Volume 10, Issue 1
January 9, 2008

Update Your Selected Topics

[Server Operating Systems] Test Drive Windows Server 2008
The Windows Server 2008 test drive allows you to try the latest release from Microsoft instantly. By simply using your Web browser to log on to our test-drive environment, you will be able to experience Windows Server 2008 first-hand. You can explore the product on your own, or follow along with a number of guided exercises and videos.

[Server Operating Systems] Building High-Availability Infrastructures with Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering
January 21, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Attend this webcast to hear how the completely redesigned advanced clustering capabilities in Windows Server 2008 Enterprise offer high availability in case of a hardware failure. We give you an overview of the new and improved clustering architecture and describe new tools migration strategies.

[Server Operating Systems] High Availability with Hyper-V
January 30, 9:30 - 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Hyper-V, previously code-named "Viridian," is a hypervisor-based technology that is a key feature of Windows Server 2008. It is part of Microsoft's ongoing effort to provide our customers and partners with the best operating system platform for virtualization. In this webcast, learn how you can make Hyper-V highly available with Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering.

[Server Operating Systems] [Desktop Operating Systems] Improving Network Compliance with Windows Server 2008 Network Access Protection
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 customized policies and limit access for unhealthy devices.

[Desktop Operating Systems] Overview Series: How to Pilot Windows Vista
This feature article from the Windows Vista Springboard Series provides an overview of key pilot program elements such as scope definition, environment assessment, testing, user feedback collection, and user training.

[Desktop Operating Systems] [Desktop Productivity Applications] Microsoft IT Best Practices Revealed for Deploying Windows Vista, the 2007 Office System, and Exchange Server 2007
Take advantage of Microsoft IT lessons learned for your own unique deployments through Microsoft IT Showcase.

[Virtualization] Microsoft Virtualization Experts Podcast Series
Tune into DABCC Radio's Microsoft Virtualization Experts Podcast Series and hear Douglas Brown's interviews with key Microsoft decision and strategy makers responsible for driving the company's virtualization solutions. You'll hear from experts such as, Eric Traut, Microsoft Distinguished Engineer, and Mike Neil, General Manager of Virtualization Strategy, Windows Server Division.

[Database Management Systems] Webcast: Preparing Data for Use with SQL Server Data Mining (Level 200)
January 10, 8:00 - 9:00 AM Pacific Time
Many users who struggle with data mining do not realize that their problems start with badly prepared data. This webcast is a very practical introduction to some of the important issues, including finding the right data, handling missing values, identifying and fixing overloaded fields, and deriving useful variables.

[Database Management Systems] Webcast: Mining for Quality: Apply Adaptive Data Quality with SQL Server Data Mining (Level 200)
January 17, 8:00 - 9:00 AM Pacific Time
You are probably aware that Microsoft SQL Server includes some useful data quality tools such as Fuzzy Grouping or Fuzzy Lookup. However, there is one tool you may have overlooked: SQL Server Data Mining. When used operationally, SQL Server Data Mining is extremely useful for finding data that lies outside the boundaries of known good data, and it finds these outliers inductively rather than relying on exhaustively hard-coded rules.

[Database Management Systems] TechNet Virtual Lab: Learn How to Build Occasionally Connected Applications with SQL Server 2008
Explore how you can build offline smart-client applications in a RAD way that synchronizes backend database with a local Microsoft SQL Server Compact 3.5.

[Messaging and Collaboration] Extranet Collaboration Toolkit for SharePoint Solution Accelerator
Does your organization need tools to collaborate securely with others across the Internet? Microsoft's newest Solution Accelerator provides tools and guidance to easily and securely collaborate with team members from different organizations --across the Internet. Join the beta program and get an early look.

[Messaging and Collaboration] Learn How to Customize Your SharePoint Server 2007 Sites
Get help with features such as design, workflows, forms, document management, and business intelligence.

[Messaging and Collaboration] How Microsoft IT Implemented New Storage Designs for Exchange Server 2007
January 22, 9:30 AM Pacific Time
In this webcast, find out how Microsoft IT was able to take advantage of Cluster Continuous Replication in new mailbox server designs based on direct attached storage.

[System Management Software] Online Services Help Simplify Software Inventory
Software asset management is an essential task for every business, large or small. But with the amount of software businesses now purchase and deploy, getting a handle on those assets can feel next to impossible. Find out how the new Asset Inventory Service from Microsoft can help.

[System Management Software] Improved VHD Trial Image for Essentials 2007
Based on partner and customer feedback, we've re-released the Trial VHD. The new Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) image can be easily added into a customer's Active Directory environment to evaluate on all or a portion of the desktops and servers. The latest quick fix engineering (QFE) releases have been applied and a new quick setup guide has been created to assist customers in the evaluation and removal of software at the end of the period.

[System Management Software] Real Control with Virtual Machine Manager 2007
Virtualization allows organizations to consolidate resources and save money. But as you begin to implement increasing numbers of virtual machines, you'll want a convenient way to manage them. Here's a guide to setting up Virtual Machine Manager and using it to perform administrative tasks from a centralized interface.

[System Management Software] Better Backups with Data Protection Manager 2007
The latest version of Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 offers many new features, delivering a powerful and flexible solution for managing your backups. Here's an overview of how Data Protection Manager 2007 can protect everything from Exchange Server and SQL Server to branch offices and SharePoint sites.

[Security Systems] Try the New Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1 Trial Download
Now with support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1 and Windows Server 2008, Microsoft 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. Customers seeking to protect Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server environments can get started now by downloading the new Antigen 9.0 SP1 trial software.

[Security Systems] Try the New Forefront Server Security Management Console
With the new Microsoft Forefront Server Security Management Console, administrators can easily manage Forefront Security for Exchange Server, Forefront Security for SharePoint, and Microsoft Antigen, providing a Web-based console to centralize configuration and operation, automate the download and distribution of signature and scan engine updates, and generate comprehensive reports. The trial software is now available in 11 languages.

[Security Systems] Download the Microsoft Forefront Client Security Health Management Pack for Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 SP1
The Microsoft Forefront Client Security Management Pack provides enterprisewide monitoring for your Forefront Client Security environment. In addition to real-time event monitoring, it provides automated and customizable response capabilities to allow you to immediately respond to critical performance, health, or capacity-related issues.

[Business Applications] Webcast: Microsoft Office Interoperability with SAP (Level 200)
January 10, 9:30 - 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Join this webcast to learn how to integrate Microsoft Office applications such as Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007, Office Project Professional 2007, and Office Visio 2007 with SAP. We start with an overview of the key design principles and detail the guidelines and best practices for integrating these applications with SAP. We show you how to create front-end Web services to connect to SAP.

[Mobile Devices] Does Your Infrastructure Support Mobility?
You don't have to create a new infrastructure to give mobile devices access to corporate data and business and productivity applications. Here is what you need to think about extending your existing IT infrastructure for mobility. Read this Mobility Strategy article.

[Business Applications] Webcast: Driving Business Performance with Microsoft Business Intelligence (Level 200)
January 14, 9:30 - 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Attend this webcast to understand how Microsoft is challenging our customers to "think bigger" about business intelligence, move beyond the rigid tools and applications they are using today, and use our integrated solution of Microsoft Office Business Applications, Office SharePoint Server 2007, SQL Server, and Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 to help individuals, teams, and organizations reach their full potential.

[Application Design and Development Tools] Webcast: Application Platform: Getting the Right Build Management Process in Place (Level 200)
January 10, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
This webcast helps you recognize inefficiencies and issues related to suboptimal build management processes, and it helps you understand how investing in your build management can help your development team.

[Application Design and Development Tools] Webcast: Application Platform: Branching and Merging: Which Approach Is Right for You (Level 200)
January 17, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Software configuration management (SCM) is often one of the first areas implemented in an application lifecycle management (ALM) road map. The secret to success is to critically examine the business objectives behind your SCM, and then build a process that is customized to your business. In this webcast, we provide a high-level understanding of the different approaches that can be taken for branching and merging.

[Application Design and Development Tools] Webcast: Using KPIs to Streamline Development (Level 200)
January 11, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
One of the main benefits of moving to application lifecycle management (ALM) with an integrated (rather than ad hoc) technology set to support your process is the visibility you get into the lifecycle. In this webcast, we explore common key performance indicators (KPIs), using Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server illustratively, and how to interpret them individually and in combination.

[Application Design and Development Tools] HPCPAL Jumpstart
You are invited to participate in our HPCPAL Jumpstart technical training series for IT pros and developers. These are one-day immersion style events that can help you get the technical information you require to start deploying and developing HPC solutions using Windows HPC Server 2008.

[Application Design and Development Tools] Webcast: Turbo-Charging Time Critical Applications with ASPEED Software and HPC on Windows Platform
January 23, 8:30 - 9:30 AM Pacific Time
Whether you write your own programs or are an ISV, an in-house application developer, or an integrator, find out how you can speed up your time-sensitive applications, function libraries and Excel VBA and C/C++ UDFs using ASPEED and WCCS.

[Web Site Design, Production, or Operation] Download Microsoft Silverlight for Free Today
Leading Web sites around the world are using Silverlight to add cool new interactivity and media features. Download to start enjoying it today.

Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007 Is Now Available for Download
Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007 is a top-down portfolio management solution that helps your organization achieve its potential by identifying, selecting, and delivering a set of investments that best align with your business strategy. When you download the 180-day trial software, you're automatically registered to receive valuable resources delivered throughout the evaluation period.

Download Office SharePoint Server 2007
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides server administration, application extensibility, and interoperability. In addition, Office SharePoint Server 2007 includes comprehensive content management and enterprise search, accelerating shared business processes, and facilitating information-sharing across boundaries for better business insight.

Download the SQL Server 2008 November CTP
SQL Server 2008 is a secure, reliable, and scalable platform for your business-critical applications that reduces the time and cost of managing any type of data. SQL Server 2008 simplifies development of data-driven applications, while delivering the right information to all users, anywhere.

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 New Microsoft Assessment and Planning Tool and Get Started with Server Migration Projects
With the new Microsoft Assessment and Planning tool, you have the ability to conduct network-wide assessment and determine the readiness for migration to products like Windows Server 2008, Windows Server Virtualization, Microsoft Application Virtualization, Terminal Services, Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager, Windows Vista, and the 2007 Microsoft Office system.

Download Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate
The Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate is available for download through Microsoft Connect and feedback so far has been very positive. Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 is all about making Operations Manager easier to support, easier to use, and easier to deploy. This Release Candidate is supported by Microsoft Support and there will be an upgrade from this Release Candidate to the full release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Service Pack 1 when that version is available. Once on the System Center Operations and Service Management site on Connect, register for the Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate to download.

Microsoft Webcast: Concurrent Deployment of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (Level 100)
January 11, 10:00 - 11:00 AM Pacific Time
In this webcast, we look at the advantages of an infrastructure based on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, discuss the processes and tools to make the adoption process smoother, and provide prescriptive guidance and best practices.

Failover Clustering 101
January 22, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Are you new to clustering? Do you want to build a highly available infrastructure but don't know where to start. Join us for this webcast to learn the basics of building a highly available infrastructure with Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering.

More Webcasts

Download the Forefront Client Security Best Practices Analyzer Tool
The Forefront Client Security Best Practices Analyzer Tool is designed for administrators who want to determine the overall health of their Forefront computers and to diagnose current problems. The tool scans the configuration settings of the computer and reports issues that do not conform to the recommended best practices.

Try the New Forefront Security for SharePoint with Service Pack 1
Help protect your Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 collaboration environments with Forefront Security for SharePoint with SP1.

Server Security: Less Is More
Anyone who has spent more than a few days working in information security has probably heard the three core tenets of security: availability, confidentiality, and integrity. This article discusses another well-known but often overlooked concept: simplicity.

Microsoft Security Bulletins for January 2008

Security Center

Windows Server 2008: Web, Virtualization, Security, and a Solid Foundation for Your Business Workloads
Prepare yourself for Windows Server 2008. Tune in and learn how you can take advantage of the new features to improve your organization's networking infrastructure and security, server performance and reliability, remote resource access, and client deployment.

How Microsoft Does IT: Creating a Single Sign On Payroll Experience Using Active Directory Federations Service
Microsoft IT creates a single sign on experience for employees to access corporate payroll information using Active Directory Federations Service and a third-party solution.

More On-Demand Sessions

TechNet 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, preview your report, enhance your report layout by working with Tablix functionality, and enrich your report using charts.

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 today.

More Virtual Labs

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