Kurt Shintaku's Blog

We have quite a few whitepapers & links from Microsoft on virtualizing SQL Server.  Here’s a few of them:

• WHITEPAPER:  “Running SQL Server 2008 in a Hyper-V Environment – Best Practices and Performance Recommendations”
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/9/4/d948f981-926e-40fa-a026-5bfcf076d9b9/SQL2008inHyperV2008.docx
• WHITEPAPER:  “Planning, Implementing and Supporting SQL Server Virtualization with Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and Live Migration”
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/4/D/44DB08F7-144B-4DF6-860F-06D30C6CE6E4/SQL%20Server%202008%20R2%20Virtualization%20Whitepaper.docx
• WEB SITE:  “SQL Server Virtualization”
  http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/virtualization.aspx
• PODCAST:  “SQL Server Virtualization Best Practices”
  http://www.microsoft.com/events/podcasts/default.aspx?seriesID=Series-11bc7f7b-77a6-4e18-ac58-6c9cfbe102aa.xml&pageId=x5112&source=Microsoft-Podcasts-about-SQL-Server-2008:-Access-Your-Data-Any-Place,-Any-Time&WT.rss_ev=a
• WHITEPAPER:  High Performance SQL Server Workloads on Hyper-V
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/D/F/8/DF89D22D-39C8-4728-A990-3BD4467891B7/HighPerformanceSQLServerWorkloadsOnHyper-V_Final.docx

Join Edgile (Microsoft Gold Certified Security Partner) and Microsoft for in-depth training on Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010.

Edgile Identity Education Series offers FREE training on Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010, FIM 2010 Certificate Management and Rights Management Server (RMS).

Forefront Identity Manager 2010
Come and learn how Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010 can help you by delivering simplicity, agility and efficiency while increasing security and compliance within your identity infrastructure.

Forefront Identity Manager 2010 – Agenda

Day 1 Agenda:

• Introduction to FIM 2010
• Managing Users and Groups
• Password Reset
• Customizing FIM

Day 2 Agenda:

• FIM Policy Management
• Sets, Workflows and Policies
• Managing Active Directory
• Incorporating Other Systems
• Incorporating HR Data

The Edgile Identity Education Series will offer additional training events throughout 2011 on Forefront Identity Manager 2010, FIM 2010 Certificate Management and Rights Management Server.

DATE:
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
9:00AM-4:00AM

LOCATION:
3 Park Plaza, Suite 1600, Irvine, CA 92614

REGISTRATION:
This event REQUIRES registration.  If you are a customer of mine, please contact me for details on how to register.

Want yet another way to win free Microsoft points?  Just for doing the things that you’re likely already doing right now on your Xbox 360? 

Looks like we’re implementing a spiffs program for folks that would like to be rewarded for buying certain items on Xbox Live Marketplace or participating in certain events/promotions.

For example:

• Renew a 12 month Xbox LIVE Gold membership subscription?  Get 200 Microsoft points!
• Newcomer to Xbox LIVE Gold?  Get 100 Microsoft points!
• Buy a special XBox Live Marketplace item?  Get 20 Microsoft points!

Easy right?  And it’s kinda important too because these things can pile up.  For example, 200 Microsoft points doesn’t sound like much but it’s $2.50 which could go to paying for an online movie rental of “Inception” or “The Social Network”, for instance.

So enroll today, and start racking up points.

• LINK:  Xbox Live Rewards Signup
  http://rewards.xbox.com/
• LINK:  Xbox Live Rewards Program Details
  http://rewards.xbox.com/program/
• LINK:  Xbox Live Rewards “Account Summary”
  http://rewards.xbox.com/my-rewards/

As part of the all-up approach to assisting desktop IT professionals Microsoft’s Springboard Series web site has published an Outlook 2010 Resource web site that is invaluable to anyone deploying the new Office 2010 with Exchange/Outlook in mind:

The site includes the following:

• What’s new or different
• Compatibility
• Planning Outlook configurations
• Configuring profiles
• Compliance & security
• Managing & updating Outlook
• Developer resources
• Training & how-to’s
• Whitepapers
• Key reousrces/tools

References:

• Official Outlook Blog
• Official Office IT professional Blog
• Official Exchange Blog
• Microsoft Outlook Discussion Forum

A one-stop shop for everything you need as an IT professional working with Outlook 2010… check it out!

• LINK:  Outlook 2010 Resources – Springboard Series
  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/gg513879.aspx

Service Pack 4 (SP4) for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 is now available for download. SQL Server 2005 service packs are cumulative, and this service pack upgrades all service levels of SQL Server 2005 to SP4 . You can use these packages to upgrade any of the following SQL Server 2005 editions:

• Enterprise
• Enterprise Evaluation
• Developer
• Standard
• Workgroup

SQL Server 2005 SP4 includes SQL Server 2005 SP3 cumulative update 1 to 11, customer requested fixes, along with instances of the SQL Server 2005 SP4 database Engine support for DAC operations.

Peer-to-peer support is available in the SQL Server 2005 forums.

Note: To obtain SQL Server 2005 Express Edition obtain the SP4 version of Express or Express Edition with Advanced Services.

• DOWNLOAD:  Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=b953e84f-9307-405e-bceb-47bd345baece&displaylang=en

The Microsoft® Forefront Protection Server Management Console (FPSMC) 2010 provides multi-server management for Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server and Forefront Protection 2010 for SharePoint. The management console delivers a easy to use graphical interface for server discovery, configuration deployment, reporting, quarantine management and integration with Forefront Online Protection for Exchange.

The Microsoft® Forefront Protection Server Management Console (FPSMC) 2010 is available as a free download.

• DOWNLOAD:  Microsoft Forefront Protection Server Management Console (FPSMC) 2010 (79MB)
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=31f66155-50f0-4665-adc0-de94da027ed7&displaylang=en

Did you ever notice that antivirus products do virus def distribution using their own distribution mechanism, requiring a completely different software distribution agent from the deployed desktop management system, such as SCCM?

Technet Flash Editor, Mitch Irsfeld, wrote a column that I felt was important enough to reprint, with apologies to Technet.

If you’ve spent any time protecting your organization’s desktop environment, you’ve no doubt grown weary of the artificial demarcation between the tasks and tools used for desktop security and client management. Treated as separate disciplines for years, security and management evolved into two separate infrastructures, each with its own processes and procedures.

With Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) 2010, Microsoft has ended this siloed approach by building FEP into System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 and R3. For insight on the advantages of this merged approach, read the white paper Convergence of Desktop Security and Management: Forefront Endpoint Protection and System Center Configuration Manager. Also view the on-demand webcast Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 and System Center Configuration Manager (Level 200).

Aligning those work streams is also the focus of the Gartner Webcast Security and Management Convergence on the Desktop (Level 100). In this webcast, Gartner analyst Terry Cosgrove discusses the changing landscape of client security and management and the key questions organizations should think about when seeking efficiencies from the combined disciplines.

Centralized Antimalware Management
Then get Microsoft’s perspective on this integration in the Edge video Understanding the Convergence of Security and Management. Adwait Joshi, aka "AJ", a technical product manager on the Security & Management Marketing team, provides a demo showing how Configuration Manager can be used to deploy and manage Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010. And a new case study in the TechNet Library shows how Microsoft IT was able to use its existing infrastructure to implement a centralized antimalware management and reporting solution that provides a holistic view of more than 100,000 clients’ malware status. Using Forefront Endpoint Protection, Microsoft IT improved their SLA for antimalware policy deployment from more than a day to four hours.

Let’s not forget that FEP 2010 also provides new levels of threat protection. Check out the TechNet Webcast Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010: Features and Protection Technologies (Level 300) for a deeper dive into the new features. Or for a quicker take, see the Edge videos:

• Forefront Endpoint Protection: New Protection Feature Demos
• Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 Demos and Interview
• Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010: Simplified Policy Management Demo

TechNet Magazine is also featuring Forefront this month. Brien Posey shows how to use the Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway in a number of different topologies in his article Protecting Workgroups with Forefront. William Stanek writes about the recent changes in the Forefront product suite to deliver multilayered protection. In Achieving Defense in Depth with Forefront, he describes how the key Forefront solutions work together to provide defense in depth for endpoint computers, communication and collaboration servers, and enterprise networks.

Finally, see for yourself how to take advantage of the natural efficiencies that can be gained in combining the management of security and clients in FEP. Download the Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 trial and you will also have access to the Forefront Endpoint Protection Security Management Pack, which provides real-time monitoring of the security of your server operating systems from System Center Operations Manager.

One of the nice surprises of the CES 2011 was the announcement and demonstration of the upcoming Samsung Slider PC 7: Convertible Tablet PC.  With a significant booth presence, the Samsung Slider PC 7 was well represented in the Samsung booth with 6+ people actively demonstrating it, with a presentation kiosk that was packed with onlookers.

What so special about this model?  A number of differentiators. 

CONCEALED KEYBOARD
For one, the device has a capacitive touch display that provides a lightweight tablet form factor… however when required, the display ‘slides upward’ to reveal a keyboard on the base permitting full ‘laptop like’ usage.  based on the

LONG BATTERY LIFE
Additionally, the Slider PC is based on the Intel 1.66 Z670 Oak Trail processor & chipset providing faster, more power efficient mobile graphics.  The device not only inherently provides rich graphics & media display, it’s also ultra-battery conservative, running at a 9 hour-per-charge through it’s onboard 6-cell LiPolymer battery.

RICH DISPLAY
One of the most beautiful displays available, the Samsung Slider PC 7 sports a 340 nit vivid display unlike virtually any tablet on the market – especially compared to the Apple iPad.  The 1366×768 10.1” touchscreen makes for an eye candy like experience on every use – without killing battery life.

• CPU: Intel® ATOMTM Oak Trail Z670 @ 1.66GHz
• Operating System:
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium
• Samsung Touch Launcher
• Memory: 2GB DDR2
• Hard Drive (max): 32GB or 64GB (mSATA SSD)
• Screen: 10.1-inch touchscreen HD LCD display (340 nit)
• Resolution: 1366 x 768
• Graphics: Intel Integrated Graphics
• Audio Technology: Integrated speaker (0.8W x 2)
• I/O:
• USB 2.0
• 4-in-1 memory card reader
• HDMI out
• Webcam: 1.3MP
• Battery: Lithium Polymer; up to 9 hours; 6-cell
• Wireless: 802.11b/g/n; WiMax; 3G
• Dimensions: 10.47 x 6.88 x 0.78 inches (W x D x H)
• Weight: Starting at 2.18 lbs.
• $699

Again, the obvious killer features of this model is the availability of the keyboard, the display richness, and the ridiculous battery life, rarely seen on a fully Windows 7 capable system – much less one with a capacitive touch display.

With the rich ecosystem of Windows, and the seamless integration it will have with corporate networks – VPN, Internet Explorer 7/8 compatibility, Antivirus, corporate management/security policy enabled, line-of-business application compatible – folks looking to operate without the availability of AC power are going to seriously want to look at this model.

• LINK:  Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series Unveiled at CES 2011
  http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-sliding-pc-7-series-unveiled-at-ces-2011-05123599/

• LINK:  Press Release – Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series announced, coming in March for $699
  http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/samsung-sliding-pc-7-series-announced

HP quietly released the HP Slate 500, an ultraportable Tablet PC targeted specifically toward the Enterprise.  At CES 2011, this device was available at the Intel Tablet kiosk and it was so heavily requested, it ran out of power and had to be taken away to be charged.  I only got one snapshot of it while I was there.

Running Windows 7 Professional, this tablet provides full application compatibility for business users on the move while not attempting to replace the user’s production machine.  A companion device, the HP Slate 500 delivers all the capabilities needed as a “creation” device on the road through digital ink/handwriting recognition and on-screen & bluetooth keyboard input.  It’s so small – it’s easy to hold in a single hand without fatigue.

• Intel Atom Z540 1.86Ghz
• 2GB DDR2
• 64GB SSD
• Front-facing VGA Webcam, back-facing 3Mp cam
• USB 2.0
• SDFlash
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Rotational accelerometers
• 8.9” Capacitive Multi-touch display
• Active Screen Digitizer w/ stylus & palm rejection
• Portable dock for HDMI out & additional USB 2.0 ports
• Optional keyboard (available from Amazon at http://amzn.to/ezAGyr)
• $799

Arguably the ultimate meeting warrior device, the HP Slate 500 allows the worker to take notes using a stylus in virtually every context – over lunch, while drinking coffee, on the golf course, in a meeting room.  It lacks 3G wireless expandability however it has both USB ports for cellular modems OR Bluetooth connectivity for wireless tethering to cellphones for data networking.

This is the device I bought for myself and my wife.

• LINK:  HP Slate 500 Product Site
  http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/321957-321957-64295-3841267-3955550-4332585.html
• VIDEO:  HP Slate 500 Demonstration
  http://h71016.www7.hp.com/html/interactive/slate_500/model.html?buyNowLink=noshow&quickspecs=default&jumpid=re_r2515_GenXdemo/PDI/
  slate_500/ProdPage/flash/COMM/IDP
• DATASHEET:  HP Slate 500 Datasheet
  http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscmisc/vac/us/product_pdfs/
  Slate_500_Tablet_Datasheet.pdf

At CES 2011, Asus announced the Asus Eee Slate EP121, a Tablet PC that is essentially a Windows desktop replacement.

So powerful yet so thin, the EP121 has all the horsepower of a traditional production laptop or even desktop, while in the portable form factor of an iPad.  Here’s the stats:

• Intel Dual Core i5-470um Processor 1.33Ghz
• 4GB/2GB DDR3 RAM, 64/32GB SSD ($999/$1099)
• 12.1” Capacitive Multitouch Display
• Wacom Screen Digitizer & dockable stylus & palm rejection technology
• 2Mp front-facing Webcam
• 2 USB 2.0 ports
• Bluetooth 3.0
• SDFlash slot
• 36WH (3-cell) 3.5hr battery
• Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard

An impressive workhorse machine, the EP121 provides essentially, 100% compatibility with traditional Windows-based business applications such as EPM, ERP, and CRM tools, Outlook / Word / Excel / Powerpoint / OneNote, and Internet/Intranet sites – that may or may not include Adobe Flash.

• LINK:  Asus Eee Slate EP121: Desktop Tablet PC Datasheet
  http://promos.asus.com/US/ASUS_EeeSlate/index.htm
• LINK:  Asus Eee Slate EP121 PR Announcement
  http://ces2011.asus.com/press-release/asus-tablet-computers-providing-choice-through-innovation-at-ces-2011/
• LINK:  Asus Eee Slate EP121 Preview Video
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmBPjrdJa8c