Alan's World of IT

SQL Server 2012 Trial Evaluation Now Available

2012-05-04T10:09:13Z

The Evaluation Center team is to announce the launch of the SQL Server 2012 trial evaluation experience. Solution Overview Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is a cloud-ready information platform that will help organizations unlock breakthrough insights and quickly build solutions. SQL Server 2012 extends organizations beyond the database with a cloud-ready information platform that delivers mission critical confidence, breakthrough insight, and cloud on your terms. SQL Server 2012 meets industry requirements...(read more)

Microsoft Solution Accelerators for the Datacenter and Private Cloud Course Launched

2012-04-25T12:00:02Z

We are pleased to announce that the Take the Microsoft Solution Accelerators for the Datacenter and Private Cloud course is now available on the MVA . The Microsoft Solution Accelerators (SAs) are free out-of-band tools and utilities which can be downloaded to enhance existing Microsoft technologies. This course provides an overview of six of the most common SAs used in datacenters, highly virtualized environments and private clouds. The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit and Microsoft...(read more)

System Center 2012 Client Management & Security Solutions Launched on Evaluation Center

2012-04-24T10:35:21Z

The Evaluation Center team is proud to announce the launch of System Center 2012 Client Management & Security Solutions, including System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection. Solution Overview A Microsoft private cloud dramatically changes the way your business produces and consumes IT services by creating a layer of abstraction over your pooled IT resources. This allows your datacenter to offer true infrastructure service capability as well as optimally...(read more)

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Courses Released

2012-03-08T11:27:56Z

We are pleased to announce that the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 courses are now available on the MVA. We have released 5 courses as the first part of SQL materials. Breakthrough Insights using Microsoft SQL Server 2012 : Analysis Services and Credible, Consistent data Learn about the new features of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 that will provide you with Breakthrough Insights into your data. You’ll learn about Self-Service Alerting, Reporting and Analysis Services and Power View and how to integrate your...(read more)

TechNet Radio: IT Time - Microsoft Virtual Academy Preview – Windows “8”, SQL Server 2012 and System Center 2012

2012-03-05T19:01:51Z

The latest edition of the MVA Preview show on TechNet Radio’s IT Time series is now live. This edition looks at the upcoming release of the Windows Server “8”, SQL Server 2012 and System Center 2012 Operations Manager courses. Also we will preview of what you can expect for each as well as courses on Windows XP to Windows 7 migration and Windows Intune. TechNet Radio: IT Time - Microsoft Virtual Academy Preview – Windows "8", SQL Server 2012 and System Center 2012...(read more)

Windows Server “8” First Look Course Released

2012-03-02T22:17:55Z

We are pleased to announce that the Windows Server “8” First Look course is now available on the MVA . Release to coincide with the release of the preview bits this first look is a single module course covering the product. There are many new features and updates and in this short course we can only cover these at a high level, the deeper dive into the product will come in a few months. Windows Server “8” First Look...(read more)

Deploying Windows 7 Course released in 10 Languages

2012-02-14T12:09:34Z

I’m pleased to announce that today the “Deploying Windows 7” course has been published to the MVA. This course originated in the Deployment Learning Portal (DLP). While the DLP itself has been phased out, it will continue to live within the MVA and in the 10 languages listed below. Tomorrow we will release the component at the backend that will ensure all existing DLP registered students will be credited with the same progress level in the MVA that they achieved in the DLP. For existing DLP students...(read more)

MVA January TechNet Radio show Now Live!!

2012-01-10T18:39:58Z

The January MVA TechNet Radio show is now live. In this show listen to the MVA Dean discuss the upcoming MVA courses on Private Cloud, System Center 2012 scenarios such as Application Management, Orchestrator, Data Protection, Operations and Service Manager as well SQL Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008 R2 courses. He also lays the foundation for an upcoming Microsoft Solution Accelerators course on the MAP toolkit and how you can get involved in hands on training at your local IT Pro Camps. To...(read more)

Announcing the release of the Private Cloud Infrastructure course

2011-12-23T17:42:39Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Private Cloud Infrastructure course. This course focuses on how using technologies and tools from Microsoft can help your business build, deploy, and maintain a private cloud. The course covers the core Windows Server products, and how to use them to build and support the virtualized and physical resources that are part of your private cloud infrastructure. You will be exposed to common cloud computing configuration and...(read more)

Announcing the release of the Understanding Microsoft’s High Availability Solutions course

2011-12-13T22:44:32Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Understanding Microsoft’s High Availability Solutions course. This course covers the best ways to provide continual availability to all applications, services, servers and VMs in your datacenter. The modules will cover all the planning, deployment and management considerations for bringing high-availability to every components of your datacenter or Private Cloud. By the end of this course you will have an understanding of...(read more)

Announcing the release of the System Center Configuration Manager 2012 course

2011-12-09T16:20:01Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the System Center Configuration Manager 2012 course. This course provides an overview of the new System Center Configuration Manager 2012 (SCCM) product. After completing this course you will understand the features that enable SCCM to: Easily distribute applications to users, regardless of device or form factor. Perform software updates. Device management improvements. The course will also cover how SCCM makes it easier...(read more)

MVA December TechNet Radio show Now Live!!

2011-12-07T17:55:38Z

The December MVA TechNet Radio show is now live. The show covers what’s happen in the Academy now and what is coming down the line. This show focuses on the System Center Virtual Manager 2012 and System Center Configuration Manager 2012 courses. Get a sneak peek of what’s in these course. what Consumerization of IT is and how it relates to the System Center Configuration Manager course. To get involved send your questions to Further Episode Questions and we will try and answer them in the show. December...(read more)

Announcing the Release of the ‘System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012” course to the Microsoft Virtual Academy

2011-11-22T21:53:13Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 course. This course focuses on how using System Center Virtual Machine Manger 2012 can help your business build, deploy, and maintain a private cloud. After completing these three modules you will have learnt about the Virtual Machine Manger 2012 product, and the features it utilizes to build and support the virtualized and physical resources that are part of your private...(read more)

November MVA TechNet Radio show Live

2011-11-16T19:55:59Z

The November MVA TechNet Radio show is now live. This month show cover what’s happen in the Academy now and what is coming down the line. This show focuses on the Private Cloud courses that will releasing at the end of November and looking forward to the courses coming in 2012. To get involved send your questions to Further Episode Questions and we will try and answer them in the show. November Episode...(read more)

Announcing the Availability of the Microsoft Office 365 Deployment Guide for Enterprises - September Update

2011-09-29T11:41:57Z

The September update to the Microsoft Office 365 Deployment Guide for Enterprises has been released. This guide is referenced in the Office 365 courses on the Microsoft Virtual Academy and will build on the training material in those courses. In addition to the PDF version of the Deployment Guide, an updated web edition has been released. The web edition provides all of the same content of the document version, as well as the following: Concise search and index features that filter search results...(read more)

First Monthly MVA TechNet Radio show Live

2011-09-26T10:44:12Z

The first of the monthly Radio shows we are recording about all things MVA is now live. Over the next few months we’ll have features about what’s happen in the Academy now and what is coming down the line. In the first show we celebrate the first 6 months of the global MVA, we’ll cover what we’ve done in the last 6 months and look ahead to the what is coming down the line. One feature we will include in future episodes is the chance to have your question answered on air. For the next episode you...(read more)

Announcing the Release of the ‘Office 365 for the IT Pro – Lync Online, SharePoint Online & Deployment” course to the Microsoft Virtual Academy

2011-07-26T14:37:41Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Office 365 for the IT Pro – Lync Online, SharePoint Online & Deployment course. Wondering how Exchange Online differs from Exchange on premises, and what it takes to migrate or coexist between the two? The Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) has a new course that covers this new Exchange Online product and offering. If your organization looking for new ways to collaborate then the new Lync Online and SharePoint Online offerings...(read more)

Announcing the Release of the ‘Office 365 for the IT Pro – Exchange Online” course to the Microsoft Virtual Academy

2011-07-21T13:36:02Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Office 365 for the IT Pro – Exchange Online course. Wondering how Exchange Online differs from Exchange on premises, and what it takes to migrate or coexist between the two? The Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) has a new course that covers this new Exchange Online product and offering. The track covers Exchange Online from an IT Pros perspective. The first modules cover an overview of the product and then the important topic...(read more)

Announcing the Release of the ‘Office 365 for the IT Pro – Platform” course to the Microsoft Virtual Academy

2011-07-04T14:37:00Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Office 365 for the IT Pro – Platform course . If you are looking to exploring the features of Office 365, or wondering if it’s right for your business this 5 module course will provide you valuable information on the core Office 365 features. Looking at Office 365 from an IT Pros perspective, the course covers an overview of the all up offering. Following on, subsequent modules cover how to deploy clients and how to configure...(read more)

Announcing the Release of the ‘Enhancing Your Business and Career with the Private Cloud” course to the Microsoft Virtual Academy

2011-06-17T18:32:42Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Enhancing Your Business and Career with the Private Cloud course. This course contains 3 modules which focuses on how the private cloud can help your business and your IT Pro career. The first module starts by covering the cloud business drivers and business processes. The subsequent modules will be discuss cloud computing at the business level and then show you how to extend that knowledge to the technical level. The final...(read more)

Announcing the Release of the ‘Microsoft Virtualization for the VMware Professional – VDI” course to the Microsoft Virtual Academy

2011-06-03T16:48:51Z

The Microsoft Virtual Academy team would like to announce the release of the Microsoft Virtualization for the VMware Professional - VDI course. Centralizing desktops and client computers is an increasing important consideration for all IT departments as they begin to evaluate Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). Using VDI to consolidate maintenance activities reduces the time which end-users must spend on OS and application deployment, configuration, patching and compliance, while decreasing hardware...(read more)

Follow the Microsoft Virtual Academy on the Social Networks

2011-05-12T10:59:10Z

Since we launched the Microsoft Virtual Academy back in March at MMS 2011 we've had a amazing number of people register and take the courses on offer. We've also had an amazing amount of positive feedback and suggestions for improvements. We've made some of the requested changes and continue to implement those requests. One area we did not have available at launch was a way to stay in touch with us via social networks. We are now implementing these features and you can now join the conversation via...(read more)

The original pool of internet addresses has officially run dry!

2011-02-08T12:55:53Z

With the news that the original pool of internet addresses has officially run dry , the move to IPv6 is the next step. So with that in mine I thought it would be useful to provide a list of resources available on TechNet about IPv6. Article: Introduction to IP Version 6 Webcast: Introduction to IPv6 Book: Understanding IPv6, Second Edition Article: IPv6 Transition Technologies Article: IPv6 Security Considerations and Recommendations Learning Article: IPv6 Learning Roadmap Blog: IPv6 product team...(read more)

Easy Access to Unified Access Gateway!

2011-01-28T17:42:10Z

The “Deploying” series of books Microsoft Press have brought out are short to the point manuals. The three published all cover the Forefront Product range, Threat Management Gateway 2010 , Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server and this one Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010 . Will there be more? I don’t know. What I do know is that the format is an interesting departure from the traditional Resource kit or Administrators companion. I recently reviewed Deploying Microsoft Forefront Threat...(read more)

Get TMG running fast with Deploying Microsoft® Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010

2011-01-11T12:04:08Z

Microsoft Press have just released a series of three “Deployment” guides for the Forefront product range. The three guides, for Threat Management Gateway 2010, Unified Access Gateway 2010 and Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server are a new concise style. These are very short guides, between 70 and 140 pages, but written with the goal of just providing the details to help you get these product deployed. The Threat Management Gateway edition is 79 pages long, it’s divided into 3 chapters covering...(read more)