All in on IT
Follow the progress to launch in 2007
here.
VMWare has for download at its website a pre-compiled virtual machine image for Ubuntu Linux. This is one of my favorite desktop Linux distros due to its stability (Debian core) and ease of use. Check it out for yourself. Ubuntu is a free, open source operating system that starts with the breadth of Debian and adds regular releases (every six months), a clear focus on the user and usability (it should "Just Work", TM) and a commitment to security updates with 18 months of support for every release ......
has been released. Read more about it
here.
GMail has launched a mobile-optimized way to check you mail.
http://m.gmail.com
There is an upcoming chat on Active Directory in a Branch Office configuration tomorrow. Title: Live Branch Chat: Administering and Maintaining the Branch Office Technologies Begin: 12/16/2005 10:00 AM End: 12/16/2005 11:00 AM Description: This chat will focus on the day to day operations that administrators will go through after the solution is deployed. We will discuss configuration, delegation, determining the state of replication, monitoring and best practices that will help administrators keep ......
BetaNews.com reported (along with many others) that Microsoft released Beta 1 of Exchange “12” today to a group of about 1,400 testers. I was all ready to jump on getting a copy of this beta when I remembered it only runs on 64–bit systems. Hmmm, I don't seem to have a spare 64–bit server handy … but I do have Virtual Server R2 and VMWare Workstation 5.5 both of which emulate a 64–bit virtual machine ......
Woo-hoo! It is finally here. Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access has been released. Download it here. Learn how Communicator Web Access can help you extend the reach of Live Communications Server 2005 to a broader range of information workers. Discover the benefits of its universal connection, familiar and easy-to-use interface, and simple, integrated deployment ......
Here’s a great article from Jesper Johansson on assessing security risks with Small Business Server. It dispels the myth that many people have (including myself until I started actually using it and researching it) that SBS (along with the integrated ISA Server) is security-light. And of course, it breaks all of the long held best practices of not putting all of this on the same box … If you work with SBS or are interested in learning more here are some excellent blogs: E-Bitz - SBS ......
Jeff – since
Monday, the issue has not repeated itself. Thanks for the fix.
Now this is fantastic. If you are using Symantec’s excellent Live State product to make recovery images of your mission critical servers and workstations, disaster recovery has gotten a whole lot easier. VMWare Workstation 5.5 now supports taking those images directly to a virtual machine. As well as any Microsoft virtual machine. And the original images stay untouched. Where is Microsoft with this kind of forward-looking feature set? I am going to fire this puppy up and see if it is as easy ......
Registration is now open for MMS 2006, to be held in San Diego this year in April. Click here to access the registration site. This is the premier Microsoft conference for management applications like MOM and SMS but I expect there will also be a heavy focus on the new System Center, Data Protection Manager and Capacity Planner as well ......
I am glad to see this!
BlogJet 1.6.1 supports posting to MSN Spaces. Read all about it
here. I now a lot of people that have been waiting for just such a feature.
The latest version of the Lotus Notes Mail Migration Wizard has been released. This is part of a new wave of products from the Notes compete team at Microsoft to make Notes to Exchange migrations complete with more fidelity. Supports Notes R5 and R6 with Exchange Server 2003 SP2. Download the mail migration wizard here. Download the Connector for Lotus Notes here. Download the Calendar Connector here. More information can be found here as well. The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Migration Wizard ......
For those looking for some more information on SBS 2003 R2, the official SBS support guys blog has some more detailed specs here. Included are some features and licensing details. The also do a weekly podcast this is chocked full of information for the SBS administrator or IT Pro. This week’s focused on ISA Server 2004 on SBS 2003 (premium edition natch) ......
Following in the footsteps of the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer Tool, Microsoft has released a tool for ISA Server 2004. I like this trend and would like to see the same tool rolled out for SQL, SMS, MOM and AD. This is a simple and fairly prescriptive way to do some basic analyzing of your platform architecture based on Microsoft Product Team’s best practices. ISA Server especially can get complex fast if you haven't well thought out your architecture, networks and rule sets. Download it ......
I am pleased to say my photo from the Microsoft SQL 2005 launch event made it to print! In the December 2005 issue of Redmond Magazine, it is shown on page 10, with a credit and my blog address. My thanks to Scott Bekker for the assist.
I blogged previously about all the cool new features in Office 12. Now that I have finally gotten to install the technical beta and kick the tires, here is a shot of the new To-Do Bar from Outlook. One of the better new additions to Outlook.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/r2launch.mspx
Come join the fun. Webcasts, demos and tons of information!
It had been previously announced that the next version of Exchange Server (Exchange Server “12”) would be released only as a 64–bit application. You can now add the next version of Small Business Server to that list as well. Read about it here.
Download this wonderful tool here. The Outlook Web Access (OWA) administration tool provides web-based UI for all administrator tunable OWA settings. It provides a list of all servers in the domain and allows administration of OWA settings on all Front-end and Back-end servers. The tool ensures that settings are correctly written to the server’s registry and provides inline documentation for all configurable features ......
I know I have pointed this out to Jeff before but I just noticed this — it doesn't occur with the main site feed. Only the individual’s blog feeds for some reason. This is FeedDemon for the curious … ......
Two great quotes from the same blog – I will have to keep an eye on it. From Kim Pallister’s blog: "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for ......