The TechNet Australia Blog : release candidate

Windows 7 RC Loadfest – Brisbane Infrastructure Group

Deeps — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:38:58 GMT

We had our first Windows 7 RC Loadfest up in Brissy this morning. Jeffa and Jorke hosted the Brisbane Infrastructure Group in the Microsoft Brisbane office.

Check out the Flickr Group Pool for the latest photos. There were quite a few different installation options including Windows Deployment Services (WDS) off Jorke’s Hyper-V host, USB bootable keys and DVDs. Average install time was around 25 minutes.

Remember we have more Loadfests happening around the country so make sure you come along.

Jeffa setting up

Happy IT Pro with his new Windows 7 RC Install

Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate ready for download

Deeps — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:32:23 GMT

If you haven’t used all your bandwidth downloading all Windows 7 RC, Hyper-V 2008 R2 RC and Office 2007 SP2 then you should definitely download the recently launched Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate.

Here are the top 10 IT Pro tasks made easier by Windows Server 2008 R2
#1 Migrating VMs Without Service Interruption
Live Migration leverages Windows Clustering Services and the Cluster Shared Volumes technology to transfer VMs in milliseconds. That means no dropped connections and a much more dynamic data center management environment. We’ve also added Live Migration features to System Center Virtual Machine Manager, including the ability to perform migrations based on policy. It’s a brave new virtual world.

#2 Branch File Access Performance Up; WAN Costs Down
Administrators can use BranchCache to track file access requests at the branch office, and the files can be cached there. Files can be retrieved from other branch office client PCs (a peer-to-peer caching model, known as distributed mode) or from a dedicated BranchCache server at the remote site (also called hosted mode). A central BranchCache server keeps track of both existing file requests and file updates to ensure all requests receive only the most current content.

#3 Self-adjusting Server and Data Center Power Management
First, there’s an exciting new feature called Core Parking. When this feature is enabled, Windows Server 2008 R2 will constantly monitor the various workloads running across multi-core server systems. If certain processor cores are under-utilized or unnecessary, Core Parking can set just those cores into sleep mode, thus saving significant power. If workloads suddenly increase, R2 can spin up dormant cores in a matter of milliseconds. So a server with 64 logical cores can drop to just a 4-core machine during low-utilization times and rev back up to full CPU power as soon as workloads increase.

In addition, Windows Server 2008 R2 enables administrators to design active power policies that can cause servers to ‘throttle-down’ during off-hours by using DMTF-compliant remote management interfaces.

#4 Remote Server Management
Windows Server 2008 R2 addresses this challenge with a Server Manager that can be installed on workstations and pointed at servers from afar. In addition, Server Manager has new management consoles devoted specifically to remote management tasks across all server roles.

#5 Squeeze the Most From Your Hardware
First, because it takes advantage of the last two years of 64-bit server CPU manufacturing, Windows Server 2008 R2 is the first Microsoft server operating system to take only the 64-bit road. Your 32-bit applications will continue to run flawlessly on R2, but the 64-bit operating system is much better designed to take advantage of those high-end server CPUs from AMD and Intel.

And more of them, too—with Windows Server 2008 R2 scaling up to address as many as 256 logical processors in a single server, and Hyper-V in R2 is able to use more than 32 logical processors in a single VM. That’s twice the CPU support of Hyper-V 1.0! R2 can also take advantage of advanced CPU features, including Second Level Translation for much-improved memory management. It all adds up to more server muscle for your data center dollar. When combined with the consolidation power of Hyper-V, it means R2 can make a significant dent in your annual IT spend.

#6 Do Better At Managing Virtual Data Centers
The new Hyper-V™ sports numerous improvements over the old, including support for both 32- and 64-bit VMs, larger memory support (up to 64GB per VM), pass through disk access, and new hardware sharing architectures for resources like disk, networking, and video. But Hyper-V™ hasn’t left managers out in the cold—it includes new consoles for Live Migration and high-availability clusters, support for WMI management extensibility, and day-to-day tools to make life easier such as Virtual Machine snapshots. And last (but definitely not least), Hyper-V™ also sports a host of new support from PowerShell 2.0 with a slew of new dedicated cmdlets.

#7 Create Customized and Automated Management Tools
PowerShell v2 carries improvements across the board with improved remote management via WS-Management, better security with features like constrained runspaces, extended scripting functionality, and even improved script portability via XML. You’ll find a new Graphical PowerShell that adds pro developer-class IDE features, including colored syntaxing and better debugging tools for building your own cmdlets. And lets not forget about the over 240 new cmdlets that ship with R2 right out of the box.

#8 Use Virtualization to Ease Desktop Management
The new Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in Windows Server 2008 R2 figures largely in this vision, and builds on the solid presentation virtualization foundation we built into Windows Server 2008’s Terminal Services. With the advent of Window Server 2008 R2, this is now called Remote Desktop Services under which VDI encompases a centralized desktop delivery architecture that allows customers to centralize the storage, execution, and management of a Windows® desktop or application in the data center. This capability gives desktop and application administrators a whole new toolkit for better enablement of flexible work scenarios, including work-from-home and hot-desking as well as increased data security, compliance, and more efficient management of the desktop operating system and applications.

#9 Broaden Remote Access Adoption While Making it Easier to Manage
DirectAccess (DA) is a comprehensive anywhere access solution that enables organizations to provide always-on, secure connectivity to on-premise and remote users alike. It improves security and lowers total cost of ownership (TCO). DA eliminates the need to connect explicitly with the corporate network while roaming and provides organizations with the next generation of policy-based, secure connectivity. To end users, the concept of remote computing goes away because DA and Windows 7 combine to present them with an always-on connection to their corporate network whether they’re attached to a local, remote or even public network.

#10 Take Your Web and Application Serving To The Next Level
Overworked server administrators will appreciate the updated Web server, which includes features that streamline management by extending the functionality of IIS Manager to include new configuration modules, by implementing a new Windows PowerShell Provider and task-based cmdlets for IIS, and by offering support for .NET on Server Core—that means not just more application flexibility with ASP.NET now available on Server Core, but remote administration through IIS Manager and Server Manager as well. IIS 7.5 also integrates new support and troubleshooting features, including configuration logging and a dedicated Best Practice Analyzer, and integrates many of the more popular extensions for IIS, including updated versions of Secure FTP and WebDAV.

Download Windows 7 RC today

Deeps — Tue, 05 May 2009 07:08:29 GMT

Welcome to Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) testing. We’re on our way to Windows 7, and the RC is a great opportunity for IT professionals like you to take Windows 7 and begin testing it in your real environment. You get to see what’s coming, and we get to see if our changes and fixes from the Beta testing are working correctly. We want to encourage you to install and actively test the RC code. This will help us ensure Windows 7 is the best possible release, and help you get ready for Windows 7 deployment.

Here’s what you need to know:
This is pre-release software, so please read the following to get an idea of the risks and key things you need to know before you try the RC.

You don’t need to rush to get Windows 7 RC. The RC release will be available at least through June 2009 and we’re not limiting the number of product keys, so you have plenty of time.
Watch the calendar. The RC will expire on July 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You’ll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use. (Learn more about installing Windows).
Protect your PC and data. Be sure to back up your data and please don’t test Windows 7 RC on your primary home or business PC.
Technical details/updates: Before installing the RC please read the Release Notes, and Things to Know for important information about the release.
Keep up with the news. You can keep up with general technical information and news by following the Springboard Series blog or Windows team blog. Want technical guidance, tips, and tools? Visit the Springboard Series on TechNet.
Keep your PC updated: Be sure turn on automatic updates in Windows Update in case we publish updates for the RC.
Microsoft Partners: Learn more about Windows 7 on the Microsoft Partner Portal.

Here’s what you need to have:

Internet access (to download Windows 7 RC and get updates)
A PC with these minimum recommended specifications:
- 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor or higher
- 1 GB of system memory or more
- 16 GB of available disk space
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme)
- DVD-R/W Drive
Please note these specifications could change. And, some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV or navigation through the use of "touch," may require advanced or additional hardware.

Get the download
The 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC are available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish. (Note: The RC version will not be available in Hindi or Arabic.) Just choose the version that fits the system you'll be using and pick your language to register for and download the RC.

Downloading the Windows 7 RC could take a few hours. The exact time will depend on your provider, bandwidth, and traffic. The good news is that once you start the download, you won't have to answer any more questions – you can walk away while it finishes. If your download gets interrupted, it will restart where it left off. See this FAQ for details.

Windows 7 Release Candidate available to TechNet Plus and MSDN Subscribers

Deeps — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:35:35 GMT

If you are a TechNet Plus or MSDN subscriber you can get your hands on Windows 7 Release Candidate today. If your not a subscriber then the Release Candidate will be made available to you on May 5th US time. I'm running Windows 7 Release Candidate x64 and loving it.

Please plan ahead for Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 RC expiration dates. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to rebuild your test machine using a genuine version of Windows 7 before the software expires. Windows will remind you when the expiration process is beginning; two weeks after this notification your PC will begin shutting down every two hours.

Windows 7 Beta expires on August 1, 2009, and bi-hourly shutdowns will begin July 1, 2009.
Windows 7 RC will expire June 1, 2010, and the bi-hourly shutdowns will begin on March 1, 2010.

In both cases, you’ll need to rebuild your test PC to replace the operating system and reinstall all your programs and data.

Couple of things you should do after you install

Change your wallpaper theme, there are some cool ones in Release Candidate
Change your sound theme – my favourite is Cityscape
Visit the TechNet Windows 7 Springboard Site for all your Windows 7 technical resources
Check out the new Windows XP mode (XPM) in Windows 7
Set up Remote Media Streaming
Check out the changes in Windows Media Center
Start testing your organisations applications with the Windows 7 Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5

Windows Home Server RC1 available now

Deeps — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:26:00 GMT

Windows Home Server Release Candidate 1 is available today. Windows Home Server helps families with multiple PCs easily centralize, share and protect their digital pictures, music, documents and videos. We have had a few guys in the office play around with Home Server in their homes and they are finding it really useful. We particularly like the idea of having one central area for all of our files at home.

Windows Home Server Add-Ins

Windows Home Server Site