Jeff Alexander's Weblog

Microsoft Security Bulletin Release: February 2010

jeffa36 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:51:00 GMT

Today we have released 13 new security bulletins. Please see the details below for more details of the updates and make sure you apply them to your environments where necessary.

Bulletin ID	Bulletin Title	Max Severity Rating	Vulnerability Impact	Restart Requirement	Affected Software
MS10-003	Vulnerability in Microsoft Office (MSO) Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	May require restart	Microsoft Office XP, Office 2004 for Mac.
MS10-004	Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	May require restart	Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2002, Office PowerPoint 2003, and Office 2004 for Mac.
MS10-005	Vulnerability in Microsoft Paint Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Moderate	Remote Code Execution	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.
MS10-006	Vulnerabilities in SMB Client Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
MS10-007	Vulnerability in Windows Shell Handler Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.
MS10-008	Cumulative Security Update of ActiveX Kill Bits	Critical	Remote Code Execution	May require restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
MS10-009	Vulnerabilities in Windows TCP/IP Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
MS10-010	Vulnerability in Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Could Allow Denial of Service	Important	Denial of Service	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
MS10-011	Vulnerability in Windows Client/Server Run-time Subsystem Could Allow Elevation of Privilege	Important	Elevation of Privilege	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.
MS10-012	Vulnerabilities in SMB Server Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
MS10-013	Vulnerability in Microsoft DirectShow Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
MS10-014	Vulnerability in Kerberos Could Allow Denial of Service	Important	Denial of Service	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008.
MS10-015	Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel Could Allow Elevation of Privilege	Important	Elevation of Privilege	Requires restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows 7.

If you would like a summary of the bulletins please go here.

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

We are also releasing a new version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. You can get more details here.

New Security Advisory

Also as part of this month’s security bulletin we are releasing a new security advisory. More details below.

Identifier	Vulnerability in TLS/SSL Could Allow Spoofing (977377)
Summary	Microsoft is investigating public reports of a vulnerability in the Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols. At this time, Microsoft is not aware of any attacks attempting to exploit the reported vulnerability. As an issue affecting an Internet standard, we recognize that this issue affects multiple vendors. We are working on a coordinated response with our partners in the Internet Consortium for Advancement of Security on the Internet (ICASI). The TLS and SSL protocols are implemented in several Microsoft products, both client and server, and this advisory will be updated as our investigation continues. As part of this security advisory, Microsoft is making available a workaround which enables system administrators to disable TLS and SSL renegotiation functionality. However, as renegotiation is required functionality for some applications, this workaround is not intended for wide implementation and should be tested extensively prior to implementation. Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to protect our customers, which may include providing a solution through our monthly security update release process, depending on customer needs.
Affected Software	Windows 2000 (All Supported Versions) Windows XP (All Supported Versions) Windows Server 2003 (All Supported Versions) Windows Vista (All Supported Versions) Windows Server 2008 (All Supported Versions) Windows 7 (All Supported Versions) Windows Server 2008 R2 (All Supported Versions)
Recommendations	Review Microsoft Security Advisory 977377 for an overview of the issue, details on affected components, mitigating factors, suggested actions, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and links to additional resources.
Additional Resources	Microsoft Security Advisory 977377: Microsoft Security Response Centre (MSRC) Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/ Microsoft Malware Protection Centre (MMPC) Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/mmpc/ Security Research & Defence (SRD) Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/srd/

Technorati Tags: Security Bulletins,Update,Patching

Jeffa

Get a Second Shot on Microsoft Certification Exams!

jeffa36 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:54:30 GMT

With all the new products that have recently been released it’s a good time to start thinking about updating your Microsoft Certifications. So to help with that the Microsoft Learning team has introduced Second Shot; which allows you to re-take and exam if you don’t pass it the first time around. And let’s be honest who hasn’t failed an MCP exam at least once? With the Second Shot program you get a second chance to pass the exam. But if you want to take advantage of this offer you are going to have to book and sit your first and exam and (if necessary book the re-take exam by June 30th 2010. The offer applies to all Microsoft Learning exams including IT Pro, Developer, Project Management and Microsoft Dynamics.

To find out more check out the Second Shot website and get your exams booked! Hey you never know you might just do more exams knowing you have a second chance.

And with all these new products new exams are coming out all the time. As an example we have exams on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 which include all the updates to these two new technologies.

Technorati Tags: Certification,MCP,Windows Server 2008 R2

Jeffa

New IT Showcase Content: BranchCache with Windows 7!

jeffa36 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:10:24 GMT

BranchCache, which is new to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is one of my favourite features that allows organisations to reduce the cost of running branch offices and reduce their complexity. Microsoft IT has deployed BranchCache as part of our Windows 7 rollout and is realizing benefits in WAN utilization. Check out the article below on how we are using this great technology.

Reducing Bandwidth Utilization with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache

Learn how Microsoft IT uses the BranchCache™ feature available in the Windows® 7 operating system and the Windows Server® 2008 R2 operating system to improve performance and availability to branch offices. Services at the branch office level include file and print management, offline folder redirection, operating system and application distribution, and patch management.
Technical Case Study

Technorati Tags: BranchCache,Windows 7 Deployment

Jeffa

TechNet Magazine: January 2010 Issue Online

jeffa36 — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:21:38 GMT

I know I’m a bit late with this but I’ve been away for 6 weeks holiday so during this time I missed a bit and I’m just catching up. Anyway the January Edition of TechNet Magazine is now online and as usual has some great technical information. This issue includes the following highlights:

System Center Configuration Manager: SQL Server Reporting Services and System Center Configuration Manager
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit: Using MDT and Single-Instance Storage – As you know I’m a big fan of MDT so check out this article to learn how to consolidate multiple custom deployment images.
Windows PowerShell: Windows PowerShell 2.0 brings scripting to Active Directory – Check out this article about all the new ways to manage AD with PowerShell v2.

Plus there is much more as always so make sure you set aside some time to check it out.

Technorati Tags: TechNet Magazine,Powershell,Windows 7 Deployment

Jeffa

My Last post for a while and Windows 7 videos!

jeffa36 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:02:15 GMT

Well it’s that time of the year again where we all stop and take a break and reflect on the year that was. For me this year was all about Windows 7 and spreading the word about all the new features of this great operating system. I first started to test Windows 7 after PDC 08 and did my first presentation on it in early February. Since then it’s been a very busy year; in fact probably one of the busiest I’ve had in a long time. Right from the early beta’s the interest in Windows 7 was very high and the community buzz began to swell right from the first beta’s.

Over the last year I've probably done over a 100 presentations, installed it hundreds of times and deployed 2500 Netbooks for TechEd Australia 2009.

So now it’s time to take a well deserved break. As of today I’m taking 6 weeks break to spend time with family and friends and to basically get some rest. I won’t be back until February 1st 2010. As many of you know I’ve been with Microsoft for a long time and I’ve built up quite a few days of leave so I decided now was a good time to take some.

So with that I’ll leave you with 4 new Windows 7 videos that have just come out. They’re not too bad so check them out! All these videos are courtesy of the Windows7AU YouTube Channel.

Tyrone’s Killer Dell Machine

Tom’s HP with Easier Wireless

Sophie’s Touchscreen

Diana’s faster wakeup machine

Have a great holiday season everyone! See you in 2010!

Technorati Tags: Windows 7,Video's,Cool

Jeffa

Microsoft Security Bulletin: December 09 Release

jeffa36 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:54:44 GMT

This month 6 is the lucky number again. We have 6 updates this month. Please see details of these below.

Bulletin ID	Bulletin Title	Max Severity Rating	Vulnerability Impact	Restart Requirement	Affected Software
MS09-069	Vulnerability in Local Security Authority Subsystem Service Could Allow Denial of Service	Important	Denial of Service	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003
MS09-070	Vulnerabilities in Active Directory Federation Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008
MS09-071	Vulnerabilities in Internet Authentication Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008
MS09-072	Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Internet Explorer on Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2
MS09-073	Vulnerability in WordPad and Office Text Converters Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Office XP, Office 2003, Works 8.5, and Office Converter Pack
MS09-074	Vulnerability in Microsoft Office Project Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	May Require Restart	Microsoft Project 2000, Project 2002, and Project 2003

Summaries of these bulletins can be found here.

A video and a podcast are available on http://edge.TechNet.com that goes through these updates.

December 2009 Security Bulletin Overview In this 8 minute video, Trustworthy Computing provides an overview of the 6 bulletins addressing 12 vulnerabilities.

Security Bulletins for the Regular IT Guy – Dec 09 Podcast Pierre Rowan and Rick Claus describe 6 bulletins in a friendly, informative podcast for customers.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Security Bulletins,Patching,Updates

Jeffa

Windows Server 2008 R2 Component Poster Available Now!

jeffa36 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:08:02 GMT

Are you looking for something cool to hang on your wall at home? You might want to think about the Windows Server 2008 R2 Feature Components Poster! Well you might not get it pass the family so why not download and hang on the wall at work!

This poster provides a visual reference for understanding key technologies in Windows Server 2008 R2. It focuses on Active Directory Domain Services, Hyper-V, Internet Information Services, Remote Desktop Services (including Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)), BranchCache, and DirectAccess technologies. In addition, updates to core file services and server management are illustrated. Below is a screenshot of what it looks like.

And here is an embed from Microsoft Live Labs Seadragon!

These posters have been around for awhile now and are produced by one of our local guys; Martin Mclean who used to work out of the Microsoft Perth office but now is working for the Windows Server team as a technical writer.

You can download it by clicking the picture above or the link I provided.

Technorati Tags: Windows Server 2008 R2,Components

Jeffa

Check out my last 50 Tweets

jeffa36 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:33:53 GMT

Thanks again to the wonderful Mr. Frank I’m using this new tool called Twitter Inserter. Check out my last 50 tweets. Thanks to the author Tod Birdsall for an incredibly effective plug-in!

@MossyBlog Dude have you heard of Boot to VHD in Windows 7? and Disk2VHD which is a Markruss tool http://bit.ly/YnWHO
RT @MSWindows: Understanding hardware and software for 64-bit Windows - http://bit.ly/zi2v ^JS
Putting the new XBOX update through it's paces
@alanburchill Where did you hear about Zune in Australia? We are getting conflicting reports..
RT @MSSpringboard: Now that you guys have been running Windows 7 for a while, is there anything that it's lacking that you wish it had? ^AT
RT @MSSpringboard: Access guides, demos & white papers for deploying #Windows 7 & Server 2008 R2 with volume activation http://bit.ly/167QeK
RT @MSSpringboard: Part 1 of 3 in Series covering the Managed Code APIs: Sensor and Location .NET Library for Win 7 http://bit.ly/GUSJP ^AT
RT @Keith_Combs Hello from Seesmic for Windows. Good bye Adobe Air. :-)
RT @MSWindows RT @Office: What do we want? PRODUCTIVITY! When do we want it? NOW. Get the Office 2010 beta http://bit.ly/49eW6O #officebeta
RT @jamesbannan RT @frankarr RT @shanselman: "Want to see the #pdc09 iPhome demo yourself? http://www.IIS.net/iPhone - please RT!"
RT @MSWindows A nice set of Windows 7 themes to consider (collected by @imhassan) - http://bit.ly/Y4LuJ ^JS
Today is International Men
Today is International Men's Day. http://bit.ly/SXo9t celebrate the men in your life!
RT @MSSpringboard Dual Boot from VHD with Windows 7 & Windows Sever 2008 R2 http://bit.ly/fsdXr #windows ^AT
RT @MSSpringboard What can I do if my hardware does not work in #Windows 7? Lots of answers here: http://bit.ly/zHej4 ^AT
About to present Windows 7 to an IBM user group called Interaction..http://bit.ly/2KUKy5
RT @MSWindows: Cruise through all your open windows with Live Taskbar Previews in Windows 7 - http://bit.ly/16fYhn ^JS
RT @MSWindows: Read how Windows 7 power management paves the road to green IT - http://bit.ly/3P0NQf ^JS
At an investment seminar: advice so far..the more you spend on needs and wants the less you have for wealth creation..
Compose a Haiku on Windows Server 2008 R2 and win prizes! http://bit.ly/25RoVm
RT @MSSpringboard Sneak Peak at the Acer Aspire 1420P http://bit.ly/4aKyVN Love Windows Touch! I think they stole our idea from #auteched!
RT @MSSpringboard ASUS Announces TS Mini Home Server http://bit.ly/1Ik2u4 ^AT Let's hope it makes it downunder! #autechnet
RT @abcnews http://bit.ly/4i2BZs Fires burning as NSW risk intensifies
RT @GordonRyan Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 with added #win7 goodness arriving on November 24 http://bit.ly/1y7xOz #whs #swug #autechnet
@MSSpringboard We deployed Windows 7 Netbooks to 2500 delegates at Tech.Ed Australia..same concept at PDC this year..
RT @MSSpringboard Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 available Nov 24th includes updates for Win 7-based computers http://bit.ly/3IxTb4 ^AT
RT @MSSpringboard GPU Computing and Windows 7: http://bit.ly/1tcbDt ^AT This is really cool! #autechnet
RT @MSSpringboard The Windows Platform, Silverlight 4, and Facebook http://bit.ly/1VVYeI ^AT #autechnet
RT @MSSpringboard: The Windows Platform, Silverlight 4, and Facebook http://bit.ly/1VVYeI ^AT
RT @MSSpringboard: New Windows API Code Pack Version http://bit.ly/3RrWyV ^AT #autechnet #aumsdn
RT @MVPAwardProgram: Couldn't make #PDC09? 91 sessions are now available for live streaming here http://bit.ly/2unrru #mvpbuzz #autechnet
RT @MSSpringboard: View image components: add or remove packages, software updates, and drivers http://bit.ly/pPfct ^AT
RT @MSSpringboard: Step-by-Step Guide to Multilingual Image Creation (MUI) http://bit.ly/1KWmu6 ^AT #autechnet
At the Australian Federal Police for training on internet safety. Importnat work to help parents online..
RT @deepfresh: @MS_Int_Virt will be here in Australia presenting at the Virtualisation Unplugged Events in Syd and Melb http://bit.ly/4unGyY
RT @leadfollowmove: #PSUGAU Perth Nov meeting moved to Thursday 3rd Dec. Scheduling clash with MS Perth. Apologies . Email to go out tonight
RT @Office: What do we think are the top 10 benefits of Word 2010? Check 'em out here! http://bit.ly/8TeQqP ^AG #autechnet
RT @MSSpringboard: Migrate Already! Why You Should Migrate to Windows 7 If You’re Still Waffling http://bit.ly/8JWegl ^AT #autechnet
RT @MSSpringboard: Oldie but interesting: Mark Russinovich on #Windows 7 UAC: http://bit.ly/idLlo ^AT #autechnet hint Standard User!
RT @MSSpringboard: User State Migration Tool 4.0 Quick Start Checklist http://bit.ly/dDWXS ^AT #autechnet
@frankarr bigger...
If you like what I do, mind dropping me a note here? http://mrtweet.com/recommend?rec&user=yourusername Thanks! #MrTweet
RT @MSSpringboard Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 Guide http://bit.ly/3TRJfO ^AT #autechnet
Join the Newcastle Infrastructure User Group's LinkedIn page http://bit.ly/7rkKNp #autechnet..good UG for the Newcastle area.
New blog post: http://tinyurl.com/yg9q9kb - Get up to 25% off Certification Exams until the end of the year!
RT @Rysie RT @Windows7AU: Fishbowl is a kick-ass Facebook client for Windows 7 http://bit.ly/4zo0kK #win7 #autechnet
RT @MSSpringboard Weekly Video Highlight: A Tour of Desktop Error Monitoring http://bit.ly/1LXVaM ^AT #autechnet
RT @ceibner http://twitpic.com/qq2jf - saw this & had to twitpic it for @steveriley :u Love it!
New blog post: http://tinyurl.com/ybssy3k - Check out my last 50 Tweets

Follow me on Twitter

Technorati Tags: Live Writer,Windows 7,Windows Live

Jeffa

Get up to 25% off Certification Exams until the end of the year!

jeffa36 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:27:17 GMT

With the number of new products that have come out recently it’s a good time to re-visit your Microsoft certification status and get up to date.

To help with this the folks over at Microsoft Learning are running a program until December 31st 2009 where you can get up to 25% certification exams.

We also have what we call Learning Plans which help you become certified in the most notable and correct Microsoft products. If you follow the Career Map you can get a clear picture of where you want to be based on your role and see what certifications you’ll need to do to get there.

So make sure you take up this offer and if you are at a user group or presentation I give in the next month I may have a Microsoft Press book to giveaway! But you have to be there to win.

Technorati Tags: Training,Certification,Special Offers

Jeffa

Presentation Resources Now Available!

jeffa36 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:31:02 GMT

Over the lest few weeks I’ve been travelling around the place talking about Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. I always get asked to supply the slides for each session I do so i thought it was time to upload a bunch of these decks because it’s been awhile and as you all know I’ve done quite a lot of sessions over the last little while. So with please see below for the downloads. And thanks to my 25GB of storage on Windows Live SkyDrive it’s easy to share these.

Windows 7 Slide Decks

Windows Server 2008 R2 Slides

And thanks to a colleague of mine in Melbourne who focuses on System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM) for this below deck on deploying Windows 7 with System Centre.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7,Deployment,R2,System Center

Jeffa

Microsoft Security Bulletin: November 2009 Release

jeffa36 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:59:35 GMT

This month it’s the lucky number 6 in regards to security updates. Yes we have 6 updates this month to consider for your environments. Details are below.

New Security Bulletins

Bulletin ID	Bulletin Title	Max Severity	Vulnerability Impact	Restart Requirement	Affected Software
MS09-063	Vulnerability in Web Services on Devices API Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
MS09-064	Vulnerability in License Logging Server Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
MS09-065	Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008
MS09-066	Vulnerability in Active Directory Could Allow Denial of Service	Important	Denial of Service	Requires Restart	Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008
MS09-067	Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	May Require Restart	Microsoft Office Excel 2002, Excel 2003, Excel 2007, Office 2004 for Mac, Office 2008 for Mac, Open XML File Format converter for Mac, Excel Viewer, Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats
MS09-068	Vulnerability in Microsoft Office Word Could Allow Remote Code Execution	Important	Remote Code Execution	May Require Restart	Microsoft Office Word 2002, Word 2003, Office 2004 for Mac, Office 2008 for Mac, Open XML File Format converter for Mac, Office Word Viewer, and Office Word Viewer 2003

If you would like a summary of these bulletins you can find that here.

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

We are also releasing an updated version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on WSUS, Windows Update and the Download centre. More information can be found here.

And if you want a nice summary in plain English (well Canadian anyway) head over to the Canada IT Pro Connection and check out this months “Security Bulletins for the regular IT Guy” podcast.

That’s it for this month! Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Security Bulletins,Updates,Patching

Jeffa

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 5.0 CTP Now Available!

jeffa36 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:40:14 GMT

In the recent deployment sessions on Windows 7 you might remember me discussing the importance of planning when deploying a new operating system. Well the Solution Accelerator team would like to announce that the MAP Toolkit 5.0 CTP is now available for download.

The MAP 5.0 CTP includes the following new features:

Heterogeneous Server Environment Inventory for technologies including Windows Server, Linux, UNIX and VM Ware.
Ability to determine usage of deployed System Center Configuration Manager, a member of the Core Client Access License Suite.
Readiness assessment for migration or upgrade to Microsoft Office 2010.

In addition to these new features MAP provides a host of other feature which I outlined in my previous post on MAP 4.0.

Next Steps

Register for the MAP Toolkit 5.0 CTP and download. (Live ID required)
Want to influence the future of MAP? Complete the survey and receive a free 4GB Solution Accelerator branded Memory Stick.* (Live ID required)
Download other Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 Solution Accelerators for your IT planning, deployment, and management needs.

Technorati Tags: Deployment Planning,MAP

Jeffa

More Windows 7 Australian Ads

jeffa36 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:06:51 GMT

In case you haven’t come across these there are more Windows 7 Australian ads online now.

Parental Controls

Homegroup

I like them because they are appealing to the average user. Good to see so many local ads being done.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7,Local Ads

Jeffa

TechNet Magazine: November 2009 Issue Online Now!

jeffa36 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:36:54 GMT

This month in TechNet Magazine Online; Windows Server 2008 R2 is featured along with some other good information for deploying Windows 7. Yes Windows 7 is out and is getting a lot of attention. But don’t forget about this important release of Windows Server. Check out the details below!

Windows Server 2008 R2: A primer – Check out this guide tour of Windows Server 2008 R2 which includes technologies such as Windows PowerShell, Remote Management, Core Parking, Active Directory changes and BranchCache.
Microsoft Assessment and Planning: MAP Toolkit 4.0 – If you are looking to migrate to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 then MAP 4.0 is an essential tool to help you inventory what you have. This article covers all the details!
Windows 7 and System Centre Configuration Manager: Windows 7 Deployment Guide – In this article Chris Adam discusses deploying Windows 7 with SCCM 2007 R2 and uses Microsoft’s own internal deployment as an example.

As always there is heaps of great information in the latest TechNet Magazine. So make sure you set aside to read some of the in depth articles.

Technorati Tags: TechNet Magazine,Deployment,Management

Jeffa

Extensible File Classification Infrastructure in Windows Server 2008 R2

jeffa36 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:42:05 GMT

Managing storage is something administrators struggle with. I know when I was in Microsoft IT one of the biggest issues we had was data that was aged and no longer being accessed but still taking up an enormous amount of space. Organisations need to manage data more efficiently and they need to gain insight into their data so they can reduce the cost of storing it, maintaining and managing it. The next frontier for administrators is to be able to manage data based on business value.

Windows Server 2008 R2 introduces the File Classification Infrastructure (FCI) which is a built in solution for file classification that enables manual processes for classifying data to be automated with predefined policies based on the value of that data to the business. FCI’s out of the box functionality provides the ability to define the following:

Classification Properties
- Automatic Classification – Using these automatic rules FCI can classify files according to the folder in which they are stored or based on the contents of the files.
- Manual Classification – Files can be manually classified based on the file properties interface built into Office system files. When you use this interface FCI will recognize the properties.
- LOB Applications and Scripts – Using an API LOB applications and scripts can set classifications on files
- File Expiration – This is probably going to be the biggest one for organizations. What do you do with stale or unused data? It’s often a manual task. When I was in IT we used third party tools to scan data that was aged or unused. I remember one scan we did that showed the 75% of the data we had on our file servers had not been touched in 18 months! Yet it was taking an enormous amount of space on our file servers. It was also a convoluted process to analyse this data. Now with FCI administrators can now run scheduled tasks that expire files based on age, location and other classification properties. Administrators can move the files to another location, alert users when data is going to be moved and backup that data in case it needs to be called upon in the future.
- SharePoint Integration – FCI integrates with Office SharePoint Server 2007 so any file classification defined for Office files carries through to files uploaded to SharePoint sites.

In addition to what FCI provides in box; perhaps the powerful feature is that FCI is an extensible API which allows ISV’s and developers to build end-to-end solutions based on the FCI architecture. Check out some of the partners that already have solutions in this space.

So I wanted to spend the rest of this post talking about how you install it on Windows Server 2008 R2 and what you can do with it.

Installation

Installation is easy. The File Classification Infrastructure is installed when you install the File Services role in Windows Server 2008 R2. I’ve done this already on one of my highly available file server virtual machines.

During the install you will be asked to install role services for for the File Server Role. Make sure you choose the File Server Resource Manager. This will give you the FCI UI plus all the other tools to manage your file servers.

Once you have the File Services role installed you will see a section under the File Resource Manager called Classification Management. This is where you configure Classification Properties, Classification Rules and run File Management Tasks.
Next you are going to want to setup some classification properties for your data. In the example below I’ve setup some basic properties to include Business Impact, Expiring Files and Personally Identifiable Information.

The next thing is to setup Classification Rules which are used to evaluate which values should be assigned to properties for files on the server. For example I’ve setup a Classification Rule that uses the Content Classifier mechanism and the Business Impact Property with a value of Medium. This was defined in classification properties.

To learn more about FCI check out the technical whitepaper, videos on Channel 9 and of course the Storage Team Blog’s post’s on FCI.

Technorati Tags: File Server,File Services,FCI,R2

Jeffa