web server management and configuration.
|
|
|
Read this book to discover how to design workflows and projects for SharePoint sites, manage design teams and source control, use cascading style sheets, and more. A companion CD is included.
|
|
|
Microsoft has outlined a company-wide virtualisation vision designed around a portfolio of desktop and server virtualisation solutions, all managed by an integrated systems management platform, and supported by a range of best-of-breed products, partnerships and initiatives.
|
Evaluation Center Updates
|
|
Microsoft Forefront Server Security Management Console allows administrators to easily manage Forefront Security for Exchange Server, Forefront Security for SharePoint, and Microsoft Antigen. Download the 120-day trial software and receive valuable resources delivered at strategic intervals throughout the software evaluation period.
|
|
|
Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007 is a comprehensive solution optimised for the management of Windows Server operating systems running in the virtualised data centre. Download the 120-day trial software and you will automatically be registered to receive valuable resources delivered at strategic intervals throughout the software evaluation period.
|
Scripting for IT Pros
|
|
As part of our countdown to the 2008 Winter Scripting Games, the Profiles in Perfection feature spotlights competitors who received at least one perfect score in the 2007 Games.
|
Hey, Scripting Guy!
Support and Troubleshooting
How-to Articles
Hotfixes
Knowledge Base Articles
See a selection of new Knowledge Base (KB) articles on the TechNet website. 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. Also available via RSS  Featured Downloads
Upcoming Webcasts
|
|
Thursday, January 24, 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Join us for an informative discussion on the new capabilities of Windows HPC Server 2008 and how it takes advantage of Mellanox InfiniBand interconnect to deliver computing performance that addresses the productivity and scalability needs of current and future high-performance computing platforms.
|
|
|
Friday, January 25, 11:30 AM Pacific Time
In this webcast, we cover a number of topics regarding the interoperability between Windows and Linux. We look at using Kerberos and Active Directory to provide single sign-on in a mixed world. We also discuss scripts and explore ways to migrate scripts from Linux to Windows. Sign up for the rest of this series.
|
Security
|
|
Get up to 30 per cent discount on Forefront Security for Exchange Server if you purchase or renew Forefront Security for Exchange Server before 31 January 2008. Contact your Microsoft account team or reseller today for the exact discount offered. Offer available worldwide under Open Value and Select licensing programmes.
|
On Demand
|
|
Watch a webcast and get ready for the next release of Microsoft SQL Server. We show you how to consolidate servers with multiple databases, consolidate data services through virtualisation, and migrate databases easily.
|
|
|
During these webcasts, we show you how you can use the new features in Windows Server 2008 to improve your organisation's networking infrastructure and security, server performance and reliability, remote resource access and client deployment. Our subject matter experts break down what these upgrades mean for your environment and how to take advantage of them.
|
Virtual Labs
|
|
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 today.
|
|
|
SQL Server 2008 supports several new data types. In this hands-on-lab, you will compare the new DATE/TIME data types to the SQL Server 2005 data types and implement the new data types in table definitions and T-SQL batches.
|
What's New with TechNet Plus Subscriptions
TechNet Plus Subscriber Downloads are Changing
In February we will launch an important update to the TechNet Plus Subscriber Downloads experience. We're making it a lot easier and faster to find your download and access your Product Keys, and we're adding new features to help with exploring available content. With the new experience, you will be able to easily find the exact download you're looking for, with all product versions organised by family. You will also be able to access your Product Keys directly alongside your software downloads.
Access eLearning Courses with TechNet Plus
TechNet Plus subscribers have access to three elearning courses per quarter. Courses this quarter include Configuring High Availability and Disaster Recovery for SAP on Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Monitoring Enterprise Systems with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007, and Introducing Enterprise Telephony Using Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.
Received TechNet Flash from a Friend?
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 by email and would like to receive the freeTechNet Flash newsletter biweekly, all you have to do is register.
|
