Server and Tools Business News Bytes blog : Windows Server 2008

Microsoft Certified Masters for Windows Server 2008 R2

grantkd — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Building off of the Microsoft Certified Masters (MCM): Directory training and certification, this new certification includes 11 days of training, two written exams and one 8-hour certification lab exam. Slight tweaks to the program format reflect a decision to focus on core directory services, based on MCM feedback. Greater emphasis on targeted pre-reading and prerequisites to maximize classroom maximize classroom learning around core Active Directory functionality and design concepts, as well as PKI, Lightweight Directory Services, Group Policy and DFS.

For IT pros who have earned their MCM on Windows Server 2008 Active Directory the upgrade path is quite simple. You will only be required to take the two written exams that are current for the Windows Server 2008 R2 Directory program. Existing MCMs in Directory can re-sit an entire rotation and see significant savings in comparison to a full MCM course and includes all exams.

Microsoft Learning is offering a $1,000 discount for the MCM: Windows Server 2008 R2 program until January 1, 2010. More information is available here.

Microsoft announces official name for “Geneva”

grantkd — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:43:00 GMT

Today, at the 2009 Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, Microsoft announced the official name for Microsoft “Geneva” the upcoming open platform enabling simplified user access and single sign-on for cloud and on-premises applications:

Official name for “Geneva”

· Active Directory Federation Services – formerly known as “Geneva” Server

· Windows Identity Foundation – formerly known as “Geneva” Framework

· Windows Cardspace – same as current version

For more information on this announcement please check out the WPC virtual press room or the Microsoft Forefront & Windows Server team blog. For additional information on Microsoft “Geneva”

please check out the homepage.

Announcing Windows Storage Server 2008

mdingle — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Microsoft announced today the release to manufacturing of Windows Storage Server 2008 to OEM partners.

Windows Storage Server 2008 (WSS08) is built upon an optimized and enhanced release of the industry-leading file services of Windows Server 2008. Microsoft customers are able to get enterprise storage capabilities without sacrificing the flexibility and reliability that Windows Server provides the rest of their environment.

For more information, visit the Windows Server team blog or WSS team blog.

Webcast Series: 'How to Invest in the IT Infrastructure You Have While Preparing for Tomorrow'

mdingle — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:47:00 GMT

Part I of the webcast series is only 6 days away!

Microsoft is pleased to announce that Al Gillen, program vice president, IDC will be moderating this event; allowing for an open and informational dialogue. Bill Laing, Microsoft CVP Windows Server Division, Al Gillen, program vice president, and Microsoft customer Earth Class Mail will discuss how to pick the best server that will scale to your business as your budget is being squeezed. The webcast will also discuss the top ways to save on IT while still advancing the business forward, as cost savings are necessary for maintaining that competitive edge as well as company survival in this economy.

Please note that there will be time set aside to get your questions answered by the participants.

Register for the webcast here: http://www2.eventsvc.com/academylive/register/8bb6d67f-9f0e-4ecb-a26e-b7d781f3652d

'One Server Does Not Fit All', Part 1 of 3 part series on 'How to Invest in the IT Infrastructure You Have While Preparing for Tomorrow'

April 14, 2009 9-10am PDT

For more information on Microsoft infrastructure products and solutions visit: http://www.microsoft.com/infrastructure/.

Upcoming Webcast: 'One Server Does Not Fit All'

mdingle — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:56:00 GMT

On April 14, at 9 a.m. PDT , Microsoft will kick off a webcast series on 'How to Invest in the IT Infrastructure You Have While Preparing for Tomorrow.’ Part 1 is titled "One Server Does Not Fit All".

During part 1, Bill Laing, Microsoft CVP Windows Server Division, Al Gillen, program vice president, IDC, and a Microsoft Customer will present best practices to keep your cost down during this economic downturn and solutions that help you both choose and make the most of your server.

No matter the size of your business, Microsoft has a server solution that is just right for you. Get some advice on how to pick the best server that will scale to your business as your budget is being squeezed. Cost savings are necessary for maintaining that competitive edge as well as company survival in this economy. This webcast will discuss the top ways to save on IT while still advancing the business forward.

Please note that there will be time set aside to get your questions answered by the participants. To register, please visit: http://www2.eventsvc.com/academylive/register/8bb6d67f-9f0e-4ecb-a26e-b7d781f3652d

For more information on Microsoft infrastructure products and solutions visit: http://www.microsoft.com/infrastructure/.

MIX 09: New IIS Extension Releases

mdingle — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Today at the Microsoft event MIX09, we are announcing the availability of a number of new IIS Extension releases in addition to the Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 Beta and the Windows Web Application Gallery. IIS Extensions add value to the Microsoft Web Platform by enabling Web developers, server administrators, and hosting providers to more easily develop, deploy, publish, and manage Web applications and Web servers.

· Final RTW Versions of FTP Service 7.5, WebDAV 7.5, IIS Administration Pack, Windows PowerShell Snap-In for IIS, and IIS Application Request Routing V1: To ensure Web developers and site managers have secure, standards-oriented publishing technologies available, we are releasing FTP Service 7.5 and WebDAV 7.5. These extensions build on the enhancements delivered by the FTP 7.0 and WebDAV 7.0 releases that followed the launch of Windows Server 2008 and IIS 7.0, supporting more clients and simplifying site administration. The IIS 7.0 Administration Pack enhances the set of management features in IIS by providing management user interface extensions for ASP.NET authorization, custom errors, FastCGI configuration, Request Filtering, and a generic configuration editor. The Windows PowerShell Snap-In for IIS allows Web server administrators and hosting providers to easily automate routine and complex IIS 7.0 administration tasks such as creating Web sites and managing configuration and run-time data. Application Request Routing enables Web server administrators and hosting providers to increase Web application scalability and reliability through rule-based routing and load balancing of HTTP server requests.

· Release Candidate Versions of IIS Web Deployment Tool and IIS Database Manager: For server administrators and Web developers, it is important to be able to deploy, package, and migrate Web applications, and also to quickly view and manage Web application databases. These two release candidates have received very positive feedback from customers and have had numerous user interface improvements to bring them to production quality as we make final tweaks before RTW.

· Beta Versions of IIS Application Request Routing V2, IIS Smooth Streaming, and IIS Dynamic IP Restrictions: Following the RTW of Application Request Routing V1, we are pleased to make available a preview of Version 2. V2 will include new disk-caching functionality for edge servers to further enhance server farm scalability and availability. IIS Smooth Streaming allows IT Professionals to deliver video that adapts continuously to provide the highest-quality playback based on the available bandwidth and local PC conditions. The Dynamic IP Restriction Extension for IIS provides IT Professionals and hosting providers a configurable module that helps mitigate or block denial-of-service attacks or cracking of passwords through brute force by temporarily blocking IP addresses of HTTP clients who follow a pattern that could be conducive to one of such attacks.

Get the latest versions of all IIS Extensions through the Microsoft Web Platform Installer, or learn more about IIS Extensions at www.iis.net/extensions.

Microsoft Partners With Cisco on New Unified Computing System

mdingle — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:01:00 GMT

Today, Microsoft Corp. announced its support of Cisco’s Unified Computing System entrance into the server datacenter market as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Through this agreement, Cisco will pre-package, resell and support Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V technology and Microsoft SQL Server 2008. In addition, Microsoft is working closely with Cisco to integrate System Center into this new solution.

Over the past five years Microsoft has built a strong alliance with Cisco, and Unified Computing System is a natural point of evolution for the relationship. These two companies that provide best-of-breed solutions are uniting network, compute and virtualization resources into one system. More information can be found on the Windows Server team blog and on PressPass.

Microsoft, Red Hat to Offer Joint Technical Support

mdingle — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Microsoft and Red Hat announced this morning that they have signed agreements to test and validate their server operating systems running on one another's hypervisors. In short, this means that customers with valid support agreements will be able to run validated configurations and receive joint technical support for running Windows Server on Red Hat Enterprise virtualization, and for running Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V or Hyper-V Server 2008.

To learn more about this announcement, join the Red Hat webcast with Mike Neil, which will be broadcast live at 11 a.m. ET on February 16, 2009. The webcast will also be available for replay. To join, please sign up here.

Additional information can be found on the press release, Mike Neil's blog entry and Port25.

Other resources:

Windows Server Virtualization Validation Program Web site

Enterprise Customers Choose Microsoft Platform to Run SAP Apps

mdingle — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:24:00 GMT

Today, Microsoft announced the recent certification of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 to fully support SAP NetWeaver 7.0 and the newly released SAP Business Suite 7. Microsoft remains committed to delivering world-class enterprise capabilities to help customers take advantage of the latest innovations through joint Microsoft and SAP development.

Customer’s realizing the benefits of migrating to the Microsoft Platform with SAP include:

· QR Limited acknowledges that Microsoft’s application platform, including Windows Server and SQL Server, provides availability that is equal or superior to their experiences on IBM DB2 and the mainframe. Since moving SAP to SQL Server, QR Limited is experiencing up to a 40 percent faster SAP transactional response time.

· Kimball International Inc. recognizes up to 50 percent more processing power in using Microsoft’s Windows Server and SQL Server over an Oracle/Unix-based environment. Kimball International Inc. has achieved ROI within 12 month and has seen a savings of $450,000.

· SABMiller RUS found that Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V helped to reduce infrastructure costs by almost 50 percent and expects 234 percent ROI.

Additionally, customers can enjoy new enterprise services and support including:

· HP Microsoft Virtualization Infrastructure Service offerings provide customers with technical resources, prescriptive guidance and best practices to enable virtualized implementations of SAP Business Suite 7 and other critical business applications. Service offerings include:

o Virtualization strategy

o Consolidation

o Virtual Machine Management

o Security

· Worldwide availability of Premier Mission Critical Support, Microsoft Services recently announced an add-on designed to deliver Enterprise customers enhanced support for mission-critical solutions. Premier Mission Critical supports Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2005 SP2 & SP3 and SQL Server 2008. Through this support, Microsoft will provide its customers the following:

o Guaranteed response times backed by financial credits

o Round-the-clock access to expertise

o Prioritized access to product development teams

For more information please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/sap/sql, and click here to read the official press release.

Announcing Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 beta availability

grantkd — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:17:00 GMT

Today Microsoft announced the availability of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 beta. The beta will be available for MSDN and TechNet subscribers on Tuesday, December 2 via the TechNet and MSDN download sites. On Thursday, December 4, Microsoft will make SP2 available to the broad public via TechNet.

Here is a list of improvements users can expect from Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP2.

Server:

Inclusion of Microsoft’s Hyper-V technology for Server
Backwards compatibility with Terminal Services licensing keys
Better manageability features with DFS/FRS console, and Storage Resource Manager (i.e.: Quota Filter and File Screening Filter)
Improved error reporting in DFSR to help identify incorrectly configured deployments which lead to failed replication
Updated power policy driving significant Power Management improvements

Desktop:

Inclusion of Windows Search 4.0 for improved indexing performance, broader indexing scenario inclusion, as well as new Group Policy integration for Windows Search
Integration of the Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless which contains Bluetooth v2.1 support, the most recent specification for Bluetooth wireless technology
Some graphics enhancement to reduce glitches when streaming high def content with specific hardware configurations
Setup & Deployment improvements to detect incompatible drivers blocking service pack installations
Provides a Service Pack Cleanup tool which helps restore the hard disk space by permanently deleting previous versions of files updated by SP2
Performance improvements when resuming from hibernate where a wireless connection is no longer available

Power Management improvements
Print Server and Spooler performance improvements for printers in Windows Vista and Server 2008

For more information, check out the Windows Team Blog, Windows Server Blog, and the TechNet home page.

Cisco and Microsoft Deliver Simplified Branch Infrastructure Solution

grantkd — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Microsoft and Cisco announced that the Windows Server on WAAS (WoW) appliance is available to order. This appliance brings together Cisco's Wide Area Application Services with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 to create a Branch Office Box, meant to help simplify branch office IT. Plans to build this product were announced back in February around the Heroes Happen Here launch.

This is a program that many banks, retail stores, and other organizations with complicated branch office IT have been waiting for. WoW allows organizations to consolidate networking and core IT branch servers into a single piece of hardware. The WAN optimization component provided by Cisco WAAS lets you run applications centrally (yet feel like they're running locally), while keeping IT services in the branch in a simple, easy to manage appliance.

WoW is one of many ways for IT to design branch office infrastructure, and is a great option if you're looking to centralize applications and data out of your branch offices. To learn more, check out the Windows Server on WAAS page.

Independent research firm recognizes Microsoft NAP as a leader in Network Access Control

grantkd — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:04:00 GMT

Microsoft’s Network Access Protection (NAP) solution was cited as a leader (the top category) in a recent independent report, “The Forrester Wave: Network Access Control, Q3 2008.” Microsoft was one of the many network access control (NAC) vendors invited to participate in the report.

For more information please visit the Forefront Team blog and Windows Server Division blog.

Get Virtual Now

grantkd — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:15:00 GMT

Today at 9 AM PDT, Bob Kelly will take the stage at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, officially kicking off Microsoft’s five-month long worldwide event series to “‘Get Virtual Now.”

Product milestones will be announced through two live webcast keynotes, available for viewing at the Microsoft Virtual Press Room.

· Bob Kelly- 9:00-10:00 AM PDT

· Bob Muglia and Kevin Turner- 12:30-2:00 PM PDT

News at today’s event:

· Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 will be released within 30 days and be available at no cost via the Web.

· System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 will be released within 30 days.

· Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5, released last week, will be included as part of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack 2008 R2, which is due for general availability in the coming weeks.

· Microsoft demonstrated for the first time a live migration feature of Windows Server 2008 R2.

Partner News:

In separate news releases today, visit the Microsoft Virtual Press Room to learn about announcements from the following partners.

· AMD

· Compellent Technologies, Inc.

· HP

· NetApp

· Sun Microsystems

For more information, please visit the Windows Virtualization Team Blog.

Announcing the final release of UrlScan 3.0 for Internet Information Services (IIS)

grantkd — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Today Microsoft released to the web UrlScan 3.0 for Internet Information Service (IIS) which is helping to correct and prevent possible SQL injection attacks.

UrlScan 3.0 is a security tool that restricts the types of HTTP requests that IIS will process. By blocking specific HTTP requests, the UrlScan 3.0 security tool helps to prevent potentially harmful requests from reaching applications on the server.

UrlScan 3.0 is an update to UrlScan 2.5 and requires IIS 5.1 or later, including the latest IIS 7.0 on Windows Server 2008.

For more information check out the Windows Server Division blog. Other resources include: Internet Information Services (IIS) blog, Engineering Blog and Using UrlScan.

WU-hoo: Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V is available via Windows Update.

grantkd — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:49:00 GMT

On the heels of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V’s release last month, customers who have already deployed the x64 versions of Windows Server 2008 can receive Hyper-V from Windows Update beginning today. For new Windows Server 2008 customers, Hyper-V can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/Hyper-V. Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V contains everything needed to support customers’ server consolidation, business continuity and virtualized desktop infrastructure projects, and easily plugs into customers’ existing IT infrastructure.

For more information, check out the Windows Virtualization Team blog to read more about Hyper-V and revisit the countdown to Windows Update.