Group Policy tools use Administrative template files to populate policy settings in the user interface. This allows administrators to manage registry-based policy settings.  Looking for the admin templates for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012?  Here they are. Go get em @ http://www.microsoft...

Today we announced the final release of System Center 2012 Service Pack 1, which helps deliver on Microsoft’s Cloud OS vision to provide customers with one consistent platform for infrastructure, apps, and data – spanning customer datacenters, hosting service provider datacenters, and the Microsoft public...

The Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) brings together the brightest IT professionals from around the world to increase their technical expertise through deep hands-on training, best-practice sharing, and interaction with innovators in desktop, device, and datacenter management, as well as cloud technologies...

These spreadsheets list the policy settings for computer and user configurations that are included in the Administrative template files delivered with the Windows operating systems specified. You can configure these policy settings when you edit Group Policy Objects. You can use the filtering capabilities...

Interested in going to Seattle for some great technical sessions?  The TechMentor Conference is in August on the Microsoft Campus in the Briefing Center.  The early bird registration deadline looms next week so be sure to book your reservation and save. See the main site at http://techmentorevents...

The astute TechNet Subscriber might have noticed some new downloads on the download center.  Yep, the RTM binaries are available for download ahead of the coming out party at the Microsoft Management Summit . If you have a subscription, go get em .

Here’s a not so subtle reminder that the price for the //build conference goes up in a couple of weeks. Be sure and register now if you plan to go.  September in Anaheim should be wonderful.

Next Wednesday we launch the “ Talk TechNet ” show.  Keith Combs and I are the hosts and each week we’ll have a guest on the show that is a subject matter expert on some facet of Microsoft products and technologies.  We are starting off the show with twice weekly episodes on Wednesday and Friday...

Early Bird Gets the Worm TechEd Europe 2010 kicked off today in Berlin, Germany.  My brain decided the conference needed to start at 4:45am Berlin time Monday and there was no convincing it to go back to sleep.  I think that’s like 9:45pm Sunday Dallas time. I knew right then I wasn’t going...

This book contains information about how to use Group Policy to deploy and configure an installation of Microsoft Office 2010. The audience for this book includes IT generalists, IT operations, help desk and deployment staff, IT messaging administrators, consultants, and other IT professionals. The content...

Windows SteadyState does not support Windows 7. However, many of its features can be replicated by using native Windows 7 features and free tools from Microsoft. This document is intended primarily for IT pros who configure shared-computer access in business environments, but partners who support shared...

Test Lab Guides (TLGs) are a new method that Joe Davies and Tom Shinder have developed that make learning complex technologies easier than ever. Using TLGs, you can significantly cut down on the time it takes for you to learn a new technology, product or an entire multi-tier solution by configuring a...

Since Office 2010 went gold a few weeks ago, I’ve been watching for key resources I thought you should be aware of.  Now that we’ve officially launched, time to get down to business. The very first thing you should do if you haven’t already, is download the bits from the TechNet subscriber download...

Take advantage of the experience of Microsoft security professionals, and reduce the time and money required to harden your environment. This end-to-end Solution Accelerator will help you plan, deploy, operate, and manage your security baselines for Windows® client and server operating systems, and Microsoft...

I was digging around looking for some good information related to Windows Server Directory Services and stumbled across a new guide that looks very nice.  Although the guide states up-front that it was written with the healthcare industry in mind, I didn’t see anything in it that led me to believe...

Windows Server® 2008 R2 adds new features and extends technologies introduced in Windows Server® 2008 to help increase the reliability and flexibility of server infrastructures. This document describes some of the new capabilities and management enhancements in Windows Server 2008 R2 and how they can...

Upgrading your network operating system requires minimal network configuration and typically has a low impact on user operations. The upgrade process is straightforward, efficient, and allows your organization to take advantage of the improved security that is offered by the Windows Server® 2008 and...

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be available in the near future. Are you thinking about deploying these new operating systems? Get a head start with Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 Beta . Over 680,000 Microsoft customers and partners including Costco Wholesale Corporation, Continental...

We’re a little over halfway done with the Interop Road Show I helped create. Last week Matt Hester did a simulcast of the live event from Chicago. Although he did a great job, I wanted to capture the demos with Camtasia v6.0.2 and provide some high quality audio and video of the demos, so here they are...

Last week I took off for vacation.  It was one of those marathon honey due vacations and I am happy to say I accomplished most of what I set out to do.  The house is painted.  The trees and bushes are trimmed.  The pool is in top shape and ready for frolicking.  I also took some...

On Wednesday May 6th, we’ll be broadcasting the Interop Road Show .  Actually it’s going to be a bit of a simulcast.  Matt Hester will be in Downers Grove, IL doing a live delivery of the sessions, and we’ll pick up the audio and demonstrations via the magic of Microsoft LiveMeeting. In addition...

Some of you have attended the Interop Road Show events we are currently delivering across the USA.  At those events you have seen us install Apache, MySQL, PHP, Drupal and Wordpress on Windows Server 2008.  Astute observation will reveal some of the installs and tweaks aren’t particularly easy...

Spring brings not only rain and flowers (you know, April shows and May flowers), it also brings our spring technical events. And this time our technical events are taking on a slightly different form. Okay, to be completely honest, we are still calling the sessions ArcReady (our event for architects...

Session 1 : Windows Server 2008 R2 – Optimize your Time Get a jump start on your peers with Windows Server 2008 R2 by joining us for this no nonsense technical session, where we will discuss the critical improvements in the next version of Windows Server. Some have argued that, given the impressive scope...

Don’t forget we just started the Microsoft Interop Road Show and there are events in Dallas and Houston this week. The event in Dallas is actually at our office in Las Colinas, Texas (also known as Irving). Confused? Don’t be. See all of the information at http://www.technetevents.com/interop/index.htm...