Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Designing software, creating code and then bringing a product to market is an incredibly complex affair — and it’s becoming more complex by the minute as software users demand greater integration between applications, across devices and among services.

To help integrate cross-functional teams and help developers accomplish goals more efficiently, Microsoft released code-named “Visual Studio 11” Beta and .NET Framework 4.5 Beta on Feb. 29.

“Visual Studio 11” is an integrated solution that helps individuals and development teams of any size to be productive and focused, to collaborate seamlessly with colleagues, and to turn their ideas into exceptional and compelling applications.

The .NET Framework 4.5 enables developers to productively build responsive, scalable and efficient client and server applications. Download ”Visual Studio 11” Beta and .NET Framework 4.5 Beta and learn more about the new features by visiting http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio. To see screen shots of the new user interface, visit http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/developer.

See also:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Professional Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Team Foundation Server Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Ultimate Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Premium Beta
• Agents for Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta
• Team Explorer for Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta
• Agents for Microsoft® Visual Studio® 11 Beta Language Pack
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Test Professional Beta Language Pack
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta Shell (Isolated)
• Remote Tools for Visual Studio 11 Beta
• Microsoft Team Explorer Everywhere 11 Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Team Foundation Server Express Beta
• Feedback Client Language Pack for Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta SDK
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta Shell (Isolated) Language Pack
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta Shell (Integrated)
• Team Explorer for Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta Language Pack
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Test Professional Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta Shell (Integrated) Language Pack
• Feedback Client for Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express Beta for Windows 8
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Beta Language Pack
• IntelliTrace Collector for Visual Studio 11 Beta
• Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 11 Installation Guide
• Microsoft® .NET Framework® 4.5 Beta
• Microsoft® .NET Framework® 4.5 Beta Language Pack

Test Lab Guide: Base Test Lab Guide for Windows Server "8" Beta

This Microsoft Test Lab Guide (TLG) provides you with step-by-step instructions to create the Windows Base Configuration test lab, using computers running Windows 8 Consumer Preview or Windows Server “8” Beta. With the resulting test lab environment, you can build test labs based on other Windows Server "8" Beta-based TLGs from Microsoft, TLG extensions in the TechNet Wiki, or a test lab of your own design that can include Microsoft or non-Microsoft products.

For a test lab based on physical computers, you can image the drives for future test labs. For a test lab based on virtual machines, you can create snapshots of the base configuration virtual machines. This enables you to easily return to the base configuration test lab, where most of the routine infrastructure and networking services have already been configured, so that you can focus on building a test lab for the product, technology, or solution of interest. See also the following new Guides for Windows Server 8 Beta:

• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate Remote Desktop Services Desktop Virtualization in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate High Availability Printing in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate Virtualized Domain Controller (VDC) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate ADDS Simplified Administration in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate DirectAccess Single Server Setup with Mixed IPv4 and IPv6 in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate DirectAccess Simplified Setup in an IPv4-only Test Environment in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate Windows Server "8" Beta Print and Document Services
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrating DHCP Failover in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate IP Address Management (IPAM) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Servicing in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot BitLocker in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Remote Desktop Services Desktop Virtualization in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Scale-out File Servers in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Printing in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Remote Access in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot High Availability Printing in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Activation Technologies in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot IP Address Management (IPAM) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Cluster-Aware Updating_(CAU) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Hyper-V Replica in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot DHCP Failover in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Dynamic Access Control in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Microsoft Online Backup Service in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot AD DS Simplified Administration in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Virtualized Domain Controller (VDC) in Windows Server "8" Beta
• Understand and Troubleshoot Storage Spaces in Windows Server "8" Beta

A bunch of upgrade information and paperwork was published this past month.

• PCI Implementation Guide for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack This guide describes how to implement Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack in compliance with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard version 2.0.
• Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Upgrade Script Reference This file provides reference information that describes the functionality of the data upgrade scripts.
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Implementation Guide This guide contains comprehensive information about how to plan, install, and maintain Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
• Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 White Paper: Report Programming Model This document describes the programming model to use with the Microsoft Dynamics AX reporting framework.
• Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Upgrade Guide This document provides information about and instructions for upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack.

Oh cool.  500MB of Office for Mac 2011 training!

The Office for Mac 2011 training downloads include Portable Document Format (.pdf) and PowerPoint (.pptx) versions of all Office 2011 tutorials and videos, so you can customize them for group training or view them on your desktop. To access the same training online, visit the Office for Mac website.

• Training page for Word 2011
• Training page for Excel 2011
• Training page for PowerPoint 2011
• Training page for Outlook 2011

TRAINING: Office for Mac 2011: Training Tutorials and Videos (500MB)
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=19790

Complimenting the Lync 2010 Client Bandwidth calculator…

A spreadsheet for calculating a user’s hardware requirements based on information that the admin supplies about number of users, types of communication, and expected traffic. Includes a Microsoft Word document explaining the tool and how to use it.

The spreadsheet was updated in April 2011 to modify some calculated cells.

The Lync Server 2010 Stress and Performance Tool is available for download at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=212599.

DOWNLOAD: Lync Server 2010 Capacity Calculator
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=12295

This 130MB monstrosity is described as follows:

Microsoft offers a vast number of valuable tools and resources to help you deploy our software, train your people, and manage your investments. The Signature Deployment Kit offers a one-stop shop for all of your deployment and training needs. From physical to digital resources, you’ll find all the technical and user-focused support to help you plan, prepare, pilot, deploy, and manage your software investment.

What this is, is a MASSIVE collection of stuff for deploying Windows 7, Office 2010, and other Office products… with a very poor title & description. 

Here’s some of the items that are in the Signature Deployment & Training Kit for the “Pilot & Deploy Office” area.  (Note:  There are EIGHT OTHER AREAS including “Adopt Office”, “Manage Office”, “Windows 7”, etc.

Systems Readiness

• Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) For Microsoft Office
  The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is an agentless inventory, assessment, and reporting tool that can securely assess IT environments for various platform migrations.

Application Compatibility Readiness

• Office Environment Assessment Tool (OEAT) for Office 2010
  This user’s guide for the Office Environment Assessment Tool (OEAT) will help you work successfully with OEAT, a free, downloadable executable (.exe) file that scans client computers for add-ins and applications that interact with Microsoft Office 97, Microsoft Office 2000, Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft Office 2003, the 2007 Microsoft Office system, and Microsoft Office 2010. You use OEAT during the assessment phase of your application compatibility and remediation project, which is described in detail in the Office 2010 application compatibility guide.
• Office 2010 Application Compatibility Guide
  The application compatibility testing and remediation process for Microsoft Office 2010 deployments identifies compatibility issues and helps you develop plans to fix them.
• Office 2010 Code Compatibility Inspector (OCCI)
  The Microsoft Office Code Compatibility Inspector helps you troubleshoot compatibility issues in your Microsoft Visual Basic for Application (VBA) Macros and add-ins.

File Readiness

• Microsoft Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM) 2010
  The Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM) is a collection of tools that helps you prepare an environment for migration to Microsoft Office 2010. OMPM can scan your environment in three ways: from an administrative computer, from a central share, and locally on the client computers. Because most users scan their environments from an administrative computer, that configuration is assumed. Other scanning scenarios are noted as needed.

Planning Resources

• Springboard Series: Pilot and Deploy Office 2010
  When planning an Office 2010 deployment, you will evaluate desktop and application configurations, setup customizations, and deployment methods. Review the technical guidance on this page for more information.
• Proof of Concept Jump-start Kit v2.0
• Technical White Paper: Deploying Office 2010 at Microsoft
• Technical Video: Microsoft Deploys Office 2010 to Over 100,000 Machines Worldwide (TN Edge)
• Community Expert Webcast: Office 2010 Transition
• Migration and Deployment of Office 2010 (Edge video)
• Choose an option for deploying Office 2010
  You can use five areas of functionality to deploy Microsoft Office 2010: network share, Group Policy startup scripts, managed deployment, application virtualization, and presentation virtualization. You can use any of these options or a combination of them, such as the managed deployment option to deploy and manage virtual Office 2010 applications. This article describes each of the deployment options.
• Plan desktop configurations for Office 2010
• Microsoft Office Customization Tool (OCT)
  To customize an installation of Microsoft Office 2010, you can use the Office Customization Tool (OCT). The OCT is part of the Setup program and is the recommended tool for most customizations.
• Config.xml
  Administrators use the Config.xml file to perform installation and maintenance tasks for Microsoft Office 2010.
• Setup architecture overview for Office 2010
  The Setup architecture in Microsoft Office 2010, first introduced in the 2007 Microsoft Office system, streamlines all aspects of installing, customizing, and maintaining Office. This article contains an overview of the Setup architecture, setup sequence of events, language-neutral design and deployment of multiple languages, customization methods, required local installation source, and updates process.
• Customize the installation for Office 2010
  Learn about the customization process and resources to help you customize a client installation of Microsoft Office 2010 by reading these articles.
• Office 2010 client: Office Customization Tool walkthrough video
• Office 2010 client: Office Customization Tool import feature video
• Technical Deployment Posters
• Advanced Deployment Scenarios using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 (7 part TechNet Edge video series)
• Plan Volume Activation of Office 2010

Deploy Resources

• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 (MDT)
  Use the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) to accelerate and automate deployments of Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008, and Microsoft Office products. MDT 2010 provides a common console with comprehensive tools and guidance for every organizational role—making it the recommended process and toolset to automate large-scale desktop and server deployments.
• The Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7
  The AIK scans a destination desktop and migrates user settings to new target image.
• Office 2010 App-V Recipe Guide
• Office 2010 App-V Recipe Guide Deployment Kit
• Deploy Volume Activation of Office 2010
• Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) 2.0
• Software Assurance Benefit: Desktop Deployment Planning Services
  With Planning Services, you get in-depth planning assistance from qualified Microsoft partners or Microsoft Services to help you plan on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid software deployments.

Training for the IT Department

• Software Assurance Benefit: Training Vouchers

DOWNLOAD: EA Signature “Office 2010 Deployment Kit”
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=28794

This 17 page document was republished this February 2012 (originally published April 2011) to account for changes in the Lync 2010 product.

This document describes the supported functionality, environments, tools, limitations, and outlines a series of best practice recommendations for running the Microsoft® Lync™ 2010 communications software client in a virtualized environment. For capabilities that are supported across different architectures, see the “Supported Functionality” section later in this document.

This document does not cover scale requirements and recommendations thereof. This is because scale requirements for a given enterprise depend on enterprise applications that must reside alongside Lync 2010 and would need to be identified on a case-by-case basis.

WHITEPAPER: Client Virtualization in Microsoft Lync 2010
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=21129

Following on the release of the Windows 8 client, Microsoft Corp. on Thursday released the Windows Server “8” beta.

The new features in Windows Server “8” include significant improvements in virtualization for multi-tenant and self-service configurations, increased stability and performance, and a common identity and management framework for cross-premises connectivity, all driving toward a cloud-optimized server platform. Significant improvements in storage capabilities, management, and core infrastructure services make Windows Server “8” a compelling platform for both private and public cloud implementations.

Some key feature areas to consider in the Windows Server “8” beta include:

• Server virtualization. Hyper-V has been enhanced and expanded to provide a powerful multitenant cloud computing platform. Key features include network virtualization to enable creation of virtual networks for multiple business units or customers on a shared physical network infrastructure, portability of network assignments for VMs, and improved administrative and self-service management.
• Networking. Windows Server “8” simplifies network complexity and eases management in three key areas: connecting users, management, and cloud connectivity. User connectivity improvements include easy deployment of DirectAccess and VPN integration, and improved and streamlined BranchCache deployment for optimizing bandwidth over WAN connections. Some of the new management features include improved NIC teaming, improved DHCP service failover, support for DNSSEC, a new IP Address Management (IPAM) feature for managing IP addresses across the enterprise, and more. A range of new features provide better, more secure, and more reliable mechanisms for connecting private and public clouds.
• Remote Access. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) offers flexibility for simplified and cost-effective deployment of remote desktops, with simplified installation and configuration, centralized management, and other improvements, supporting a variety of mixed deployment scenarios.
• Identity and Security. Windows Server “8” introduces significant improvements to Active Directory and a new feature called Dynamic Access Control that gives you the capability to apply tags to classify information on file servers based on its content, with rich auditing and forensic analysis capabilities. Dynamic Access Control integrates with Active Directory Rights Management Services to secure the data wherever it resides (or moves).
• Storage and Availability. A host of new improvements in Windows Server “8” reduce storage complexity and cost and improve availability. Just some of the new features include the capability to build SAN-like storage pools from inexpensive, commodity storage; data de-duplication functionality; a new Resilient File System (ReFS) with automated corruption scanning and repair; feature-rich iSCSI-based block storage; improved and expanded management tools; and a variety of high-availability features.
• Server Management. Three key areas in which Windows Server "8" improves multi-server management are the Server Manager tool, Windows PowerShell 3.0, and IP Address Management (IPAM). These features both extend and simplify administrative functions across the platform.
• Web and Application Platform. Key improvements in Windows Server “8” as a Web and application platform include new features for integrating on-premise and cloud services; a common development model between on-premise and Windows Azure; broad development language support; new features targeted at building, provisioning, and managing multitenant environments; increased scalability through centralized SSL certificate support, IIS configuration optimization, and NUMA-aware scalability; and support for open standards including HTML 5 and WebSockets.

For more information on the new Windows Server “8” beta and its capabilities, or to download the beta, visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/v8-default.aspx.

I posted this a while back when another customer was implementing this and I thought it was worth posting again since it’s been updated for February 2012.

This document describes the requirements and processes for provisioning public instant messaging (IM) connectivity for Microsoft® Lync™ Server 2010, Office Communications Server 2007 R2, Office Communications Server 2007, and Live Communications Server 2005 Service Pack 1 (SP1). This includes the following sections:

• Before You Start. Describes the prerequisites you should take before requesting provisioning of public IM connectivity, as well as the information that you need to submit a provisioning request.
• Provisioning Options. Describes available options, including the licensing qualification requirements for each.
• Section 1: Starting the Provisioning Process. Describes the processes for requesting provisioning, as appropriate to each provisioning option.
• Section 2: Important Information about the Provisioning Process. Describes what happens after a request for provisioning is received.

Important: Section 2 includes important considerations for you and users in your organization that can impact the availability and use of current IM accounts. You should review this information in this section prior to requesting provisioning.

WHITEPAPER: Public IM Connectivity Provisioning Guide for Microsoft Lync Server, Office Communications Server, and Live Communications Server
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=14966

This licensing brief helps to clarify Microsoft® licensing policies for Windows Server® Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Terminal Services (TS), including the new components that are in the Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack (SP) 1 operating system.

What’s New in This Brief?

• Details of the name change from “Licensing Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services” to “Licensing Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services and Terminal Services”
• The App-V for TS Client Access License (CAL) is included in the RDS CAL
• Additional FAQ about the change

WHITEPAPER: Licensing Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3032