TS Tidbits

The transition has begun!

2005-11-02T01:50:00Z

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 location for great information from Marc, Steve & Terry.

System Center Reporting Manager 2005 (Beta)

2005-10-25T18:18:00Z

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. The foundation of System Center Reporting Manager 2005 (Beta) is a new data warehouse that integrates multi-management groups from MOM and multiple SMS operational databases into a single data warehouse to enable better decision making more quickly via "Better Together" reports.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/systemcenter/evaluation/overview/reporting/beta.mspx

We encourage you to install System Center Reporting Manager 2005 (Beta), MOM 2005, and SMS 2003 SP1 into a test environment and check out this rich reporting solution.

Windows Server 2003 R2 Release Candidate 1 (RC1) is available

2005-10-25T18:15:00Z

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 Pack 1 (SP1). Installing the RC1 software for Windows Server 2003 R2 does not extend the time that you can use the trial version of Windows Server 2003 SP1. The Windows Server 2003 R2 release candidate software is available for evaluation for 180 days.

Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/R2/trial/default.mspx for more information.

SharePoint Portal Server SP2 Available

2005-10-23T04:14:00Z

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. This service pack combines them into one update.

Download it at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=171DC9A7-B4BA-4759-BD64-6B7D851A97EF

Get it today: Service Pack 2 for Exchange 2003

2005-10-21T01:44:00Z

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. Keep up to date with Direct Push Technology.
It's easy for mobile workers to keep on top of issues with improved Exchange ActiveSync technology that automatically pushes Exchange Server data to mobile devices over HTTP and HTTPS. With SP2, synchronization has been extended to include more Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 properties, including Tasks.

2. Help protect your mobile devices through policy enforcement.
With easily enforceable device policies such as remote wipe, local wipe, and PIN lock, you can more securely enable mobile access to Exchange Server.

3. Boost your defenses with Microsoft Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter and Sender ID.
SP2 raises the bar in the antispam war. The latest Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter incorporates checks against phishing scams and domain spoofing tactics.

4. Support larger mailboxes with the raised storage limit in Standard Edition.
Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition can now accommodate your users' demands for larger mailboxes. In SP2, storage limits have increased to 75 gigabytes (GB).

5. Simplify public folder administration
If your company uses public folders, SP2 brings a number of improvements to make them easier to manage and maintain, such as new wizards for easier administration, folder deletion logging and added replication controls.

6. Get your e-mail faster when on the go.
Additional data compression through GZIP reduces synchronization bandwidth and latency giving you a faster experience when sending and receiving messages over mobile devices.

7. Access contact information wirelessly.
Looking up global address list information stored on Exchange Server makes it easier to conduct business when out of the office.

8. Gain more mobile e-mail security options.
Support for Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) message encryption and certificate-based authentication of mobile e-mail gives you more options for more securely handling your mobile e-mail.

9. Migrate with peace of mind with fully supported tools to move from GroupWise.
Get the Migration Wizard and Connector for Novell GroupWise 6.x, included in SP2, now fully supported for co-existence and migration support from GroupWise 6.x to Exchange Server 2003.

10. Extend server consolidation with optimized cached mode.
Administrators now have the ability to force clients into cached mode to help increase the number of active users per server. Also new with SP2, the offline address book has been reformatted to improve cached mode performance. These improvements extend opportunities for site and server consolidation.

We want your "Windows Server Feedback"!

2005-10-10T20:41:00Z

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 into new Service Packs,
Feature Packs, or the next Windows Server release.

https://www.windowsserverfeedback.com/

Tech Night Live Partner Demo Contest Results

2005-10-03T21:04:00Z

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

Columbus
Berbee
Franklin Computer Services

Cincinnati
Berbee
CAPC Group
KiZAN

Louisville
Rehab Designs

Nashville
ComFrame

Congrats to Chris Haaker from Berbee in Cincinnati. He was the overall Heartland Area winner and will be going to San Francisco for the SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio 2005 & Biztalk Server 2006 launch event on November 7^th.

"Monad" Shell – Publicly available on Microsoft Download Center

2005-10-03T15:24:00Z

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 provides powerful task-based control (via built-in command line tools and utilities) and a powerful scripting language that enables comprehensive scripted control of the Windows operating system and applications. Download "Monad" for X86 or X64 from the Download Center. Watch "Monad" Architect Jeffrey Snover demonstrate "Monad" on a Channel 9 MSDN Video Interview and via two webcasts.

MOM 2005 – Service Pack 1 Documentation Now Available

2005-10-03T15:23:00Z

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/mom/techinfo/productdoc/default.mspx for more information or to download today!

WS-Management – a new Remote Management Protocol -- submitted to DMTF and will ship in Windows Server 2003 R2 and Windows Vista.

2005-09-30T23:42:00Z

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 across a distributed system. The purpose of this new specification is to reduce the overall complexity of management and build management capabilities into the platform itself. The WS-Management specification, co-authored by 12 organizations, was submitted to the Distributed Management Task Force, Inc. (DMTF®) in August 2005. The submission follows a number of feedback and interoperability workshops. Co-authors of the WS-Management specification have increased from 5 to 12 in 2005. The twelve co-authors include Microsoft Corp., Intel Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Dell, Sun Microsystems, Symantec Corp., Novell Inc., Computer Associates Inc. (CA), BMC Software Inc., WBEM Solutions Inc., Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, and NEC Corp. Bob Muglia, senior vice president of the Windows Server™ Division, announced the submission in his keynote address at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2005 (PDC05) in Los Angeles. Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 will be able to monitor the new WS-Management service and collect hardware events as part of the Base OS Management pack for Windows Server 2003 R2. Read the press release and find out more information about WS-Management including an overview and a whitepaper describing how to use WS-Management protocol (Windows Remote Management Service and Utility) in Windows Server 2003 R2 for hardware management.

Rescue Data Like a Hero With System Center Data Protection Manager

2005-09-30T23:40:00Z

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 protection, and operational simplicity.

Download the evaluation version of DPM today. http://www.microsoft.com/dpm.

Microsoft Solution Accelerator for Business Desktop Deployment 2.5 is available

2005-09-29T12:41:00Z

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 issues discovered during the process; Set up an initial lab environment with deployment and imaging servers; Customize and package core and supplemental applications; Automate desktop image creation and deployment; Ensure that the desktop is hardened to improve security within the environment; Manage processes and technologies to produce a comprehensive and integrated deployment.

The Solution Accelerator for BDD solution contains guidance, sample templates, and technology files (such as scripts and configuration files). It presents deployment guidance as feature team guides that thoroughly explain each deployment process. The guidance in the Solution Accelerator for BDD is structured according to the feature teams and processes described in Figure 1.

What's New in Solution Accelerator for BDD v2.5
The most recent version of the Solution Accelerator for BDD as of this writing is version 2.5. It includes many improvements over version 2.0 and addresses issues that customers reported with version 2.0. For example, version 2.5 now supports unattended installations of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and the Computer Imaging System contains usability improvements such as per-build action lists. Version 2.5 also contains updated documentation, including an improved Security Feature Team Guide, an Application Compatibility Feature Team Guide that is updated for the Application Compatibility Toolkit 4.0, and a new Supplemental Applications Feature Team Guide that provides better guidance for repackaging applications and automating their installations. Last, version 2.5 improves the reliability, versatility, and manageability of Zero Touch Installation (ZTI). For example, you can now monitor ZTI progress by using MOM 2005.

Office 2003 SP2 Now available

2005-09-29T01:13:00Z

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

How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot with Security, Part 1

2005-09-18T16:22:00Z

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 to continue the snake-oil theme that we started with the security myths series and to write about some of the well-meaning things that people do for security that instead result in breaking things. Whereas the myths were high-level concepts, this series will be more technical. The objective is to help you better understand some of the things we do to provide security, and how they may break things unless we are really careful in how we use them."

Check out the current article in its entirity at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0905.mspx.

Microsoft Location Finder

2005-09-18T13:39:00Z

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 access points - or reverse IP lookup when WiFi is not available - to center and display the person's location on an MSN Virtual Earth map, enabling the user to quickly and easily search in their present location.

Kinda cool. Check it out.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=B5E8C83A-EA8E-4464-9980-7B6A8DD1013C