Microsoft has announced a wave of new releases such as Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Intune and System Center 2012 R2. Not long to go now until they all release – less than 2 months on October 18 here in New Zealand. Although it’s only a year since the previous releases, there are some huge improvements and new features. New capabilities like built-in storage tiering, VM live migration compression, cross-version live migration, extended Hyper-V replica to a third DR location, shared virtual hard disks for guest clustering, Work Folders and many more are just mind blowing!
So what’s the best way to find out what’s new and prepare yourself for these massive new releases? Download the preview releases today, and get some hands-on experience!
You can download the Windows 8.1 Preview and install it on a system to explore new features and enhancements. You can also download previews of Windows Server 2012 R2, System Center 2012 R2, and other updates critical to Microsoft’s Cloud OS vision.
To help you with the evaluation, check out the FREE MVA online course on What's New in Windows Server 2012 R2 Jump Start and What's New in System Center 2012 R2 Jump Start.
Get downloading and learning today!
Reminder the next Auckland Windows Infrastructure User Group event is on next Monday
Monday June 17 - Microsoft Auckland office – Level 5, 22 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland
5.30 - 6.00pm arrival with Drinks and Nibbles
6.00 - 6.30pm Speaker Topic:
Lync 2013 is here – planned your upgrade yet? Lync 2013 is here, and it’s action-packed full of fantastic new features that will quite honestly change your life. If, like many organisations, you drank the kool-aid a while back and deployed OCS or Lync 2010, you’ll be asking yourself whether you should be upgrading, and how you go about it. We’ll do a whistle-stop tour through the pick of the new features – hopefully helping you build your business case to upgrade – and run step-by-step through a Lync 2010-2013 upgrade, including a few lessons from the field to save you some pain.
Presented by Julian Bee
6.30 - 7.00pm Networking - "meet and geek" with your peers
We know you’re busy, but we need to hear from you so that we can improve our interactions with kiwi IT Professionals.
In our efforts to improve your experience with Microsoft New Zealand, we would love to hear from you and your fellow IT Professionals – we need your feedback about what we are doing well in, and where there is room for improvement. You may have major suggestions, or minor improvements… Have we kept you informed about Cloud Computing? What about Windows Server 2012? System Center 2012? Windows Azure, from an infrastructure perspective? Do you need different kinds of information? Feedback on any or all of these topics will help us to work with you more effectively.
By now, you may have received an invitation to the Microsoft Customer and Partner Satisfaction Survey. This survey gives us a sense of whether we are providing value to IT Pros in New Zealand – and what improvements can be made in terms of products, service and the local team. As the Windows Infrastructure Technical Evangelist for New Zealand, I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to complete it. Don’t worry, you don’t have to answer every question, just give us some feedback on the areas that you choose, then submit it to us.
Even though I’ve mentioned it on this blog before, you may not know that I am held personally responsible for your satisfaction with Microsoft New Zealand – and it’s a big part of my job to come up with ideas and plans and help you have a better experience with Microsoft NZ.
Over the past year, we have listened to your feedback and responded with running more hands-on I.T. Camps, offering more information around security, licensing, and Windows Azure – and are working on improving TechEd. Also in response to your suggestions, we are working to shorten the NZ TechNet Flash email update – to provide snippets of information around news and events that may be of interest to you.
What do you think? How are we doing? Where can we do better?
If you have been invited to complete the survey, you would have received an email invitation from feedback@e-mail.microsoft.com with a link to an online customer satisfaction survey. If you utilise a spam filter, please adjust the settings to allow email from the domain@satisfaction.ipsos.com – as this is a valid Microsoft survey.
Thank you in advance for your participation and, perhaps more importantly, for your valuable feedback. You have our commitment that the results of the survey will be used to better meet the needs of kiwi IT Professionals.
It’s that time again… But this window of opportunity will close on April 12th!
Thanks again,
Nathan
Catch a glimpse of the future of productivity and see how the new Microsoft Office enables this vision across devices, cloud, and social. Hear about the latest innovation around Microsoft Lync and its integration with Skype.
Hear from Microsoft International SharePoint Expert, John Hormaechea and Regional Director, Alexander Oddoz-Mazet about Microsoft's vision for Enterprise Social Solutions and how they will transform the way people work.
Lync 2013 is here, and it's action-packed full of fantastic new features that will quite honestly change your life. If, like many organisations, you drank the kool-aid a while back and deployed OCS or Lync 2010, you’ll be asking yourself whether you should be upgrading, and how you go about it.
We’ll do a whistle-stop tour through the pick of the new features - hopefully helping you build your business case to upgrade – and run step-by-step through a Lync 2010-2013 upgrade, including a few lessons from the field to save you some pain.
Julian is a Microsoft Lync V-TSP, and Group IT Manager for Provoke Solutions, and has at times been accused of liking Lync a little too much. Julian recently co-presented the Lync Ignite sessions with Microsoft in Wellington.
Microsoft have finished their refurbishments so this session will be held at Microsoft's office on Lambton Quay, kicking off at 5:00pm sharp on Tuesday 09/04/2013.
Please register at http://www.mscommunities.co.nz/Events/Lync-2013.aspx so we can get the correct amount of beer and pizza!
reminder about upcoming IT Camps in NZ on Windows Azure IaaS
Windows Azure for IT Professionals - An IT Camp in Auckland on the 26th of March! Windows Azure for IT Professionals - An IT Camp in Christchurch on the 8th of April!
For some, the cloud is a natural evolution of your on-premises infrastructure to the power and scale of the cloud. For others, it’s a journey that has to begin with a single step.
Windows Azure is a comprehensive set of services that enable you to build, deploy and manage applications across a global network of Microsoft-managed datacentres.
With Windows Azure, IT Pros have access to Infrastructure-as-a-Service features like Windows Azure Virtual Machines, Windows Azure Virtual Networks and Windows Azure Storage. These allow you to host or extend your new or existing Windows or Linux based solutions.
To learn more about our Infrastructure as a Service platform, we invite all IT Professionals to join local Microsoft experts as they introduce you to the Microsoft cloud platform, dive deep into Windows Azure Virtual Machines, and help walk you through hands-on demonstrations of the power of IaaS on the Windows Azure platform.
We recommend that all attendees should get a free 90-day trial of the Windows Azure platform and services prior to the event, including access to the Virtual Machines preview.
Participants that successfully complete one of the advanced labs in the afternoon will go into the draw to win a Xbox 360 Prize Pack including - Kinect, Halo 4 and Forza Horizon! Full terms and conditions available here.
Agenda:
9:00am Welcome & Set up
9:30am Session - Windows Azure Overview for IT Pros
10:45am Break
11:00am Hands-on-Lab - See below for list
12:30pm Lunch
1:30pm Session - Windows Azure IaaS - Deep Dive
2:30pm Break
2:45pm Hands-on-Lab - See below for list
4:30pm Complete Labs - Prizes and Out!
Labs: During the Hands-On Lab session you can choose from a variety of labs that will be made available to you while being supported by the presenters. Here are some of the labs that will be available:
Topics to be covered:
Windows Azure Overview:
Windows Azure Virtual Machines:
Windows Azure Networking:
Virtual Machine management and automation:
Session Requirements: Be sure to bring a modern laptop that is capable of running the following to make the most of your time at the camp:
Microsoft Auckland office – Level 5, 22 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland
Tuesday March 19/03/2013 5:30PM
“I moved from Google to Office 365, this is how and why I did it" Marty is a pretty simple guy - not really a techie at all. Recently he switched completely away from Google to Office 365 and managed the whole move himself. In this session, Marty will go through the hows and whys of the switch.
Marty is a pretty simple guy - not really a techie at all. Recently he switched completely away from Google to Office 365 and managed the whole move himself. In this session, Marty will go through the hows and whys of the switch.
“I moved from Google to Office 365, this is how and why I did it"
Presented by Marty Pine
please register here so we get the correct amount of beer and pizza!
a reminder that the Auckland Windows Infrastructure User Group meeting is on next week
This months presentation is on Windows Server 2012 IPAM
IPAM: Throw away your IP spreadsheets! A deeper dive into the IP Address Management (IPAM) Server feature in Windows Server® 2012 , What is it? How does it work? How can I install and use it? Wednesday 20/02/2013 5:30PM at Microsoft Auckland, Level 5, 22 Viaduct Harbour Ave, Auckland
Please register at http://www.mscommunities.co.nz/Events/Feb-2013-Auckland-Windows-Infrastrucutre-User-Grou.aspx
Come to one of our upcoming Windows 8 IT Camps in NZ. Learn about the new features and capabilities of Windows 8 that make migration, deployment, and management of tomorrow's environments easier for IT, while improving the end-user experience. Please bring along a PC to connect to our remotely-hosted labs.
At this event, you will get first-hand technical, hands-on experience with Windows 8 in the enterprise. Explore the new features of Windows 8 while you dive deep into key scenarios around management, deployment, security, desktop virtualisation, application development, side-loading, desktop recovery and mobility.
The agenda is below, but specifically there are 3 Hands On Labs for attendees during the day: • Sideloading Windows 8 Applications • Managing Windows 8 Applications with AppLocker • Creating Refresh Images
Get ready for this IT Camp by visiting the Windows 8 TechCenter to access in-depth technical resources and download the free Windows 8 Enterprise evaluation.
Register your seat today: Select one of our seven dates!
8:30am
Registration
9:00am
Introduction
9:30am
Overview of Windows 8
10:00am
Deployment of Windows 8 – Part 1
1. Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)
2. Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK)
11:00am
Break
11:15am
Deployment of Windows 8 – Part 2
1. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)
2. System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr)
12:30pm
Lunch
1:00pm
Flexible Workstyle
1. Access to Windows
· Windows To Go (WTG)
· Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
· Client Hyper-V
2. Anywhere Productivity
· Folder Redirection
· User Experience Virtualization (UE-V)
· Application Virtualization (APP-V)
2:30pm
2:45pm
Windows 8 Apps
1. The Windows Store
2. Distributing Windows 8 Apps
· ConfigMgr
· Windows InTune
· MDT
3. Managing Windows 8 Apps
3:45pm
Recovery & Security for Windows 8
1. Recovery Features
· PC Refresh
· Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT)
2. Windows 8 Security
· BitLocker
· Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM)
· Trusted Boot
4:30pm
Closing
© 2012 Microsoft Corporation Terms of Use :: Trademarks *Limited to the first 1,500 downloads in December - a donation of NZD$3,000. Microsoft respects your privacy. To learn more, please read our online Privacy Statement. The Privacy Officer // Microsoft New Zealand Ltd, PO Box 8070 Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand.
We would like to invite you to Microsoft Reimagine.
Hear directly from Microsoft product experts and discover how you can “reimagine” your business. A half day full of valuable information, benefits for your business and product demos – plus the latest devices and spot prizes!
Following on from the official release of Windows 8 on the 26th October Nathan Mercer will present Windows 8 in the Enterprise. In this session Nathan will cover the changes Windows 8 brings from an enterprise view. Additionally Nathan will have a selection of Windows 8 touch screen laptops and tablets, including a Microsoft Surface which attendees will be welcome to try out.
Please Join us for a 5:00pm kickoff, Weds 14 November, Level 10 DATACOM, Jervois Quay (South Tower) please note that our usual meeting location at Microsoft Wellington is currently closed for renovations.
Please register at http://www.mscommunities.co.nz/Events/Wellington-Infrastructure-User-Group---November-me.aspx so we get the correct amount of beer & pizza!
If you are one of a select group of IT Professionals in New Zealand who have received an invite to fill in our bi-annual Microsoft survey, please take a few minutes to let us know how we’re doing.
The good news is that you don’t have to answer every question, just the ones that you would like to give us feedback on. So even if you only want to answer a couple of the questions, I’d really love to hear from you. If you started the survey but never finished it, please submit what you have. The survey will have been sent from feedback@e-mail.microsoft.com.
Thanks in advance! – Nathan.
Twice a year, Microsoft asks for your feedback as part of our ongoing effort to stay in touch and improve satisfaction among our customers and partners. We realise that you receive many requests for surveys. You probably doubt whether your answers to them are ever read. But by participating in our bi-annual IT professional survey, your feedback will be read directly by myself and the NZ IT Pro team. Furthermore, your suggestions will help Microsoft New Zealand to meet your needs.
We are especially interested to hear from those of you who have feedback on TechEd New Zealand, our TechDays events on Windows Server 2012, and our hands-on IT Camps. What do you like? What don't you like? Where can we improve?
We understand you are busy, so we have tried to make the survey as short as possible. And we encourage you to be as honest as possible - we need your candid feedback to make improvements that are meaningful. Over the next few weeks, you may receive an email invitation from feedback@e-mail.microsoft.com with a link to an online customer satisfaction survey. I assure you, this is a valid Microsoft survey - and I encourage you all to critique us.
If you have any questions about this survey or how your feedback can help, feel free to email TechNetNZ@microsoft.com
Mitch Tulloch has updated his very popular free ebook on Windows Server 2012 based on the RTM version of the software.
A key feature of this book is the inclusion of sidebars written by members of the Windows Server team, Microsoft Support engineers, Microsoft Consulting Services staff, and others who work at Microsoft. These sidebars provide an insider’s perspective that includes both “under-the-hood” information concerning how features work, and strategies, tips, and best practices from experts who have been working with the platform during product development.
Please see the links below to download one or all of the available formats.
PDF - Introducing Windows Server 2012 RTM Edition - PDF ebook
EPUB – Introducing Windows Server 2012 RTM Edition – ePub format
MOBI – Introducing Windows Server 2012 RTM Edition – MOBI format (for Kindle)
If you prefer a hard copy of the book, you can order it here for US$14.99 from our official distributor, O’Reilly Media.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2012/09/05/free-ebook-introducing-windows-server-2012-rtm-edition.aspx
Experience Windows Server 2012 firsthand in these virtual labs. You can test drive new and improved features and functionality, including server management and Windows PowerShell, networking, Hyper-V, and new storage solutions.
We will update this post with registration links and dates/locations shortly.
To have the best experience bring your laptop running Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V with at least 30GB of free disk space and 4GB of RAM. You can still bring your laptop if it doesn’t run Windows Server 2012, you will use the Remote Desktop Connection Client 7.0 Update instead. This client is built into Windows 7, Windows 8 and is a free download for Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista SP1 and SP2.
Tweet a PHOTO of why you should be chosen to win. Make sure to include the #tenz hashtag.
Entries close Friday 17th August
Use promo code NZTN13-1 before 31 Dec 2012 to receive 30% off.
Evaluate the complete stack of full-version and beta Microsoft software with no feature limits by purchasing a TechNet Subscription. Other benefits include unlimited priority support in TechNet forums with answers within 2 business days, and 24/7 access to Microsoft online chat assistance.
Half-day overview on Windows Server 2012 for NZ IT Professional’s, then a Windows 8 demo.
Microsoft brings you all you need to know about the next version of Windows Server. Auckland and Wellington have had their turns, now it's time to take the show on the road - to Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, and Hamilton this August!
A Microsoft TechDays Windows Server 2012 event will show you how to build your private cloud, offer private cloud services, or securely connect to public cloud services. It will show you how to increase your efficiency, availability, and manageability. It will show you how to leverage an open application and web platform for the datacenter and the cloud. It will show you how to provide secure access to your personalised work environment from anywhere.
It's Windows reimagined and reinvented from a solid core of Windows 7 speed and reliability. It's smooth, intuitive, and gives you instant access to your people, apps, and stuff, so you spend less time searching and more time doing. Whether you're completing a project, playing a game, or reading a book, with Windows 8, you can use touch, mouse, and keyboard together - to do what you want, the way you want. It starts quickly and it's cloud-connected so you can access your photos, documents, and settings on any Windows 8 PC.
Reserve your seats using the registration tiles below, to make sure that you don't miss out. Space is strictly limited so, once you register, please let us know if you are unable to attend.
The Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter provides a Microsoft-supported, freely available, stand-alone solution for converting VMware virtual machines and disks to Hyper-V-based virtual machines and virtual hard drives (VHDs). This tool simplifies low-cost, point-and-click migration of Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 SP2/R2 SP2 guest operating systems from VMware to Hyper-V. The tool can now convert and deploy virtual machines from VMware to Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate. The tool also adds virtual NICs to the deployed virtual machine on Hyper-V.
In addition to the capabilities that were delivered as part of the beta release, the MVMC Release Candidate:
download from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh967435
Thanks for attending the recent event focussed on Windows Server 2012.
The presentation on Windows Server 2012 focussed on Manageability, Virtualisation, Storage and Availability, and lastly Networking, After seeing these revolutionary features being added into Windows Server, the time has come to begin to learn this soon-to-be-released solution
The download link for the Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate can be found here.
If you’re looking for the slide deck used in yesterday’s event, it can be downloaded from here.
Also the other resources mentioned during the event :
Windows Server 2012 ebook
Windows Server 2012 Virtual Labs online
Watch the announcement of Surface, a new family of Microsoft-made tablet PCs that seamlessly transition between consumption and creation, without compromise.
This is the full keynote where Steve Ballmer, Steven Sinofsky and other Microsoft executives unveiled Surface, PCs built to be the ultimate stage for Windows.
Watch the Surface Unveiling on Demand
I’ll be in Hamilton on Thursday July 12th 2012 at the Hamilton PC Computer Club presenting on Windows 8
Come along if you’re interested to find out more and see some cool demos
6 thru 10PM Venue: 'Te Whare o Te Ata' Community House, 60A Sare Crescent, Hamilton
"It's Windows reimagined and reinvented from a solid core of Windows 7 speed and reliability. It's an all-new touch interface. It's a new Windows for new devices. Windows has been reimagined to focus on your life. The beautiful, fast, and fluid design is perfect for a range of hardware: from compact, touch-enabled tablets and lightweight laptops, to PCs and large, powerful all-in-ones with high-definition screens. It’s smooth, intuitive, and gives you instant access to your people, apps, and stuff, so you spend less time searching and more time doing. You’ll love browsing through the Windows Store and downloading apps to help you work more efficiently, or installing the latest games so you can compete with friends. Apps can work together, too, so you can share photos, maps, contacts, links, and whatever else you want. No matter what you want to do, you can get it done quickly in Windows 8. Whether you’re completing a project, playing a game, or reading a book, with Windows 8, you can use touch, mouse, and keyboard together—seamlessly—to do what you want, the way you want. No need to choose one or the other. It starts quickly and it’s cloud-connected so you can access your photos, documents, and settings on any Windows 8 PC."
Schedule: 6.00pm: Informal session - exchange skills, share your latest interesting discoveries, ask for help, do some troubleshooting, etc. 7:30pm: Nathan Mercer's demonstration
9.30pm: Supper
Our first two Auckland sessions became fully booked quickly, so we have added two new sessions!
1230PM arrival for the presentations and demos from 1PM through to 430PM
Location is Microsoft New Zealand
Level 5 22 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland,New Zealand
Please register for July 18 or July 19
- Build your private cloud, offer private cloud services, or securely connect to public cloud services - Increase your efficiency, availability, and manageability - Leverage an open application and web platform for the datacentre and the cloud - Provide secure access to your personalised work environment from anywhere
- More secure multi-tenancy - Flexible infrastructure, when and where you need it - Scale, performance, and density - High availability
- Reduces planned maintenance downtime - Addresses the causes of unplanned downtime - Increases availability for services and applications - Increases operational efficiency and lower costs
- Manage private clouds more efficiently - Link private clouds with public cloud services - Connect users more easily to IT resources
- Simplifies configuration processes - Improved management of multi-server environments - Role-centric dashboard and integrated console - Simplifies administration process of multi-server environments with Windows PowerShell 3.0