Steve Lamb's Blog

Want to hear the best content from the Microsoft Management Summit 2008?

The Windows Management User Group are meeting up on Tuesday 13th May at Microsofts office in Reading from 18:30 onwards. Its free to attend. Two of the leaders to MMS and will share their highlights with you. Full details are available on the WMUG website as listed in this post

In addition, Paul Collins will give an overview of Microsoft System Center suite.

Where can I download a free eval version of Windows Home Server?

Just browse to the Windows Home Server site and select "Try it for 120 days" on the right hand side of the screen.

If like me you haven't splashed out on buying a Windows Home Server and would like to take one for a spin then downloading the trial is a good way to go. I've seen quite a few of the purpose built devices and have been pretty impressed with them. The idea of a low power server (the one I want uses <38W) that can be configured to wake up my other computers @ night to back them up is pretty appealing. I think the best feature of Home Server is it's ability to accept additional USB connected hard disks and seamlessly extending the logical storage area without me having to worry what data goes where.

I also like the idea of being able to securely "sign in" from wherever I am to access both data held on the server AND control any home automation devices I've integrated with it.

If you're a technical enthusiast who want to buy/build home automation hardware OR if you have multiple PCs @ home then Windows Home Server is worth a look.

The Home Server blog is another good place to find out more.

How does Microsoft's System Center Mobile Device Manager (SCMDM) work?

A few moments ago I presented at Microsoft Ltd's Architect Insight Conference near Windsor Castle in England. My session discussed architectural approaches to security management in a virtual World including a discussion explaining how System Center Mobile Device Manager (SCMDM) works.

It's important to be aware that in order to use SCMDM in the first instance your mobile devices need to be running Windows Mobile v6.1 - it will be a free upgrade for some handsets - that's entirely down to the policy of the hardware manufacturer.

Eileen Brown's post titled Managing your mobile devices provides some useful background information together with links to the System Center Mobile Device Manager trial download and the top level "tech center" TechNet site for SCMDM which itself includes the following excellent links:

Getting Started Guide for Mobile Device Manager

Overview of MDM • System Requirements • More…

Architecture for Mobile Device Manager

MDM System Architecture • How MDM Works • More…

Planning for Mobile Device Manager

Server Topologies • Checklists and Worksheets • More…

Deployment for Mobile Device Manager

Deployment Overview • Configuration and Installation Steps • More…

Operations for Mobile Device Manager

Device Management • Server Management • More…

Security and Protection for Mobile Device Manager

Security Architecture • Recommended Group Policy Settings • More…

Technical Reference for Mobile Device Manager

Deployment Reference • Operations Reference • More…

Troubleshooting Mobile Device Manager

Setup Issues • Enrollment Issues • Gateway Issues • More…

Technical Articles for Mobile Device Manager

Technical Articles • Whitepapers

How to get download access to Microsoft Infrastructure products including Windows Vista and Server 2008 for under £200 per year

The teething problems are now resolved. Simply browse to the TechNet Subscriptions site or telephone 0800 281 221 quoting promo code UKITPRO3 to receive a 30% discount. You'll get a year's TechNet Plus Direct subscription for £198.37 including VAT saving £85.02 off the standard price of £283.39

My promo code will work for those of you based in the UK. If you are based elsewhere then it's worth searching the blogs of other Microsoft Evangelists around the World as some of my peers have codes for their respective countries.

A 12 month TechNet Plus Direct subscription includes:

• Full-version Microsoft software licensed for evaluation purposes
• Select Microsoft beta software releases
• Subscriber Downloads
• Complete Microsoft Knowledge Base
• Service packs, security updates, drivers, and utilities
• All the Microsoft Resource Kits
• Product facts, product overviews, and tips and techniques
• Evaluation and reviewer’s guides
• Microsoft Seminar Online CDs and technical training material
• Deployment guides, white papers, case studies, and much more

Note: All subscription content is delivered through online Subscriber Downloads.

A single user license allows a single user to access TechNet Library, evaluation software, support incidents and online benefits.
The software is fully functional - there aren't any time limitations though it's licensed for evaluation purposes only

How can I get 30% off the list price of a TechNet Plus subscription? (updated as teething problem now resolved)

I a day or so (from now - evening of the 22nd April) (teething problems now resolved) Simply browse to the TechNetPlus online subscription site or telephone 0800 281 221 and quote promo code UKITPRO3 - there's a problem that's being fixed as I type this.

Note: the phone number can only be reached from a UK landline/mobile as it's a freephone number.

Why might you want a TechNetPlus subscription? Well you'll get two free technical support incidents and download access to pretty much all of Microsoft's Infrastructure products including Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, SQL, Office, Forefront, System Center, Sharepoint, Exchange, Office Communications Server, hyper-v (as part of Windows Server 2008) AND early Beta access to upcoming versions of products.

Note: there's currently a promotion on whereby new subscribers qualify for a 20% discount - using the promo code UKITPRO3 you'll get an additional 10% off.

The software is fully functional though is licensed for evaluation purposes only.

Thanks to everyone who joined us @ today's Server Launch event in Cardiff

It was great to see so many enthusiastic people @ today's HeroesHappenHere Launch tour event in Cardiff.

We received great questions and I was really amused by the wonderful spoof film titles the audience came up with for the IT Pros Film Club!

I have posted the slides I presented on my Skydrive site for public access - they will also be available on the TechNet site as referred to in the "what did you think of the day" email that those who joined us today should have received by now.

We're taking the show to London on Thursday and will be heading into the City tomorrow night. After London we head to Manchester next week and then a couple of weeks later will head to Glasgow and conclude the tour in Gateshead. Full details of the tour including abstracts are available on the HeroesHappenHere website

I gather that all of the seats are booked for each venue so I'm looking forward to meeting many more IT Pros during the rest of the tour.

Why should your users use least privilege on their corporate computers?

If a business allows it's users to install whatever software they choose and/or make configuration changes then they run the increased risk of the security of the machine being compromised. I recommend wherever possible businesses should refrain from giving end users administrative rights over the machines they use thereby preventing users from installing software (that affects the system as a whole) or making configuration changes that affect the system as a whole.

Regular user accounts CAN still customise items that just affect the current user such as the desktop background and in principle most day to day activities should be possible without using an Administrator level account.

By installing a piece of software the user is implicitly trusting both the author and distributor of the software that there aren't any backdoors or security vulnerabilities in the software itself. In addition there are many cases of malicious software "piggybacking" onto/into perfectly legitimate code due to the distribution point (often a website) being compromised. To ensure effective security it's critical to only install software from sources you have reason to trust.

If the user is allowed (due to having administrative rights over their machine) to make configuration changes then they could accidentally disable security features such as the firewall thereby rendering them ineffective.

Some applications don't work properly when run without admin rights and whilst ideally such code should be replaced, in the real world that's often not feasible in the near term. Vista makes life easier but you certainly CAN run XP without admin rights AND be productive - I did so for a couple of years. In such situations I advise giving each user TWO accounts - one with admin rights and one without - encouraging them to use the non-admin account as much as possible to reduce their attack surface AND EXPLAIN TO THEM that their machine is less likely to "break" due to malware/accidental mis-configuration while they are using that account.

This made me smile - an article questioning how people follow thousands of other people on Twitter/social networks

Thanks to Loudmouthman for tweeting about The Campaign For Real Blogs - Turn off the A list in May

I'm a big fan of Twitter. If you wonder what it is then read Twitter explained thanks to Steve Clayton et al.

I particularly like the Twitter mobile site which works beautifully from my Windows (or any other decent) mobile phone.

For me the reason Twitter is interesting is that I can listen to ("follow" in Twitter parlance) people I find interesting and receive their (max) 140 character micro blog posts and conversely they can follow me. Some people (referred to as "the a-list" in the post referred to by loudmouthman) follow thousands of people - there's no way they can establish meaningful relationships/conversations with that many people! Presumably they use automated tools to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Note: I use it for business (to forge working relationships and keep up to date with what's going on) and socially.

Where do I find the time? Well I spend even less time on email and hardly use Facebook any more. I still like the group membership (and notifications of changes) in Facebook.

When is IT Forum and TechEd EMEA? Where is the best source of Microsoft oriented technical information in Europe?

You can read the details at the mseventseurope site. The names have changed to "TechEd EMEA 2008 IT Professionals" and "TechEd EMEA 2008 Developers" and they're running in the reverse order to last year - the IT Pro event will run from 3rd to 7th November, the Dev event will run from 10th to 14th November - both will be in Barcelona as before.

I know it's a long way off but it will come around before you know it and I've posted about it now as am planning the rest of the major activities I'm going to get involved with during the rest of 2008 and I guess many of you need to get these things in your diary with plenty of notice too.

It's a little early to register - according to the events site you'll be able to do so in June.

Interestingly enough there's a third event too named "Convergence 2008 Microsoft Dynamics" which is promoted on the same events site - it will take place in Copenhagen - there's going to be a "partner day" on the 18th too.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the last three TechEd/IT Forum EMEA's I've been fortunate enough to be involved with and find them a great place to learn and share ideas. It is a chargeable event though the focus is on recouping the cost of putting the event on rather than making a profit - this shows in the relatively low cost for delegates - particularly if you register early enough for the "early bird discount". In my experience what you get out of the event is directly proportional to how much effort you put in - you can take the passive "sit and listen" approach OR get involved in the interactive sessions, community activities and seek out the speakers and other experts in the "ask the expert" area - this way you can drill deep into the technical areas that most interest you.

Both events sell out really quickly so I strongly recommend you start watch the registration site early in June (I don't know when it will go live) and start making the business case with your boss/self(if self employed) so that you don't miss out.

BTW: Microsoft employees only get to go to the event if they "work their passage" meaning that they speak, run the hands on labs or volunteer to work on "ask the experts".

I have even more respect for those that finished the London Marathon in three hours

Like many other people I enjoyed watching the highlights on the London Marathon @ the weekend. The furthest I've ever run is five miles so I am impressed full stop when anyone finishes a marathon @ all let alone in three hours. I have signed up for the London Parks half marathon in October and have no idea how I'm going to manage to run the whole way.

In an effort to reduce my personal carbon emissions I tried cycling from and to work yesterday and this morning. By coincidence it's a journey of thirteen miles each way - a 1/2 marathon! I hadn't ridden any distance in fifteen years. I bought a road bike at the weekend (pictured below) and took it to work yesterday by car leaving a change of clothes et al in it to wear today. I cycled home and I must say it was fairly hard work. I woke early this morning to make the time to cycle back to the office and still make my 9:30am meeting. I found the journey more difficult on the return leg as I clearly hadn't recovered from last night's outbound journey.

I know that thirteen miles is no distance for any self respecting cyclist - for me it's a long way!

The reason I have even more respect for those that finished the London Marathon in under three hours is that's how long the return trip took me on a racing bike!!! Goodness knows how I'm going to run a half marathon but this is a start at least and I have time to improve my fitness in the meantime.

BTW: I bought "last year's" model from my local bike store - nothing fancy - reduced from £225 to £150 - it weighs a fraction of the bike I rode as a teenage - hardly surprising as this one had an aluminium frame and my previous one was made of steel!

Where is the best pub quiz on a Tuesday night in Manchester?

The UK TechNet team will be in Manchester on the evening of Tuesday 29th in preparation for the launch tour which is in the City on the 30th.

I'd love to hear where the best pub quiz is as some of the team will be around for good food & beer plus we'd like to join your team for the night - please add a comment to this post.

Where is the best pub quiz in Newcastle on Wednesday night?

The UK TechNet team will be in Newcastle on the evening of Wednesday 14th in preparation for the launch tour which is in the City on the 15th.

I'd love to hear where the best pub quiz is as some of the team will be around for good food & beer plus we'd like to join your team for the night - please add a comment to this post.

Where is the best pub quiz on Sunday night in Glasgow?

The UK TechNet team will be in Glasgow on the evening of Sunday 11th May in preparation for the launch tour which is in the City on the 12th.

I'd love to hear where the best pub quiz is as some of the team will be around for good food & beer plus we'd like to join your team for the night - please add a comment to this post.

Where is the best pub quiz on Wednesday night in central London?

The UK TechNet team will be in London on the evening of Wednesday 23rd April in preparation for the launch tour which is in the City on the 24th.

I'd love to hear where the best pub quiz is as some of the team will be around for good food & beer plus we'd like to join your team for the night - please add a comment to this post.

Where's the best pub quiz on Monday night in Cardiff?

The UK TechNet team will be in Cardiff on the evening of Monday 21st April in preparation for the launch tour which is in the City on the 22nd.

I'd love to hear where the best pub quiz is as some of the team will be around for good food & beer plus we'd like to join your team for the night - please add a comment to this post.