Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Cloud computing has become a crucial element in today’s businesses, and as a result, IT organizations must play increasingly important roles in driving business strategy. Among its other benefits, cloud computing shifts portions of capital expenses into operating expenses. This paradigm shift has enabled organizations to accelerate their rate of growth and speed to market, which results in revising and updating tactics. But, as with any business decision, there are a number of factors to consider—not the least of which is making the transition to the cloud.

Migrating part or all of the IT portfolio to the cloud might seem like a daunting task—but migration doesn’t have to be prohibitively complex. Moving to the cloud is transformative for companies and while it isn’t a trivial matter to do so, the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term issues.

This eBook goes over the value of a move to the Azure cloud as well as what the steps are to migrate.

• DOWNLOAD: eBook, “Getting Started with your Microsoft Azure Migration: Essential Steps from Assessment to Migration”
  https://www.microsoft.com/itprocloudessentials/Content/PDFs/MS_Ebook_en-us.pdf

[This is as of 1/17/17]
I recently got a new computer and it reminded me that I’ve never posted about the tools that I use that I consider essential to my Windows PC.

So here’s a list of my favorite tools.  Each of these deserve a a full post but this fiscal year hasn’t granted me nearly the time so here’s a quick synopsis instead.  Enjoy.

• CCleaner Professional
  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
  Everyone knows the FREE version of this tool clears Internet history/caches, temp directories, memory dumps, etc. but not everyone knows that the Professional version (which costs $25) also does the following:
  • • • • Removes cookies & trackers DAILY or whatever frequency you need from IE, Edge, Firefox, Chrome, & Opera (with an easy-to-use whitelisting tool to KEEP the cookies you want)
        • Real-time monitoring, to automatically clear cookies & trackers whenever you close the browser or whenever the cache exceeds a certain size.
• DUMeter
  http://www.hageltech.com/dumeter/about
  This is a little desktop tool that shows bandwidth consumption in real-time.  It can show it numerically, graphically in a histogram, or by application so you know what apps are consuming bandwidth on your machine.  Really essential tool.
• AutoHotKey
  https://www.autohotkey.com/
  This is a free automation tool that allows you to program keystrokes to execute macros.  In my case, I love to reprogram CTRL-LEFT ARROW and CTRL-RIGHT ARROW to be Home & End, and AutoHotKey does that for free.
• DrawboardPDF
  https://www.microsoft.com/store/apps/9wzdncrfhwqt
  This is a great tool for modifying & marking up PDF files.  Ever wish you could type into a PDF-based form or add your signature using your Surface Pen?  This is the tool to do it with.  It’s $9.99 but I think it’s worth it to be able to visually sign forms using my stylus and be able to save them digitally.
• Multiplicity
  http://edgerunner.com/multiplicity
  I have 3 laptops on my desk at all times: Surface Pro 3, Surface 3, and a Surface Book which is my primary.  Using the mouse & keyboard of my Surface Book, I can move the mouse pointer across all 3 laptops and use the keyboard depending on where the mouse is using Multiplicity.  It costs as little as $20 for 2 PCs and has solid tech support which is – believe me – CRITICAL to ensuring connectivity/troubleshooting support.  I’ve personally tried Synergy, MouseWithoutBorders, SpaceDesk, SplashTop, and others and only Multiplicity had the support I think a tool like this needs.
• FileMinimizer Suite
  http://balesio.com/fileminimizersuite/eng/index.php
  This is a tool that compresses & shrinks Office & PDF documents while keeping the files readable.  This is not a ZIP tool as it keeps the document readable by inspecting it for things like oversized graphics and resizing them, conserving space.
  The tool is very useful when you want to send a file over email and need to shrink it down in order to attach it and stay under the maximum attachment size threshold.
  It’s not free however.  At $95 a copy, it might be a little beyond a lot of folks but it’s been a good value for me.
• SimplyFile
  http://www.techhit.com/SimplyFile/
  TechHit’s SimplyFile is one of my all time favorite tools:  It’s an Outlook add-in that automatically determines what folder an email should be moved/filed in.  Simply clicking on an email displays the predicted folder name on a button & pressing that button moves the email to that folder.  If the folder is incorrect, you can change the prediction directly in the toolbar.  It’s one of the biggest productivity enhancers I’ve had and I’ve used it for over 10 years.
  Warning:  It’s not cheap.  I think it’s something like $50. But it’s been very worth it for me as a ‘filer’.
• SendIndividually
  http://www.sperrysoftware.com/Email-Tools/product/send-individually/
  Another of my all time favorites, Send Individually is my mail merge tool and it’s something I’ve been using for a decade or so.  It’s an Outlook add-in that allows you to put hundreds of people in the TO: line of an email – including Contact Groups – and send an individual copy of an email to each of them. It doesn’t use BCC: and none of the recipients other than the single destination show on the To: line.
  You can insert the recipients name in the body of the message using <firstname> or <lastname> and other mark up terms, and it automates the creation of all the individual mails you need, puts them in the Outbox, and you can watch them leave Outlook as they’re sent.  Note: This is also not a cheap tool at $50 but it doesn’t incur ongoing charges like many mail services do.
• Teracopy
  http://codesector.com/teracopy
  Teracopy is a free tool that does one thing:  Copy files reliably and quickly.  It’s special features, compared to a standard Windows file copy, include the ability to check the copy’s CRC, pipeline files for reading & writing to optimize throughput, and provide specific instructions on what to do in case of collisions.  (For example, “Overwrite the destination file, only if it’s smaller than the file being copied.”)
• Open Live Writer
  http://openlivewriter.org/
  Open Live Writer is what I’m using to write this post to WordPress.  It’s a free tool that originated from the open sourcing of Windows Live Writer, a lightweight blogging tool created many years ago.
  Open Live Writer is a wonderful blogging tool for folks like me that just need the ability to have a WYSIWYG editor that will create drafts, insert photos & videos, directly publish posts to my blog, edit previously published blog posts, and manage multiple blog accounts.
  It’s sort of like Word… but quick to load, quick to create, and quick to publish.  Like I said, ‘lightweight’.

We released Microsoft StaffHub today, which is web/mobile solution we’ve developed to provide schedule management, information sharing, & workgroup communications, targeting workers that have hourly shifts & task oriented labor.

StaffHub enables:

• Managers to create, update and manage shift schedules for their team
• Employees have access to all their shift information via web or StaffHub mobile app
• Employees can swap shifts with others from the web or the StaffHub mobile app
  (Managers can receive & approve shift swaps before they are executed)
• StaffHub Mobile App (iOS, Android) provides
• Summary of upcoming shifts as well as any important notes
• Review important information for their team, such as policy documents, news bulletins or videos
• Receive messages from managers directly or as team broadcast messages
• StaffHub integrates with Kronos Workforce Management with more systems to be announced
• Pull in shift information for teams or individuals
• StaffHub can show links to other work-relevant/important cloud apps

Licensing is simple: All Office 365 K1 licensed users (and E3 users) are eligible to use StaffHub immediately.

For more information, please read the announcement here:

• RELEASE: Microsoft StaffHub is here!
  https://blogs.office.com/2017/01/12/microsoft-staffhub-is-here/
• DOCS: StaffHub Administration
  https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Introducing-Microsoft-StaffHub-92e9480f-0a37-47d2-ac96-2d11ee5f0656

You’ve heard about the cloud, you know the benefits it offers, yet you’re still using an on-premises solution for your company’s emails. Maybe the thought of the transition is too daunting, or you’re not convinced it’s necessary at this time—there are many reasons that you might chose to stay with on-premises servers.

According to the 2015 IDG Enterprise Cloud Computing Survey, 72 percent of organizations already have at least one application in the cloud and 56 percent are currently identifying which IT operations to move. Here are some common misconceptions about on-premises email and the reality of what migrating your business email to the cloud can do for your organization.

Read more here…

• BLOG: Why are you still waiting to upgrade your email to the cloud?
  https://blogs.office.com/2016/11/11/why-are-you-still-waiting-to-upgrade-your-email-to-the-cloud/

We’ve released an eBook describing the value of cloud-based email versus on-premises that goes through the bullets in the blog post more thoroughly.  Hint: “Regulatory mandate” is no longer a reason for on-premises servers.

• eBOOK: Elevate Your Email: Why now is the right time to take your email to the cloud.
  https://resources.office.com/en-us-landing-elevate-your-email-ebook.html

We announced today that we are making available a FREE Audible Audiobook, “Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood,” (usually $24.95) written and narrated by Trevor Noah, comedian and host of “The Daily Show”. (Courtesy of Microsoft & Audible for Windows users.)

Read more here:

• Free audiobook by ‘The Daily Show’ host Trevor Noah available through Jan. 31
  http://blogs.microsoft.com/firehose/2017/01/12/free-audiobook-by-the-daily-show-host-trevor-noah-available-through-jan-31/

Many people don’t know that it’s possible to “double dip” & use a single Windows Server license in both:

1. On-premises datacenter
2. Cloud-based Virtual Machine

USE ONE LICENSE IN TWO PLACES SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH WINDOWS SERVER DATACENTER EDITION
This is known as the “Azure Hybrid Use Benefit” for Windows Server Datacenter Edition and it gives the licensee the ability to use a single Windows Server Datacenter Edition license simultaneously in both a physical server in-house as well as in Azure.

• EXAMPLE #1:
  An example of this would be an organization that has an existing Windows Server in their datacenter running a line-of-business application (like an ERP application), that they’d like to gradually migrate systems to Microsoft Azure without decommissioning the servers on-prem, and don’t want to purchase additional licenses for use in the cloud.
• EXAMPLE #2:
  The licenses however are not tied any any specific workload.  Another example is an organization that has a lot of Windows Server instances in their datacenter and would like to stand up Windows Server in the cloud for other workloads, and don’t want to purchase additional license for use in the cloud.

(Note: If you do not have Windows Server Datacenter Edition, there is a step-up price available that allows you to upgrade your existing Windows Server Standard Edition.  For more information, visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/windows-server-pricing and http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/A/1/6A1647EE-3FC7-47F2-9AFE-470AD5E5D856/StepUpLicenses.pdf)

CONVERT ONE WINDOWS SERVER LICENSE INTO 2 VIRTUAL MACHINES WITH WINDOWS SERVER STANDARD
Alternatively, one can move or transition their license from their datacenter to Microsoft Azure when using Windows Server Standard. 

This entitles the user to implement 2 Virtual Machines w/ 8 cores each at no additional Server OS licensing cost.

VALUE: 41% COST SAVINGS ON CLOUD VIRTUAL MACHINE INSTANCES
The value to an organization to using the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit is a dramatic reduction in cost. 

Not having to re-purchase the Windows Server license by leveraging the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit reduces the cost of cloud VM instances by 41%.

REQUIREMENTS

There are some basic requirements to obtain the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit

• AZURE ONLY: Only applies to running VMs within Microsoft Azure – not applicable to any other cloud hosting service.  This grants 2 VMs using 8 cores each per license.
• SOFTWARE ASSURANCE REQUIRED: Customers must have Software Assurance (aka ‘maintenance’) on their Windows Server licenses.
• SIMULTANEOUS USE REQUIRES DATACENTER EDITION: Requires licenses to be Windows Server Datacenter Edition to simultaneously use Windows Server in both on-prem datacenters as well as Azure.

For more information, visit the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit site:

• SITE: Microsoft Azure Hybrid Use Benefit
  https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/hybrid-use-benefit/
• DOWNLOAD: Azure Hybrid Use Benefit datasheet
  https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=830437&clcid=0x409

If you’re like me and you still love Windows Essentials 2012, but can’t find it, don’t fret: It’s still there. And it still installs on Windows 10.  There’s a catch however:

• Windows Messenger is no more so there’s no point in installing it.
• Windows Mail has been replaced in basically every way by the more functional Mail app built into Windows 10.
• Windows Live Writer won’t install because of dependency on .NET Framework 3.5 which has an installation reference problem. (This is easily rectified by installing Open Live Writer, which is the same code base but open sourced & “fixed up”)
• Support ends tomorrow for the suite per https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13785/windows-essentials-2012-release-notes.

So… uh, why install it again? For the following:

• Windows Photo Gallery
  I’ve always loved this tool.  Does a great job of organizing & touching up & editing photos.
• Windows Movie Maker
  A really basic movie editor.  Uses WMV format but whatever.  If you’re looking to crank something easy out, edit out a couple seconds, add some transitions, look no further!  And it’s free

Grab the tool here:

• Download Windows Essentials 2012 (Web installer)
  Download Windows Essentials 2012 (Offline installer)

If it’s not available any more, I have it available to download here:

• Windows Essentials 2012 (Offline installer)
  https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ao0Dfn8MQdoApZAmspkTwi3-awFG1Q

Ever notice that the Surface Pro/Book audio can be a bit quiet?  You might be watching a movie with earbuds on and the volume can be turned up to 100% and it might still not be as loud as you need it to be.

ENABLE DOLBY AUDIO
By default, Dolby Audio is OFF on Surface devices.  Turn it on by first plugging in your headphones. (The Playback device won’t necessarily appear if they aren’t plugged in)

• Right mouse button click the Speaker/Sound icon in the System Tray and select “Playback Devices”.
• Right mouse click on “Headphones” and select “Properties”.
• Select the “Dolby Audio” tab.  Click the button “Turn ON” and click OK.

This should hopefully provide a bit louder audio.

One of the largest attack vectors for malware writers is the browser.  90 percent of phishing emails, for example. use the browser to initiate attacks, which can then be used to help attackers establish a beachhead inside a company

To address this, we are announcing Windows Defender Application Guard: A new feature coming to Microsoft Edge in Windows 10 Enterprise (E3 or E5).

Coming in H1CY17, Windows Defender Application Guard essentially quarantines the browser. It will run unknown web sites within a virtualized container generated by Windows 10 Hyper-V, isolating it from the system & protecting the user.

In this way, any potential malware that the user stumbles upon is sandboxed & never gets access to anything real on the user’s system.  No real OS, applications, code, or hardware APIs are ever available to the malware.

Here’s a video on how this works.

For more information on this upcoming feature for Windows 10 Enterprise subscribers, visit:

• ANNOUNCEMENT: Introducing Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge
  https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2016/09/27/application-guard-microsoft-edge/#O0fbT5EBdhFedI8i.97

Heard of AdBlock Plus, Ghostery, or any number of ad blockers, privacy shields, and other such add-ons for browsers? 

A fellow named Nik Rolls has ported an open source add-in to Microsoft Edge called “uBlock Origin” that is somewhat of a lesser known tool to consumers but is highly respected in the technical community.

uBlock Origin Adblocking, Privacy-shielding add-on for Microsoft Edge

WHAT IS IT?
uBlock Origin, simply put, is a highly efficient browser filter that is both light on CPU usage & extremely extensible.

• CPU USAGE
  The creators tout uBlock Origin to be optimized to not impact the user experience.  In my experience so far, they’ve done a stunning job compared to other tools which really bog down your browser experience with unexplained intermittent pauses, “not responding” freezes of the browser, HTML frame rendering that takes forever, etc.  This is a major win for this tool already in my mind compared to other blockers.
• EXTENSIBILITY
  This part is crazy.  uBlock Origin doesn’t just protect you using a single list of known ‘bad’ sites/domains.  Take a look at the following table that comes from the “uBlock Dashboard”, i.e. the configuration panel:
  

  This is a small example of the filters it comes with out of the box.  Filters for:

• Known malware sites
• Privacy-violating tracking sites
• Ads & banners
• Host lists of tracking services
• Sites known to use technical tricks to circumvent adblocking & anti-tracking tech
• Spam sites
• etc. etc.

And yes, the tool is FREE.

The one catch is that it’s still in ‘preview’, although it’s actually been available for several months now and there’s been very little that I’ve had a problem with.

I wholeheartedly encourage folks that are using Microsoft Edge to give uBlock Origin a try.  It’s been a real delight for me & provides a much better experience than many of the other adblocking, privacy shielding tools I’ve used to date.

• DOWNLOAD: uBlock Origin (PREVIEW) for Microsoft Edge
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/ublock-origin/9nblggh444l4

————-

A WORD ABOUT MICROSOFT EDGE
If you’ve gotten this far, it means you haven’t completely ruled out using Microsoft Edge as a browser – and that’s good. 

I’ve recently become a convert from IE/Firefox as my default browser to Edge.  Why?

1. Edge is FAST.  Everything renders extremely quickly relative to IE or Firefox.  It is missing a few features here and there but nothing has been a dealbreaker for me.
2. Edge is POWER EFFICIENT.  I can summarize the value of this in one sentence:  I have increased by laptop’s battery life by nearly ~40% ever since using Edge instead of Internet Explorer or Firefox.
3. Edge is SECURE. It has numerous protections built into it that make it the most secure browser… but it is also the only browser that will be protected by Windows Defender Application Guard for Windows 10 Enterprise. (E3 or E5)
   This feature, coming in H1CY17 quarantines the browser: It will run unknown web sites within a virtualized container generated by Windows Hyper-V, isolating it from the system & protecting the user. 
   Here’s a video on how this works.  
   Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge