August, 2009

As you should now be aware, Windows 7 RTM is available to download for TechNet Plus subscribers, but what does that mean for Windows Virtual PC, and Windows XP Mode?  If you think back, when Windows 7 hit Release Candidate, Virtual PC and XP Mode were in beta, so are these same versions applicable to the RTM of Windows 7? No.  Time to upgrade your Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode to the Release Candidate stage.

For those of you who are currently thinking, “what is XP Mode?” Brandon on the Windows blog has a pretty good explanation.  In summary – it’s all about the ‘last mile’ of application compatibility. Still worth a read of Brandon’s post though.

Before you move to RC however, don’t you want to know what’s new?

• Manage USB devices with virtual applications: You can attach and detach USB devices while running virtual applications. The USB device management UI can be easily accessed form the right click context menu of the Virtual Applications icon, on task bar.
• Jump list for virtual applications: Right clicking on the virtual application icon, on Windows 7 taskbar, displays a jump list that allows one to easily launch virtual applications from the taskbar.
• Drive share settings: You can select the host computer drives that you would like to share with the virtual machine; in the virtual machine settings.
• Windows XP Mode tutorial: A tutorial that introduces the user to Windows XP Mode features is displayed during Windows XP Mode Setup.
• Faster Windows XP Mode setup: Improvements have been done to reduce the setup time for Windows XP Mode.
• Compact differencing disks: You can now compact the differencing virtual hard disk to reduce the size occupied on the disk.
• Support for optional components install in XP Mode: Windows XP optional components can be installed in Windows XP Mode.
• Choose destination location for XP Mode files: You can choose the destination folder to store all virtual machine files for Windows XP Mode during XP Mode setup.

Important Note: Beta to RC upgrade is not supported. You need to uninstall the Beta version of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode before installing the RC bits.  To understand the process, please read these notes!

You can grab all the bits from the Windows Virtual PC Download site.

For all your TechNet Plus subscribers out there, the wait for RTM is over!  Windows Server 2008 R2 can’t be too far away now!

If you’re a subscriber, get on over to the TechNet site!  If you’re not, then you’ve got a few more days to wait, but I'll tell you this much – RTM rocks!

If you can make time to view these sessions (or at least register, then watch them another time), I would thoroughly recommend them, especially the System Center licensing overview.  You may not like licensing, but when it comes to System Center, understanding the benefits of licensing the Suite (SC Operations Manager, Configuration Manager, Data Protection Manager and Virtual Machine Manager) could be the difference between a small project, and a much larger, broader, infrastructure optimisation.  Definitely worth a look I’d say.

Planning and Deploying Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V Part 1:
Plan with the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 and Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides

Presented by Baldwin Ng and Fergus Stewart

Thursday, August 20th 2009 – 16:00-17:00 GMT

Description:

Windows Server 2008 R2 will be available soon.  Are your customers' datacenter servers ready for migration to this new operating system?   Which of your customers' existing servers are good candidates for Hyper-V virtualization?  Attend this Partner Academy Live session and see how the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit and Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides can help you accelerate your pre-sales and migration planning for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V.  Part 1 of a 4 part series.

Register here:

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=269441

Planning and Deploying Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V Part 2:
Deploy Windows Server 2008 R2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010

Presented by Michael Niehaus

Thursday, August 27th 2009 – 16:00-17:00 GMT

Description:

Gain a strategic competitive advantage by reducing deployment costs using the latest deployment toolkit for Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment projects. The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 provides a common console with the comprehensive tools and guidance needed to efficiently manage Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment projects. Attend this Partner Academy Live session and  see how new features like flexible driver management and access to deployment shares from any location will help simplify deployment and make your job easier.  Part 2 of a 4 part series.

Register here:

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=269452

System Center Pricing and Licensing Updates

Presented by:  Sean Suydam and Diane Prescott

Friday, August 21st 2009 - 18:30-19:30 GMT

Description:

Understand the key System Center pricing and licensing changes and how to use them in your conversations with customers to sell today.  This session will bring together all of the recent changes we’ve communicated and help you position this news in your accounts.  We’ll cover System Center changes in the ECAL, the new Client Management Suite, SMSE in FY10, and the upcoming launches of DPM v3, Config Manager 2007 R3 and Service Manager.  We’ll also provide a quick recap of the System Center licensing model along with resources for the field to assist you with your customers’ pricing and licensing

Register here:

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/learning/app/management/LMS_ActDetails.aspx?UserMode=0&ActivityId=511453

If the video guides I produced a month or so back weren’t enough for you, then these R2 Remote Desktop Services step-by-step guides should do the trick!

What's New in Remote Desktop Services

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=131925

Installing Remote Desktop Session Host Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147293

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147292

Deploying Remote Desktop Web Access with Remote Desktop Connection Broker Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=131928

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=131927

Deploying RemoteApp Programs to the Start Menu by Using RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=154799

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=154798

Deploying Personal Virtual Desktops by Using RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=154800

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=154801

Deploying Virtual Desktop Pools by Using RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=154803

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=154802

Deploying Personal Virtual Desktops by Using Remote Desktop Web Access Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147908

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147909

Deploying Virtual Desktop Pools by Using Remote Desktop Web Access Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147907

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147906

Deploying Remote Desktop Gateway Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142251

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142250

Deploying Remote Desktop Licensing Step-by-Step Guide

Word document download: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=128418

Web version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=141175