Kurt Shintaku's Blog

There was a recent Quick Take published by Ted Schadler with Alyssa L. Baer of Forrester (www.forrester.com) that provides their independent assessment of Windows Vista and .NET 3.0 as an application platform.

The report, entitled "Okay, I Get It: Vista’s A Cool Application Platform,” December 2006, discusses an application that single-handedly convinced Ted Schadler to upgrade to Windows Vista, the Times Reader.

“So now it’s clear what Vista is giving application developers and technology product marketers: a next-generation software platform for building killer applications. So don’t get stuck in a ‘just another-Windows-upgrade’ rut. Instead, call in the brainstorm troops and experience the Times Reader until you’re wrapped in its potential.”

The report is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/docs/061212ForresterVistaCool.pdf

(Additional reports by Forrester and other firms can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/default.mspx.)

There’s an interesting set of tools available at http://vmtoolkit.com/.  Here’s a brief description of each of them:

1. VMDK to VHD Converter
   This is a tool that will convert the virtualized hard drives from VMWare’s format (VMDK) to Microsoft’s Virtual disk format (VHD) so that you can run virtual machines originally created for use with VMWare to run in Virtual Server 2005/R2, Virtual PC 2004/2007, and assumedly Microsoft Virtualization Hypervisor (the virtualization layer to be used with Windows Server Longhorn), which has been touted as using the exact same format as existing Microsoft virtual machine technology. <wink, wink>

   One VERY interesting use of this tool has been to leverage VMWare’s Physical-to-Virtual (P2V) tools to virtualize existing servers, then convert the virtualized hard disks to .VHD format for use in Virtual Server R2.  Why would you want to do that?  Well, simply because there’s no cost associated with using Virtual Server:  Virtual Server has no licensing fees associated with it, unlike VMWare ESX, which makes it the perfect environment for infrastructure testing labs, software development environments, and web application farms.

   And of course, it positions an organization very well to take advantage of the highly performant Microsoft Hypervisor, coming with Windows Server Longhorn.

   DOWNLOAD:  http://vmtoolkit.com/blogs/announcements/archive/2006/11/20/vmdk-to-vhd-converter-available.aspx
   (Requires .NET Framework 2.0)

2. VHD Resizer
   This tool will resize your virtual machine hard drive files (VHD) and also allow you to convert them between Fixed and Dynamic file types by essentially doing a sector-by-sector copy from one type to another. 

   They originally called the tool the "VHD Expander" but soon discovered that they could actually shrink the size of the .VHD file if the partition size of your .VHD didn’t actually take up the entire disk, so they renamed it to the "VHD Resizer" to fit it’s ability to both expand and contract the size of the file.

   DOWNLOAD:  http://vmtoolkit.com/blogs/announcements/archive/2007/02/28/vhd-expander-is-now-vhd-resizer.aspx
   (Requires .NET Framework 2.0)

We’ve released several new sessions on how Microsoft IT leverages Windows Vista to improve Microsoft’s corporate infrastructure.

Windows Vista

• How Microsoft IT Optimizes Network Traffic with the Next Generation TCP/IP Stack
• Optimizing Client Security by Using Windows Vista
• Planning the Windows Vista Deployment at Microsoft
• Preparing to Deploy Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System at Microsoft

2007 Office System

• Deploying Groove Server 2007 and Groove 2007 at Microsoft
• Deploying the 2007 Office System at Microsoft
• Enterprise Search at Microsoft with Office SharePoint Server 2007
• Robust Reporting Portal on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
• Streamlining Records Management Using SharePoint Server 2007 Workflow
• Improved Business Analytics Solution Enables Faster Decision Making
• Preparing to Deploy Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System at Microsoft
• How Microsoft IT Deployed and Architected SharePoint Server 2007
• How Microsoft Automated Employee Performance Reviews
• Improving an IT Self-Help Portal User Experience

Did you know that if you buy an Xbox360 HD DVD Drive (USB 2.0) and plug it into your Windows PC, plug-and-play will auto detect the drive, automatically find the drivers on the Internet (if you let it search) and you’ll be good to go?  (You can buy the HD DVD drive from NewEgg for $187 – and that’ll be the cheapest way to get an HD movie experience.)

Just did this with my laptop.  The only catch after that was I did the install, I still needed to get some HD DVD playback software.  Here’s two players that will allow you to playback HD DVD content on your laptop.

• Cyberlink PowerDVD Ultra
  http://www.cyberlink.com/multi/products/main_112_ENU.html
• Intervideo WinDVD Platinum 8 (Only Platinum Edition supports HD video)
  http://www.intervideo.com/WinDVD/

One catch though:  (Quoting a comment read from Gizmodo)
"To play HD-DVD’s in highest resolution over digital connections, all the components in the chain must be HDCP compatible i.e. you must have a HDCP enabled graphics card and HDCP enabled display."

Get Ready to Deploy Exchange Server 2007 Without a Hitch!

Too much has changed to wing it with Exchange Server 2007. Planning is a prerequisite for successfully deploying this release. At this one-day technical training event, you will learn how to pre-empt the pitfalls and avoid corrupting your infrastructure. Get the real story! Find out how to effectively install, manage and secure Exchange Server 2007 in a 64-bit environment.

Space is limited, so register today! The early bird rate of $99 is available now (normally $159).

Here’s what you’ll get:

• An insider’s overview of the next wave of Microsoft Unified Communications technology and how it will apply to you in the future
• First peek into the integration between Outlook, MOSS 2007, and Exchange Server 2007
• Practical advice on how to make your Exchange Server 2007 deployment smooth
• Upgrade/migration tips for Exchange 2000 and 2003
• Demos on how Exchange Server 2007 will help you better manage your messaging and mobility environment
• Learn how voice, fax and email are integrated into a single inbox for easy user access
• Information on how Exchange and Office integrate to give your users real-time communications functions

Forward this to your coworkers too!

Coming to:

• New York: March 27
• Atlanta: March 29
• Denver: April 10
• Chicago: April 12
• San Fran: April 17
• Anaheim: April 19
• Dallas: April 24
• Boston: April 26

Featuring
Paul Robichaux!

What you can expect:

• A deep dive into Exchange 2007
• Windows IT Pro subscription
• Breakfast, lunch and snacks
• Info from technology experts
• T-shirt/bag
• Networking with your peers

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Here’s an interesting question I got from a customer that’s not really that well documented.

As you know, we have an Enterprise Agreement with fully licensed Windows desktops on Software Assurance, meaning I’m allowed to deploy Windows Vista Enterprise Edition to every machine.  This also means that I can "upgrade" to Windows Vista Ultimate Edition if one of my customer’s needs its special Media Center multimedia capabilities.  (Audio/Video departments, PR divisions, K-12 Education Classrooms, the CEO’s home workstation, etc.)

QUESTION:  How do I go about deploying Windows Vista Ultimate Edition to select machines in our company?  Where do I get the software?  Is there a volume license key (KMS/MAK) for Ultimate Edition for my company and if so where is it?  If there isn’t a volume license key, how do I get individual keys?

This is a darned good question.  Heck if I knew the answer so I went to our licensing folks.  Basically the answer is as such:

1. DISCOUNT ON ULTIMATE EDITION
   Customers can license Windows Vista Ultimate Edition through their Enterprise Agreement/ Software Assurance agreement at a volume discounted pricing, which of course is much better than buying Retail copies.
2. INSTALLATIONS REQUIRE UNIQUE KEYS
   Windows Vista Ultimate Edition does not work with any Enterprise MAK/KMS key.  There is no way to automate the installation for a workstation either:  Each installation must be done manually using an individually unique activation key.
3. KEYS ARE ORDERED WITH KITS THROUGH M.V.L.S.
   Because each Ultimate key is obtained individually, you must obtain full Ultimate Edition kits individually to get additional keys.  I was told that in order to get more kits, you are supposed to order them through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Services website which will deliver a full DVD+key kit to whomever is officially responsible for receiving CD/DVD media.  This is arbitrated by the folks that originally established the agreement. 

   I checked the MVLS site however and I didn’t see any way to do this.  In fact, on the SA Benefits page for Windows Vista Ultimate, the MVLS site states that you’re supposed to contact your software reseller (the organization responsible for facilitating the agreement) to order additional kits – which I believe are at cost-of-goods ($some small number) and not the retail price ($420).

So if you’re looking for Ultimate Edition for your company, don’t plan on rolling it out en masse.  It’s not designed for that and you won’t have much fun trying.  Stick with Enterprise and if you need Ultimate on a case by case basis, you can order a DVD+key through your reseller. 

The SQL Server Data Mining team takes great pride in announcing the general availability of the SQL Server 2005 Data Mining Add-ins for Office 2007 as a free web download.

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Data Mining Add-ins for Microsoft Office 2007 (Data Mining Add-ins) allow you take advantage of SQL Server 2005 predictive analytics in Office Excel 2007 and Office Visio 2007. The download includes the following components:

• Table Analysis Tools for Excel: This add-in provides you with easy-to-use tasks that leverage SQL Server 2005 Data Mining under the covers to perform powerful analytics on your spreadsheet data.
• Data Mining Client for Excel: This add-in allows you to go through the full data mining model development lifecycle within Excel 2007 using either your spreadsheet data or external data accessible through your SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services instance.
• Data Mining Templates for Visio: This add-in allows you to render and share your mining models as annotatable Visio 2007 drawings.

Here are official resources to get you going:

• http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82754
• http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=81060

And don’t forget to check out the whitepaper and tip for trying out the add-ins on www.sqlserverdatamining.com.

Attention all Administrative Assistants:

Y’know how you have to print out the boss’s calendar every week?  Here’s a little tool that’ll make that job not just a little easier, but a lot prettier too.  It’s called the Calendar Printing Assistant for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and it’s quite impressive. 

Before we go any farther, it requires Outlook 2007 and Windows Vista.  (Or .NET Framework 3.0)

It provide the ability to create calendars that are evenly formatted and perfect for ringed binders.

It can print calendars that span months for forecasting.  (Usually placed on walls and inkboards)

It can print pretty wall calendars with photos, just like professionally done calendars. 

The bottom line is that the Calendar Printing Assistant makes the experience of creating calendars easier and more fun because it naturally generates better looking calendars.

And it’s free.

DOWNLOAD:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA101687211033.aspx

Tim Sneath did a great overview of the British Library’s "Turning the Pages" application for Windows Vista so I’m not going to both reinventing the wheel except to say that this is one of the coolest apps I’ve ever seen.  This is a perfect example of the value of WPF to web-based applications.

An amazingly well-rendered, responsive interface for flipping through ancient texts

What makes this so amazing an experience is that besides the fact that the pages moves with incredibly smooth animation is:

• High Def:  The book imagery fidelity is fantastic.  It leverages our High Definition Photo Format.
• Zoom:  The mouse scroll wheel allows the user to "zoom into" the pages
• Audio:  There is audio associated with some books.  Which is a good thing being that I can’t read all the stuff Leonardo da Vinci wrote.  Oh who am I kidding:  I couldn’t understand it even if I read it.
• 3D Rotation & Movement:  Hitting SHIFT-DRAG rotates, CTRL-DRAG moves the book,

Read a better review over at Tim’s Blog.
LINK:  http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2007/01/30/great-wpf-applications-1-british-library-turning-the-pages.aspx

Or run it yourself:
RUN:  http://ttpdownload.bl.uk/browserapp.xbap

Damn, if this isn’t cool.
RUN:  http://www.thirteen23.com/labs/winfx/downloads/publish/denounce/denounce.application

It’s called "Denounce" and it’s a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) application for Windows Vista or .NET 3.0.  It’s hard to explain what makes it so special other than the thing just downright looks slick.  Read more about it here:  http://www.thirteen23.com/work/denounce/index.html