The TechNet Australia Blog

Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR) v7

2009-11-04T22:46:39Z

The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR) is a comprehensive and wide-ranging study of the evolving threat landscape, and addresses such topics as software vulnerability disclosures and exploits, malicious software (malware), and potentially unwanted software.

Volume 7 of the Security Intelligence Report (SIR v7) covers the first half of 2009 (January through June). It includes data derived from more than 450 million computers worldwide, each running Windows. It also draws data from some of the busiest services on the Internet, such as Windows Live Hotmail and Bing.

The research is extensive and we encourage you to download the report.

System Center Essentials (SCE) 2010 beta preview

2009-11-01T23:08:22Z

Adam Bomb from the TechNet Edge team recently sat down with David Mills and Edwin Yuen, who got together for a brief discussion of Microsoft’s IT management and virtualization solution for midsize businesses. With the release of public betas for System Center Essentials 2010 and Data Protection Manager 2010, customers will have the capability to easily manage, backup and restore their physical and virtual servers in an integrated way.

After discussing the benefits of using Hyper-v, SCE 2010 and DPM 2010, Edwin gives us a quick demo of SCE 2010’s integrated virtual and physical management capabilities.

Download System Center Essentials 2010 beta today

System Center and Windows 7

2009-10-28T23:37:56Z

In this episode of Brad and Jeff's periodic chats about the management business at Microsoft, they talk about how System Center fits in the constellation of platform and server releases in the fall of 2009.

In part 2, Brad and Jeff talk about all the improvements in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 and R3 that make deployment and management of Windows 7 clients far more energy efficient and cost effective than ever before.
Also in this episode:

Part 1: Driving Manageability Across Microsoft
Part 3: System Center and Windows Server 2008 R2 (forthcoming)
Part 4: System Center and Microsoft Exchange (forthcoming)

Latest Evaluation downloads – Forefront and System Center

2009-10-26T22:56:48Z

The following System Center and Forefront products are available for download as evaluation.

Forefront Identity Manager 2010

Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server

Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010

System Center Essentials 2010

System Center Service Manager

Windows 7 resources

2009-10-26T00:19:38Z

Windows 7 was launched last week! We had our launch event at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Media, technology enthusiasts and PC makers were present. There are some amazing looking PC’s running Windows 7 which were on display, my favourite one was the new and amazingly thin Sony Vaio X Series.

For more photos check out the Microsoft Australia Flickr Photostream

You may have already seen some of the ads on TV:

To check out more ads visit the official Windows 7 Australia youtube channel

Here are also some great TechNet Edge videos:
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit - building install media for Windows 7

Windows XP mode for Windows 7

Branch Cache in Windows 7

Check out TechNet Edge for more Windows 7 videos

Some fun facts about Windows 7

More than a billion people around the world use Windows every day, and millions have provided input on what they want to see in an operating system. This feedback was built into the product.
Windows 7 saw the largest beta testing program in the history of the industry, with 8 million testers worldwide.
People from more than 113 countries downloaded the Windows 7 beta.
We conducted more than 16,000 online interviews directly aimed at helping us identity, test and validate scenarios and features for Windows 7.
More than 2,600 customers participated in user research and usability studies for Windows 7.
More than 40,000 hours of Windows 7 usage was logged from external user research field trials (through our Living with Windows program in which users were recruited to provide an understanding of how they use Windows 7).
We received product instrumentation and usage data from millions of PCs in more than 200 countries and regions around the world that help Microsoft Corp. better understand how its customers use its software. Windows 7 includes input from more than a billion user sessions.
More than 600 new feature ideas for Windows 7 were tested through global quantitative research early in the engineering process, helping Microsoft determine the features that best address its customers’ top needs. These features were tested through extensive online research survey fielded in five global markets.
More than 15 million people participated in the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) —across Windows Vista and Windows 7 prereleases.
Tens of thousands of people have signed up to host a Windows 7 Launch Party, a grassroots gathering of friends and family to show off the product and share their enthusiasm.
Twenty-seven new TV ads were developed for Windows 7 across the U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany and Australia.
Weight reduction of new Genesis Windows 7 packaging versus Windows Vista Longform packaging: 56 percent
Percent improvement in Windows 7 Ecometrics score over Windows Vista: 50 percent
There are 50 new fonts in Windows 7.
Number of languages that are available as of October 2009: 34
49 Indian-language fonts are supported in Windows 7.
Wallpaper: 12 backgrounds, seven Windows Aero themes, six character wallpapers, six scenes and unlimited downloads
Windows 7 is available at more than 45,000 retailers around the world.

Windows 7 Twitter’s
MSWindows
MSSpringboard
Windows7AU

Have a look at the Windows 7 Australian Pricing

Deployment Tools, Windows XP to Windows 7 Migration

2009-10-21T02:24:21Z

Deployment Tools, Windows XP to Windows 7 Migration

Windows 7 Deployment Technologies

2009-10-20T03:54:51Z

Windows 7 Deployment Technologies

October 2009 Security Bulletin Overview

2009-10-14T05:39:48Z

This is a basic overview of the security bulletins released by the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) in October 2009. For bulletin details, please visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security
or
http://www.microsoft.com/security
Other resources mentioned in the video:
Microsoft Update: http://update.microsoft.com

Video on how to install updates on Vista >>
This video is brought to you by the Trustworthy Computing security response communications team.

Microsoft MVPs review Windows 7 on a HP Mini 2140

2009-10-12T06:16:43Z

At TechEd Australia 2009, 2500 attendees were given a HP netbook as part of their admission deal. We asked 2 of the presenters at the event, who are also Windows MVPs, to talk about the netbooks, and why Windows 7 is the best operating system (OS) for netbooks.

Check out the video below

TechNet Virtual Conference October

2009-10-02T01:55:00Z

TechNet Virtual Conference Friday 30 October
10.00am-11.00am IT Manager Session: Office and Exchange 2010
10.00am-11.00am IT Manager Session: Delivering the NextGen Desktop – Windows 7 (Citrix guest speaker)
11.30am-12.30pm Desktop/End User Specialist Session: Windows 7 – Improved Network Access
1.00pm-2.00pm LOB/Applications Specialist Session: Managing your storage for SQL Server 2008
2.30pm-3.30pm Infrastructure Specialist Session: Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2: Technical Overview

If you missed the Virtual Conference in September you can still view the sessions On-Demand.

Daylight Savings changes in Western Australia – prepare now!

2009-09-30T03:16:39Z

Daylight Savings time changes can have a significant impact on business performance if not dealt with proactively. Effects can range from the incorrect time display on the clock, to calendaring problems, to changes in business critical services that are time dependent. This year, Western Australians rejected by referendum a proposal to extend their trial of daylight savings. As a result there will be no daylight savings in WA this year or for the foreseeable future. The time change was scheduled for 25 October, but will no longer occur.

We encourage customers to review their preparedness for these changes. See the Australia 2009 Daylight Saving Planning Guide.

Microsoft WebsiteSpark Launched!

2009-09-28T03:52:25Z

Microsoft® WebsiteSpark™ ignites success in the Web business by helping Web Pros to drive new business opportunities through connections with partners and customers around the world. WebsiteSpark also provides Web Pros with Microsoft software and solutions, as well as support and training opportunities. By participating in WebsiteSpark, Network Partners, including Hosting Partners, gain exposure as a Microsoft partner and join an ecosystem that includes not only Web development and design companies but also their customers.

WebsiteSpark can help you to drive new business opportunities and expand your customer base. You benefit from co-marketing activities to drive demand toward your portfolio of Web solutions. Then you can extend your reach by exposing your services to the broad set of Microsoft customers and partners.

You also can benefit from professional support and training from Microsoft engineers, Hosting Partners, Network Partners, and peers from around the world. You receive free online training, trainer mentoring, and webinars.

As a participant in WebsiteSpark, you get discounts on software and solutions to bring to market your sites and applications based on the Microsoft Windows® Web platform. You receive fast, easy, and immediate access to current Microsoft development tools, Web platform technologies, and production licenses of server products. This can help you to improve your development and design productivity.

For more details visit the WebsiteSpark home

Win $5,000 for a Windows 7 Application idea!

2009-09-21T06:59:29Z

There is only four days left in this competition we launched at TechEd.

Got a great idea for a Windows 7 application? Well, this is your chance to win $5,000 to bring it to life.

Come up with an idea for a Windows 7 application that answers the question:
How Windows 7 can change...:

the way I work?
the way my organisation will run? or
my world (in areas of healthcare or education or sustainability)?

Your idea will be judged equally on the following criteria:

Is it unique, inspiring and creative?
Is it achievable? Consider how simple it is to implement and the development time required.
What impact will it have upon the way you work, your organisation and/or your community?

To enter, email your idea, name, address and phone number and original idea to win7idea@microsoft.com. You can also post your idea on the Tech•Ed Australia Facebook page

Be sure to outline how your idea could improve the way you work, how your organisation operates or how it benefits your community. Or discuss your ideas with the community and Microsoft staff. You may get feedback that could help you turn a good idea into a winning one.

The winning idea will remain the intellectual property of its creator. The best ideas may be published on this page and/or at Tech•Ed. You can enter as many ideas as you like. Good luck! Terms and conditions apply.

TechNet Virtual Conference September

2009-09-08T06:13:00Z

UPDATE: The sessions are available now On-Demand

We are starting the TechNet Virtual Conference series this month. These are sessions targeted at various IT Professionals, there should be something for everyone! Register today.

TechNet Virtual Conference Friday 25 September
10.00am-11.00am IT Manager Session: How Microsoft does IT: Save Time, Save Energy
11.30am-12.30pm Desktop/End User Specialist Session: Windows 7 Manageability Solutions
1.00pm-2.00pm Line of Business/Applications Specialist Session: SQL Server Consolidation/Virtualisation
2.30pm-3.30pm Infrastructure Specialist Session: Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 Group Policy Changes

Get yourself a Windows 7 Hoodie or T-Shirt at TechEd this year

2009-09-02T09:40:57Z

The TechEd 2009 freebies don’t stop at a free netbook with Windows 7 RTM, we are also giving away some funky Windows 7 Hoodies and T-Shirts this year at TechEd 2009. Our resident model Elaine was kind enough to show off the items for us!

What do you need to do?
Easy. You need to be attending TechEd and then promote the newly announced Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial for IT Professionals on Twitter during the conference (8th – 11th September) with the hashtag #auteched. We will be monitoring the Twitter feed and will pick the most creative tweets on the day. We’ll let you know on Twitter if you were picked, then remember to pick up your Hoodie or T-Shirt from the TechNet Pod in the Technology showcase area.

Catch you next week on the Gold Coast!