Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) enables IT administrators to deploy the latest Microsoft product updates and fully manage the distribution of updates that are released through Microsoft Update to computers in their network. Windows Server Update Services 3.0 Service Pack 2 (WSUS 3.0 SP2) delivers updates to corporate environments from Microsoft Update. This release adds new features and fixes issues found since the release of the product. WSUS 3.0 SP2 delivers customer-requested management, stability, and performance improvements.
Some of the features and improvements include the following:
Download the update here.
More to come,
Mitch
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These are very useful and short videos that walk you through a potentially important aspect of your Windows 7 deployment: the migration from Windows XP.
In Part 1 of Window XP to Windows 7 Migration Using MDT 2010: Building the Deployment Environment (9 minutes, 56 seconds), you’ll learn how to build media that will automatically migrate computers from Windows XP to Windows 7 with user data, custom applications and drivers. This demonstration covers the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) Deployment Workbench and how it works.
In Part 2 of Windows XP to Windows 7 Migration Using MDT 2010: Initiating the Install and Migrating the PC (9 minutes, 33 seconds), you will explore the user experience for migrating the Windows XP computer to Windows 7 and how brief – or “lite touch” – interaction is required up front to automate the entire process of data migration, OS installation, driver and application customization, and domain join.
Working from home is a necessary part of an IT professional’s life, if you want to have a life. Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 8 can help make your online time at home more efficient. Check out the Springboard Series IT Pro at Home: Tips and Tricks series. Here are a couple examples:
IT Pro at Home Demonstration: Windows Internet Explorer 8
This screencast walks you through the features in Windows Internet Explorer 8 like Accelerators, Web Slices, and search suggestions that may help you easily find the right information from the right places, and use that information in ways that make sense to you. You'll also learn about new features like the SmartScreen Filter, Cross-Site Scripting Filter, and InPrivate Browsing to help protect your security and privacy.
IT Pro at Home Demonstration: HomeGroup
HomeGroup enables easy file and printer sharing among computers running the Windows 7 operating system. In this screencast from the Springboard Series IT Pro at Home: Tips and Tricks series, you'll learn how to join computers running the Windows 7 operating system to a homegroup and take the hassle out of sharing files and printers between computers that are members of the homegroup.
Not only does it make deploying Exchange Server 2010 easier, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) also includes several new and improved features. But first, the Exchange Server 2010 migration: once all of the client access servers in your organization have been upgrade to Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 2 SP2, you can deploy Exchange Server 2010 in your organization. Plus, any Exchange 2007 Server, regardless of server role, in the Active Directory site you are transitioning, must be upgraded to Exchange 2007 SP2.
Download the Exchange Server 2007 SP2
Now for the enhancements:
· A VSS plug-in for Windows Server Backup to support Exchange backups
· New Exchange auditing events and audit log repository
· The dynamic AD schema update and validation feature allows for future schema updates to be dynamic deployed
· A more efficient way to manage public folder quotas
· Several new cmdlet parameters
For the administrator, Exchange Server 2007 SP2 provides advanced protection options against e-mail security threats, such as spam and viruses, as well as the tools to help manage internal compliance and high availability needs. Check it out.
System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 has been released to manufacturing and, according to the System Center team blog, general availability via volume licensing is set for October 1, 2009.
You can already access the 180-day evaluation version. Check it out and see what’s new with quick storage migration, live migration, and all the other new features. Also register for the TechNet webcast ‘Technical Overview of System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2’ on September 9, 2009 at 10:00 AM pacific time.
If you haven’t tried it, here’s your chance to experience the value of a TechNet Subscription. What’s in it for you? How about access to full-version software? These versions are licensed for evaluation but they don’t time-out like other eval licenses.
You also get early access to betas and release candidates, a subscription to TechNet Magazine, two technical support incidents and a 20% discount on additional phone support incidents (these alone justify the subscription cost), and 12 free eLearning courses per year.
But wait! There’s more (I always wanted to say that). How about your own technical information library containing articles, security updates, service packs and utilities? Then there’s the online concierge chat service for live help from a Microsoft online assistant, and unlimited managed newsgroup support, where you post your technical questions in over 100 public newsgroups and receive a response from an expert by next business day.
Until December, you’ll get 25% off the $349 price if you use promo code TMSAM08 (zero 8). Sign up here. If you are already a subscriber, you renewal is already discounted.
Released yesterday, the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 RC contains numerous bug fixes since MDT 2010 Beta 2. It has also been tested and will work with Windows 7 RTM and Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM as well as all previously supported operating systems.
Download the MDT 2010 RC from Microsoft Connect.
The Forefront team has announced the Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server RC (FSE) build, an important milestone which adds significant UI improvements, antispam backscatter support, hybrid antispam configuration from within the UI, integration with the Exchange 2010 RBAC mode, and SCC cluster support.
FSE works with Exchange 2007 SP1 and Exchange 2010. It provides antimalware protection by simultaneously using up to five individual antimalware engines and four separate types of scanning processes: Transport, real time, scheduled, and on-demand. Each type of scan can be configured to use a different set of engines, providing a balance of protection and performance.
Download the Microsoft Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server RC
Find updated user documentation for the RC release
We’re excited to announce that SQL Server StreamInsight is officially shipping as a component of SQL Server 2008 R2, which is scheduled to be available in H1 2010. StreamINsight brings a low-latency complex event processing (CEP) platform to SQL Server, and will enable organizations to derive insights from streaming data in near real-time in scenarios such as web analytics, algorithmic trading and industrial process control.
TechNet and MSDN subscribers can get the preview of SQL Server StreamInsight immediately. And according to the SQL server News Blog, The CTP will be generally available on the TechNet Evaluation Center tomorrow, August 19.
Also available today is the first community technology preview of SQL Azure Database, a cloud-based relational database service built on Microsoft SQL Server technologies. SQL Azure Database enables you to provision and deploy relational database solutions to the cloud, and take advantage of a globally distributed data center that provides enterprise-class availability, scalability, and security with the benefits of built-in data protection, self-healing and disaster recovery. Register here for the free trial.
Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate is now feature complete and available for download here. New in the RC release is support for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, co-existence with Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2003, and an· in-place upgrade from Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate to Exchange Server 2010 RTM so you won't need to reinstall your servers or reconfigure your Exchange settings once you have deployed the Release Candidate.
Visit "What's new in Exchange 2010" on TechNet for additional technical details.
Mark your calendar for September 24, 2009 at 9:00 am Pacific Time. That’s when the Springboard Series resumes with Part 2 of the Windows 7 Application Compatibility roundtable. In this segment, a panel of experts will discuss how virtualization tools can help you with application compatibility concerns whether you’re migrating from Windows Vista or Windows XP. Sure, we’ll discuss the latest desktop virtualization technologies from Microsoft, including App-V, MED-V and XP Mode for Windows 7. But we’ll also share tips and tricks and demonstrate free tools to analyze and fix applications while answering your questions live during the event.
Recently launched, the new MakeOfficeBetter.com site is the place to go if you’ve got a great idea for Microsoft Office. You can also vote on the ideas that others have submitted. Take a look. There are already plenty of ideas, displayed by Office product type, in order of voter preference.
Hey, if you’re a fan of the TechNet Script Center (and who isn’t), check out the new Script Gallery, which contains more than 4,000 scripts for Windows and Windows Server. And now, for the first time, you can upload your own scripts directly to TechNet.
The new gallery also features a dedicated script search; easy filtering by category, product or scripting language; and sorting by date, activity, and more.
If you are new to scripting, check out the Getting Started page to learn more about how these scripts work and how to write your own scripts.
The operations team is happy to announce that Windows Server 2008 R2 eval bits are now available. The evaluation is good for 180 days and you’ll have a 10-day grace period once you install before you’ll be required to activate. That said, while this package requires activation, the key is built-in, so all you’ll need to do is click “Activate Now” and enjoy the software.
There are other options for trying out Windows Server 2008 R2. You can test drive it in a virtual environment which walks you through specific scenarios around running applications from anywhere, high availability, server management, and security and policy enforcement. And you can take part in a Windows Server 2008 Virtual Lab on TechNet
Full Windows Server 2008 R2 eval bits are also available today for both TechNet and MSDN subscribers. Just head over to your respective download pages, (TechNet and MSDN), enter your account credentials and the bits are yours for the downloading.
Of the 35 anti-malware products tested in Virus Bulletin’s latest test, 23 products-- including Microsoft ForeFront Client Security--passed for detecting all of the 3,000 samples of malware while not detecting false positives. Twelve products failed the test. The products tested last month were anti-malware products for the 32-bit version of Windows Vista SP2 Business Edition. Here’s the list of products that passed the test:
· AhnLab V3 Internet Security
· Alwil avast! Professional
· AVG Internet Security
· Avira AntiVir Professional
· CA eTrust ITM
· eEye Blink Professional
· ESET NOD32 Antivirus
· Fortinet FortiClient
· Frisk F-PROT antivirus
· F-Secure Client Security
· F-Secure PSB Workstation Security
· G DATA AntiVirus 2010
· Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009
· Kingsoft Internet Security 2009 Advanced
· McAfee Total Security
· McAfee VirusScan Enterprise
· Microsoft Forefront Client Security
· MWTI eScan Internet Security SuiteNifty Corp. Security24
· Norman Security Suite
· Quick Heal AntiVirus Lite 2009
· Sophos Anti-Virus
· Trustport Antivirus 2009
And here are the products that failed:
· Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro
· CA Internet Security Suite
· Filseclab Twister AntiTrojanVirus
· Finport Simple Anti-Virus
· K7 Total Security Desktop
· Kingsoft Internet Security 2009 Standard
· PC Tools AntiVirus 2009
· PC Tools Internet Security 2009
· PC Tools Spyware Doctor
· Rising Internet Security 2009
· Symantec Endpoint Protection
· VirusBuster Professional
Virus Bulletin’s next test will be for anti-malware products for Windows Server 2008.
More to come, Mitch Subscribe to the TechNet Flash newsletter
You can now download Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7, which enable IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on remote computers that are running Windows Server 2008 R2 (and, for some roles and features, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003) from a remote computer that is running Windows 7. It includes support for remote management of computers that are running either the Server Core or full installation options of Windows Server 2008 R2, and for some roles and features, Windows Server 2008.
The Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 August Community Technology Preview will be available tomorrow, August 12. Download the SQL Server 2008 R2 August CTP and see new capabilities for application and multi-server management, complex event processing, master data services and powerful BI tools to empower users to access, integrate, analyze and share information using business intelligence tools they already know. You can also try the hosted version of the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 August CTP.
It’s still early and there are not a lot of details made public yet, but the SharePoint Product Group is offering a sneak peek at the upcoming SharePoint 2010. And since SharePoint 2010 will only be available in a 64-bit version, they also have some early guidance for IT pros and developers to get ready for SharePoint 2010. Expect more details about the new collaboration platform at the SharePoint Conference in October.
And while you’re at it, check out last week’s New York Times article Microsoft’s SharePoint Thrives in the Recession.
As 64-bit computing becomes more commonplace in the enterprise, the MDOP team has announced that App-V 4.6 be the first version of App-V to support both x64 and x86 Windows platforms and the primary focus of the release is to enable App-V to take advantage of 64-bit Windows platforms including Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. You will also find improvements in the App-V Sequencer such as simplifying the workflow for creating virtual applications and adding the ability to sequence true 64-bit applications. If you are running Windows XP or Windows Vista, you can also use App-V 4.6 Beta and take advantage of the support for Office 2010 and 64-bit platform support.
You can try out App-V 4.6 by registering for and downloading the beta from Microsoft Connect.
The 2007 R2 version of Office Communicator Mobile, the client for mobile devices connected to the Microsoft Office Communications Server, extends your work identity, as well as IM presence information, to mobile devices. It has a similar look and feel to the desktop version of Office Communicator 2007, giving users a familiar single-client experience. New features include:
· Single Number Reach
· Global address list support
· Simultaneous sign in to more than one application
· Multi-party IM conversations
If you have a mobile device with a data plan and your company already deployed Office Communications Server 2007 R2, you can now download Communicator Mobile software directly from your mobile phone. It is provided at no extra cost to customers who have purchased Office Communications Server 2007 R2 and Client Access Licenses. Go to www.getcomo.com from you mobile browser and the site will point you to the right software version.
Want to simplify the creation of customized graphical dashboards for Operations Manager 2007? Check out the free Visio Add-in for System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2. You can visually show the health of an environment by quickly rendering diagrams that show objects by geography overlaid on a map or by location in a building or datacenter. You can also show objects by role in a logical view of an application or by topology for complex distributed applications such as Exchange or Active Directory.