I am in Spain at the moment (no….not at teched , I had some family business to sort out :o( )
Anyway Baldwin (who will be coming to the MVUG on Monday the 10th after TechED) pinged me to say that the new 3.2 version of MAP had been released! This product is just HUGE! it covers so much and has a huge array of content….. the best thing of all is that its FREE!!!
Seriously have a read of the below and try it out…..
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 Now Available
New Features to include Microsoft Online Services, SQL Server 2008, Forefront Client Security, and Network Access Protection
http://www.microsoft.com/MAP
Many of you are in the midst of an IT migration or upgrade planning but do not know 100% with certainty what computers are in their IT environment or what applications have been deployed. The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 3.2 makes it easier for customers and partners like you to quickly identify what servers, workstations, and network devices are in your IT environment. MAP also provides specific and actionable IT proposals and reports to help you get the most value out of Microsoft products and infrastructure. Over 510,000 Microsoft customers and partners have already downloaded and used MAP and its prior versions including Costco Wholesale Corporation, Continental Airlines, and Banque de Luxembourg.
Introducing Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
MAP is a scalable and agent-less assessment platform designed to make it easier for you to adopt the latest Microsoft technologies. In this version, MAP has expanded its assessment capabilities to include SQL Server 2008, Forefront/NAP, and Microsoft Online Services migration, as well as providing a Power Savings assessment to help you “go green.”
In summary, MAP 3.2 assessment areas now include:
• SQL Server Database Instance Discovery (NEW!)
• Microsoft Online Services Needs Assessment and Survey (NEW!)
• Forefront Client Security/NAP Readiness Assessment (NEW!)
• Power Savings Calculator (NEW!)
• Virtualization Infrastructure Assessment (e.g. reporting the mapping of hosts by guests) (NEW!)
• Windows Server 2008 Hardware Assessment
• Server Consolidation Reports and Proposals (Hyper-V or Virtual Server 2005 R2)
• Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Hardware Assessment
• Desktop Security Assessment to determine if desktops have anti-virus and anti-malware programs installed and up-to-date, or if the Windows Firewall is turned on
Toolkit Features
The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit performs key functions that include hardware and device inventory, compatibility analysis, and readiness reporting.
MAP utilizes an enterprise-scale, agent-less architecture that enables you to inventory your servers, desktops, applications, and network devices without installing any software agents on each machine being assessed. This tool can discover all computers within Active Directory, and most importantly, non-IT managed machines such as workgroup members.
Additionally, MAP can generate localized desktop readiness reports in seven languages including North American English, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Benefits to You (Customers and Partners)
Fast and Agent-less. MAP provides secure network-wide assessment of environments of up to 100,000 computers in a matter of hours instead of days, all without deploying any software agents on each inventoried machine.
Saves Pre-Sales and Planning Time. For most IT consultants and Microsoft Partners, a detailed network inventory and assessment of servers and desktops often takes days of manual labor. With MAP, they can now drastically reduce the time it takes for the same inventory to a matter of hours; allowing them more time to focus their efforts on critical pre-sales engagement tasks. For IT professionals, MAP can significantly reduce the time it takes to gather the information necessary to make the business case for client and server migration, as well as for their upcoming virtualization projects.
Actionable Recommendations and Reporting. MAP offers valuable inventory and readiness assessment reports with specific upgrade recommendations and virtualization candidate reports that make it easier for IT migration and deployment projects to get off the ground and running.
Coverage from Desktops to Servers. MAP provides technology assessment and planning recommendations for many Microsoft desktop and server products including SQL Server 2008, Forefront Client Security/NAP, Microsoft Online Services, Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, Virtual Server 2005 R2, Windows Vista, 2007 Microsoft Office, Microsoft Application Virtualization (or App-V), System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007, and more.
Next Steps
Try the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 RTM version now! Tell a friend and blog about it!
• Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 (RTM Bits)
• Learn more about MAP on TechNet or Microsoft Partner Program Portal
• Read Hyper-V/MAP Case Studies: See how Costco Wholesale Corporation, Continental Airlines, and Banque de Luxembourg benefitted from using the MAP Toolkit
• Read the MAP Team Blog
• Listen to TechNet and Academy Live webcasts on MAP
• Join the TechNet Forum Community for MAP
• Use MAP together with the Integrated Virtualization ROI Tool to get more virtualization POC wins
• MAP is a member of the family of Server, Desktop, Security, and Virtualization Solution Accelerators.
Baldwin Ng
Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team
PS: We are currently conducting a customer satisfaction survey. Please give us your valuable feedback!
[RTM News!] Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 for SQL Server 2008 Now Available!
Today, the Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team is pleased to announce the RTM release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit that sports news features such as SQL Server Database Instance Discovery. Click here to learn more about today’s FULL ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAP TOOLKIT 3.2 RTM RELEASE.
Why build MAP Toolkit for SQL Server 2008?
Since the SQL Server 2000 mainstream support has already expired a few months ago, our research told us that many of our customers want to quickly migrate their legacy database servers to SQL Server 2008. However, locating and discovering SQL instances remained a labor-intensive task or a “chore.”
The MAP Toolkit 3.2 solves the problem by creating new collection mechanism to find these hard-to-find SQL Server 2000 and 2005 database instances. In just a hour or so, you will now be able to discover and report on these instances by version and edition, making it easier for you to collectively understand your install base of database servers.
What can you get from MAP Toolkit 3.2 for SQL Server 2008?
With MAP Toolkit 3.2, you can now get an auto-generated set of report and proposal in just an hour or so. The SQL Server assessment proposal offers a high-level look at the assessment of SQL Server instances while the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet offers an in-depth machine-by-machine (or instance-by-instance) view.
Next Steps for You!
Now that you know the power of the MAP Toolkit 3.2, why stop here? Give the MAP Toolkit a try and tell your friends about it. If you are a blogger, tell the world about it!
• Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 (RTM Bits)
• Learn more about MAP on TechNet or Microsoft Partner Program Portal
• Try SQL Server 2008 now!
• Read the MAP Team Blog
• Join the TechNet Forum Community for MAP
• MAP is a member of the family of Solution Accelerators
Baldwin Ng
Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team
[RTM News!] Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 for Microsoft Online Services Now Available!
Today, the Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team is pleased to announce the RTM release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit that sports news features such as Microsoft Online Services Needs Assessment and Survey. Click here to learn more about today’s FULL ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAP TOOLKIT 3.2 RTM RELEASE.
Why build MAP Toolkit for Microsoft Online Services?
During challenging economic times, many businesses like yours look to cloud-based services, such as Microsoft Online Services including Exchange Online, to outsource their IT e-mail services and reduce capital expenditures. But how can you quickly determine what it takes to migrate to Exchange Online? What is your messaging needs for the next few years? Are your business desktops ready for the migration to “the cloud”?
The MAP Toolkit 3.2 can give you the answers you need. By creating a brand new survey assessment capability and through the use of its powerful network-wide assessment engine, the MAP Toolkit can help you conduct a survey on your messaging needs and generate a Microsoft Online Services proposal that based on your specific set of business PCs. In a matter of just a few hours, you will be well on your way to migration to Exchange Online.
What can you get from MAP Toolkit 3.2 for SQL Server 2008?
With the MAP Toolkit 3.2, you now have the ability to walk through a guided survey to help you self-assess your messaging needs (e.g. E-mail).
This toolkit can also conduct readiness assessment of your networked PCs to help you determine if they meet the basic requirements.
Next Steps for You!
Now that you know the power of the MAP Toolkit 3.2, why stop here? Give the MAP Toolkit a try and tell your friends about it. If you are a blogger, tell the world about it!
• Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 (RTM Bits)
• Learn more about MAP on TechNet or Microsoft Partner Program Portal
• Try Exchange Online and other Microsoft Online Services offerings now!
• Read the MAP Team Blog
• Join the TechNet Forum Community for MAP
• MAP is a member of the family of Solution Accelerators
Baldwin Ng
Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team
[RTM News!] Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 for Forefront Client Security and NAP Now Available!
Today, the Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team is pleased to announce the RTM release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit that sports news features such as readiness assessment for Forefront Client Security and Network Access Protection (NA). Click here to learn more about today’s FULL ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAP TOOLKIT 3.2 RTM RELEASE.
Why build MAP Toolkit for Forefront Client Security and Network Access Protection?
As your business continues to grow, your installed base of PCs probably grew at the similar rate. What does that mean? Unless you protect and secure your business desktops, your business may be vulnerable to data loss or malicious attacks. Look to Forefront Client Security and Network Access Protection to help you ward off those viruses and malware in your IT environment.
With the MAP Toolkit 3.2, you can now quickly assess your PCs to see if they have anti-virus software and anti-malware software installed. We even tell if you they are out of date!
And wait, there’s more. The MAP Toolkit 3.2 will tell you if your current PC and server infrastructure is already ready for installation of Forefront Client Security and NAP or not, making it easier for you to get on the path of IT security.
What can you get from MAP Toolkit 3.2 for SQL Server 2008?
With the MAP Toolkit 3.2, you can get a set of reports and proposals like these…
Next Steps for You!
Now that you know the power of the MAP Toolkit 3.2, why stop here? Give the MAP Toolkit a try and tell your friends about it. If you are a blogger, tell the world about it!
• Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 (RTM Bits)
• Learn more about MAP on TechNet or Microsoft Partner Program Portal
• Try Forefront Client Security Now!
• Read the MAP Team Blog
• Join the TechNet Forum Community for MAP
• MAP is a member of the family of Solution Accelerators
Baldwin Ng
Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team
[RTM News!] Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 for Power Savings and Management Now Available!
Today, the Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team is pleased to announce the RTM release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit that sports news features such as Power Savings Calculator. Click here to learn more about today’s FULL ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAP TOOLKIT 3.2 RTM RELEASE.
Why build MAP Toolkit with a Power Savings Calculator?
During the current challenging economic times, your business is probably looking for ways to lower your IT operation costs. Well, good news! With Hyper-V, you can now consolidate many of your under-utilized servers in your datacenters and branch offices so you can PAY LESS for power and cooling!
In addition, did you know that you can save lots of power by leveraging the power management features of Windows Vista (for your desktops) and Windows Server 2008 (for your servers)?
The MAP Toolkit 3.2 now offers the Power Savings Calculator and Proposal that walks you through the many ways that you can save those precious IT dollars.
What can you get from MAP Toolkit 3.2 for Power Savings and Management
With the MAP Toolkit 3.2, you can get a proposal in just a matter of hours. It includes a detailed proposal that will tell you what the potential savings are for your desktops and servers including benefits of virtualization via Hyper-V.
Next Steps for You!
Now that you know the power of the MAP Toolkit 3.2, why stop here? Give the MAP Toolkit a try and tell your friends about it. If you are a blogger, tell the world about it!
• Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 (RTM Bits)
• Learn more about MAP on TechNet or Microsoft Partner Program Portal
• Try Hyper-V now!
• Read the MAP Team Blog
• Join the TechNet Forum Community for MAP
• MAP is a member of the family of Solution Accelerators
Baldwin Ng
Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team
This defiantly creped out the door late at night while I was not watching. However my buddy Aaron Parker Spotted this whilst I was asleep! We finally released the resource kit tool for App-V. The Resource kit is a selection of Tools that can be used to help you manage your App-V 4.5 estate.
If you have any issues with any of the tools below, please remember that support is via the App-V forums on Microsoft TechNet.
Application Virtualization Application Listing Tool
The App-V Application Listing Tool (ListVApps) is a tool which lists all the virtual processes that are running at a specific time on a specific computer. You can use the tool to get information about the priority and owner of each process, the size of its virtual memory, its session identifier and processing time. User with administrator privileges will see all running virtual applications.
Application Virtualization Cache Configuration Tool
The App-V client cache tool (AppVCacheSize) allows administrators to increase the Microsoft Application Virtualization client cache size through a scriptable command line interface. AppVCacheSize uses the specified parameters to configure the desired cache size, as well as toggle between using a free disk space threshold or set a maximum cache size.
Application Virtualization Client Log Parser Utility
You can use the fields and values contained in the output file to filter information obtained from the log files. The output file generated by the application log parser utility contains the following fields: System, OS, Build, Date, Time, Module, Log Level, hApp, App, User, Thread, and Message. The information contained in the output file can also be imported into Microsoft Excel for subsequent evaluation. This log parser simplifies the task of looking through log files, being able to filter by log level, build report, launch failures, mini-dumps, minimum disconnected operation mode entries and more. Afterwards, the appropriate party can import the data for analysis and/or utilization.
Application Virtualization SFT Parser Tool
This one looks interesting, but a PKG Parser would be nice too:
You can use the Application Virtualization SFT Info utility to extract the following information from SFT files:
· Validation of SFT files—Process corrupted SFT files, and recover information from corrupted SFT files.
· XML export of contents of SFT—Export the contents of an existing SFT file. You can evaluate SFT segments or SFT metadata and construct a textual tree view of all file information SFT file.
· Listing of all of the files in the SFT—Identify and print the files contained in the SFT with their full paths. This is a good method to quickly identify the contents of a package.
· Statistics about properties of the SFT metadata—Identify statistical information, such the largest file contained in a package. This can be very useful for identifying packages that are too large in size and are causing issues loading on the client.
· Get relevant information on a file in the package—Display size, timestamps, attributes, and version information associated with the package.
· Ability to skip processing of file data if using functionality that requires only the metadata—Allows working with very large packages quickly.
and finally:
Application Virtualization Dynamic Suite Composition Tool
This is a GUI tool for managing DSC.
Dynamic suite composition is a Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) feature that enables applications to be sequenced separately from the plug-ins and middleware applications they rely on, while still being able to utilize the virtual resources such as file system and registry settings, in the virtual environment. The packages will run and interact with one another as if they were all installed locally on a computer. The primary package will also assume the secondary packages entire virtual environment, including the virtual file system. If there is an installer associated with a virtual application package, the installers will be automatically updated.
