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From the Editor
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Greetings New TechNet Flash Subscriber,
As promised, September has seen a flood of beta
releases, including
Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1) and
2007 Microsoft Office System Technical Refresh.
And although there is nothing like getting your
hands on the software, understanding the
long-term benefits in terms of security,
manageability, and productivity is equally
important and perhaps essential to one of your
key measurements: return on investment. For that
you have to dig a little deeper and apply your
findings to your own organization.
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Start with the updated
Windows Vista Step-by-Step Guides for IT Professionals,
which include instructions for deploying or migrating to
Windows Vista. Likewise, for 2007 Microsoft Office,
there is a wealth of “getting-started” and deeper
information in the TechNet Beta Central
Office Resource Page.
On the security front, one thing that may not
immediately jump out at you when evaluating Windows
Vista RC1 is that the
BitLocker drive encryption feature in Windows Vista
RC1 features a simplified user interface, making it
easier to setup BitLocker on TPM 1.2–enabled hardware,
while still offering command-line tools and scripting to
access the functionality. For more on security for
Windows Vista, check out the Pre-Release Review Program
for the
Windows Vista Security Guide.
And for manageability, did you know that Windows Vista
includes built-in diagnostics that can automatically
detect and diagnose common support problems and then
help users resolve the problems themselves? Or that the
event-logging infrastructure has been improved with a
rewritten Event Viewer that you can use to create custom
views, to easily associate events with tasks, and to
view logs remotely from other computers? The
Windows Vista Resource Page is a great place to dive
deeper on these and other Windows Vista topics.
Early evaluations are essential, but you need more. You
need context to understand how the new features and
improvements translate into business benefits that can
be communicated and demonstrated. As always, we’re here
to help.
Thanks for reading.
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash
Beta Updates
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Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 is now available for order or download. If you
have been awaiting a Release Candidate to start your testing, that time is now.
The availability of RC1 will be limited, so be sure to get it as soon as
possible.
For the latest on Vista developments, check out the
Windows Vista Team Blog, the official and authoritative resource on Windows
Vista.
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The 2007 Microsoft Office System Technical Refresh is now available by free
download. Please note that the Beta 2 Technical Refresh extends the life of the
Microsoft Office Beta 2, which you’ll need to install first. The refresh is also
necessary if you’d like to use it in combination with Windows Vista RC1.
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Also Available with the 2007 Office System Beta
2 Technical Refresh.
A security-enhanced, scalable, extensible, and
manageable search solution, Microsoft Office
SharePoint Server 2007 for Search helps increase
productivity by connecting people to relevant
business information stored in common
repositories and on intranet and Internet web
sites.
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Internet Explorer 7 Release Candidate (IE7 RC) is now available in Arabic,
English, Finnish, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish versions. If you've
previously installed a beta of IE7, you should uninstall it before installing
this release.
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Simplify deployment and administration of IE7 with the Internet Explorer
Administration Kit 7 (IEAK 7), now available as a Release Candidate in Arabic,
English, Finnish, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
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Find all beta evaluation resources in one convenient place, including helpful
tools, such as free e-learning to acquaint yourself with the software, Web
forums managed by Microsoft experts, and virtual labs for experimenting with new
software features. Check out the resource pages for specific beta releases.
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Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 Beta 2 is
now available for download on Microsoft Connect.
BDD 2007 provides end-to-end guidance and
automation for large-scale deployment of Windows
Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system. BDD
2007 Beta 2 has been updated to support Windows
Vista RC1 and now includes guidance and
automation for Zero Touch Installation using
Systems Management Server 2003.
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Top Stories and Featured Content
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So you want to get a job in information security? Or perhaps you're already
working in information security (infosec), but you want to advance or switch to
another infosec discipline? July's Security MVP article answers frequently asked
questions about information security career advancement.
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Take an inside look at how Groove and SharePoint help the Louisiana State
University Emergency Operations Center respond to disaster.
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You may have encountered Windows PE during OS
deployment. But did you know it can also be used
for recovery, diagnostics, and repairs? Here’s a
look at some of the things you may not have
known about Windows PE.
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Find out how the new Windows Mobile Device Center in Windows Vista provides
improved device management features for Windows Mobile–based devices, including
smartphones and Pocket PCs.
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These step-by-step guides provide instructions for deploying or migrating to
Windows Vista and describe how to perform such tasks as configuring security,
monitoring performance, and managing printers.
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IT Solutions Updates
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Try out the beta or learn more about the new Microsoft midmarket IT management
solution, System Center Essentials 2007. It provides proactive management and a
unified experience that enables IT professionals in midsize organizations to
efficiently secure, update, monitor and troubleshoot their IT environments.
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Security
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Included in this advisory are updates for newly discovered vulnerabilities,
broken down by severity. You can also participate with other IT Pros on security
topics in the IT Pro
Security Zone Web site.
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Based on customer feedback, the BitLocker drive encryption feature in Windows
Vista RC1 features a simplified user interface (UI). The new UI makes it much
easier for a Windows Vista Ultimate user to be able to set up BitLocker on TPM
1.2–enabled hardware and still maintain access for the administrator of an
Enterprise edition to all of the features and functionality BitLocker supports
through scripting and command-line tools.
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Code-signing technology ensures the origin and
integrity of applications and drivers that run
on Windows platforms. This paper provides
guidelines for chief technology officers or
chief security officers who deploy their
company’s code-signing infrastructure, test lab
managers who implement test signing and
application verification for IT professionals
and developers, and build engineers who sign and
verify applications for use with Windows.
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By automating management, IT departments can reduce operational costs while
increasing security. Find out how to provide a secure environment for managing
user identities, authentication methods, and access rights across an
organization's internal and external users.
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Microsoft Forefront Client Security provides
unified virus and spyware protection for
business desktops, laptops, and server operating
systems. Through simplified administration and
integration with existing infrastructure,
Forefront Client Security helps you protect your
business. Learn more about the product, watch
the
video demo, and sign up for the
public beta.
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Support and Troubleshooting
How-to Articles
Hotfixes
Knowledge Base Articles
See a selection of
new Knowledge Base articles on the TechNet Web site.
KB articles now 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
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This guide will provide IT professionals with specific recommendations and tools
about how to guard against real-world security threats, such as malware, and how
to better protect sensitive data. It will be available as a free download on the
Security Solutions & Compliance site on Microsoft.
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The Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) Self-Assessment Tool is based on best
practices from MOF, the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), and the Microsoft
Infrastructure Optimization Model. The tool is designed to enable IT managers to
better understand the effectiveness of the IT services and processes in the
organization, define a specific problem or opportunity regarding IT services and
processes, and identify tailored follow-up actions based on the information
provided.
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Webcasts
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Join this webcast September 26, 2006, 9:30 AM
Pacific Time
In an attempt to strengthen the security of data
network and data storage, Microsoft IT deployed
an early version of Windows that provided
improved defenses against the threats of
unauthorized access and communications.
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Join this webcast October 24, 2006, 9:30 AM
Pacific Time
Learn how Microsoft adopted the many new
features of Microsoft Internet Security and
Acceleration Server 2006 to lower costs, improve
user experience as well as improved secure Web
publishing.
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Join this webcast September 28, 2006, 9:30 AM
Pacific Time
Are you thinking of upgrading to Microsoft SQL
Server 2005 and don’t know which edition fits
your needs? In this session, you will learn
about the key differences between each edition
of SQL Server 2005.
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Join this webcast September 21, 2006, 9:30 AM
Pacific Time
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services includes new
ad-hoc reporting capabilities. This session will
explain the architecture behind the Report
Builder, demonstrate the end-user capabilities
of the Report Builder client, and show you how
to easily build business data models for end
users to report against.
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Join this webcast October 17, 2006, 8:00 AM
Pacific Time
Wish you had a smart tool to assess your IT
environment before migration and automate
time-consuming server deployments? Sign up for
this webcast and learn more from Product Manager
Baldwin Ng about what ADS can do for you.
Capacity is limited, so e-mail us today at
smbwcast@microsoft.com.
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Join this webcast September 27, 2006, 11:00 AM
Pacific Time
Scientific Computing, in association
with Microsoft, presents “Emerging Trends in
HPC,” an overview of how high-performance
computing is becoming more accessible to a more
mainstream audience, and takes a look at future
trends.
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Catch the best of TechNet webcasts from the last month in mini versions (10
minutes or less). Then, if you want more, you can watch the whole webcast!
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On Demand
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Learn how Microsoft IT uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and
Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Messaging and Security Feature Pack to improve how
it does mobile messaging.
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Whether you are just starting to use Group Policy or are currently using Group
Policy and want more out of it, join us for this free series of webcasts. Get a
comprehensive view of Group Policy from the very basics of "What Is Group
Policy?" to more advanced topics such as "Troubleshooting and Maintenance with
the GPMC."
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Tune in to these webcasts to learn steps you can take to grow your IT
organization into a more integrated and flexible system. Hear from subject
matter experts as they provide scenario-based solutions for management, identity
and access management, data protection, and client consistency, and answer your
questions about improving your organization’s infrastructure.
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Continuing with this month’s theme of scripting, we speak with Don Jones, a
noted guru in the world of Windows administrative scripting. He breaks it down
with Kevin Remde, guiding you on your quest to master scripting.
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Virtual Labs
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Try the new features of Windows Vista Beta 2 through these guided, hands-on
virtual labs. In these labs you'll learn to deploy operating system images using
Windows Deployment Services, configure User Account Control for standard and
administrative users via group policy, and more. There's no installation or
setup required and virtual labs are free.
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The SQL Server 2005 virtual labs have been refreshed and are ready to go. New
virtual labs will be added periodically. Bookmark this page and check back
often.
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TechNet Subscribers Only
TechNet Plus Subscribers Only
Windows Vista RC1 Is Now Available on TechNet Plus
Subscription!
Windows Vista advancements in security and reliability,
along with its cost and operational efficiencies, give
you and your users confidence in your company PCs. With
Windows Vista, users have clear ways to organize and
view their information, which enables them to focus on
the most important aspect of their jobs. Windows Vista
communication, mobility, and networking features keep
users connected to people, information, and devices.
Combined, these benefits bring clarity to your world and
to the world of your end users.
Sign-in to get your product keys and to download
Windows Vista RC1 and other software.
Received TechNet Flash from a Friend?
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.
Scripting for IT Pros
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This new Hey, Scripting Guy! column shows how to use Microsoft Office Excel from
within Windows PowerShell.
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What's that? You had no idea the Dictionary object even existed, let alone know
what you can use it for? That's OK: by amazing coincidence this month's Sesame
Script tells you everything you need to know about the Dictionary object.
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This new Hey, Scripting Guy! column shows how to find all the Word documents in
a folder -- on a local or remote computer -- and count the total number of
pages.
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Volume 8, Issue 19 
September 20, 2006 |
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Tell Us Your IT Interests and Get News to Match
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Events
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Microsoft CIO Summit
November 13-15, 2006, Microsoft
Corporate Campus, Redmond, WA
Please join us an exceptional panel of
speakers, including Microsoft CEO Steve
Ballmer, at the Fall 2006 Microsoft CIO
Summit -- a meeting of CIOs from
enterprise businesses across the
country. |
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Microsoft
Tech-Ed: IT Forum
November
14-17, 2006, Barcelona, Spain
Challenge the best minds . . . and
discover more. Experience four days of
deep technical training dedicated to IT
professionals, covering the latest and
soon-to-be-released Microsoft
infrastructure products. |
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Managing
Your Cross-Platform Data: Solutions for
Oracle and SQL Server Environments
Thursday, October 12, 2006, 7:30 AM -
4:00 PM, Phoenix
Are you an Oracle professional who has
cross-platform responsibilities or who
needs to transfer your skill set to SQL
Server? Are you an IT manager seeking
database computing environment
improvements for your organization? This
event features Oracle professionals
teaching key concepts about SQL Server
in enterprise database computing
environments. |
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San
Diego NPA (SDNPA)
Join SDNPA on September 21 for its next
planning meeting.
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New
England Information Security Group
(NEISG)
Join NEISG on September 21 for its
monthly user group meeting.
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BDPA-New
York (BDPA-NY)
Join BDPA-NY on September 21 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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Capital
DotNetNuke Users Group (C-DUG)
Join C-DUG on September 21 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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San
Luis Obispo Society for Technical
Communication (SLO STC)
Join SLO STC on September 24 for its
annual potluck and planning meeting. |
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Alabama
Small and Medium Business User Group
(ASMBUG)
Join ASMBUG on September 26 for its
monthly user group meeting.
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Enterprise
Developers Guild (DevGuild)
Join DevGuild on September 26 in
Charlotte for its next meeting, titled
“Shallow Dive into Sharepoint v3.” |
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BDPA-
Richmond Chapter (BDPA-RMAC)
Join BDPA-RMAC on September 26 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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NY
SBS User’s Group (BYSBS)
Get updated on SBS 2003 R2, Windows
Vista, and 2007 Microsoft Office System
at the Small Business Server (SBS) 2003
Partner Group Tour on September 26. |
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Pittsburgh
Exchange Users Group (PGHEX)
Join PGHEX on September 27 for its first
user group meeting. |
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• |
South
Florida SBS User’s Group (SOFLSBS)
Join SOFLSBS on September 27 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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• |
New
York LAN Association (NYLANA)
Join NYLANA on September 27 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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• |
Delaware
Valley SharePoint User Group (DVSUG)
Join DVSUG on September 27 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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• |
DFW
Small Business Server User’s Group (DFW
SBS)
Join DFW SBS on September 28 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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NY
Metro SQL Server User Group (NYEXUG)
Join NYEXUG on September 28 for its
monthly user group meeting. |
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• |
Microsoft
IT Pros of Tulsa
Join Microsoft IT Pros of Tulsa on
September 29 at a TechNet Event
featuring Windows Vista and Exchange
Server 2003 and 2007. |
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• |
How
To VS .Net (HTV)
Join HTV on September 28 and October 5
in Fayetteville, TN, for its weekly user
group meetings. |
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• |
Windows
Networking Solutions Users Group
(WiNSUG)
Attend the WiNSUG Southern CA Geek Beach
Bash – An End of Summer Party on
September 30. |
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• |
San
Francisco NT Users Group (SFNTUG)
Join SFNTUG on October 3 in Fresno for
its monthly meeting. |
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• |
San
Francisco NT Users Group (SFNTUG)
Join SFNTUG on October 3 in Rancho
Cordova for its monthly meeting. |
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• |
San
Francisco NT Users Group (SFNTUG)
Join SFNTUG on October 3 for its monthly
meeting. |
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• |
ISSA
- Sacramento Valley Chapter (ISSA-SVC)
Join ISSA-SVC on October 3 for its board
meeting. |
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• |
Windows
Networking Solutions Users Group
(WiNSUG)
Join WiNSUG on October 5 for its monthly
user group meeting. |
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• |
New
York LAN Association (NYLANA)
Attend the Ultimate IT Pit Stop on
October 5 and discover how to get more
power and control from your Active
Directory database. |
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• |
New
York LAN Association (NYLANA)
Join NYLANA on October 5 at the “Ignite
Your Coding Skills” event and learn hot
new skills and coding techniques from
MSDN Events. |
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• |
ISSA
- Sacramento Valley Chapter (ISSA-SVC)
Join ISSA-SVC on October 10 for Tech
Nite for a presentation on wireless. |
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• |
Technology
Wizards (TW-SBS)
Join TW-SBS on October 11 for its
monthly meeting. |
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• |
Puget
Sound Small Business Server User Group
(PSSBS)
Join PSSBS on October 19 for its monthly
meeting. |
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Training/Books
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• |
Sysinternals
Video Library Now Available
A personal tutorial from Sysinternals
tools creator Mark Russinovich and
Windows Internals coauthor David Solomon
on six DVDs covering essential advanced
Windows troubleshooting topics. |
|
• |
Get
Certified for Live Communications Server
2005
Take advantage of expanding market
opportunities within unified
communications by taking the new
Technical Specialist certification exam
for Microsoft Office Live Communications
Server 2005. This new exam measures the
ability to plan, implement, configure,
and manage a Live Communications Server
2005 environment. |
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• |
See
the New Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
Architecture
See the updates to the message store,
changes in the communication between
server roles, and more in this free
clinic. |
|
• |
Getting
Started with Microsoft Windows
SharePoint Services 3.0 (Beta)
Gain an understanding of the skills and
knowledge required for organizational
deployment with this e-clinic and
hands-on lab. |
|
• |
Download Free Sample Chapters:
Introducing Windows Vista
What’s new and improved in Windows
Vista? Learn how it can help improve
security, productivity, and deployment
in your organization. |
|
• |
Polish
Your SQL Server Expertise
Learn database administration, database
development, or business intelligence
online in new hands-on SQL Server 2005
workshops from Microsoft E-Learning. |
|
• |
Train
in Advance on Exchange Server 2007
Find great deals on Exchange Server 2007
and 2007 Microsoft Office system
training by Learning Solutions partners
in a city near you. |
|
• |
Find
Training for SQL Server 2005
Work toward certification or update your
skills with these great deals on SQL
Server 2005 training from Learning
Solutions partners. |
|
• |
Leap Ahead with Microsoft E-Learning
Effective, multimedia online courses on
key Microsoft products and technologies
can help you take your career to the
next level. |
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© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, Active Directory, ActiveSync, BitLocker, Internet
Explorer, MSDN, SharePoint, Visual Studio, Windows, Windows
mobile, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks
or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States
and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of
their respective owners.
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