January 2008 Entries
I have recently been introduced to a company called PostPath. They are a new technology company that have created a Linux-based alternative to Microsoft's Exchange. Their proposition is that Microsoft Outlook is the killer application. As long as users can run Outlook and have all the features and functionality that they are used to, it shouldn't matter what is serving it up on the back end. And if that back end can run on cheaper hardware and storage with a highly-flexible open source OS, all the...
I love Thinkpads. For the Windows or Linux-based laptop IMO there isn't a better combination of performance and features around. They are rock solid and well thought out. It was with great sadness when I was forced to change from a Thinkpad Tp60 to a Dell Latitude D620 as a result of a job change. Now I have noticed that Lenovo is coming out with some consumer-oriented laptops that look absolutely stunning. If they carry over on the same performance, reliability and thoughtfulness of design they...
One of the nicest things in Exchange 2007 is the way the installation and support interface has been improved. So much has been written about PowerShell but I am a big fan of the way they continue to improve the GUI experience as well. First of all, the subtle use of providing PowerShell syntax with every wizard execution is a great way to make beginners more comfortable with the command line. The second is the feedback you get upon installation of Exchange server. In days past you would get some...
Ever wonder about the history of the Microsoft Exchange server? How did it progress and what were all of its various features and revisions? I remember first working with Microsoft Mail and then Exchange 5.0 that I implemented for a small college in northern Ohio. It was new and exciting to be working with this new messaging technology which at the time was going on to Windows NT Server 3.51 and 4.0. Those were the days. Barefoot in the snow, uphill, both ways! Read about the past at the always excellent...
Microsoft has released four new whitepapers detailing how Exchange 2007 is used internally. I am a big fan of these papers. I like to see how the maker designs, uses and maintains its own software. You always find some good tips and previously unknown tricks. Some of the best sessions I have ever been to at TechEd have been the "how we do this at Microsoft" ones. Exchange Server 2007 Design and Architecture at Microsoft Managing the Calendaring and Collaboration Process By Using Exchange Server 2007...