The IO Guy

Outlook 2010 tip – multiple Exchange profiles

2009-11-24T00:03:46Z

A new capability in Outlook 2010 is the ability to sync with multiple Exchange Servers. To do this, you must close down Outlook and configure using the Control Panel > Mail applet. This is useful for a number of scenarios when you maintain a mailbox in more than one organization, a connection to an SBS server at home or even with BPOS....(read more)

Microsoft BPOS end-user experience

2009-11-22T23:59:27Z

This article contains screenshots and descriptions of the end-user experience when using BPOS at this point in time (November 2009). Online Services provides a portal when users login, providing links to company resources. Users can also download client based applications. What is available depends on the type of online user is logged in. There are 2 different types of Online Users – full and the Deskless Worker. The Deskless Worker SKU is a reduced functionality client. The information below is...(read more)

What is the optimal use of a web browser?

2009-11-13T18:53:04Z

I was having a ‘discussion that involved opposing views’ with a customer the other day about web browsers. The discussion was around their view that IE8 was ‘slow’. I naturally inquired on how they quantified the description of ‘slow’ and their response was not what I expected. They said it was a fast browser until you opened lots of tabs. This caught my attention, so I asked them what ‘a lot of tabs’ meant. They said they usually have between 40-50 tabs open. This really...(read more)

What is your favourite Windows 7 built-on applet?

2009-10-31T10:21:00Z

Part of leveraging technology is to leverage what is built into the products that you use. What is your favourite Windows 7 built-in applet? http://www.itadvisory.co.nz/pages/polls.aspx...(read more)

Role Based Productivity

2009-10-30T03:21:57Z

Productivity is something that we talk a lot about. But what does Productivity mean? Is productivity a generic term? Does it apply to everyone in the same way? I don’t think so. I think we need to start looking at Productivity on a Role Based basis. By this, I mean that dependent on your Role, Productivity can mean different things to different people. Take for example a few different roles: A production line manager, a marketing executive and a financial controller....(read more)

What’s New in Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2009 R2 (available now)

2009-10-20T20:44:36Z

Today the availability of MDOP 2009 R2 has been announced . MDOP is a set of 6 technologies (currently, this may expand over time) that increase desktop manageability, reduce your TCO, and allow for rapid technology adoption. They are: Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) turns applications into centrally managed services that are never installed, never conflict, and are streamed on demand to end users. Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) provides deployment and management...(read more)

Wake up and Win - Windows 7 PC's on October 22nd

2009-10-18T23:05:08Z

Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and New Zealand’s most famous Number 7 – Richie McCaw, invite you to help celebrate the launch of Windows 7 and HP’s all new range of Windows 7 PC’s. Be part of the moment when Windows 7 becomes available in NZ and have a chance to win a new Hewlett Packard Windows 7 PC, one will be given away every 10 minutes between 7 and 8:15am. Queen Elizabeth Square, Britomart 22nd October 2009, 7am – 8.15am MC Frankie Stevens and music by the Auckland Samba...(read more)

Using the Problem Steps Recorder to solve user issues

2009-10-16T04:16:02Z

One of the unsung heroes of Windows 7 I think is the PSR, or Problem Steps Recorder. This is a built in utility that does 4 things: Takes a screenshot of everything that the user does Records the executable detail and UI components interacted with Saves this into a web file Zips it up ready for sending It is launched by clicking Start and typing “psr”. This is what it looks like: Clicking on the Start Record button: Then you simply do whatever it is that is causing the problem, and it will all be...(read more)

Poll: Do you use Twitter to engage with your current or potential customers?

2009-10-12T19:55:14Z

There is a lot of debate going on at the moment as to whether Twitter, and indeed other Social Media tools can effectively be used to find and engage with customers in a business sense. Personally I believe that Social Media has a huge role to play in how a business engages with the public, customers and partners. After all, people buy from people right? So, here’s a poll: Looking forward to seeing how this pans out. Please also feel free to post comments (these are moderated, but I will...(read more)

TechEd 2009 NZ Online

2009-09-29T00:50:34Z

Just a quick note to let you know that Tech Ed Online is now live for New Zealand. www.microsoft.co.nz/teched From here you can access: NZ Videos (the full Keynote, 15+ full Breakout sessions, 25 Studio TechTalks, and 18 Roaming TechTalks) NZ Presentations (127 presentations publically available) NZ Photos (over 500 pics from the event)...(read more)

VDI – Behind the scenes of the TechEd NZ Hands on Labs!

2009-09-16T06:03:02Z

This is a quick post to show you a real world example of how VDI works and how useful it can be. The team at Intergen ( http://www.intergen.co.nz ) have done a fantastic job getting the TechEd NZ 2009 Hands on Labs running, and showcasing both the Microsoft and Citrix VDI technologies. There’s some really smart boys at Intergen … they even wrote their own Lab Manager in a couple of weeks! So, what’s behind the scenes? The blade enclosure is an HP BladeSystem c7000 DDR2 Onboard Administrator...(read more)

TechEd NZ – CLI200 – Windows 7 Top 10 reasons to deploy

2009-09-14T12:45:16Z

This morning in the first session of TechEd NZ 2009 (#tenz9 on twitter) we presented the Top 10 Reasons we see for businesses to adopt Windows 7. Note that these are the Top 10 reasons , not features. Here’s the list (in no particular order): Deployment enhancements MDT 2010 Driver injection Driver ecosystem Install from USB Remote Working Direct Access Multiple Default Printers Branch Branch Cache SMB 2 User Interface Libraries Search Scopes Jump Lists Aero features – shake etc Keyboard Shortcuts...(read more)

Windows 7 testing and deployment quick start guide

2009-09-03T02:25:00Z

The previous version of this guide was posted prior to the Windows 7 RTM. This has now been updated with some additional information and new links. As before, this guide is to help with getting started quickly and is not intended to replace the official Windows 7 deployment guidance. You can download the new guide from this direct link ....(read more)

Microsoft Technology Solutions Part 1 – Reducing Cost

2009-09-02T11:17:27Z

In the scene setting post of this series I mapped out a set of 3 Microsoft technology areas where we are helping our customers – Reducing Cost, Getting Agile and Efficient, and coping with Growth. In this post, I’m going to cover ‘Step One’ on the path to an effective and optimized technology platform – reducing Cost. Repurposing the ‘De-invest to Re-invest’ mantra, this first post is all about ‘De-investing’. And by De-investing, what I mean is, reducing the amount you are spending on...(read more)

The Microsoft technology solutions that help you save money, get agile and grow

2009-08-25T22:54:00Z

This is the first in a series of posts showcasing the Microsoft technology solutions that can help you save money, build an agile and flexible business and sustain a growing business. A phrase that I heard Brett Roberts use recently was “De-invest to Re-invest” and I really like that. De-invest – meaning to reduce your costs on inefficient technology and get a lean, mean and high performing platform. Re-invest – take a percentage of that money that you just saved and repurpose it to build a productive...(read more)