Deploying the infrastructure for a private cloud is just the first step. In today’s episode Sr. IT Pro Evangelist, John Baker previews for us the “Infrastructure and Application Performance Monitoring” Virtual lab. Learn how you can use System Center 2012 Operations Manager and Virtual Machine Manager...

In this episode John Baker previews the “Building Your Cloud Infrastructure” Virtual lab. Learn how you can use System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 to streamline network and storage resources that are allocated to virtual machines as well as how to create new Hyper-V hosts and host clusters. TechNet...

We are about to kick off a new Webcast series on System Center 2012. Below is all the registration information. I will also have a post with the recordings.   5/29/2012 11:00:00 AM - Bare Metal to Private Cloud (Part 1 of 8): Beginning with the End in Mind http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9809577...

I will be doing a bunch of IT Camps in May. These are full day (9-3) free events on Upgrading your Servers, System Center 2012, and Windows Server 2012. They do have some hands on if you bring the right machine, you will leave with the software if you have the storage. May 2 ITT Tech North Houston I...

This is cool. Microsoft is willing to PAY you to try some software and learn some stuff. And you could also win a very slick laptop in the process. “Huh? Seriously?” Well.. in a sense. We’re announcing today an opportunity for a limited (roughly 5,000) number of people to get a $20 coupon for the Microsoft...

Today is day 2 of MMS 2012, April 17th, 2012.  I just can’t believe the number of Announcements that have come out today. First here at the Keynote at MMS we announced the world wide availability of  System Center 2012. To download the trial go to http://aka.ms/syscntr If you missed the keynote...

I had two sessions at this year’s Microsoft Management Summit (MMS 2012).   On this post I will include the PowerPoints for the decks I used. Also I will update this post when the sessions become live on http://mms-2012.com   They were recorded and I understand they will be made public...

This week Microsoft announced some major changes in our certification program.  Why? Well with the Cloud taking off, it’s time for an update. MCSE is now Microsoft Certified Solution Expert.  If you remember 20 years ago, here in Texas we had problems using MCSE, because then “e” was Engineer...

System Center Advisor has Launched! Today’s IT professionals spend an enormous amount of time and effort addressing problems related to incorrectly configured servers. To help combat this challenge, Microsoft is pleased to announce the general availability of System Center Advisor (formerly Microsoft...

About This Video Microsoft MVP Sai Kev is with us for today’s Community Corner and in this episode we talk about the business and technical benefits you should consider when thinking about Hyper-V and System Center 2012. Tune in they cover their unique value and how they complement each other as well...

About This Video Microsoft System Center MVP, James Bannan joins us in today’s Community Corner as we discuss all things System Center 2012 Configuration Manager. Tune in as we cover some of its latest features as well as some best practices for establishing your private cloud infrastructure. Download...

About This Video Microsoft MVP Vishnu Kumar Tiwari joins us today as he shares with us some insight into Windows Azure AppFabric and some of its best features for IT Pros. Tune in as he covers what benefits there are to private cloud and virtualized IT environments as well as what you can do to prepare...

Windows Server 8 (Beta) is finally here. Yesterday was Windows 8, the Client operating system. Today one day later is the Server product for all you IT pros out there. Yes we know applications are king, but they have to run on something! From the download page: Windows Server "8" is the...

To successfully face the IT challenges of today and tomorrow, we know we need to understand the cloud. However with so much fluff it is hard to decipher what is important. Get your questions answered by the Cloud Experts! You will learn where to spend your time learning and what tools you should have...

Probably the worst kept secret today. Yes the Customer Preview is available for download today. Did we slow the internet today? Get your Windows 8 Preview here Windows 8 Consumer Preview It's Windows reimagined and reinvented from a solid core of Windows 7 speed and reliability. It's an all-new touch...

  March 1st  http://dfwitprofessionals.com   monthly meeting 6PM at MSFT offices Spring Break! March 27th Dallas Cloud Fest  http://www.sharecloud.org/   I will be speaking on Hybrid Cloud, and Private Cloud March 28th Dallas AITP Chapter, I will be speaking on Microsoft Private...

http://www.technet.com has so many great Tech Centers. Check out this one for System Center http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh751290.aspx One of the newest parts of System Center 2012 is the Unified Installer, so I thought I would share the documentation here: Updated: January 17, 2012 Applies...

In the previous tutorial, we helped you set up your Windows Intune environment so that you can get ready to manage and secure PCs through the web-based administration console. Specifically, we provided steps to guide you around the administration console, add administrators to the administration console...

In this article, we will help you set up your Windows Intune environment so that you can manage and secure enrolled PCs through the web-based administration console. The second tutorial will help you install the client software on PCs you will manage and configure groups to help organize the computers...

Since my article on Windows Intune, I have gotten a lot of questions. So I am going to start a series of Windows Intune blog post. More on Windows Intune can be found at: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hh781469 To view the Help for the latest release of Windows Intune, see the Windows Intune...

I will be speaking at this conference March 27th in Dallas. Because I am a speaker, you get 25% off, use code “MicroDal-25” when you register. Look for my sessions on Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud. Choose from Cloud and SharePoint Sessions: · Cloud o Cloud Overview & Roadmaps...

Our next set of IT Pro events (“ IT Camps ”) in the US Central Region have been scheduled and are now officially open for registration! The events are free, go from 9:00am to 3:00pm , and include some light breakfast and lunch. But most importantly, they are full of new and useful information...

My article just got published on Petri! http://www.petri.co.il/what-is-windows-intune.htm What is Windows Intune? Many times over the last year I have been asked the question, “What is Windows Intune?” I like to describe Windows Intune as the cloud service helps you centrally manage and secure...

I am updating/reposting this. We just got new links to the System Center 2012 Release Candidates. · System Center 2012 Beta all in one download Cloud – Care: System Center 2012 Suite Download page I get asked all of the time, hey where is that or that software. We are always coming out with...

On this episode, Tom Shinder and Yuri Diogenes interviewed John Weston, IT PRO Evangelist at Microsoft. During this interview John Weston talked about the Security Conference BSidesDFW that happened last November 2011 at Microsoft Las Colinas Office in Texas. John Weston also explained some security...