Volume 10, Issue 2
February 6, 2008

Update Your Selected Topics

The Hero Within: Heroes Happen Here (HHH) Comic Series Goes Live
We all know that what we do is way cooler than having a real job. Do you think those guys in accounting have their own Comic Series? -- HECK NO! The HHH Comic series launches today: Sign up for the RSS feed and hang on for the ride.

Take a Sneak Peek of the HHH Virtual Launch Experience
Take a sneak peek of the Virtual Launch Experience and get a taste of what’s to come. Although we’re not quite finished yet, we’d like to invite you in to check out the Partner Hall, where our platinum sponsors have provided us with a little taste of their upcoming content.

[Desktop Operating Systems] Introducing the New Face of the Springboard Series for Windows Vista
When you visit the Springboard Series this month, you’ll find a familiar face: Microsoft Technical Fellow and IT guru Mark Russinovich. Each month, Mark will introduce new straight-talk articles and provide detail on new resources available in the series. If you’ve been waiting to adopt Windows Vista, check out this month’s feature article, “Still on the Fence with Windows Vista?" to learn about the top things to consider with Windows Vista SP1 and what this latest milestone brings to the table.

[Desktop Productivity Applications] Find Free Training on the 2007 Office Deployment Resource Center
Take advantage of free online training tools and resources to make the 2007 Microsoft Office 2007 system deployment straightforward. Check out webcasts, virtual labs, case studies, and even live events, and learn how you may qualify for up to 15 days of free consulting services.

[Desktop Productivity Applications] Download the Free Trial for Office Communications Server 2007
Check out the new improvements made to Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Office Communicator, with new features that help streamline communications, lay the foundation for software-powered VoIP, and integrate seamlessly into your existing telephony infrastructure.

[System Management Software] Compare Update Management Products from Microsoft
Find out which update management solution best meets your needs: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services, System Center Essentials 2007, or Systems Management Server 2003.

[Mobile Devices] Forrester Research "Defining a Mobile Enterprise Policy"
Download the complimentary Forrester Best Practices Report, "Defining a Mobile Enterprise Policy," for essential insight on how to define and implement an effective enterprisewide mobile policy. This report covers the three main elements of a mobile policy: mobility framework, security policies, and device management.

[Mobile Devices] Use Managed Services to Maximize Your Mobility ROI
To ensure long-term success and maximize return of the mobility investment, organizations need to provide a set of services focused on delivering fully configured devices to users. Watch this webcast to learn how a well-planned and executed solution can maximize the mobility return on investment (ROI) and drive user satisfaction.

[Server Operating Systems] Windows Server 2008: Certify First and Save
We’d like you to be the first to know when Windows Server 2008 exams are available, helping you to be among the first to certify. Register with us to receive same-day notification of exams and a 40 percent savings voucher to use on select exams in your Windows Server 2008 track. Learn about Windows Server 2008 certifications.

[Server Operating Systems] Moving to Mainstream: Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003
Read the Harvard Research Group Assessment on Microsoft's HPC solution.

[Database Management Systems] Tips You Can Really Use: Going Beyond Relational Data with SQL Server 2008
One of the design goals of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is to manage not only relational data, but also non-relational data. Find out about the various new feature sets and enhancements. And find other useful tips at IT Pro Tips.

[Database Management Systems] Virtual Lab: Authoring Reports Using SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
After completing this lab, you will be able to launch the Report Designer Preview, create a data source and a data set, design a new report using the Report Designer of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (in Community Technology Preview 4 called Report Designer Preview), preview your report, enhance your report layout by working with Tablix functionality, and enrich your report using charts.

[Security Systems] TechNet Radio: How Microsoft IT Manages Physical Security Through Strategic IT Convergence
Gain a better understanding of the Microsoft Worldwide Security Operations and how they protect Microsoft assets in a manner consistent with corporate culture. Through the strategic deployment of security systems, the Microsoft Corporate Security group is improving the way it protects Microsoft assets, information, and employees.

[Web Site Design, Production, or Operation] Webcast: Windows Compare (Part 5 of 6): IIS 7.0 vs. Apache (Level 200)
February 7, 11:30 AM Pacific Time
We'll take a look at two Web servers, comparing the architectures and process models. We cover common management scenarios and tools, and talk about managing Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 with Windows PowerShell compared with Apache's management process.

[Web Site Design, Production, or Operation] Virtual Lab: Creating and Configuring Intelligent Application Gateway (IAG) 2007 Portal Websites
After completing this lab, you will be better able to create an Microsoft Intelligent Application Gateway (IAG) portal Web site, add Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access to the IAG portal Web site, configure Endpoint policies, add a non-Web application to the SSL-based portal Web site, and configure an SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer virtual private network) connection using an IAG network connector.

[Messaging and Collaboration] Webcast Series: Using SharePoint Server to Connect People, Processes, and Information
Tune in to this six-part series on demand and learn how you can use Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to support your intranet, extranet, and Web applications while managing and sharing business processes and information. Our TechNet presenters discuss Office SharePoint Server 2007 deployment, records management, disaster recovery, and security.

[Business Applications] On Demand Webcast: Budgeting with Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 (Level 300)
See how Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 can help corporations improve their business performance process by integrating monitoring, analysis, and planning capabilities into one application. Learn how to deliver performance management capabilities broadly by providing an application that is easy to use and less costly to deploy than traditional solutions.

[Application Design and Development Tools] Virtual Lab: Using Windows PowerShell for Administration and Customization of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
Learn about using Windows PowerShell for administration and customization of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. You will create a Web application and provision a new Site Collection. Additionally, during this lab, walk through adding users, creating a site structure, working with lists and document libraries, and collecting site information.

[Application Design and Development Tools] TechNet Radio: How Microsoft IT Uses Visual Studio Team System 2005 to Measure Software Code Stability
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. In the software development environment, insight into the volume of code being produced, and the changes applied to that code, provide measurements of productivity and quality.

[Desktop Productivity Applications] Free Training on Microsoft Office Project
Learn how to effectively use the power of Microsoft Office Project in three instructor-led live webcasts: Planning, Tracking and Analyzing, and Communicating.

Register and Evaluate Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1
The new capabilities of Exchange Server 2007 SP1 deliver the advanced protection that your company demands, the anywhere access people throughout your organization want, and the operational efficiency you need.

Forefront Security for Exchange Server with Service Pack 1 Now Available for Download
Forefront Security for Exchange Server integrates multiple scan engines from industry-leading security firms integrated in a single solution to help protect your Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 messaging environments from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content.

Download the SQL Server 2008 November CTP
Try out a SQL Server 2008 Community Technology Preview (CTP) and provide your feedback directly to the SQL Server development team. The team uses your feedback from CTPs to help refine and enhance product features. This release offers many new product enhancements, including Transparent Data Encryption, Plan Freezing, Backup Compression, Spatial Data Support, Install/Uninstall capabilities, and much more. For more information on SQL Server 2008, check out the SQL Server 2008 product overview, webcasts, and resources page.

See previous comics in the TechNet Flash Web-based archive.

How-to Articles

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.

Also available via RSS

Download the Microsoft Forefront Client Security Enterprise Manager
Forefront Client Security Enterprise Manager is a new tool that extends a Forefront Client Security management console to enable centralized management and reporting across multiple Forefront Client Security deployments. Need Client Security? Download the free Forefront Client Security trial software and start your evaluation now.

New Demo: See How Data Protection Manager Protects Your Data
By exploring this demo, you can learn how Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 offers continuous data protection for Windows application and file servers, rapid and reliable data recovery, and advanced technology for enterprises of all sizes. We will also tell you about the new features in Data Protection Manager 2007 and how you can get started enjoying the benefits of Data Protection Manager 2007 today.

InfoWorld World of Virtualization Podcast Series
Tune in to this series of podcasts, sponsored by Microsoft, to get information and advice on a range of virtualization topics from industry experts. Topics include: Virtualization Licensing: Myth Busters; Using Virtualization and Security Issues; Desktop and Application Virtualization; IT Managers Speak Out on the Top Ten Things You Can Do to Improve Your Virtualization Strategy; and Top Virtualization Myths.

Understanding Microsoft's Server Virtualization Portfolio, Including Hyper-V
February 13, 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Learn how your organization can get ahead of the curve by taking advantage of the opportunities and resources available to Microsoft customers and how to think about the end-to-end life cycle of server virtualization deployment in your organizations.

More Webcasts

Get a Free Trial of Forefront Security for SharePoint
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.

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 Web site.

Security Center

TechNet Webcast: Extending SharePoint Server 2007 Search Capabilities by Exposing Data with the Business Data Catalog (Level 300)
In this webcast, we show you how the Business Data Catalog, a new feature in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, enables you to index and present business data securely from a variety of sources and applications throughout your organization, without the need for complex coding.

Webcast: Windows Compare
Learn about the tools and technologies that enhance the security and interoperability of Windows and make it a reliable, cost-efficient, and easy-to-manage computer platform for your business. We explore interoperability between Windows and Linux, compare Internet Information Services (IIS) with Apache and Windows high-performance computing (HPC) with a Linux solution, and discuss Windows open source software.

More On-Demand Sessions

Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging
After completing this lab, you will be able to configure Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.

Installing Exchange Server 2007 SP1 on Window Server 2008
After completing this lab, you will know how to pre-configure Windows Server 2008 for installing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1), install Exchange Server 2007 SP1, verify installation, and explore new enhancements in Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access.

Windows Vista Virtual Lab Express: Easily Manage Your Data Synchronization
See how Windows Vista Sync Center helps you keep information automatically in sync between different locations, such as your computer and mobile devices/phones and your computer and files stored in folders on network servers. Microsoft Virtual Lab Express provides a 30-minute hands-on overview of some of the features of Windows Vista.

More Virtual Labs

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 free TechNet Flash newsletter biweekly, all you have to do is register.

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