Where System Builders Talk Shop... : webcast

Q&A from Hosting a Web Site in a Windows SBS 2003 Environment webcast

BOBblog — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:41:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, January 10, 2008, webcast “Hosting a Web Site in a Windows SBS 2003 Environment” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6740). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired.

Q: You didn't use IE7 for your demonstration of Windows SBS 2003 and hosting/publishing websites w/ SharePoint....any pro's/con's we should know about?
A: Because I created a virtualized environment for my demonstration, I hadn’t connected my virtual machines to the Microsoft update site to get the latest updates & patches. However, in the real world I would strongly encourage you to do that. Using the latest version of Internet Explorer is definitely the way to go.

Q: What safeguard steps can be done to protect my IIS, SharePoint, and ISA Server installations prior to attempting an extranet site?
A: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) is an easy-to-use tool designed for the IT professional that helps small- and medium-sized businesses determine their security state in accordance with Microsoft security recommendations and offers specific remediation guidance, http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx.

Q: Regarding the requirements for upstream bandwidth, how can this be estimated and/or calculated?
A: The bandwidth requirements to support a small business web site are not likely to be too intense, so having a connection that allows your web pages to load quickly in a user’s browser is probably more important than being able to support a very large number of simultaneous users. To calculate the actual data throughput required by a web site, you can use a tool such as AWStats (http://awstats.sourceforge.net/?seenIEPage=1) to analyze your IIS log files.

Q: MSConnect has just recently released a beta for simple SharePoint Extranet creation. Are you familiar with this and if so can you comment on its usefulness in Windows SBS?
A: The Solution Accelerators at https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=14 are an extremely valuable resource which can be applied to any Windows environment.

Q: How suitable is this environment for e-commerce?
A: Generally speaking, I would not recommend this solution for e-commerce unless the volume of transactions is quite low. The best way to judge would be to look at the revenue being generated by the site and the cost of being offline for any reason. These considerations are likely to justify a more robust hosting solution.

Q: As a novice, I presume each customer's web address has to be registered with Network Solutions or an equivalent service. Any suggestions in this area?
A: That is correct. If your customers have not already registered a domain name, that is certainly something you could offer to help them out with. There are a number of high-quality registrars you could use.

Q: Can shared calendars in SharePoint that are linked to Outlook 2007 be synchronized to mobile devices?
A: Yes, check out http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA100832471033.aspx.

Q&A from Windows Server 2008 Basic Administration using Server Manager webcast

BOBblog — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:37:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, December 13, 2007, webcast “Windows Server 2008 Basic Administration using Server Manager” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6739). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link to a number of BOB Team documents.

Q: If you have a Windows Server 2003 machine do you recommend do an upgrade or a clean install of Windows Server 2008?

A: Both methods are available and supported, so the choice will depend on your specific requirements. As always, backup your data completely before doing either method.

Q: What are forwarded events?

A: Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista can forward events typically viewed in the Event Viewer to one or more machines for centralized management. Please see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/better-together.mspx, particularly in the More Efficient Management section for more info on forwarded events.

Q: Can you get events from Windows Server 2003 R2 or just from Windows Server 2008?

A: Please see http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/f550cac0-5344-41cb-8e89-6e5c932368861033.mspx for information on new management features available with Windows Server 2003 R2.

Q: I tried to join my Windows Server 2008 RC1 box to a Windows SBS 2003 domain using the "ConnectComputer" wizard, which didn't work. I was able to join manually through Server Manager, but will the wizard be updated?

A: I am not currently aware of when an update for the Connect Computer wizard will be made available, but based on a new version being released to support Windows Vista, I believe it is possible that we will see an update for Windows Server 2008 as well.

Q: Does Windows Server 2008 include a pre-configured, Windows SBS-like "server performance report" that can be emailed to network administrators on a daily basis?

A: Because Windows Server 2008 is targeted at a more general audience, there aren’t the same types of pre-configured functionality as with Windows Small Business Server. However, there is a wealth of new monitoring and reporting functionality in the Diagnostics node of the Server Manager console.

Q: Could you get events forwarded from servers on different domains via the internet?

A: Yes, because the mechanism is WinRM, which uses firewall-friendly protocols, that would be possible. For more information, please see http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/newswire/winrm.mspx.

Q&A from Windows Mobile with Windows SBS 2003 & Exchange Server 2003 webcast

BOBblog — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:55:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, November 29, 2007, webcast “Windows Mobile with Windows SBS 2003 & Exchange Server 2003” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6738). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentPage.aspx?pageid=563557. On that page, you will also see a PDF document with step-by-step instructions including screenshots walking you through the entire configuration process.

For those of you who attended the live event, I apologize again for the technical difficulties we experienced and appreciate your patience as we work through the initial “learning experiences” with the new version of Live Meeting. The event has been re-recorded and the on-demand version has the full working demonstration of all the configuration steps.

Q: Does Windows Mobile 5 support online Global Address List (GAL) lookup when run against Exchange Server 2003 SP2?

A: Yes, as long as the mobile device includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP). Check with you mobile provider to verify that your device includes this feature set. Also, check out http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/aa995996.aspx for details of mobile features that are supported by Exchange Server 2003 SP2.

Q: Does your Windows SBS 2003 server need to be an active email server or can it just send and receive email via a connector to your ISP?

A: Windows Mobile devices synchronize with the information stored in the Exchange Server message store. So as long as e-mails are being delivered from your ISP into your Exchange Server, you should be good to go.

Q: Is the mobile version of Remote Desktop built into Windows Mobile 6 or is it an add on?

A: It is part of Windows Mobile 6; however, not all mobile devices are shipped with this functionality installed. When purchasing a mobile device, please verify that the manufacturer and model you are interested in supports this feature.

Q&A from Windows Server 2008 Technical Overview, Part 2 of 2 webcast

BOBblog — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:57:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, November 8, 2007, webcast “Windows Server 2008 Technical Overview, Part 2 of 2” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6737). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link to a number of BOB Team documents.

Q: Will Windows Server Virtualization cost extra?

A: Windows Server Virtualization will be included with Windows Server 2008 as a role that you can choose to install—it will not cost extra.

Q: For the new version of Terminal Services Gateway using RDP over secure HTTP, does this require an SSL certificate?

A: Yes, either a self-signed or 3rd party certificate can be used.

Q: When will the RDP 6.1 client be available?

A: The client is included with the Windows Server 2008 RC0 release, which is available now.

Q: What is the difference between SoftGrid & Terminal Services RemoteApp?

A: The primary difference is where the actual application code runs. With SoftGird, the application binaries are streamed to the client and run locally in a “sandbox” environment. With RemoteApp, the application runs remotely on the centralize Terminal Server machine.

Q: Will SoftGrid support 32-bit applications running on a 64-bit Windows Vista machine?

A: Yes.

Q: Is an application running using SoftGrid recognizable to an end user as being "different"?

A: No, the experience is seamless for the user.

Q: Is Network Access Protection available without ISA Server?

A: Yes

Q: How is the "IT-defined health policy" defined/updated?

A: Once the Network Policy and Access Services role has been installed on a Windows Server 2008 machine, NAP can be managed using Server Manager. For more detailed webcasts on NAP, please see http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/windowsserver2008.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=42529.

Q: How does Network Access Protection interact with anti-virus products?

A: Anti-virus products will need to include a Security Health Agent that can report its status when the client computer is determining its Statement of Health. For a current list of partners and descriptions of how their products integrate with NAP, see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/partners/nappartners.mspx.

Q: In your Network Access Protection example, you used at least 4 different servers. In smaller businesses, can the NPS, Policy Server, Remediation Server and Corporate network all exist on fewer boxes?

A: In order to segregate network access into a “restricted” segment and a “full access” segment, at least two physical servers will be required for your NAP deployment.

Q: How will Windows Essential Business Server differ from the upcoming Windows Small Business Server code named “Cougar”?

A: Windows SBS is specifically targeted at small businesses having up to 75 users. Windows Essential Business Server is a more comprehensive solution targeted at mid-market businesses having between 50 and 250 users.

Q: Will there be a significant difference in the licensing of the Windows Server 2008 family?

A: Pricing and licensing information is not available at this time and will be announced in the future.

Q: Where can I find more information about Terminal Services Easy Print?

A: Please see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/terminal-services/default.mspx and register for the upcoming webcast at http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032355422&EventCategory=4&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US.

Watch and Win a Zune!

BOBblog — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:05:00 GMT

Watch an on-demand webcast through Dec 2, 2007 to automatically be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Zune™ digital media player.

www.msreadiness.com/systembuilderondemand

5W/50 Series - Q&A from Installation and Configuration of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

BOBblog — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:42:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Friday, October 12, 2007, webcast “Installation and Configuration of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6724). This webcast is part of the 5W/50 series of events, check out all of the webcasts and download all of the PowerPoint presentations at http://www.mssmallbiz.com/sbstraining/.

Also, there is a complete step-by-step guide that you can use as a reference to walk through all of the steps that were done during the demonstration portion of the webcast. You can find it at http://oem.microsoft.com/serversource in the Deployment column under Step 2.

Q: Does Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 require any Client Access Licenses (CALs) in any situation, e.g., authenticated external access?

A: For a good overview of practical licensing issues regarding WSS, Windows Server, and Windows SBS, please see http://msmvps.com/blogs/cgross/archive/2005/04/02/40723.aspx.

Q: If an anonymous user goes to the website and goes to a document library with Product brochures, do you have to have SQL Server or Windows SBS licenses to download the documents?

A: No, anonymous access does not require a CAL.

Q: Does using offline files through Outlook 2007 break versioning?

A: No, versioning is handled when synchronizing offline content.

Q: Is Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 a component of Windows Server 2008?

A: Yes, it is an in-box optional component that you can install using Server Manager.

Q: Can the data for SharePoint be stored on a different physical server?

A: Yes, for planning and architecture guides, please see http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/WSS/en/library/ab2bedd4-d12b-4825-9c10-1c5e4079e1c61033.mspx?mfr=true.

Q: Will Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 run on Windows Server 2003 Web Edition and SQL Server Express?

A: The usage of WSS on Windows Server 2003 Web Edition is limited to front-end web serving tasks. The data storage portion of Windows SharePoint Services may not be installed or used on Windows Server 2003 Web Edition. However, the data can be stored on a different server running SQL Server.

Q: Are there Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server VHD images?

A: There is currently a MOSS image, but not one specifically for WSS. However, there are more images being created and posted all the time. Please visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb738372.aspx.

Q: If you already have a side-by side web (WSS 2.0), can the other site (not comapnyweb) be upgraded?

A: No, you do not want to upgrade WSS 2.0 to WSS 3.0 on the Windows SBS server because that will break the wizards.

Q: Is the WSS 3.0 use of host headers likely to break a Windows SBS 2003 with CRM Mobile clients installed?

A: As long as the host headers are all unique, there shouldn’t be any conflicts.

More Q&A from a previous webcast of this presentation can be found at http://blogs.technet.com/backroom/archive/2007/08/10/q-a-from-installation-and-configuration-of-windows-sharepoint-services-3-0-webcast.aspx.

Q&A from Windows Server 2008 Technical Overview, Part 1 of 2 webcast

BOBblog — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:19:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, October 11, 2007, webcast “Windows Server 2008 Technical Overview, Part 1 of 2” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6736). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

Q: Will PowerShell completely replace the command line (cmd.exe)?

A: No, the command line will still be available.

Q: Is Windows Deployment Services the same as Business Desktop Deployment 2007?

A: They are not the same, but they work together. BDD 2007 uses Windows Preinstallation Environment 2.0 and can also use Windows Deployment Services as well.

Q: Can the 32-bit version of Windows Server 2008 RC0 be installed as a virtual machine using Virtual Server 2005 R2 hosted on a Windows Server 2003 machine?

A: Yes, I am running both the full install as well as the Server Core install as virtual machines.

Q: How much of the IIS 7 error report does an anonymous Internet visitor see?

A: By default, detailed diagnostic error messages are not displayed to anonymous users—but this is configurable, e.g., in a test environment.

Q: Is there any added functionality with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 in Windows Server 2008 that isn't available with the downloadable version of WSS 3.0?

A: No, it is the same version of WSS 3.0.

Q: Can you use PowerShell on Windows Server 2008 Server Core?

A: No, at this time PowerShell has dependencies that are not installed as part of Server Core.

Q: Will Windows Server 2008 support the FAST TCP congestion avoidance protocol?

A: Yes, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/platnetworking/default.mspx and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg1006.mspx.

Q: Are there any books available on IIS 7.0 yet?

A: Yes, there are several, both from MS Press and other publishers.

Q: When Windows Server 2008 releases, will you be able to perform all necessary functions through the GUI or will you need to use the command line and/or PowerShell to complete certain tasks?

A: All necessary functions will be available through the GUI. However, for advanced scripting and automation tasks, PowerShell and the command line will be very powerful tools.

Q: Have there been any fundamental changes to Group Policy management and creation in Windows Server 2008?

A: There have been several enhancements made to Group Policy, please see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/grouppolicy/default.aspx.

Q&A from Windows Small Business Server 2003 Service Opportunities, Part 2 of 2 webcast

BOBblog — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:51:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, September 27, 2007, webcast “Windows Small Business Server 2003 Service Opportunities, Part 2of 2” http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6511). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

We have also announced all twelve winners of the book giveaway in the Windows SBS 2003 Service Opportunities Book Giveaway Winners posting. As always, thanks for attending!

I also wanted to thank our Microsoft partners who participated during the webcast and answer your questions below.

· Karl Palachuk, KPEnterprises Business Consulting Inc., Hardware as a Service

· Dana Epp, Scorpion Software, Security

· Robert Guchee, Parsec Computer Corp., Windows Mobile

· Scott Scrogin, Heartland Technology Solutions, Business Process Improvement

Q: Where can I learn more about all of the events in the 5W/50 series?

A: Please visit http://www.mssmallbiz.com/sbstraining.

Q: Where can I download the PowerPoint presentations for the 5W/50 series?

A: We have created a Windows Live SkyDrive, please visit http://cid-63265f352b9da32c.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/5W50%20Webcast%20Downloads/.

Q: When is the webcast on the Business and Technology Assessment Toolkit?

A: This event is available for on-demand viewing, please visit http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6425.

Q: When is the webcast on Managed Services?

A: This event is available for on-demand viewing, please visit http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6448.

Q: Do you do an assessment first before implementing Hardware as a Server (HaaS)?

Karl: Well, all our clients need to be on our Platinum Managed Service Agreement (MSA) before we'll sell HaaS. So there's a separate process for making sure the entire environment is up to spec. HaaS equipment is all new, and software is all new, so there's no need to add an additional assessment. Taking a step back: Clients do need to have assessment in order to go onto a managed service agreement.

Q: What if the customer decides to end the MSA in the middle of the contract period because they have a change in management, philosophy or just plain think it’s too expensive?

Karl: We have a buyout that is based on a percentage of the original equipment price. Basically, we make that pretty easy. We've only been doing this for 8 months, but so far no problems.

Q: When a technician works on a computer at a customer's site where all the computers are not covered by HaaS, how do they know that it is covered by HaaS and how do they let AR know it was a HaaS service as opposed to a non-HaaS service?

Karl: First, our clients must be on Platinum MSA, so all machines are covered. The only issue would be if there were a hardware problem. We tag the machines with our own asset tags, so it says "Property of KPEnterprises” on the machine, and work gets done under the HaaS service agreement. The tools we use are Kaseya and Connectwise.

Q: Is the MS Financing in your name or in the client's name?

Karl: Financing is in our name. Note: ALL HaaS agreements must be on a credit card. So the client's card gets charged on the first of each month. And we pay Microsoft the same day. So we have our profit in the bank on the first day of the month. I love the first day of the month!

Q: Is depreciation handled on your books?

Karl: Yes. We own the equipment, so both value and depreciation go to our bottom line. This is a good way to increase the measured value of your business: you have assets.

Q: If you own the equipment, are you liable for your customer’s business continuity?

Karl: Yes, to the extent that the HaaS machines are business critical. This is no different from a standard managed services agreement. All of our MSAs cover servers. So we're responsible for uptime companywide to all of our clients. HaaS doesn't change that.

Q: Does HaaS include LOB applications, anti-virus software, etc., and the associated maintenance agreements?

Karl: It can cover anything because we use a formula that allows the client to pick whatever they want and we'll just throw it into the HaaS "magic formula." Basically, we add a premium for the managed service piece and then run a calculation on the financing payment so we get three years worth of payments in 24 months. Year 3 is 100% profit.

Q: Who is the software licensed to? You or your client?

Karl: Software is provided through SPLA. So we are "renting" it to clients. So more details, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/spla/default.mspx.

Q: How do you partner with cellular service providers?

Robert: It’s rather informal at this time, just personal relationships with the business service providers at Verizon and AT&T. We did have them attend and present at our mobility events as well.

Webcast: Windows Small Business Server 2003 Service Opportunities, Part 2 of 2

BOBblog — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:34:00 GMT

WHEN: Thursday, September 27, 2007 9 AM Pacific

WHERE: http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6511

WHAT: During this webcast, we will explore in more depth some of the service opportunities that were identified in part 1 of this series (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6510). We will also be providing a number of links to resources and materials that you can use to get started in these areas.

We have invited several prominent Microsoft Partners to participate on the webcast, to share their knowledge, insight, and experience to help you get started in these areas:

Karl Palachuk, with KPEnterprises Business Consulting, Inc., will discuss Hardware as a Service, which is a bundling of hardware, software, and support into one monthly payment. Learn how Karl leverages Microsoft Finance to drive more business with his customers using this bundled approach.
Dana Epp (Microsoft MVP), with Scorpion Software, will discuss Security Assessments, the Baseline Security Analysis Tool, and compatible product up-sells in the security space. Learn how Dana has created a tremendously successful business around addressing customer security needs.
Scott Scrogin, with Heartland Technology Solutions, will discuss Business Process Improvement strategies. Learn how to take your relationship with your customers beyond technology point solutions and engage with them on a strategic business level.
Robert Guchee, with Parsec Computer Corp., will discuss opportunities around Windows Mobile, one of the hottest growth areas in the small business market. Robert will share his insights on using mobility services to engage more deeply with your customers.

In addition, we will be giving away SIX FREE BOOKS per webcast from SMB Nation Press, SMB Consulting Best Practices by Harry Brelsford. Six winners receiving one book each will be selected in a random drawing from the attendees who fill out the user satisfaction survey at the conclusion of each webcast.

Windows SBS 2003 Service Opportunities Book Giveaway Winners

BOBblog — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:15:00 GMT

Below are the twelve winners for the Windows SBS 2003 Service Opportunities webcast series. Congratulations! And be sure to check out the SMB Nation website, www.smbnation.com. You can find a link to subscribe to their newsletter along the left-hand side of the page.

Books will be shipped directly to the winners using the contact information provided when you registered for the webcasts, no other steps are required to claim your prize. The books will arrive within 4 to 6 weeks after the webcast is presented.

Thanks for attending!

Part 1 (Thursday, September 13, 2007)
A. Rugel, Rugel Computer Consulting
J. Hummel, BudgieSoft
B. Weber, Oliver Licensing LLC
P. Fasoldt, SEI Ltd
B. Walter, Resource Optimization Inc.
N. Yang, Grandtech Technology

Part 2 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)
B. Lloyd, Eorld Stuff
B. Wolosky, Mithril Technology
J. Walker, JWalker Inc
R. Brayer, Ron Brayer Consulting
W. Erla, WME Information Systems
K. VanWinkle, FACTS

Q&A from Windows Small Business Server 2003 Service Opportunities, Part 1of 2 webcast

BOBblog — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:32:00 GMT

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, September 13, 2007, webcast “Windows Small Business Server 2003 Service Opportunities, Part 1of 2” http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6510). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

We will also be announcing the first six winners of the book giveaway in a separate posting coming soon. As always, thanks for attending!

Q: Where can I learn more about all of the events in the 5W/50 series?

A: Please visit http://www.mssmallbiz.com/sbstraining.

Q: Where can I download the PowerPoint presentations for the 5W/50 series?

A: We have created a Windows Live SkyDrive, please visit http://cid-63265f352b9da32c.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/5W50%20Webcast%20Downloads/.

Q: When is the webcast on the Business and Technology Assessment Toolkit?

A: This event will be presented on September 21 at 9am Pacific, and will also be available on-demand. Please visit http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6425.

Q: When is the webcast on Managed Services?

A: This event is available for on-demand viewing, please visit http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6448.

Q: When considering service opportunities around security, can Microsoft Forefront be used in Windows SBS 2003 environments?

A: Forefront is designed to be installed on a server functioning as an Edge Server running Exchange 2007. It will install on Windows SBS 2003, however, you will not be able to utilize it to its fullest capability. The best scenario for using Forefront Security suite is to install it on an Edge Server that also has ADAM installed. For a more in-depth article, please visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb430746.aspx.

Webcast: Windows Small Business Server 2003 Service Opportunities, Part 1of 2

BOBblog — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:27:00 GMT

WHEN: Thursday, September 13, 2007 9 AM Pacific

WHERE: http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6510

WHAT: As a Microsoft Partner, you understand the opportunity around selling server hardware and Microsoft Windows Server products. But that is only the beginning of an on-going and mutually beneficial relationship with your customers. Take the next steps to become a trusted advisor for your clients and advance your business to the next level.

During this webcast, we will discuss the wealth of service opportunities that you can engage in with your customers once they have a Windows Server in place. If you are not already engaged in Managed Services, which is often one of the first service opportunities Microsoft Partners take advantage of, be sure to check out this comprehensive webcast, Introduction to Managed Service. If you’re ready to explore additional opportunities, read on!

Service opportunities can be organized into three general areas: IT, Developer, and Business. The services you pursue will depend on your skills and interests. We will talk about a number of possibilities, including:

Security assessment / Penetration audit (white-hat hacking)
Disaster recovery planning
Windows SharePoint Services customization/development
Developing custom solutions using Microsoft Office
Windows Mobile
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Business Process Intelligence (BPI)
Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Business and IT assessments (Scorecards)
Training

We’ll also discuss how to leverage the toolkits available from Microsoft to help you identify your clients’ highest priorities. In Part 2 of this series, we will talk with some prominent Microsoft Partners who will discuss how they are making money engaging with their customers in these areas.

Register now and complete the user satisfaction survey at the conclusion of the webcast for your chance to win one of SIX FREE BOOKS from SMB Nation Press entitled, SMB Consulting Best Practices by Harry Brelsford!

Q&A from Creating a Virtual Server 2005 R2 Test/Demo Environment webcast

BOBblog — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:21:00 GMT

Hello Everyone,

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, August 23, 2007, webcast “Creating a Virtual Server 2005 R2 Test/Demo Environment” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6506). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

Q: Where can I find more documentation on installing and managing Virtual Server 2005 R2?

A: Please visit the Virtual Server 2005 Technical Library at http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/bcc5e200-88af-4a64-963b-55f1efb251d11033.mspx.

Q: Where can I find more information about Virtual Server and clustering?

A: Please visit http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/9a3de6d0-c820-41ac-860c-de950d271f8d1033.mspx.

Q: Can you use Virtual Server 2005 R2 to test Windows Server 2008 beta 3 as a guest operating system?

A: Yes, this is an excellent example for using a virtual machine!

Q: What host operating system should I use to achieve the best performance with Virtual Server 2005 R2?

A: For maximum performance and scalability, use the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise or Datacenter Edition.

Q: Can you run Virtual Server 2005 R2 on machines with CPUs that don’t support hardware assisted virtualization?

A: Yes. Virtual Server will take advantage of those features if they exist, but will run without them as well.

Q: Can you migrate an existing production server to a virtual machine without having to reinstall the OS, just push it to the virtual file format?

A: Yes. Currently you would use the Virtual Server Migration Toolkit. With the upcoming release of System Center Virtual Machine Manager this process becomes even easier. Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/scvmm/default.mspx.

Q: When using differencing disks, can multiple virtual machines use the same base disk simultaneously?

A: Absolutely. The base disk is used as a read-only “parent” for as many “child” differencing disks as you want.

Q: Where can I find more information about licensing issues and scenarios when using virtualization?

A: Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/highlights/virtualization.mspx.

Q: Does the current licensing model allow a company to take legacy hardware out of service and transfer its OS to a virtual machine?

A: This depends on the type of licenses in the environment. For example, OEM licenses cannot be moved to new PCs or to a virtual instance. However, other license types may allow this.

Q: How to I backup virtual machines?

A: There are basically two approaches. The first is to install your normal backup software on your guest operating systems and use the same processes and procedures that you use to backup your physical machines. The second approach is to simply make copies the .vmc and .vhd files that constitute the virtual machine.

Q: What are the main differences between Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 and competing products?

A: Please see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/evaluation/revguide.mspx.

Q: Does the virtual SCSI host adapter for virtual machines work with Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) on the host machine?

A: It doesn’t matter to the virtual machines what the actual physical hard drives are on the host. Anything that is supported by the host operating system can be used to store the configuration and data files that comprise a virtual machine.

Q: Is it possible to store the configuration and data files for a virtual machine on an external drive?

A: Yes, in fact this can be a great solution when using a laptop in a demonstration scenario when the external drive has better performance characteristics than the laptop’s internal hard drive.

Q: Is it beneficial to use the virtual SCSI host adapter even if we're using SATA/IDE physically?

A: Yes. Although the best performance will be realized when physical SCSI drives are used as well, there is still a benefit to the virtual machines when using the virtual SCSI host bus adapter.

Q: Can you change the attachment for an existing virtual hard drive from IDE to SCSI?

A: Yes. Edit the virtual machine’s (VM) configuration to add a SCSI host adapter, and then edit the VM’s hard disk attachments to use SCSI.

Q: If Virtual Server is installed on an NTFS formatted drive, how will this affect a guest OS that is only capable of FAT32?

A: The virtual hard disks for a virtual machine are created, partitioned, and formatted independently from the underlying host operating system’s hard disk configuration. As a result, they can be configured to match the requirements of the guest OS.

Q: If you set up a Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 environment, can Virtual Server be in such an environment?

A: Yes.

Q: After setting up a virtual machine and loading a guest OS, when you are done with the guest OS how do you delete it from the host computer? When you remove it from Virtual Server it seems to still be physically on the hard drive.

A: You need to manually delete the actual files (.vmc and any .vhd’s) that were created for the virtual machine.

Q: Can you have both Virtual PC 2007 and Virtual Server 2005 R2 installed on the same host machine?

A: Yes. If you do so, I would recommend installing VPC first and then Virtual Server.

Q: Can you use a hard disk image from Virtual Server on Virtual PC and vice versa?

A: Yes, the .vhd files are compatible between the two products.

Q: What was the URL mentioned during the webcast for the blog that described how to configure IIS for running Virtual Server on Windows Vista?

A: http://blog.wadewegner.com/2007/03/03/InstallingVirtualServer2005R2OnWindowsVistaUpdated.aspx

Q: Can you recommend an application for creating ISO's?

A: There are many good tools for this, I have had success with ISORecorder.

Webcast: Creating a Virtual Server 2005 R2 Test-Demo Environment

BOBblog — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:14:00 GMT

WHEN: Thursday, August 23, 2007 9 AM Pacific

WHERE: http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6506

WHAT: You have all heard the buzz, now get in the game. Whether you are looking to consolidate infrastructure, host legacy applications, create development and test environments, provide training, or demonstrate entire technology scenarios to your customers, virtualization is the solution. Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 is an ideal, production-quality server for consolidating multiple workloads onto a single physical server, allowing organizations to make more efficient use of their hardware resources. Virtual Server enables IT organizations to enhance their administrative productivity and rapidly deploy new servers to address changing business needs through automated deployment and configuration when used with System Center Virtual Machine Manager. Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 now provides improved performance for non-Windows guest operating systems by leveraging hardware-assisted virtualization, high availability for both planned and unplanned downtime, and improved support for backup and disaster recovery.

In this webcast, we will take a closer look at what Virtual Server is, what it can do, how it’s different from Virtual PC, and when you would use one versus the other. We’ll discuss the hardware and software requirements, including the fact that a suitable laptop running Windows XP Professional makes an ideal portable technology demonstration lab. But the real focus of the presentation will be on the installation and configuration of Virtual Server—how to get it up and running so that you can take advantage of virtualization to enhance your business.

Q&A from Installation and Configuration of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 webcast

BOBblog — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:03:00 GMT

Hello Everyone,

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, August 9, 2007, webcast “Installation and Configuration of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6479). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

Also, within the next few days, we will be posting a complete step-by-step guide that you can use as a reference to walk through all of the steps that were done during the demonstration portion of the webcast. You can find it at http://oem.microsoft.com/serversource in the Deployment column under Step 2.

Q: In WSS2.0, you could map to a SharePoint document library in Windows Explorer using \\companyweb\[sitename]. What is the mapping for WSS3.0?

A: When mapping the drive using Windows Explorer, instead of the UNC style path, use http://[wss3site]/[document library].

Q: How to you make the Explorer View for SharePoint document libraries work with Windows Vista clients?

A: In this case, the difference in behavior is actually related to Internet Explorer version 7 versus version 6, not Windows Vista versus Windows XP. In IE7, switching to Explorer View will cause IE to launch a separate Windows Explorer application to provide the desired interaction with SharePoint. When this is attempted, you will see a confirmation dialog box asking to allow this action.

Q: Myth or Fact: Are side-by-side installations of SBS 2003/WSS 2.0 and WSS 3.0/MOSS 2007 recommended. Why?

A: Please visit http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServerSolutions/SBS/en/library/07fe109b-1421-4052-acc2-d2898afc0d951033.mspx and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsserver/sharepoint/techref/versions.mspx.

Q: Will there be a new version of Windows SharePoint Services shipping with Windows Server 2008?

A: Windows Server 2008 is currently set to ship with WSS 3.0.

Q: We have Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 installed and it is using SQL Server 2000 on a separate server. Can we install WSS 3.0 and use the same SQL Server 2000 database server?

A: Yes. Please also see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889647/en-us.

Q: What are the key differences between Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0?

A: Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/overview.mspx.

Q: Is it true that there is a 4GB database size limit for SQL Server 2005 Express Edition?

A: Yes. For a feature comparison of SQL Server 2005 editions, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx.

Q: To create a new site in WSS 3.0, what permissions does a user need to have?

A: They need to be a member of the Site Owner group in SharePoint.

Q: Where can I find more information about using Silverlight with SharePoint?

A: Please visit http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/blogs/mikeg/silverlight1/SilverlightContent.aspx.

Q: Approximately how many users will a single-server farm support in an organization at the recommended specifications?

A: Please visit the capacity planning link: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/wss/2/all/adminguide/en-us/stsb07.mspx.

Q: What are the limitations in e-mail integration with WSS3.0 on Windows SBS 2003?

A: The limitation involves the automated processing of inbound e-mail requests to create items in SharePoint. As a possible work-around, you may wish to visit http://www.mrict.co.uk/resources/incoming_email_for_wss_3_and_sbs.asp.

Q: Can I install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 on the same server as Exchange Server 2007?

A: Yes.

Q: Can I change the default site name from "Team Site" to another name?

A: Yes. When logged in as a Site Owner, click on Site Actions, Site Settings. In the Look and Feel section, click on Title, description, and icon.

Q: If WSS3.0 is installed on 64-bit version of Windows Server, do the application templates have to be 64-bit as well?

A: No, the application templates work with both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of WSS 3.0. However, there is a 64-bit version of WSS 3.0 itself, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0a50da0f-7c94-4814-bbfe-2b66fe4a9087&DisplayLang=en.

Q: Where can I find out more about using the workflow features of WSS 3.0?

A: You can register for a great virtual lab here: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032304181&EventCategory=3&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US.

Q: Can I change the location of where my WSS 3.0 data is stored after an install?

A: Yes, please see http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/WSS/en/library/dec1c405-b54b-4c1b-976f-3fa6d814cda51033.mspx.

Q: Where can I find more information about backup and recovery for WSS 3.0?

A: Please see http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/WSS/en/library/dec1c405-b54b-4c1b-976f-3fa6d814cda51033.mspx.

Q: If the first attempt to install WSS 3.0 Side-by-Side did not go too well can it be uninstalled and reinstalled following the tips described in this webcast?

A: Yes, uninstalling will remove all of the components and settings for WSS 3.0.

Q: If a few months down the road I decide I want some of the advanced features of MOSS 2007 will it see existing WSS 3.0 sites and upgrade them as appropriate?

A: Yes, upgrading from WSS 3.0 to MOSS 2007 is fully supported.

Q: In the Windows SBS 2003 Remote Web Workplace, how do you set the link to "My company's internal web site" to point to the new intranet site?

A: There is no supported way to modify this RWW link, however there are a couple of approaches for the truly adventurous. One is to use the steps outlined here: http://msmvps.com/blogs/cgross/archive/2007/02/04/companyweb-sharepoint-v3-part-5.aspx. A second approach can be found here: http://geekswithblogs.net/mnf/archive/2007/08/02/Customize-remoteoutlook--Main-Menu.aspx.