Kurt Shintaku's Blog

No joke!  After a 10 year hiatus, the Microsoft Exchange Conference – aka the MEC – is back!

http://www.mecisback.com/

Here’s the announcement on the Exchange blog:

In the late 90’s and first years of the 21st century, our team along with many of you were part of one of the most valuable technical education and community events in the industry. This event, focused entirely on Microsoft Exchange Server, brought together thousands of Exchange administrators, architects, consultants and partners with an abundance of the Exchange product group itself, hunkered down in a conference center to do nothing but soak in the goodness of Exchange.

Together, we shared deep insight about the latest product details and received a tailored education that helped all of you in the community move your infrastructures forward successfully and helped us on the Exchange team build a better product. Along the way, we had a pretty great time together, got to know each other and returned home better for the experience.

After a mysterious ten year hiatus, filled with spirited requests from the community at large, MEC IS BACK!

DATE:
9/24/12

LOCATION:
One obvious point, in case you missed it, is that it looks like it’s going to be located in Orlando, FL based on the geographical coordinates provided on the web site.

Read more at “MEC is Back!”:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2012/03/06/mec-is-back.aspx

Want an introduction to Windows Server “8”?

• https://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com
  /tracks/windows-server-8-first-look?prod=zWin8z&type=zTRz&prog=zMVAz

Attend this course to learn how to cloud optimize your IT with Windows Server “8”. We will show you how you can take advantage of the skills and investment you’ve already made in building a familiar and consistent platform. Windows Server “8” builds on that familiarity and cloud optimizes your IT. With Windows Server “8”, you gain all the Microsoft experience behind building and operating private and public clouds, delivered as a dynamic, available, and cost-effective server platform. The course will cover how Windows Server "8" delivers value in four key ways including how it takes you beyond virtualization, delivers the power of many servers, opens the door to every app on any cloud, and enables the modern workstyle.

The module will cover how Windows Server "8" delivers value in four key ways including how it takes you beyond virtualization, delivers the power of many servers, opens the door to every app on any cloud, and enables the modern workstyle.

Click on the materials below. These materials are external documents and will be opened in a new window. Please come back to this track once you have reviewed it.

• Windows Server "8" First Look
• Windows Server "8" Download
• Windows Server "8" First Look Student Manual

No, seriously.  See why Office Web Apps is the better choice for sharing documents.

People expect existing Word documents from their desktop to look identical when they share them in the cloud. In this demo, you will see completely different results when viewing the same document using Word Web App and using Google Documents.

Seeing is believing. Check out the full document in Word Web App. Then in Google Docs.

You didn’t want that chart there, did you? Because, if you share it with someone using Google Docs, it could disappear. If you don’t want that to happen (and really, why would you?), use Office Web Apps* for free instead. It’s the best way to help protect the integrity of your uploaded Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote documents.

GET STARTED NOW > Watch our videos to see how it feels when things don’t turn out the way you planned

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Here are a few things that can change or go missing when you use Google Docs:

• Images
• Sparklines
• SmartArt
• Filters
• Charts
• Conditional Formatting
• Footers
• Headers
• Watermarks

Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of How Microsoft Reduced Bandwidth Utilization Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache, which discusses the time and financial savings when leveraging Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache. 

How Microsoft Reduced Bandwidth Utilization Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache

In conjunction with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, Microsoft IT leverages BranchCache which caches local copies of content from Web and file servers to enhance performance and reduce bandwidth utilization on Wide Area Networks (WAN), eliminating the need for clients on a WAN having to go over slower links to get access to files. This functionality saves employees time and productivity while at the same time saving money on bandwidth costs.

Video |

Products & Technologies

• BranchCache
• Windows 7
• Windows 7 SP1
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2

Learn more about how Microsoft does IT

• Publication announcements: http://facebook.com/ITshowcase
• Content:  http://microsoft.com/technet/itshowcase

How Microsoft IT Empowers Workers to Collaborate Anytime and Anywhere

Microsoft IT will speak in depth about their experience deploying Lync 2010. During the showcase you will hear how Microsoft IT made it possible for teams to collaborate anywhere and on their own terms by using a suite of real time collaboration tools through Lync 2010. By deploying Lync 2010, Microsoft was able to take advantage of the efficiency and productivity gains of the latest real-time collaboration tools.

Attend this showcase to hear about hot topics related to Lync 2010.

Showcase Agenda Topics

• Overview of Business Challenges that prompted deployment
• Lync Server 2010 Environment and Infrastructure
• Deployment and Migration
• ROI and Benefits of Deployment
• Adoption and Education
• Operations and Support
• Lessons Learned
• Hands-on test drive of Lync fully enabled

Benefits from Attending

• Hear about best practices of deployment planning
• Learn about expected benefits of deployment
• This is your chance to get hands on with Lync and experience first-hand how it simplifies communication

Date: April 4, 2012

Time: 8:30am – 12:00pm
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Location: Microsoft Technology Center
3 Park Plaza Suite 1600, Irvine CA 92614

Registration:  If you’re a customer of mine, please contact me for registration information.  Attendees will not be admitted without registration.

Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere is now offered as a free download.

Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere helps .NET and Java development teams collaborate across platforms and may be used in conjunction with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server Express. Visual Studio Team Foundation Server Express provides small teams of up to five developers with source code control, work item tracking, and agile project tracking tools for their software projects so that they can deliver predictable results.

Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere 2010 product will be removed from Volume Licensing price lists in April 2012.  Customers may download the product at Microsoft.com/download.  It is also included with MSDN subscriptions.

WEB SITE: Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere 2010
http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us/products/2010-editions/team-explorer-everywhere

DOWNLOAD:  Microsoft Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere 2010 with SP1
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9802898

Microsoft has made significant investments to help Software Assurance customers with their changing IT, deployment, and support needs. New and enhanced Planning Services offer organizations greater flexibility to plan on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid software deployments. License Mobility extends application server license use to the cloud, while System Center Advisor helps customers assess their server configurations to proactively avoid problems, reduce downtime and improve performance. Windows® Thin PC helps make virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) more affordable, robust, and secure. Lastly, a new Microsoft® Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) tool helps customers protect data on mobile devices by making large-scale implementations of Microsoft® BitLocker® easier to manage.

• New Software Assurance Planning Services
  Software Assurance Planning Services now include expanded offerings to help you plan for deployment of Microsoft System Center, Windows® Server, Windows AzureTM Platform, SQL Server®, and Visual® Studio Team Foundation Server and Test Tools. Structured consulting engagements are provided by qualified partners or Microsoft Services. In addition, new cloud deployment planning content is available through existing Desktop, SharePoint, and Lync and Exchange Deployment Planning Services to help organizations plan migrations to Microsoft Office 365.
• PUBLIC CLOUD, WINDOWS AZURE DEPLOYMENT PLANNING SERVICES
  Offers hands-on training and guidance on migrating applications and data to the Windows Azure Platform.
• PRIVATE CLOUD, MANAGEMENT AND VIRTUALIZATION DEPLOYMENT PLANNING SERVICES
  Provides fundamental analysis, business case, process, and technical procedures needed to optimize your datacenter.
• SQL SERVER DEPLOYMENT PLANNING SERVICES
  Provides in-depth assessment and planning for deploying or migrating content to SQL Server, SQL Server upgrade, or SQL Server BI solution.
• DEVELOPER TOOLS DEPLOYMENT PLANNING SERVICES
  Provides rigorous analysis and a process-focused approach to develop deployment plans for Visual Studio Team Foundation Server or Visual Studio Test Tools.
• License Mobility through Software Assurance
  Organizations have a range of IT deployment options, including on-premises, Microsoft-delivered cloud services, and partner-delivered cloud services. License Mobility through Software Assurance gives you the ability to deploy certain server applications with active Software Assurance on-premises or in the cloud, without having to buy additional licenses. This benefit update provides additional hosting flexibility and affordability. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/license-mobility.aspx.
• System Center Advisor
  System Center Advisor is a cloud service hosted on Windows Azure that regularly analyzes your servers’ configuration to help you proactively avoid problems, while enabling support staff to resolve issues faster by accessing current and historical configuration data; all with the security features that meet your needs. Additionally, System Center Advisor helps reduce downtime by providing suggestions for improvement, and notifying you of key updates specific to your configuration. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/system-center-advisor.aspx.
• Windows Thin PC
  Windows Thin PC (WinTPC) provides a low footprint, locked down version of Windows 7 Enterprise that enables organizations to repurpose existing PCs as thin clients, thereby reducing the need for new thin client hardware. And since these PCs retain their existing Software Assurance coverage, they do not need any additional Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) licensing for VDI. WinTPC offers an excellent thin client experience, while still providing users with a superior remote desktop experience. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/windows-thin-pc.aspx.
• NEW tool added to Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack –
  “BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM)”
  Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack has long offered a suite of technologies to help improve compatibility and management, reduce support costs, improve asset management, and improve policy control. Now organizations using Windows 7 Enterprise BitLocker Drive Encryption and BitLocker To Go to protect data on Windows 7 PCs and portable storage devices can turn to Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM), to help make large-scale implementations easier to manage while minimizing support costs. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/mdop.aspx.

On a Windows AD-based network using Outlook connected into Exchange, most people expect that they won’t need to enter any credentials.  After all, your AD credentials used upon login should be enough to provide pass-through authentication.

However I’ve noticed that some folks have encountered a situation where once they start Outlook, it indeed requests (via a pop-up dialog box) that the user retype their AD username and password… much to the bother & annoyance of the user.

The issue may be that you have multiple cached credential entries for Outlook stored within Windows – which take precedence over Windows Authentication – and Outlook doesn’t know which to use.  Here’s how to delete them and get back to using seamless Windows Pass-through authentication for connecting into Exchange via Outlook:

Delete the personal credentials
===========================
If you are running Windows 7, remove the user’s stored credentials in Windows Credential Manager. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Credential Manager.
2. Locate the set of credentials that is used to connect to Exchange. The credentials should be shown as MS.Outlook: username@…
3. Expand the set of credentials, and then select Remove from Vault.

Now when you start Outlook it’ll use your cached corporate domain login without prompting.

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 enables a cloud-ready information platform that will help organizations unlock breakthrough insights across the organization as well as quickly build solutions and extend data across on-premises and public cloud backed by capabilities for mission critical confidence.

SQL Server 2012 enables a cloud-ready information platform that will help organizations unlock breakthrough insights across the organization as well as quickly build solutions and extend data across on-premises and public cloud backed by capabilities for mission critical confidence:

• Deliver required uptime and data protection with AlwaysOn
• Gain breakthrough & predictable performance with ColumnStore Index
• Help enable security and compliance with new User-defined Roles and Default Schema for Groups
• Enable rapid data discovery for deeper insights across the organization with ColumnStore Index
• Ensure more credible, consistent data with SSIS improvements, a Master Data Services add-in for Excel, and new Data Quality Services
• Optimize IT and developer productivity across server and cloud with Data-tier Application Component (DAC) parity with SQL Azure and SQL Server Data Tools for a unified dev experience across database, BI, and cloud functions

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Documentation:

• What’s new in Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Privacy Statement
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 License Terms
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Systems Requirements
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Release Notes
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Readme

UPDATE 3/9/12 8:00AM:
Well, that was fast.  The offer expired around 12 midnight last night, I guess, as did the 50% off deal on William Stanek’s books.  So if you’re interested in the PowerShell 2.0 book, it’s $23 from O’Reilly.

——————-
ORIGINAL POST:
WOW.  There’s an insane amount of confusion going on about this free eBook we made available on the day of the launch of SQL Server 2012 so I’m going to post these instructions on how to get it… and as of March 8th 9:00PM PST it still works, even though I think it was supposed to be taken down.  It was supposed to be a one-day-only deal as far as I understand.  (Just know that if you needed these instructions to figure out how to get it, you fail and that’s all I’ll say about that.)

So here we go – here’s how to get the free copy of Microsoft Press’ “Windows PowerShell 2.0 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant” eBook. (445pgs)

1. Login to http://www.sqlserverlaunch.com /WW/Booth/MSL.  (Assuming you’ve registered)  You’ll be sent to the keynote page.  There will be a button called “Visit Expo Hall”.
2. Click the red button called “Visit Expo Hall”.  You’ll see a biplane with a “Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Microsoft Pavilion” banner behind it.
3. Click the “Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Microsoft Pavilion” banner.  This will take you to the Microsoft Pavilion.  You’ll see a blue sign that reads “Microsoft Learning – Be the Next Microsoft Employee”.
4. Click the sign that reads .  You’ll see at “Menu” drop down.  When you click on the Menu, it will reveal several options including “Documents”.
5. Click on “Documents”.  This will reveal a dialog box called “MSL Details”.  Two items will be listed, including one called “Top 5 Tips for Career Success”. 
6. Click on “Top 5 Tips for Career Success”.  It will reveal another dialog box that will have a “Download” button on it.
7. Click on the “Download” button.  It will download an Acrobat PDF entitled “Top 5 Tips for Career Success”.  In the bottom left corner, you’ll see the words, “Free eBooks” and there’s a link below it that reads, “Get yours today.”

8. Click on the link within the PDF called “Get yours today.”  You’ll need to have links enabled within your PDF reader for it to work.  This will send you to the O’Reilly store with a prepopulated discount coupon and the book in your online basket.  You’ll notice that the cost of the book is $0.00.
9. Check out.  The book will be available in your O’Reilly library account to download. 

10. Click on the words “Your Account” to go to the download area.  You’ll be able to download the book in a variety of formats including APK, DAISY, ePub, Mobi, and PDF.
11. Click the button of the format you want.  Enjoy your new eBook.