Welcome to TechNet Flash - Gulf Edition.

Microsoft has announced the availability of the next generation of its unified communications offerings. These offerings take advantage of continuing advances in hardware, networks, and software to revolutionize the way we share information and experiences with the people who are important to us. These innovations will enable us to be more productive, more creative, and to stay in touch more easily without being limited by our devices or location. In an e-mail to customers, Bill Gates outlines his vision for how software-powered communications technologies will eliminate the boundaries between the various modes of communications we use throughout the day and provide the catalyst for the convergence of voice, video, text, and information.

Things are also heating up as we get nearer to the launch of the new Microsoft Windows Server 2008.Microsoft has reached a major milestone with the initial release candidate (RC0) of Windows Server 2008. If you've not yet tried it, you can do so by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/gulf/2008launch/superhero/ and you could be
among the first 300 to win a limited edition gift!

The TechNet and MSDN Roadshow proudly presents the "Gaining Insight Tour 2007".
This tour, coming to Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, is packed with live demonstrations and technical content on upcoming and much anticipated solutions from Microsoft. Get a sneak peek into technologies that include Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, .Net, Silverlight, Virtualization and more. You will also be among the first to see us unveil the new Unified Communications technologies from Microsoft – a solution that will revolutionize the way people communicate and collaborate in the workplace.
If you're an IT Professional or a Developer looking to gain insight and an edge over others, then you’ve got no excuse to miss out on this event! You may even walk away as the lucky winner of the new X-box 360 Elite! Register Now.

Where and when

Kuwait City	Movenpick Hotel Al Bidaa	Nov 14th
Muscat	Shangri La	Nov 17th
Manama	Sheraton	Nov 19th
Doha	Intercon	Dec 9th

Mark your calendars for Microsoft Gulf's biggest event yet!
TechDays is coming to Dubai! Mark your calendars for December 4th and 5th at the Al Habtoor Hotel, Dubai. This 2 Day event is a great opportunity to see the latest products in action and connect with peers who share your interests and challenges. Listen, interact, network, and learn from over 36 comprehensive technical sessions. Further event and registration details coming soon!

Start your Microsoft Windows 2008 readiness right here
Focus on readiness for Windows Server 2008 now, and you can be the one who stands out when initiatives happen—and when promotion decisions are made. Let Microsoft Learning resources give you the head start you need to transition your skills and credentials to the latest Windows Server technologies—from free elearning clinics and free ebook downloads.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/windowsserver2008/default.mspx

Hot off the Press: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-236): Configuring Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007
This 2-in-1 kit delivers in-depth preparation plus practice for 70-236, an exam for the MCTS: Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 certification. Ace your exam prep—and build real-world job skills—with lessons, practice tests, and more.
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/10936.aspx
UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/MCTS-Self-paced-Training-70-236-PRO-Certification/dp/0735624100/

Get an extra shot at Microsoft Certification.
For a limited time, you can get an extra chance to pass any Microsoft IT Professional, Developer, or Microsoft Dynamics Certification exam – free. Register for this offer before your first exam and you’ll get two shots at success. Register now!
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/offers/secondshot/default.mspx

Thanks for reading;

Sandra Skairjeh
Editor, TechNet Flash, Gulf Edition.

Update Your Selected Topics
Ensure that the content most relevant to you is presented first in the section.

[System Management Software] New How-to Videos on System Center Virtual Machine Manager
Ramp up quickly with these brief how-to video walkthroughs of specific features in System Center Virtual Machine Manager. Product experts from the Virtual Machine Manager team demonstrate basic tasks within the product. Video topics include a getting started tour of the user interface, setup, and managing with Windows PowerShell.

[System Management Software] Systems Center Configuration Manager: The Datacenter
Tuesday, November 6, 1:00 PM Pacific Time
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 brings a new set of capabilities to the deployment and management of server configurations. From centralized deployment automation to software distribution to state and update management, the data center will benefit from new features and capabilities previously only available across a collection of solution accelerators and feature packs, if at all.

[Messaging and Collaboration] New Unified Communications Technical Resources
Visit the ultimate IT pro resource for unified communications, which features the “best of UC” webcasts, Podcasts, virtual labs, and more from TechNet and elsewhere -- all in one place.

[Server Operating Systems] Reducing IT Overhead with Windows Server 2008 Storage Features
Join this IT manager on-demand Webcast to learn about the new and improved storage features in Windows Server 2008, including failover clustering, disk management, server backup, and storage explorer.

[Server Operating Systems] Examining Virtualization with Windows Server 2008 (Level 300)
In this session, we examine the Microsoft virtualization ecosystem and how to implement it with Windows Server 2008. Taking an overall view of virtualization, we cover topics including: presentation, application, and server virtualization scenarios and technologies.

[Mobile Devices] Deploying Windows Mobile 6 Powered Devices with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
This guide provides best practices and procedures for implementing a mobile messaging system with Windows Mobile 6 powered devices and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

[Desktop Productivity Applications] View XML Content from Office Customization Tool Customization Files
This article provides information about a sample Microsoft Visual Basic script that administrators can use to view the settings stored in Office Customization Tool (OCT) Setup customization files (MSP files).

[Desktop Productivity Applications] Performance Tips for Deploying Outlook 2007
This article provides a collection of resources to help you understand potential issues around the performance of Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 messaging and collaboration client, and to assist you in configuring features for best performance in your organization.

[Mobile Devices] Mobility Webcast: Improve and Simplify Mobile Device Security and Management
Tuesday, October 23, 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Securing and managing mobile devices/smartphones across an enterprise poses many challenges for IT professionals. Learn how the Windows Mobile security and device management solution can help you to deliver enterprise control, improve secure access to corporate data and line-of-business (LOB) applications, and simplify management of Windows Mobile powered devices across your business.

[Database Management Systems] Download the SQL Server 2008 July CTP
Do you have passion for technology? Do you want to make a difference? Then try out a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Community Technology Preview (CTP). The SQL Server development team uses your feedback from CTPs to help refine and enhance product features.

[Database Management Systems] Webcast: Deliver Actionable Insight Throughout Your Organization with Data Mining (Part 1 of 3)
Thursday, November 1, 8:00 AM Pacific Time
In this webcast, we lead you through the first steps to success for your data mining projects. We look at the overall architecture of data mining, the kinds of problems that can be solved, and important points for your first project such as choosing the right algorithms and testing your mining models.

[Business Applications] Business Intelligence: Make Informed Business Decisions
Microsoft Dynamics GP offers a wide range of reporting and analysis tools that enhance business intelligence capabilities and help people at all levels of the organization transform data into actionable insight. Here is a summary of all the business intelligence capabilities available in Microsoft Dynamics GP.

[Mobile Devices] New Starter Kits for Windows Mobile 6
[Mobile Devices] New Starter Kits for Windows Mobile 6 Ready for a helping hand? Three new Starter Kits will help you create applications that make the most of new Ink features, DirectDraw, and Home Screen plug-in architecture.

[Application Design and Development Tools] Webcast: Virtualization of Test and Development Environments, and Their Impact on Existing Applications (Level 200)
Monday, October 22, 9:30 - 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Learn how to move existing applications and infrastructure servers into a virtualized environment. We also look at the impact of virtualizing test and development environments, and some of the tools available that make this process easily manageable.

[Desktop Operating Systems] Microsoft IT Showcase: Desktop Deployment at Microsoft
Our newest workshop shares how Microsoft planned for and executed the migration from Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Microsoft Office 2003 to Windows Vista and Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007.

[Security Systems] [Messaging and Collaboration] Webcast: Managing Messaging and Collaboration Security with the Forefront Server Security Management Console
Friday, October 19, 11:30 AM Pacific Time
In this webcast, we take a detailed look at the new feature options, deployment scenarios, and configuration best practices of Microsoft Forefront Server Security Management Console. We also explore how the Forefront Security Management Console integrates with Microsoft Operations Manager to ensure the health of your messaging and collaboration server.

[Web Site Design, Production, or Operation] What's New in Microsoft Internet Information Services 7.0
Wednesday, October 24, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
See the new features in Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0, which allow for agility and efficiency with built-in troubleshooting and diagnostics, and delegated administration control to non-administrators. We also break down security improvements and changes to the IIS core.

Download Data Protection Manager 2007 Evaluation Software
Try out Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007. Data Protection Manager 2007 brings continuous data protection for Windows Application and file servers and allows for rapid and reliable recovery for enterprises of all sizes.

Windows Remote Management and Windows Script Host 5.7 Downloads
Windows Remote Management (WinRM) is now available for installation on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. And this news note explains why that's a good thing. While you're at it, read the Windows Script 5.7 Update to get the inside scoop on Windows Script Host 5.7.

Hey, Scripting Guy!

•	How Can I Save the Attachments for All My New Outlook Messages?
•	How Can I Retrieve the Field Size and a Sample Record for All the Tables and Fields in an Access Database?
•	How Can I Search a Text File for Terms Read In From a Second Text File?

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.

Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides for SoftGrid and Windows Server 2008 Virtualization
Are you evaluating application or operating system virtualization technologies? The Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization guide describes when to use the standalone and connected modes for application distribution. It helps architects planning for SoftGrid by providing a concise workflow of architectural decisions. The Windows Server Virtualization guide introduces virtualization options using Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Virtual Server 2005. Visit Microsoft Connect, log in, click Invitations and enter PDSG-XTXV-RKG9 as the Invitation ID.

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2
SQL Server 2005 SP2 includes significant enhancements to maintenance plans, including an enhancement that lets users specify the cleanup interval in hours. SQL Server 2005 service packs are cumulative, and this service pack upgrades all service levels of SQL Server 2005 to SP2.

Advanced Features in System Center Data Protection Manager 2007
Thursday, October 18, 8:00 AM Pacific Time
This webcast will focus on advanced features delivered in Data Protection Manager 2007, including: Command line control of Data Protection Manager using Windows PowerShell; enterprise monitoring of Data Protection Manager with Systems Center Operations Manager 2007 (and MOM 2005); enterprise deployment methods for distributing the Data Protection Manager agent; and Data Protection Manager System Recovery Tool (SRT), which provides bare-metal recovery of Windows servers and desktops.

Windows Server vs. Linux for Making Platform Decisions (Level 100)
Thursday, October 18, 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Separate fact from fiction and see how server operating systems really compare when it comes to key IT and business requirements such as cost, reliability, security, and interoperability.

More Webcasts

Security Differences Between Windows Server and Linux: A Tale of Two Development Models
Microsoft Senior Product Manager Pat Edmonds explains how the differences in how Windows Server and Linux are developed to translate into real-world security differences for customers.

Microsoft Security Bulletins for October 2007

October Security Bulletin Webcast

Forefront Security for SharePoint First in Market to Get ICSA Labs ECM Certification
Forefront Security for SharePoint is the first product to receive the new Enterprise Content Management certification from ICSA Labs. The ECM certification requires the anti-virus solution to detect viruses on demand and on access, report no false positives, perform administration functions and log all the results of virus detections, and provides a benchmark for virus detection in products that are designed to protect portal, collaboration and/or content management servers of an organization. Download the Forefront Security for SharePoint trial.

Security Center

Desired Configuration Management in Systems Center Configuration Manager 2007
With Configuration Manager 2007 Desired Configuration Management you can monitor the environment for an array of configuration and settings and report centrally. In this session, we will introduce Desired Configuration Management key concepts and capabilities, as well as explore setting up Configuration Manager to provide baseline monitoring.

What's in the Next Microsoft Web Server and What It Took to Build It
Microsoft has made some huge investments in its Web platform starting with Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0. Bill Staples has been the driving force behind the remarkable changes in IIS 7.0. Listen in to what it takes to redesign a world-class Web server.

More On-Demand Sessions

Centralized Application Access with Windows Server 2008 Beta 3
In this virtual lab, you will allow authorized users on an Internet-connected computer running Windows Vista to easily and securely connect to remote computers on the corporate network through a Terminal Services Gateway. In addition, you will provide access to standard Windows programs.

System Center Operations Manager 2007: Introduction
After completing this virtual lab, you will be better able to deploy an agent, import a management pack, create and use views and tasks, monitor and override, use the Web console, and use Management Pack Templates.

More Virtual Labs

Windows Server 2008 RC Now Available
Windows Server 2008, with built-in Web and virtualization technologies, can help you to increase the reliability and flexibility of your server infrastructure. New virtualization tools, Web resources, and security enhancements help you save time, reduce costs, and provide a platform for a dynamic and optimized data center. To try it today without time limits, visit the benefits portal and go to Subscriber Downloads.

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