The Dallas event celebrated the launch of Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008. The event brought together IT Pros and Developers to get an in-depth, up-close look at the new products and gave attendees an opportunity to meet with Microsoft Partners as well as members of the development teams who created the cutting-edge technologies. While I can’t replicate the in-person interaction in this blog, I can give you access to the sessions that were delivered there. Enjoy the videos of both the IT Pro and Developer tracks

IT Pro Track

• Keynote, Chris Sakolosky, Jon Roskill
• Virtualization and your Infrastructure, John Weston
• Exploring Windows Server 2008 Web and Application Technologies, John Weston
• Optimizing your IT Infrastructure with Windows Server 2008, Stephanie Doakes
• What is New in Windows Server 2008, John Weston
• Securing your IT Infrastructure with Windows Server 2008, John Weston
• Enabling Dynamic IT and Optimizing your infrastructure processes and people, Stephanie Doakes
• The Application Platform: Where IT meets business, Stephanie Doakes
• Exploring Business Intelligence and SQL Server 2008, Brad Nelson

Developer Track

• Keynote, Chris Sakolosky, Jon Roskill
• Simplify Management of Data Infrastructure, Sri Sridharan
• Breakthrough Challenges with Visual Studio 2008, Chris Koenig
• Creating Instantly Familiar Applications with Office System, Zain Naboulsi
• Mission Critical Application in SQL Server 2008, Sri Sidharan
• Next Generation Data Applications, Jonathan Swartz
• Reach end Users with Next Generation Web Applications, Chris Koenig
• Defy Occasionally Connected Challenges with Smart Client Applications, Zain Naboulsi

US Premier Launch Dallas MSDN Event Page:

http://www.microsoft.com/emea/msdn/spotlight/event.aspx?id=101

US Premier Launch Dallas TechNet  Event Page:

http://www.microsoft.com/emea/spotlight/event.aspx?id=101

You choice of reference book for Windows Server 2008 is increasing rapidly. With this variety comes the difficult decision of which one to purchase. So let me tell you my views of O’Reilly’s Definitive Guide to Windows Server 2008.

I have to say that when this book turned up I was slightly surprised to find it was a lot smaller than it’s Windows Vista counterpart. I could understand 100-150 pages smaller, but 300 pages smaller made me wonder how deep the content would go. There is no questions that the range of topics covered is fairly comprehensive the depth is no in the same league as say the Administrator Companion from Microsoft Press. What this book will do is take you through the most prominent features of the product, there is a basic section on deployment, but nothing on imaging or WDS. The File Services and DNS chapters are very comprehensive in their coverage and the step-by-steps are good.

The chapter on Active Directory covers the basic installation and management of Users and Groups, Operations Masters and a good section on Replication. The Group Policy section goes into the basic’s as well, this will get you going with Group Policy, but consider the Group Policy Resource kit for the in-depth look at this topic.

Each chapter is a good introduction, there are snippets in each that caught my eye and I liked, there are certain chapters that I wonder they added them, for example the Hyper-V is very light. I, like many people I imagine, are waiting to see the Hyper-V Resource Kit, especially as there is only one reference I’ve read that has any depth on Hyper-V and that book isn’t published yet and I’ve not seen any links to it.

As I write these reviews I have to balance the fact that these later titles are not breaking new ground for me as the earlier ones did. I’ve read a number now and so the challenge each time for each publication is to surprise me. So taking this into account here, this is a typical O’Reilly publication. Well written and laid out and cover the material. My disappointment was that I was expecting more from this especially after reading the Vista version. You can usually set aside an O’Reilly publication from the pack, their books on DNS and Active Directory are excellent references, this one is in the pack, along with the Unleashed Series from Sams and also their Teach yourself Windows Server in 24 hours publication. My final word is the same as my review of the aforementioned Sam’s Teach yourself publication.

“This is a good training guide for people coming in who need to get familiar with the main concepts. If you are looking for a reference book for Windows Server 2008 however, this will not meet your needs”

For those of you in the UK, here are the dates and titles of the forthcoming Events in the UK

Virtualisation and Management Technologies
21 August 2008, Liverpool: Microsoft Virtualisation and Management Technologies
9 September 2008, Reading: Microsoft Virtualisation and Management Technologies

11 September 2008, Edinburgh: Microsoft Management and Virtualisation Technologies

SQL Server 2008
10 September 2008, Reading: SQL Server 2008 Unleashed
7 October 2008. Manchester: TechNet: SQL Server - Under New Management

23 October 2008, Exeter: TechNet: SQL Server - Under New Management

A bit of Fun

10 September 2008, London: Microsoft “After Hours” – The Sequel

Exchange Server 2007

29 October 2008, London: Recipient management, policies and permissions in Exchange Server 2007

Licensing
2 October 2008, Reading: An Introduction and overview of Microsoft Licensing
21 October 2008, Reading: Understanding Microsoft’s Server Product Licensing in a Virtual Environment

Windows Powershell

14 October 2008, Birmingham: TechNet: Windows PowerShell: Around the Data Centre in 80 Scripts

Unified Communications
2 September 2008, Reading : TechNet: the Microsoft Vision for Unified Communications

Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008

22 October 2008, Bristol: Taking Care of Business Every day with Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008

29 October 2008, London: Taking Care of Business Every day with Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008

Windows Server 2008

16 October 2008, Edinburgh: Windows Server 2008 – What’s New and Exciting

European Event

3-7 November 2008, Barcelona: TechED EMEA IT Professionals

The PASS Community Summit 2008, taking place November 18-21 in Seattle WA, is the single largest gathering of Microsoft SQL Server community professionals. The Summit delivers three full days of in-depth learning, unparalleled access to the Microsoft SQL Server development team and face-to-face networking in a fun, focused environment.

PASS Community Summit 2008, November 18-21, Seattle WA, delivers three days of comprehensive learning and access to the Microsoft SQL Server team in a networking-focused environment.

The Summit will draw over 3,000 users, SQL Server MVPs, developers, and Microsoft experts.  There will be more than 130 technical sessions on SQL Server & Business Intelligence, as well as an Exposition that will showcase all of the latest technologies and solutions related to SQL Server & BI.

Mark your calendar for PASS Summit 2008 – and join us at the only event hosted for users, by users.

Register Now!

Early bird discount of $1595. That's $695 off the regular cost of registration.