Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Virtual Hands On Lab Online: Windows 7 Deployment

Overview
This Windows 7 Deployment Series will give you the technical knowledge and skills to migrate and deploy Windows 7 in your environment.  To get more information on the topics covered, or to register see the information below:

Learn to Deploy Microsoft Windows 7 in Your Enterprise

• Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 using the Windows Automatic Installation Kit
• Getting Started with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010
• Zero Touch Installation using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 and System Center Configuration Manager

Registration:  This special, no charge training series will fill quickly and space is limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to reserve your seat.

Please contact me for registration details if you are a customer of mine.

What is a virtual hands-on-lab:
This isn’t your typical IT class. A hands-on lab online is an invite only event that combines LiveMeeting with a virtual lab.  Attendees and presenters login from anywhere. Attendees watch a brief LiveMeeting presentation, then spend most of the time getting hands-on experience working through all, or just self-selected modules of the entire lab – at their own pace, and receive real–time, personal, one-on-one attention from the presenter.  In addition, there’s a proctor available for technical support and to answer more attendee questions.

COURSE:  “Learn to Deploy Microsoft Windows 7 in your Enterprise”

• Date:  Wednesday, December 15^th, 2010
• Time for Lab:  9:00am – 1:00pm Pacific Time
• Location: Virtual Hands On Lab Classroom. 
• Target Audience:  IT Pro, IT Manager

Before the Event:

• Check virtual lab for your computer http://test.vlabcenter.com/hv/default.aspx
• Install the ActiveX control. The Microsoft "Virtual Machine Remote Control" ActiveX control is required to start the virtual lab.
• Review system requirements.
• If you have any issues, please contact support.

Microsoft invites you to an exclusive training opportunity:

Microsoft® Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Virtual Hands-On Lab
Learn about some of the features in Office Communications Server 2007 R2 in this hands-on lab online.

Lab Part 1: Thursday Nov 4^th

• Installing and Using Office Communicator 2007 R2:  In this lab exercise, you will install Office Communicator 2007 R2, configure the clients, add contacts, and then see some of the new features of Office Communicator 2007 R2, including call delegation, team calls and application sharing.
• Installing and Configuring Communicator Web Access R2:  The management at Litware, Inc. has decided to deploy Communicator Web Access to their employees. Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access 2007 R2 enables you to provide Office Communications Server services – such as instant messaging, audio conferencing, and desktop sharing – to users who prefer to (or might need to) use a Web-based client rather than Office Communicator.

Lab Part 2: Friday Nov 5^th

• Installing and Configuring Group Chat Functionality and enabling users for Group Chat Console: In this lab exercise, you will install and configure the Group Chat server to take advantage of this new functionality. Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Group Chat server is an extension of Office Communications Server infrastructure.
• Configuring and Using Conferencing in Office Communications Server 2007 R2: To further improve employee productivity and to decrease travel costs, Litware Inc. wants to install Office Live Meeting 2007 and it’s Office Outlook Add-in to facilitate conferencing using Office Communications Server 2007 R2 on-premise conferencing capabilities.

Course Modules:

Part 1

• Installing and Using Office Communicator 2007 R2
• Installing and Configuring Communicator Web Access R2

Part 2

• Installing and Configuring Group Chat Functionality and enabling users for Group Chat Console:
• Configuring and Using Conferencing in Office Communications Server 2007 R2:

Who Should Attend:
Attendees should be IT Professionals who are responsible for managing, installing and deploying networking, messaging, conferencing and voice-over-IP technology.

Prerequisites:
To get the most from this course, you will need knowledge of Exchange Server 2003 or 2007 Architecture and installation.

What is a virtual hands-on-lab:
This isn’t your typical IT class. A hands-on lab online is an invite only event that combines LiveMeeting with a virtual lab.  Attendees and presenters login from anywhere. Attendees watch a brief LiveMeeting presentation, then spend most of the time getting hands-on experience working through all, or just self-selected modules of the entire lab – at their own pace, and receive real–time, personal, one-on-one attention from the presenter.  In addition, there’s a proctor available for technical support and to answer more attendee questions.

Lab Environment System Requirements:

We recommend you test your system here: http://test.vlabcenter.com/hv/default.aspx

Register Now:  This special, no charge training event will fill quickly and space is limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to reserve your seat.

Please contact me for further details on how to register if you are a customer of mine.

Four webcasts are coming in November – all about Microsoft’s Cloud offerings:

• Microsoft Server and Cloud Infrastructure – System Center, Azure and the Private Cloud
• Introduction to SQL Azure
• Transforming Your Communications Infrastructure with Microsoft Exchange Online
• Windows Intune: Microsoft Cloud Services for PC Management and Windows 7 Enterprise

If you’re interested in learning about how moving to Microsoft’s cloud products can save you & your organization licensing, maintenance, and operating costs, check these sessions out over the coming weeks, where you’ll be able to ask questions online and get up to speed really quickly on a baseline of Cloud technologies available.

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We’re guessing no one in your office describes webcasts as ‘gripping’ or ‘the rollercoaster thrill rides of the season.’ But we know what gets you excited. This on-going series of webcasts designed to improve your business will undoubtedly provide you with the ammunition necessary to make your business thrive.
Join us in November and December for these webcasts and more as part of our valuable Microsoft Grow Webcast series ‘can’t miss’ online events that tackle the issues that matter most to YOU and your business. Learn from the pros how to better run your organization.

Because it’s everybody’s business to save, innovate, and grow.

• 11/9/10 11:00 AM – The Microsoft Server and Cloud Infrastructure – System Center, Azure and the Private Cloud
• 11/10/10 11:00 AM – Introduction to SQL Azure
• 11/16/10 11:00 AM – Transforming Your Communications Infrastructure with Microsoft Exchange Online
• 12/7/10 11:00 AM – Windows Intune: Microsoft Cloud Services for PC Management and Windows 7 Enterprise

REGISTRATION:
If you are a customer of mine, please contact me for details on how to register and participate in these webcasts.

The MED-V team is excited to announce the Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization 2.0 public beta.

You’ll also want to check out the Windows for your Business Blog where we’ll give you guidance to help make the business case for Windows 7 and MED-V.

MED-V 2.0 enables Microsoft’s enterprise customers to migrate to Windows 7 while still leveraging existing legacy Windows XP line of business applications, including those based on Internet Explorer 6. MED-V 2.0 provides a seamless user experience while reducing overhead and simplifying management for IT Professionals.

Maintain Business Continuity

• Unblock Windows 7 Migration due to application incompatibility: As enterprises adopt Windows 7, they find that most applications “just work.” They upgrade others, retire some, and use tools like the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit as part of their migration strategy. MED-V solves “the last mile” of application compatibility for those applications that must run on Windows XP.
• Redirect legacy web applications to Internet Explorer 6: Seamlessly redirect websites or individual web applications to Internet Explorer 6.
• Remediate application incompatibility after migration without losing productivity: Enterprises can migrate to Windows 7 now, taking advantage of power savings, security benefits, or the opportunity to move to a 64-bit platform, without losing access to the applications they rely on to stay productive.

Easy to use

• Streamlined sign-on to the MED-V workspace: Users can save their passwords for seamless sign-on to the MED-V workspace.
• Seamless integration with local documents and network printers: Legacy applications work just like locally installed applications when it comes to opening, saving and printing documents.
• A familiar user experience with Windows 7 UI integration: Windows. Applications. Documents. That’s what users want to interact with – not MED-V. MED-V 2.0 is integrated with the Windows 7 user interface, making application compatibility “just work.”

Simplified IT Management

• Full integration with SCCM for deployment, patching and application delivery: In MED-V 2.0 there’s no dedicated management infrastructure to deploy. MED-V workspaces are deployed using existing Electronic Software Delivery (ESD) systems. MED-V workspaces can wake-to-patch or to receive software deployments. Full SCCM integration allows NAT-configured MED-V workspaces to communicate with the same SCCM sites and distribution points as the host PC.
• Faster, simpler deployment with automated configuration: The MED-V Workspace Packager creates silent, self-contained packages that are ready-to-deploy.
• Keep MED-V images thin by provisioning applications with App-V: MED-V and App-V are better together.

Register on Connect and download the beta today!

Microsoft Security Intelligence Report, Volume 9

SIRv9 covers the period January to June 2010. In addition to the usual analysis of cyber threat trends, the report includes some of the most insightful and detailed intelligence on botnets. It uses data collated via a number of Microsoft services, products and tools, including the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT), Bing, Forefront security products, Microsoft Security Essentials and Internet Explorer. In all, SIRv9 contains information from more than 600 million computers worldwide. In a departure from previous versions, SIRv9 will be delivered primarily as an online resource, making it more searchable and comparable with earlier versions.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/sir/default.aspx

Announced at the Microsoft Management Summit earier this year with a Q4CY target System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3, available October 14, includes power management features that help customers maximize savings from energy-efficient desktops and laptops, as well as the rights to use System Center Mobile Device Manager for managing Windows Mobile devices.   Configuration Manager 2007 R3 also serves as a management foundation for the upcoming Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 release, allowing organizations to manage and protect their client infrastructure in a single interface.

The software has not posted as of yet and may  take a week or two before it hits the Volume License site. Please note that this is a (R) release – not a service pack and requires Software Assurance to have the right to use.  The current Service Pack level is still SP2.

Ray Ozzie posts the Windows 1.0 Press Kit to DOCS.COM

http://docs.com/8NAK (6.1MB)

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So full of WIN.

There’s a table comparing Windows to other competitors in the market during that time such as TopView & GEM.

The entire press document was created on Microsoft Windows 1.0 using Windows Write.  Egad.

It boasts about “breaking through the 640k barrier” and “standardizing on a shared driver model for peripherals like the Hercules Graphics card, IBM CGA and EGA adapters and printers such as Okidata 192, Epson FX-80s, IBM Proprinters, and HP 7470A plotters.  It also talks about the “Mouse Systems mouse”.  Remember that thing?  With the reflective plate?

Wow.  Good times.

(And apparently, we’ve been using Wag Ed for PR for a lot longer than I imagined.)

This half-day event is the best way to get an early look at Microsoft Lync Server 2010: the next generation of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. Lync Server 2010 offers:

• A single interface uniting voice communications, presence, instant messaging, and audio/video/web conferencing.
• A familiar user experience accessible through MS Office, SharePoint, and Exchange.
• A single identity connecting users to contacts inside and outside of the organization.
• A consistent experience across PC, phone, web, or mobile devices.
• Exceptional security and reliability.
• Interoperability with existing systems for smoother deployment and migration.
• A rich platform for development, bringing unified communications into custom solutions ranging from business workflows to line-of-business applications.

Now the streamlined communications performance you’ve come to rely on with Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 has just gotten better. Improve collaboration, facilitate easier management, and lower the cost of ownership of your communications systems.

Please note that we can only guarantee your seat for a limited time, so please RSVP early.  We look forward to having you participate in this exciting training event!

REGISTRATION
Please contact me for registration, time, date, and location information if you are a customer of mine.

We have a free half-day TechNet training coming into town covering upgrading from Exchange 2003 / 2007 to Exchange 2010 in Los Angeles (Oct. 20) or Irvine (Oct. 21).

This event will start with an overview of Exchange Server 2010 to set the foundation.  From there we will move to planning considerations followed by key tasks for getting from Exchange Server 2003 or 2007 to Exchange Server 2010.  We will conclude with information on what is coming out with Service Pack 1.  Throughout the session, we will be demoing the tools available as well as walking through an actual upgrade process from Exchange Server 2007 to Exchange Server 2010.

We will cover the following items:

• Overview of Exchange Server 2010 features
• Differences between Exchange Server 2003 / 2007 and Exchange Server 2010
• Pre-requisites for existing Exchange 2003 / 2007 environments
• Awesome Free tools
• Certificates and why you should care
• The upgrade process
• Purpose of Database Availability Groups

REGISTRATION
Please contact me for registration information if you are a customer of mine.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, the cornerstone of Microsoft’s Unified Communications solution, enables you to achieve new levels of reliability and performance by delivering features that simplify your administration, help protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater mobility with anywhere access to communications.

Our experts will help you explore and learn about all the new features and functionality of Exchange 2010.

Sample Webcasts:

• The MOF Reliability Workbook for Exchange 2010 Client Access and Transport (Level 200)
• Using a Microsoft Information Protection Solution with RSA Data Loss Prevention (Level 300)
• Technical Introduction to System Center Data Protection Manager 2010 (Level 200)
• How Microsoft IT Deployed Exchange 2010 on Premises (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Storage Architecture (Level 300)
• Deploying and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Transport Servers (Level 200)
• Calendar Sharing and Federation in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Unified Messaging (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Management and Operations (Level 200)
• ICE: The Secret of Edge Media Connectivity in Communications Server 2007 R2 (Level 300)
• Discover the New OWA: Outlook Web App (Level 200)
• Monitoring, Backing Up, and Restoring Exchange Server 2010 with System Center (Level 300)
• Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Audio Conferencing Deep Dive (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 High Availability (Level 300)
• Unified Communications Development for Non-Professional Developers (Level 300)
• Getting the Most Out of Exchange Server 2010: Performance and Scalability (Level 300)
• Voice Architecture and Planning for Communications Server 2007 R2 (Level 300)
• Information Protection and Control in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 (Level 300)
• Voice Administration and Monitoring for Communications Server 2007 R2 (Level 300)
• Exchange Server 2010 Upgrade and Coexistence with Exchange Server 2007 and 2003 (Level 200)
• Addressing E-Mail Archiving and Retention with Exchange Server 2010 (Level 300)
• …

There are 35 webcast recordings available on demand for Exchange Server 2010 & Office Communications Server 2007 R2.

LINK:  Exchange Server in Depth: Master Concepts and Optimize Your Server Environment 
http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/tnexchangeserver.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=43235