Dave Northey's Blog : Longhorn

Windows Server 2008 User Group - Ireland

daven — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:15:42 GMT

Now that the Longhorn Academy is over (all slides are here), what's next?

Well, the consensus was that we couldn't just let it end there. So, Aidan Finn (with a little bit of a push from all the attendees at the last session) has started a User Group.

The new Windows Server 2008 User Group - Ireland now has an online presence.

It will take Aidan a while to get things up and running, and I'm sure he'll appreciate any help he can get, so if your interested click on the Send Message link at the top left and get involved.

Dave.

Longhorn Academy - Session VI (Web and Application Platform)

daven — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:33:09 GMT

As promised, the slides are now online here: http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/events/archived/default.mspx

Sorry it took so long..

Dave.

Yesterday's Longhorn Academy - OK, I Lied!

daven — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:54:00 GMT

At the end of yesterday's session I promised to ring everyone and invite you all to IT Pro Momentum. Turns out I lied (there's not enough hours in a day to make that many phone calls). I only managed to get through around thirty calls.

I will get around to the rest of you, just not today (or tommorow, or early next week - I'm kind of busy)..

Dave..

Yesterday's Longhorn Academy - Web and Application Platform.

daven — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:16:22 GMT

For all those that attended yesterday's session - Thank you, both Bob and I really enjoyed it (even if this was the session that took the most preparation).

The slides will get posted up as soon as possible - same place as last time.

Bob mentioned two really good webcasts about microsoft.com moving to Windows Server 2008. Here's the links to them:

Microsoft.com: Employing Windows Server 2008 and IIS 7

Real world debugging

I'll get working on my IT Pro Momentum invites..

See you next month (21st November),

Dave.

Longhorn Academy - Slides

daven — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:19:51 GMT

We (finally) have ALL the slides from the last five Longhorn Academy events online (in one place).

They’re all here: http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/events/archived/default.mspx

See you on the 17^th for the next session..

Dave.

Windows Server 2008 RC0

daven — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:43:14 GMT

So, yesterday at the re-delivery of August's Longhorn Academy (and at lest weeks session) I mentioned that we'd be shipping Release Candidate Zero (RC0) of Windows Server 2008 soon. Well soon=today.

You can all download RC0 from here.

Enjoy,

Dave.

My actions from yesterday's Longhorn Academy

daven — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:57:00 GMT

Firstly, thank you to all who attended - I really enjoyed the event (even the feedback)!

I'm getting ALL the PowerPoints from ALL the sessions posted to one place (they're currently all over the place). I'll email a link to them (and post it here) when I have it.

All the Hands on Labs are here (TechNet Virtual Labs).

I'm going to send you all an email to see if you're interested in some "online noise".

And lastly, to get EasyPrint working for XP, you need this (beta) download. You actually need the RDP 6.0 cliend ant version 3.0 of the .NET framework. XP Service Pack 3 will be the only supported solution when we ship.

Thanks again, and expect an email from me early next week..

Dave.

Friday's Security Nugget.

daven — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 14:52:00 GMT

So today I'm trying something a bit different. Working in the Developer and Platform Group, I'm surrounded by developers - and they really like Silverlight (a framework for developing high-quality, cross-platform, cross-browser, media-enabled rich interactive web applications).

If you like this format, I'll do a lot more (it was actually good fun putting this together).

So, I've been running something called the 'Longhorn Academy' for the last four months - 130 IT Pros in a room for half a day, once a month to learn Longhorn (Windows Server 2008). One of the topics included a detailed, deep-dive into Network Access Protection (NAP), something that I think is probably one of the best new features coming with Windows Server 2008.

NAP enables IT administrators to enforce network access policies. It's not really a security product, as you could use it to enforce an un-secure network, but combined with very secure policies it will help greatly with security.

At a very high level, NAP lets me decide what a compliant PC 'looks like' (must have a firewall turned on, must have an up-to-date anti-virus product installed, etc). Then it only allows full network access to those PCs that are compliant with that policy. Any machine that is not compliant will either be kicked off of the network, or given limited access to a part of the network where they can fix the problem (get an up-to-date anti-virus signature, download a patch, etc).

Methods of NAP include DHCP, 802.1x, VPN and IPSec. This demo is IPSec, but they all offer the same basic functionality.

Enjoy

I've posted this on youtube as well (just incase you're running Linux & can't run Silverlight - yet).

Dave.

As promised - the answer to the GPO auditing question:

daven — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:29:15 GMT

So it turns out that you can already do some GPO auditing natively in Windows 2003 (very complicated & messy). See here.

DesktopStandard and NetIQ offer GPOVault and Group Policy Guardian that enhance the change control/auditing experience - which presumably just sit ontop of the infrastructure mentioned above.

We now own DesktopStandard, and have transformed GPO Vault Enterprise into Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management and have included it as part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance.

We are going to incorporate the Policymaker functionality from our DesktopStandard acquisition natively into WS2008 around the RC timeframe but will still be offering GPOVault functionality separately.

Looks like the answer is: Yes, there will be native GPO auditing functionality in Windows Server 2008, but it will be limited (to encourage you to buy GPOVault).

Now I'm really off on holidays - back in a week..

Dave.

Yesterday's Longhorn Academy follow up

daven — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:57:00 GMT

My thanks to everyone who attended yesterday's Longhorn Academy - both James and I really enjoyed delivering it.

I took away a couple of actions:

The link to the video I showed at the break is: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/129
Using the Install From Media option during a dcpromo would require the complete directory database to be on the media (passwords and all).
My thanks to Michael Maher - he found this tool for managing Fine Grained Password Policies.
I'm still looking into the auditing of GPO edits question. You can do it today with the tools in the Desktop Optimisation Pack (the tool used to be GPO Vault - it audits all changes and provides rollback). I'm trying to find out if it's natively in 2008.

I'll post again when I have the answer (won't be next week - I'm on holiday).

Dave

Longhorn Academy follow up..

daven — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:40:00 GMT

Firstly, let me apologise for not posting for a while. I do have a good excuse - I've been on holiday (seven days in Sardinia - hot & sunny - makes a change from the rain)! I got back last last Tuesday and was delivering this months Longhorn Academy on Wednesday. Thursday I got on a plane again and I'm now in Seattle (Microsoft has has me working ever since).

The last Longhorn Academy covered Security and Policy Enforcement and in particular network Access Protection (NAP). One of the questions that came up (that we didn't have a good answer for) was what would happen to a NAP enabled laptop entering another customers NAP enabled network (would the network admin have the ability to update the guest laptop).

This is the answer (from the documentation):

· Verifying the health state of visiting laptops

Organizations frequently need to allow consultants, business partners, and guests to connect to their private networks. The laptops that these visitors bring might not meet system health requirements and can present health risks. By using NAP, administrators can determine that the visiting laptops are not compliant and limit their access to a restricted network. Typically, administrators would not require or provide any updates or configuration changes to the visiting laptops. The administrator could configure Internet access for visiting laptops, but not for other organization computers whose access is limited.

One last thing, the step-by-step guides I mentioned can be found here. They are very good, so if you have time (probably half a day for each) - play away.

Step-by-Step Guides
Step-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate IPsec NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Step By Step Guide: Demonstrate 802.1X NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Step-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate VPN NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Step-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate DHCP NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Enjoy

Dave.

Microsoft.com running Windows Server 2008 (Longhorn) Beta 3

daven — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:30:33 GMT

Microsoft.com are running IIS7 on all of their servers! (except for a single box which they use to do comparative studies with).

More details here.

Dave.

Windows Server 2008 and IIS 7.0

daven — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:14:00 GMT

Looks like Microsoft have been listening to our customers (IIS wasn't planned to be a role on a Core installation):

Microsoft Takes Web Hosting to a New Level with Internet Information Services 7.0

Q&A: What Microsoft’s decision to add Internet Information Services 7.0 to the Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 means for customers and partners.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2007/jun07/06-04IIS7.mspx

MTUG event in Cork on the 18th June

daven — Tue, 29 May 2007 22:12:59 GMT

Just a reminder to everyone in Cork - I'll be down delivering a session on Windows Server 2008 (Longhorn) on Monday 18th June for MTUG (Microsoft Technology Users Group). I'll be in the Imperial Hotel on South Mall from 19:00 - 21:00. Everyone is welcome, but you should register here.

See you on the 18th.

Dave.

Windows Server 2008 (Longhorn) Academy

daven — Thu, 17 May 2007 21:29:21 GMT

Yesterday Darren Dillon and I presented the first of Microsoft Ireland's 'Longhorn Academy'. The Longhorn Academy is a select group of 120 Irish IT Professionals attend (mostly certified Microsoft professionals in Enterprise/UMM accounts). Here's most of us:

Dave Northey's Blog : Longhorn

Windows Server 2008 User Group - Ireland

Longhorn Academy - Session VI (Web and Application Platform)

Yesterday's Longhorn Academy - OK, I Lied!

Yesterday's Longhorn Academy - Web and Application Platform.

Longhorn Academy - Slides

Windows Server 2008 RC0

My actions from yesterday's Longhorn Academy

Friday's Security Nugget.

As promised - the answer to the GPO auditing question:

Yesterday's Longhorn Academy follow up

Longhorn Academy follow up..

Step-by-Step GuidesStep-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate IPsec NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Step By Step Guide: Demonstrate 802.1X NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Step-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate VPN NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Step-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate DHCP NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab

Microsoft.com running Windows Server 2008 (Longhorn) Beta 3

Windows Server 2008 and IIS 7.0

MTUG event in Cork on the 18th June

Windows Server 2008 (Longhorn) Academy

Step-by-Step Guides
Step-by-Step Guide: Demonstrate IPsec NAP Enforcement in a Test Lab