Announcement
Do you use SharePoint and work with Groove? Microsoft's User Research Group is conducting series of studies for SharePoint products and technologies at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA, and is looking for participants in the Puget Sound area.
The research team is looking for individuals who use SharePoint at least twice a week and have experience working with Groove. Each participant will receive a gift item they select from a list of some of Microsoft's most popular hardware and software titles.
If you are interested please email itusable@microsoft.com with your name phone number and insert Groove into the subject line.
Microsoft User Research focuses on how people interact with hardware and software products; the information and feedback gathered is translated directly into product design improvements.
Designers take all the research and insight gathered in order to discern whether the product does, or does not do, what people expect and how it can be improved upon. Past participants have enjoyed these studies; finding them to be unique and informative by meeting with Microsoft product development teams and being directly involved with a product development process.
This is a follow-up on Keith Combs' posting, Setting up your laptop to run SCVMM 2008. I have a demo environment configured with working Application Virtualization (App-V) 4.5 and Presentation Virtualization (i.e. Terminal Services) solutions. Now with SCVMM added, I can demo the management of IT infrastructure with physical and virtual computing resources, which is in my view the most critical piece of a virtualization solution.
Here's how I did it. My Lenovo T61P expanded with 8 GB RAM was installed with Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V enabled. In Hyper-V
Manager, I have already had a demo environment, contoso.corp, with a number of virtual machines (VMs) in place. I added to the domain a VM running Windows Server 2008, and installed SCVMM 2008 Server and Admin Console in the VM. I then joined the parent partition to the contoso domain followed by installing SCVMM local agent and created a security file for encryption. The security file was made accessible from SCVMM admin console. Then in SCVMM Admin Console I added the parent partition as a Windows Server-based host on a perimeter network. Once adding my parent partition as a host, all VMs running on the parent partition including the VM running SCVMM became manageable from SCVMM Admin Console. In essence, SCVMM was on a child partition while managing the Hyper-V parent (or root) partition in my laptop. Very interesting configuration, it is indeed.
Notice I made no additional effort in optimizing the performance or hardening the security. My objective here is to realize the capabilities with minimal operational requirements. Below I have documented the screenflows and will probably do a screencast later on this as well.
Very straightforward processes and uneventful operations, I consider these installations are. Understanding the architecture is perhaps much more pertinent for prototyping this solution. Basically, run Hyper-V in the laptop and SCVMM in a VM. Join the parent partition to the domain where SCVMM is in. Install SCVMM local agent on the parent partition and from SCVMM admin console add the parent partition as a host in perimeter. Thanks to Keith for coming up with this idea. His posting has saved me much research time.
As stated in Microsoft Windows Server product roadmap, a server release update is expected 2 years after a major release. Windows Server 2008 was released in 2008. So the next server release update should be in 2010 as Windows Server 2008 R2 (or Release 2) and a reviewers guide is available. In Microsoft product release cycle, an update release integrates the previous major release with the latest service pack, selected feature packs, and new functionality. And because an update release is based on the previous major release, customers can incorporate it into their environment without any additional testing beyond what would be required for a typical service pack. Any additional functionality provided by an update would be optional and thus not affect application compatibility or require customers to recertify or retest applications.
In Windows Server 2008 R2, Terminal Services is renamed to Remote Desktop Services (RDS). RDS introduces the new Remote Desktop Connection Broker – an expansion of the Session Broker in Windows Server 2008 – which provides the administrator with a unified experience for setting up user access to both Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and traditional session-based remote desktops. Together with Hyper-V and System Center Virtual Machine Manager, the Remote Desktop Connection Broker enables a VDI solution. The Remote Desktop Connection Broker it complements shared RDS infrastructure components in Windows Server 2008, such as Remote Desktop Web Access or Remote Desktop Gateway. Windows Server 2008 R2 also introduces a series of platform enhancements for remote desktop users – such as support for multiple physical monitors, redirection of multimedia and 3D content, including Vista Aero, and enhanced, bi-directional audio support. To follow the development of RDS, this Team Blog is good place to start.
This renaming is not just about getting a new name for Terminal Services, a technology we have been using for a long time. This is more about fundamentally validating, aligning, and integrating Terminal Services with emerging paradigm like virtualization infrastructure as shown below.
We know it is critical to have a management solution in place while introducing and transforming existing IT infrastructure into a heterogeneous environment in which physical and virtualized computing resources including data, storage, application, servers, desktops, networks, and peripherals are managed seamlessly and transparently. Terminal Services is Presentation Virtualzation and we should and need to manage it just like other virtualiztion solutions.
John Baker is one of the IT Evangelists in our team. He is a seasoned IT Pro with a wealth of knowledge in Windows infrastructure and a recognized expert in Group Policy and System Center family solutions. For many of us been in his events, we know we always learn something new from him while also getting a good laugh. A 12-part screencast fever on Windows Vista which he is just starting is a great supplement to the book, Windows Vista Step by Step and a quick way to review the fundamentals of Vista and establish a baseline understanding of Windows Operating System as well.
One key benefits of Virtualization is the ability to offer more with less. Many of us first visualized virtualization through previously called server consolidation and now Server Virtualization, by running multiple server incidences on a single physical machine. The case studies of business values and infrastructure optimization brought by virtualization are well documented and available and not repeated here. What I personally see IT Pros must also keep in mind is in production not all resources can and will be virtualized. Even in a highly virtualized infrastructure, there are and will be still some physical machines needed to create the environment for all virtualized resources to run with. Without a physical world, virtualization has no meaning. Physical and virtual resources are to co-exist to make either distinguishable from each other. Going forward, we should expect and will have a heterogeneous infrastructure mixed with physical and virtualized computing resources. The essence of virtualization therefore is not just about those virtualized, but the ability to transparently manage resources regardless if they are virtualized or not. I encourage those who are serious in carrying out infrastructure optimization by virtualization to pay close attention to the development of System Center family of solutions, and particularly System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 to gain a holistic and strategic view of managing virtualization.
If interested, Keith Combs, my colleague and a recognized influencer in virtualization communities, has shared some pertinent information on Setting up your laptop to run SCVMM 2008. This is in my view not only a productive way to get oneself familiar with SCVMM or prototype a solution using a laptop, but a requirement for today’s system administrators in a mobile setting.
Upcoming beta release of
Windows Vista SP2 has been announced. It will be available to a small group of Technology Adoption Program customers on Wednesday, October 29, and we anticipate broad availability for Windows Vista SP2 in the first half of 2009. Some information is available
here. Do notice Windows Vista SP1 is a prerequisite for installing SP2, so you will need to
start with a Windows Vista SP1 image before upgrading to SP2.
One key focus of an App-V solution is the ability to run multiple versions of application software within the same OS instance without the concern of conflicts among those versions. To quickly prove the concept, I prototyped a solution with 2 virtual machines based on Hyper-V. Here are the configurations:
| Hyper-V Parent Partition: |
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (x64) |
| |
|
| Virtual Machine 1: |
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (x86) |
| |
Domain Controller as app-v.contoso.corp |
| |
App-V 4.5 Management Server |
| |
|
| Virtual Machine 2: |
Windows Vista SP1 Ultimate (x86) |
| |
Domain Desktop as vistasp1.contoso.corp |
| |
App-V 4.5 Client |
Notice the above configurations are simply what I used for rapid prototyping to demonstrate the capabilities. They are not recommendations, nor best practices.
Server Side
![clip_image002[4]](http://blogs.technet.com/blogfiles/yungchou/WindowsLiveWriter/MicrosoftSystemCenterA.5RapidPrototyping_150CF/clip_image002%5B4%5D_thumb.jpg)
On the DC, I installed App-V 4.5 Management Server and imported all already sequenced applications. (See Figure 1.) Security groups for each sequenced applications were created in Active Directory Users and Computers as well. (See Figure 2.) When testing, I would add a test account into a target security group, for instance appvOffice97, followed by logging in the client machine to verify the connectivity and application streaming. The process is not complicated at all. However it is very easy to make operational mistakes and practice does very much so make perfect here.
Figure 1. App-V Management Server Console with Sequenced Applications Already Imported![clip_image002[19]](http://blogs.technet.com/blogfiles/yungchou/WindowsLiveWriter/MicrosoftSystemCenterA.5RapidPrototyping_150CF/clip_image002%5B19%5D_thumb.jpg)
Figure 2. Security Groups for Accessing Sequenced Applications
Client Side
On the domain Vista SP1 desktop, I logged in as local admin to install the App-V 4.5 client and verify the connectivity. App-V 4.5 by default uses port 322 to stream and there were times I used telnet to make sure the port is open. Make sure to set up Windows Firewall accordingly. when connectivity had been verified, I then switched user and logged in using a test account. By default, App-V refreshes during use login time. This can be customize on the server under Provider Policies of the App-V Management Server console. Once logged in, all authorized App-V applications are listed in the client console. (See Figure 3.)
Figure 3. Sample List of Applications to Authorized User offered by App-V Client
How to sequence an application and import it into App-V Management Server is beyond the scope of this posting and to be demonstrated in upcoming screencasts. Here Figure 4 and Figure 5 show the user experience when multiple versions of Office suite were deployed using App-V to the desktop. Some may prefer to place the icons on the desktop or in folders with specific heading, etc. These settings are customizable in the osd file of a sequenced application.
Figure 4. Multiple Versions of Office Suite Deployed by App-V 4.5 to Vista Desktop
Figure 5. Running Access 97 and Access 2000 Deployed by App-V 4.5 
©2008 Microsoft
Yes, the official name of the next version of Windows is now “Windows 7” as announced in Mike Nash’s post on the Windows Vista Team Blog. More details are to be available at the upcoming PDC 2008 and WinHEC 2008. In both shows, a pre-beta "developer only release" is to eb shared with attendees. Going forward, information of Windows 7 once available will be posted in the Springboard Series which is also a great resource on Windows Vista and desktop management.
To place a translator on your web page, add the following code
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.windowslivetranslator.com/TranslatePageLink.aspx?pl=en"></script>
You can set it to English to Chinese, Chinese to English, or German to Chinese just for the kick and see what happens. This translator feature will be included in upcoming IE8. With this feature, you will be able to read headlines in Paris, for instance, or foreign literature work easier.
I kind of like my new Chinese name. As it is obvious there is still much heuristic to be done to improve the translation.
http://www.windowslivetranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=AddIn&a=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.technet.com%2Fyungchou%2Fdefault.aspx
Silverlight 2.0 has been just been released. Here's a teleconference playback. Silverlight 2 delivers a wide range of new features and tools that enable designers and developers to better collaborate while creating more accessible, more discoverable and more secure user experiences.
Personally I have seen so much richness brought to my Web experience by Silverlight. For content deliveries, I have been using it to publish screencasts and the sound and video just have so much better performance and quality. If you have not already experienced Silverlight, you need to check out tafiti which uses both Microsoft Silverlight and Live Search to deliver richer experiences on the Web and explore the increasing specialization of search. It is a very interesting concept and experiment. 
Unlike a Windows Server, Microsoft Hyper-V Server does not provide any other roles amd services that Windows provides (AD, DNS, File/Print, IIS, etc.). Microsoft Hyper-V Server is a single purpose virtualization solution. The linked table outlines which Hyper-V–enabled product would suit different virtualization needs.
Hyper-V was available in late June. And today another milestone, Hyper-V Server 2008, is released.
Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 provides a simplified, reliable, and optimized virtualization solution, enabling improved server utilization and reduced costs. Since Hyper-V Server is a dedicated stand-alone product, which contains only the Windows Hypervisor, Windows Server driver model and virtualization components, it provides a small footprint and minimal overhead. Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 is a great choice for customers who want a basic and simplified virtualization solution for consolidating servers as well as for development and test environments. With most basic of virtualization features, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 is ideal for:
· Test and Development
· Basic Server Consolidation
· Branch Office Consolidation
· Hosted Desktop Virtualization (VDI)
Here’s where to find more information on this exciting solution:
Product Information
Free Download
Blain Barton, a seasoned IT professional, an interesting and dynamic speaker, and one of the most respected IT Evangelists in Microsoft technical communities is hosting a PowerShell series in Second Life. I know many of you known him and attended his events around the country in the past years are fans just like one I am, and we always get a good laugh and learn something new from him at the same time. I know this PowerShell series will be as informative and interesting as many other great presentations Blain has delviered. For more information, follow the link below.
http://blogs.technet.com/blainbar/archive/2008/09/19/second-life-windows-powershell-3-part-series-by-max-trinidad.aspx
