Since we now have 3 Partner Technology Specialists in the Heartland area, we are migrating the blog to one where all 3 of us can contribute. New posts beginning today will be posted to http://blogs.technet.com/hlapts . Please begin visiting that new...

System Center Reporting Manager 2005 (Beta) delivers a rich platform for enterprise analysis of management data so that IT administrators, managers, and executives can query, report, and forecast IT operations for higher service quality at a lower price...

Windows Server 2003 R2 release candidate software is available to download for evaluation in both x64 and x86 versions. Windows Server 2003 R2 RC1 software cannot be installed on anything other than software versions of Windows Server 2003 with Service...

Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Portal Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) contains significant security enhancements, in addition to stability and performance improvements. Some of the fixes included with SP2 have been previously released as separate updates...

Service Pack 2 for Exchange 2003 is available NOW! http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/downloads/2003/sp2/download.mspx While there are many excellent reasons to install Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2), these 10 reasons top the list. 1....

Help us improve Windows Server by providing us with your suggestions and ideas. All feedback submitted will be sent to the Windows Server Development Team for review and analysis. Your ideas can impact Windows Server in many ways, and might even be incorporated...

Thanks a ton to the 11 individuals who presented during our Partner Showcase / Demo Contest across the six cities. All partners who presented are listed below with the winer in each city in bold. Detroit C/D/H NuSoft Cleveland Devore S.B. Stone...

Windows "Monad" Shell is a new interactive command-line and task-based scripting technology for Windows that enables administrators to more efficiently and securely automate and control system management tasks on both desktops and servers. "Monad" Shell...

MOM 2005 SP1 documentation is now available at the Microsoft Download Center. These documents will provide guidance and explain features & functionality that will help you plan for, deploy, and administer MOM 2005 SP1. Visit http://www.microsoft.com...

Web-Services for Management (WS-Management) is a multi-vendor initiative to develop a standard protocol for remote management. WS-Management will allow management vendors and development tools to use a common method of communicating management information...

On Sept. 27, Microsoft’s entry into the backup and recovery market begins with the launch of System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM), a new server software application that provides rapid and reliable disk-based recovery, efficient and near continuous...

This accelerator provides proven tools and practices that enable IT professionals to: Create a software and hardware inventory to assist in deployment planning; Test applications for compatibility with Windows XP Professional and mitigate the compatibility...

Get Office 2003 Service Packs at http://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/prodinfo/sp2.mspx You'll find: Office 2003 SP2 Office 2003 SP2 for Proofing Tools OneNote 2003 SP2 Project 2003 SP2 Project Server 2003 SP2 Visio 2003 SP2

In the past, we have highlighted Security focused articles by Jesper Johansson. He hasn't done a column lately but is back in the groove. He says: "A while ago, I took a hiatus from writing these articles. Now I am back and I thought it would be fun...

Microsoft Location Finder is a client-side application that turns a regular WiFi enabled laptop, Tablet or PC into a location determining device without the addition of any separate hardware. When launched by a user, Microsoft Location Finder uses WiFi...

You can now evaluate Release Candidate 0 of Windows Server 2003 R2. At http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/R2/default.mspx you'll find great info on R2 including Simplified Identity and Access Management : See how Windows Server 2003 R2...

This document is a high-level user's guide for information technology (IT) professionals who are building and deploying desktops by using the Beta 1 release of Microsoft Windows Vista delivered as part of the Beta 1 program. It is not intended to be a...

Here are some links and events to assist you get ready for SQL Server 2005 SQL Server 2005 Training Resources: https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40017671 SQL Server 2005 Roadshow: http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/sqlserverusa/ Watch for...

Microsoft invites all customers and partners to attend one of four global webcasts live on September 15, 2005 . Senior Microsoft executives will introduce several new technology, support, planning, and training benefits that will boost the value of your...

Have you heard about Microsoft Office OneNote 2003 but aren't yet convinced it's right for you? Or are you simply curious about this new product? Well, you're a couple of minutes away from giving OneNote a try on your very own computer. We're offering...

The SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Discovery Kit includes a series of discovery labs that go beyond learning about a particular component of SharePoint Portal Server 2003 to understanding how to build a divisional portal site solution, how to deploy Web...

Microsoft Exchange Server Service Pack 2 (SP2) will offer a huge leap forward in mobility and security capabilities. Customers and partners can now download a pre-release evaluation for testing purposes. This is an unsupported release that should only...

Discover how to get the most out of Microsoft Office System to save time and be more productive. Tune in to these live and on-demand webcasts for time-saving tips on optimizing today’s Microsoft Office System. Explore products such as Microsoft Outlook...

I thought that the "Format Painter" quiz was cool (even though I didn't get 100%.) But... did you know that there are dozens of Office quizzes??? Check out http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX010380471033.aspx

Take a quiz to see what you know about one-touch formatting. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/QZ012109141033.aspx