Announcing the Microsoft Forefront "Stirling" Technology Adoption Program
The Microsoft Forefront Technology Adoption Program team is pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for participation in the TAP programs for the following products: Forefront Codename “Stirling”, Forefront Client Security (FCS), Forefront Security for Exchange Server (FSE), Forefront Security for SharePoint (FSSP) and the Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA) integration with “Stirling”.

Nomination Start Date: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Program Timeline: November 27, 2007 to calendar year 2009

What is the Forefront TAP?
The Forefront TAP is the combination of the TAP programs for the following products:

• Forefront codename “Stirling”: a single product that delivers unified security management and reporting with comprehensive, coordinated protection across clients, server applications, and the network edge.
  Forefront codename “Stirling” provides centralized management for the next versions of Microsoft Forefront Client Security (FCS) and Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA) as well as the current and next versions of Forefront Security for Exchange Server (FSE) and Forefront Security for SharePoint (FSSP).
  Forefront codename “Stirling” can not only manage those standalone Forefront products but it can also manage any combination of them and enable information sharing across those products to better protect customers against emerging and blended threats.
• The next version of Forefront Client Security: Microsoft’s unified virus and spyware protection solution for business desktops, laptops and server operating systems that is easy to manage and control.
• The current and next version Forefront for Exchange Server:  Microsoft’s multiple scan engines comprehensive, layered-solution, helping businesses protect their Microsoft Exchange Server messaging environments from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content.
• The current and next version of Forefront for SharePoint: Microsoft’s multiple scan engines solution providing comprehensive protection against the latest threats, inappropriate content, and disclosure of confidential information—helping ensure documents are safe before they are saved to or retrieved from the SharePoint document library.
• The next version of ISA’s Firewall as part of “Stirling”’s coordinated protection and centralized management.

Who should apply to the Forefront TAP?
Anybody interested in participating in one or more of the individual TAP programs listed above should apply to the Forefront TAP.

Program description
This program is designed to provide collaboration with your company and Microsoft. Help shape the Forefront releases through direct collaboration between your organization and the Microsoft product teams.  The first phase of the program will validate the Forefront products using early beta builds in a lab environment. Your company will have the opportunity to provide design and performance feedback for the product. You can do this through the reporting of bugs and submission of Design Change Requests (DCRs), as well as provide general feedback for product group consideration.  This program will provide customers with support from the Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) as well as the Microsoft Forefront product groups.  The program timeline is aggressive starting November 19, 2007 and finishing in calendar year 2009.

How can I get additional information?
Attached to this email are additional documents that will help to further explain the Forefront TAP program. These documents include:

1. Microsoft Forefront TAP Presentation (non-NDA)
2. Program Description

Next steps
To start your nomination, please fill the Forefront TAP survey by:

1. Visiting the Microsoft Connect website
2. Signing into Connect with a Windows Live ID
3. Visiting the Available Connections page, and clicking “Apply” for the “Forefront TAP”

Microsoft will get back to you within two to three weeks.

Resources

• POWERPOINT:  http://www.evilkoala.org/Documents/ForefrontTAP-nonNDA.pptx
• FAQ:  http://www.evilkoala.org/Documents/Stirling_TAP_External.mht

If you have any questions regarding the program or the nomination process, please email Stirtap@microsoft.com.

My friend Jim asked me if I had any information on HD-DVD writers... as in where he could buy one.  He wanted to burn HD video content to platters that he could share with his relatives all of whom have HD DVD players by virtue of the either their Xbox 360s or their low cost Toshiba A1 standalone HD DVD player models that went for $99 each at Walmart and Best Buy.

WHAT ABOUT 3XDVD?
I told him that he should consider 3XDVD.  3XDVD technology allows you to write HD-DVD-compatible high definition (720p) video content that is readable on HD-DVD players on to conventional DVD media.  The resolution is the similar to traditional HD-DVD 15GB media (many movies are only available in 720p anyway) except that since your maximum capacity is either 4.7GB or 9.1GB, you’re going to have only half the capacity available.  However since the encoding technology being used for HD-DVD (VC-1) is superior in compression to the weak compression of the MPEG1 codec used in SD-DVDs, you should be able to fit a good amount of video onto a single traditional blank DVD without needing HD-DVD media.

For a discussion on 3XDVD, try these locations:

• http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/8718.cfm
• http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070219-8882.html

BURNING YOUR OWN HD DVDs/3XDVDs:
In order to burn your own 3XDVD discs, get a copy of Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6 Plus ($79.99, but 30-day free trial available).  Ulead's DVD MovieFactory 6 Plus is by far the best software for creating HD-DVD compatible DVDs and this functionality comes built into the product at no extra charge.  Be sure to download and install both updates for Ulead MovieFactory 6 Plus before you start.

Instructions for Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6 Plus

1. Get a high-definition recording in MPEG format
2. Open the .MPG in HD Patch. If the reported Bitrate is more than 25000000 (25Mbps), then change it to 25000000 and click "Patch Stream." If the reported Bitrate is less than 25000000, no change is required and you can exit the app. Screenshot.
3. Launch ULead DVD Movie Factory Plus and choose "New Video Project." Screenshot.
   For HD-DVD compatible DVDs: From the "Create Video Disk" dialog, choose HD-DVD.
4. Click the "Add video files" button (second icon, top left) and select the the .MPG file you saved in step four. If Movie Factory asks you to change the project settings to match the video, select yes. Screenshot.
5. Click Next.
6. Select a title screen template (just like Powerpoint). Right-click to edit the title and text on the title screen. Screenshot.
7. Click Next.
8. Click "Burn" to create the disk.

How much space do you need for a given HD TV show?
Typical space consumed per 60 minutes (with commercials) of HDTV:

• ABC - 4.4-6.50 Gb (varies by content and provider)
• CBS - 6.0-8.0Gb (varies by content and provider)
• NBC - 5.2-8.0 Gb (varies by content and provider)
• FOX - 4.4-5.0 Gb (up to 5.6Gb for sports)
• HBO - 4.4-4.8 Gb
• Cinemax - 4.4-4.8 Gb
• Showtime - 4.4-4.8 Gb
• Starz - 3.5-4.0 Gb
• UHD - 4.0-5.0 Gb
• Discovery - up to 8.0Gb (varies widely by provider )
• Hdnet - up to 8.0Gb (varies widely by provider )
• Hdnet Movies - up to 8.0Gb (varies widely by provider )
• TNT - up to 8.0Gb (varies widely by provider )
  
  (This general process & numbers were shamelessly stolen from a TiVo Community forum, the exact location of which I can't recall.)

Incidentally, during his search for an HD DVD writer, this is what he turned up after making 6 or so phone calls researching the topic:

1. Toshiba is now selling a laptop ($3K) that does burn DVDs.
2. The PC internal burners are now being produced for demonstration and will be generally available in May 2008.
3. There is a single company (Lite-On) that is selling a Blu-ray burner for $819; this has dropped down from $949 previously.

Microsoft Search Server 2008 is a full-featured enterprise search & indexing platform for corporations looking to provide its people with the ability to search it's intellectual property, information, documents, and web-published content across all systems, file repositories, mail stores, web sites, and databases.

• Need to index Lotus Domino databases? 
• Want to search FAX documents in .TIF format?
• Have a SQL database with content you'd like to be able to search?
• Got a large farm of web servers and file servers each with security privileges that you have to respect when delivering search results to users?
• Want to search an UNLIMITED number of documents with massive scale-out scalability?
• Need to integrate with Active Directory user privileges and security credentials?

Check out Search Server 2008... it's easy to set up for the Enterprise and a great value.

DOWNLOAD:
http://www.microsoft.com/enterprisesearch/serverproducts/searchserverexpress/download.aspx

AT&T is providing an updated ROM for their 8525 phone which delivers Windows Mobile 6.

Note that it will only be available from November 1, 2007 to February 1, 2008, after which the ROM will be no longer available as a download.

HTC strongly suggests that users create a back up copy of this ROM and keep it in a secure place as all new and refurbished 8525 devices will come loaded with Windows Mobile 5 rather than Windows Mobile 6.

So get it while you can - you've been warned.

DOWNLOAD IT HERE:
http://www.america.htc.com/support/8525/software-downloads.html

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 released to the web today. 

Improvements in Exchange Server 2007 SP1 include:

Anywhere Access

• Integrated Exchange Unified Messaging functionality with Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.
• Outlook Web Access additions, including public folder access, S/MIME support, personal distribution lists, and mailbox rules editor.
• Webready document viewer supports Microsoft Office 2007 documents in addition to Microsoft Office 2003 documents.
• Extended language support in Outlook Web Access with Arabic and Korean spell checking.

Operational Efficiency

• Support for Windows Server 2008 deployments, including benefits in flexible clustering, native virtualization, advanced networking, and simplified management.
• Additional tools in the Exchange Management Console, including public folder management and configuration options for clustering and POP/IMAP access.
• Improvements to the Exchange Management Shell syntax and import-export PST in the move-mailbox command.
• Wider variety of web services for application development, including public folder access, delegate management, and folder level permissions.

Built-in Protection

• Addition of Standby Continuous Replication (SCR) for site resilient high availability deployments.
• Extended Exchange ActiveSync policies for mobile policy enforcement.
• Information rights management pre-licensing by the Hub Transport role.
• Secure Real Time Protocol (SRTP) support in the Unified Messaging role.
• Support for IPv6 when using Windows Server 2008.

Links

• Feature List
  Here's the full list of new features of SP1:
  LINK:  http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=7844544
• Download
  LINK:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=44C66AD6-F185-4A1D-A9AB-473C1188954C&displaylang=en
• Readme
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2600CAB1-BF60-49BD-BEF5-CB80083275AD&displaylang=en

Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 is designed to help you back up your Windows environment. In this webcast, we focus on how System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 can provide continuous data protection for the latest generation of collaboration services, including Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.

System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 introduces a whole new level of Windows data protection and recovery. Join us to see how System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 delivers continuous data protection for your Microsoft application and file servers through a seamlessly integrated secondary disk and tape solution on the Data Protection Manager server.

Discover how System Center Data Protection Manager enables better backups and rapid, reliable recoveries for both you and your users, while helping you to significantly reduce the costs and complexities associated with data protection.

Presenter: Jason Buffington, Senior Technical Product Manager, Microsoft Corporation

WEBCAST:  http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032356636&CountryCode=US

There are over 140 Windows Mobile phones available from 48 different device makers through 160 mobile operators in 55 countries around the world.  This represents the truly sensational growth of our business from just one phone from one carrier in one country only five years ago.  The new phones are absolutely phenomenal to use, and I’ve highlighted several of the most exciting below.

Here's a quick demo of what's possible:
DEMO:  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/startdoingmore/default.aspx?WT.mc_id=sdmvan

----------------------------------

Verizon 

Verizon Q9M by Motorola

• Music player with VCAST™ for instant over-the-air-downloads, so you can rock out to the songs you want, wherever and whenever you want
• Multitask - listen to music while you email or surf the Web
• Slim, stylish design
• Two home screens providing one touch access for all multimedia or messaging needs1-one for play and one for connecting
• Cellular and Wi-Fi Internet connectivity
• Supports personal email accounts such as Hotmail®, Gmail®, Yahoo!® and AOL®
• Stay in touch with email and text messaging
• Shoot pictures and video and send them in a multimedia message
• Optimized QWERTY keyboard for fast, accurate typing
• Up to 4 GB removable memory
• Fully loaded with Windows Mobile® 6

AT&T

AT&T Tilt by HTC

The AT&T Tilt's touch screen slides to reveal a QWERTY keypad, after which the user can tilt the screen up from the keypad level to a maximum of 40 degrees. The variable screen angle can be positioned perfectly whether users want to read and create emails, browse online or play games.

The AT&T Tilt supports Bluetooth® 2.0, which allows up to six Bluetooth devices to be wirelessly connected simultaneously to the device one of which can be a Bluetooth stereo headset for listening to music. With its innovative slide-out QWERTY keypad design, 3-megapixel camera, Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Professional operating system, 3G data speeds from AT&T's UMTS/HSDPA-based BroadbandConnect network, and complete global connectivity, the AT&T Tilt leads the smart device market.

AT&T Duo by Pantech

Introducing the first smart device from AT&T with 2 sliding keyboards - a 12-key numeric keypad and a QWERTY Keyboard. The Pantech Duo is a Windows Mobile® 6 Standard (non touch screen) device which offers exciting features including access to work and personal email, camera, media player, and Bluetooth ™, all in a compact and easy to use design.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile Shadow ™ comes loaded with the following features:

• Send and receive messages from personal and work e-mail.
• Surf the internet quickly and conveniently from your phone and access the information you need now.
• Use this phone in any of the countries where T-Mobile provides GPRS service.
• Familiar and easy to use Windows Mobile® experience
• Add more memory for multimedia files, data, and more.
• The quick, quiet way to stay connected.
• Send pictures from your phone to others.
• Send and receive instant messages with Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, or ICQ.
• Stay in synch with your Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks in Microsoft Outlook
• Keep track of appointments and even set reminders to make sure you're on time.
• Lets you store your phone book on T-Mobile's network so even if you lose your phone, you don't lose your contacts.
• Lose the wires and keep your hands free for more important things – Bluetooth lets you connect your phone to your headset or computer wirelessly.
• Call someone with simple voice commands when your hands are busy.
• Play your favorite music wherever you are.

Sprint

Sprint Touch by HTC

• All In One Smart Device with Windows Mobile 6
• Easily manage work and play with the versatile Touch. This go-anywhere Windows Mobile 6 device combines a smarter phone with wireless email, built-in web browser and rich media capabilities.
• 2.0 megapixel camera and video camcorder
• Capture high-resolution images with the digital camera and zoom. Create your own video clips and easily share them with family and friends.
• 512MB MicroSD Memory card included
• Store data on the included 512MB removable memory card. Up to 4GB cards supported and available for purchase.
• Phone as Modem
• Use the included USB cable or Bluetooth Wireless technology to connect to a PC allowing Internet and email access.
• Bright Main Display
• See brilliant images, text and graphics on a 2.8" screen covering a range of 65,000 colors

On December 11th, we'll be releasing a 800 Microsoft point download ($10) called the Heroic Map pack for Halo 3 for Xbox 360 that will contain 3 new multiplayer maps:  Standoff, Rat's Nest, and Foundry.

As everyone knows, the multiplayer on Halo 3 is what makes the game so phenomenally long lived.  People will be playing Halo 3 for the next 5+ years in tournament form and casually.  And with additional maps, players will always see changes in game dynamics and never really get bored of the gameplay.

As usual, the map pack will be charged for initially for the first few months until late spring at which time it'll be made available as a free download for people that don't want to spring for the $10.

Taken from:  http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12983

Rat's Nest Map

Last week, the Microsoft Asset Inventory Service for the Desktop Optimization Pack released to the web.  See the URL below for an explanation of the role AIS plays in the DOP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/enterprise/ais.mspx

WHAT IS IT?
Basically it's the technology from the AssetMetrix acquisition we made a year or so ago except it's almost entirely a hosted service that we make available.  It involves installing a 1.4MB client component on your PCs (2000/XP/Vista/x64) and waiting for it to collect the information that it needs to report back to https://sc.microsoft.com.  After that, you go to the web site and see the information collected from the machines you have registered with the service.

The information basically gives you very precise information about what software is installed on your PCs, what versions (v1.0, v1.1, etc), what media types (Retail/MSDN/Select/Trial/etc.), what editions (Pro/Ent/Std/etc.), and it works for not just Microsoft software but for all vendors, including Adobe, Symantec, etc.

SO, WE HAVE THE DESKTOP OPTIMIZATION PACK.  HOW DO WE GET AIS?
It's pretty simple.  It requires activating the benefit from https://licensing.microsoft.com.  The activation process is documented over at the System Center blog at http://blogs.technet.com/systemcenteronline/archive/2007/10/05/ais-account-activation.aspx.

HOW DO WE MANAGE THIS THING?
Through an Group Policy ADM template.  We published one here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=13cef13f-8a53-498b-91f8-ad1b0ec00b9b&DisplayLang=en

More on this as I get details internally.

Here's a few things you may or may not know about flash memory:

• Every sector of memory on the flash medium has a limited number of writes available to it. That is, a given memory location on a flash card may only be written a certain number of times.
• The number of times that a memory location may be written to greatly varies between flash manufacturers. On the high end this number may be 100,000 writes. On the low end this number may be 50,000. And just because a memory manufacturer has a big name doesn't mean it has high quality flash.
• Microsoft wrote a flash-writing algorithm for it's operating systems (Windows Vista, Windows Mobile) specifically designed to work against flash memory drives and cards with the anticipation of "changing the location that content is written to to random locations in the medium to greatly extend the life of flash memory". Log files and temp folders with constantly refreshed content could now be stored on flash memory without fear of burning out a flash drive due to repetitive writes to the same location on the flash memory.

Great right? Well, except in THIS scenario:

What if you consistently download a fair amount of data to the same drive/card daily? For example, podcasts, email attachments. or RSS content to a SD flash card on a Windows Mobile device.  Now what if you have about 200MB available on a 512MBflash card and you download 10-20MB of data up to 4 times daily on your phone in the way of 40 email attachments, 50 refreshed RSS feeds, a podcast here and there, etc.

The fact is, repetitively using the remaining available 200MB of flash space over a period of time (let's say a year) can flat out burn out the card. It will literally use up the number of writes available for the card flash memory in certain locations of the flash card's memory.

That appears to be what's happened to me on my Windows Mobile phone... for the second time. Over the span of about a year, I've burnt out a SD Flash card.  I've done this before and it's quite a sobering moment discovering that the flash card will no longer reliably keep data.  Now granted, back then the 512MB flash card that I have used to cost an arm and a leg and now you can get a 2GB SD Flash card for $19, but it's still something to be aware of.  The morale of the story is that if you have this scenario or something like it where you have constantly renewed content written to a flash card, be sure you have PLENTY of available storage on that card so that Windows can spread the writes across the greatest area of space.

Because it doesn't appear that the flash card can be "repaired".  The files that are there can still be read, but the drive simply won't accept writes reliably.  Content that you thought got written, mysteriously isn't there any more.

Scary.

UPDATE:  11/28/2007
My coworker, Lance Lillie writes:

I've lost about 1 flash card per year over the last few years to this scenario and found this utility that tests the device for the estimated lifecycle left - check it out at http://www.usbperformance.com/.

I check all my dozen or so cards about once/month as some of them I use to boot from and do installs, some I move lots of data around, and I even use the one in my phone for temporary xfers as well.  This utility has headed off disasters for me as I tested and found ones nearing the point of ready to croak out.

I've had dozens upon dozens of 'friend' requests and I've accepted none of them.  For those reading this, it's not because I'm a social recluse or that I see no value in networking with you.  It's not even because this blog is business-oriented, a one-way communications conduit, and not a personal networking tool.  (Although if I were still single, I gotta tell you that there are a number of 'friends' that I'd have been very proud to have accepted invites from... god bless you, ladies!)

No, the reason is actually a little unusual and something you might not otherwise consider.

IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME
When I started this blog several years ago, I started it as an actual blog with comments, email interaction, friends, etc.  Then various individuals that I didn't really have any interest in conversing with (Anything-but-Microsoft-types, competitors, headhunters, press/media reporters, etc.) started using this blog as a means to contact or in some cases, harass or floodmail me.  So I shutdown all email communications, instant messaging, comments, etc.  but I didn't think "Friends" would be a bad thing to have remain on the site.

THE DREAD 'PLEASE PASS THIS ON' PHENOMENON
Until one day, somebody made me think otherwise:  A reporter from a large unnamed media company used the contact information from one of my "friends" to email them and asked them to pass a message onward to me.  After this happened more than a couple of times, I decided that no friend of mine deserved to be burdened with being a communications conduit for unknown Internet users or worse, saddled with the uncomfortable issues of a Microsoft employee.  Someday, I'll write a book about some of the communications I've gotten in the last 12 years.  I won't go into details but remember that our company is:

• International & covers 26 languages over hundreds of countries worldwide
• Produces the world's most used operating system, a video game console, and MacOffice, the most popular software package for Mac users
• Perceived as having money-to-burn & mistakenly synonymous with the Gates Foundation charity

CUSTOMERS ONLY, PLEASE
So anyway, that's why I don't accept 'friends' requests and why I no longer have a friends section.  It's not you - it's me.  Seriously.  It's just that some people on the Internet 'don't get it': 

This blog is for my corporate customers only and they know how to contact me.

We announced the release of OneCare 2.0 last week.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/nov07/11-14WLOCNextGenPR.mspx

If any of you (my customers) are interested in a free subscription, let me know and I'll send you an activation code for a year's subscription for 3 PCs.

NEW FEATURES:

Security and Protection Technologies

• Wi-Fi connection security (New)
• Real-time and scheduled anti-malware scanning
• Two-way managed firewall with automatic policy updates
• Internet Explorer® 7 Phishing Filter integration
• Microsoft Update integration
• OneCare advisories

PC Performance Tuning and Optimization

• Proactive fixes and recommendations for PC health (New)
• Start-time optimizer/turn off unused programs (New)
• Automatic disk defragmentation and hard drive cleanup

Data Backup and Restore

• Centralized backup for multiple local networked PCs (New)
• Online backup for photos (available at added cost) (New)
• Full and differential backups for key file types, including music, photos and financial documents
• Backs up to CD, DVD, external hard drive, local network drive and USB-connected devices

Network and Multi-PC Management

• Multi-PC management and monitoring (New)
• Automatic printer-sharing configuration (New)
• Firewall Connection Wizard for complex connections

Reporting, Licensing and Support

• Monthly report of service and results (New)
• Free version upgrades over the course of the 12-month subscription
• Telephone, chat and e-mail support
• Freedom to install OneCare on up to three PCs

HOW DO I GET IT:

• It’s supposed to automatically update current users over time.  Right now most people are still being served up version 1.6.
• You can download it from http://windowsonecare.spaces.live.com/.

DOCUMENTATION:

• http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/newsroom/msn/guide/OneCareRG.doc

FORUMS:

• http://forums.microsoft.com/windowsonecare/

Windows SteadyState 2.5 is a set of software modules that install over Windows XP or Windows Vista that essentially help lockdown the interface of Windows desktops for usage as kiosks or training workstations.  Additionally, and most importantly, the workstation captures all modifications to settings and software that are permitted by the administrator and sets them aside on a separate partition of the machine.  When told to do so, the workstation can completely eradicate these modifications and otherwise reset itself back to a pristine state. (This is known as Windows Disk Protection)

In other words, a workstation will "reset itself" in seconds, without requiring re-imaging.  The idea is to basically create a disposable, minimally trashable workstation that the public can do anything they want to, and not cause any actual problems for the workstation administrator.  Cool 'eh?

The new 2.5 version has a number of major features in it, the most prevalent of which are functional compatibility with Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7.0.  I have a couple customers that are using this right now and they find that it trumps the usage of virtual machine software like VMWare Workstation or Virtual PC 2007 because it's easier to orchestrate and manage centrally, and it requires virtually no instruction of the students or the lab instructors.  No one has to learn any new software.

It's a godsend for educators and folks managing public workstations, like PCs at libraries.

• STEADYSTATE 2.5 BETA COMMUNITY SITE:
  http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsToolsandUtilities/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=1901&SiteID=69
• DOWNLOAD 2.5 BETA:
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4de91d3a-69f4-4d7b-94b1-c69b8be029f4&DisplayLang=en
• DOCUMENTATION/HANDBOOK FOR 2.5 BETA:
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=D173452A-CE26-4F26-9C30-982F705F84D2&displaylang=en
• README FOR 2.5 BETA:
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/2/F/E2F23589-E8E1-404F-9DAB-77F1CAE24153/ReadmeBeta.txt

Please join Microsoft® Corporation and learn the benefits of upgrading or migrating to SQL Server 2005 NOW.

Scalability Experts, a SQL Server consulting and training organization, will talk about the performance evolution of SQL Server and how it has become primed for enterprise wide, high-end scalability, high availability, and mission critical applications.

Building on the strengths of the SQL Server legacy of products and solutions, SQL Server 2005 brings next-generation data management and analytics to the enterprise. The release of SP2 offers full compatibility with Windows Vista and Office 2007 and updates to Reporting Services and Analysis Services for seamless Business Intelligence (BI) functionality. Mainstream support for SQL Server 2000 will end on April 8, 2008 (only a few months away), making it even more crucial to upgrade to SQL Server 2005.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn without leaving your desk. Register today!

Date: Thursday, December 13, 2007
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 PM

Who should attend:
All technical decision-makers and data architects who are contemplating their SQL Server 2005 upgrade or considering server consolidation.

Attendees will be able to identify:

• The top key adoption drivers for SQL Server 2005
• Upgrade/migration best practices
• Key implementation benefits

To Register:
http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032360555

The purpose of this post is to announce publicly two upcoming releases of management tools for Windows, Group Policy Preferences and the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows Vista. 

Group Policy Preferences (Q&A)
As you may know Microsoft acquired DesktopStandard last year and, along with some fantastic people, we obtained GPOVault and the PolicyMaker family.  GPOVault has been updated and released as part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance (MDOP) as Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM).  Today we can announce that Group Policy Preferences, formerly known as  PolicyMaker Standard Edition and Policy Share Manager, will be available to Microsoft customers in two ways:

1. Integrated into the Group Policy management tools in Windows Server 2008
2. Integrated into the forthcoming Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows Vista, which will be available as a separate download in the Windows Server 2008 timeframe and will work in a Windows Server 2003 environment.  More information on RSAT is below.

The Client-Side Extensions for GP Preferences are included in Windows Server 2008, and downlevel versions will be available as a separate download for:

1. Windows XP Service Pack 2 and above
2. Windows Vista RTM and above
3. Windows Server 2003 SP1 and above

Group Policy Preferences provides three major benefits in increasing the manageability of Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008:

1. Further reduces the TCO of your Windows PCs by extending the reach of Group Policy manageability

Windows Settings

• Applications: Extensible for ISVs to create simple Group Policy settings for their applications.  (Extensions for Microsoft Office, originally part of Policymaker, are being updated and will be made available via a separate download to be announced later.)
• Drive Maps: Create, modify, or delete mapped drives, and configure the visibility of all drives.
• Environment: Create, modify, or delete environment variables.
• Files: Copy, modify the attributes of, replace, or delete files.
• Folders: Create, modify, or delete folders.
• Ini Files: Add, replace, or delete sections or properties in configuration settings (.ini) or setup information (.inf) files.
• Network Shares: Create, modify, or delete ("un-share") shares.
• Registry: Copy registry settings and apply them to other computers. Create, replace, or delete registry settings.
• Shortcuts: Create, modify, or delete shortcuts.

Control Panel Settings

• Data Sources: Create, modify, or delete Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data source names.
• Devices: Enable or disable hardware devices or classes of devices.
• Folder Options: Configure folder options; create, modify, or delete Open With associations for file name extensions; create, modify, or delete file name extensions associated with a type of files.
• Internet Settings: Modify user-configurable Internet settings.
• Local Users and Groups: Create, modify, or delete local users and groups.
• Network Options: Create, modify, or delete virtual private networking (VPN) or dial-up networking (DUN) connections.
• Power Options: Modify power options and create, modify, or delete power schemes.
• Printers: Create, modify, or delete TCP/IP, shared, and local printer connections.
• Regional Options: Modify regional options.
• Scheduled Tasks: Create, modify, or delete scheduled or immediate tasks.
• Services: Modify services.
• Start Menu: Modify Start menu options.

Flexibility with how preferences get applied – administrator can initially set the preference and allow the end user to change the setting

Reduce images by providing richer configuration within an image

2. Provides simpler configuration via common user interfaces and reduce the need to create complex configuration scripts

3. Item-level targeting gives the IT Pro more precise control over the application of preferences

Together with the additional Group Policy management features available in Windows Server 2008, Starter GPOs and search/comment capabilities within the Group Policy Management Console, customers will have a greatly enhanced platform to manage their desktops and servers.  This is a very exciting time for Group Policy!

Customers can continue to purchase PolicyMaker Standard Edition and Policy Share Manager from the Desktop Standard subsidiary through January 31, 2008.  We will not be proactively selling these tools but are continuing to make them available within this timeframe to address customers’ needs of extending the manageability of Windows 2000 and Windows XP below Service Pack 2.  These products will not be available after January 31, 2008. 

--------------------------------

Remote Server Administration Tools (Q&A)
The Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) is the collection of Windows Server management tools which will be available as a separate download to enable IT Professionals to manage their Windows Server infrastructure from their PCs running Windows Vista with Service Pack 1.  RSAT will be released in the Windows Server 2008 timeframe, and will have a public beta within the next month.  Your customers will be able to register for the beta at http://connect.microsoft.com at that time as well.   

All tools within RSAT will support the management of Windows Server 2008 servers; some of these tools will also support Windows Server 2003 servers, and thus can be considered a replacement for ADMINPAK.MSI. More information on the specific toolset will be made available later in the beta.

RSAT will be available to all customers as part of a supplemental EULA to Windows Vista licenses. 

GP Preferences Questions and Answers
Q.     What are Group Policy Preferences?
A.      Group Policy preferences provide more than 20 Group Policy extensions that expand the range of configurable settings within a Group Policy Object.  These extensions, formerly known as the DesktopStandard PolicyMaker Family, provides greater manageability of the Windows platform by bringing even greater granularity and control to the IT Pro.

Q.     How do I configure Group Policy Preferences?
A.      Group Policy Preferences appear along with typical Group Policy settings in the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) in the Preferences folder of the Group Policy editor.

Q.     What is the difference between Group Policy settings and preferences?
A.      The main difference between Group Policy settings and preferences is that preferences are not enforced. This means that the end user can change any preference that is applied through Group Policy while Group Policy settings are locked down so the end user cannot change them.

Q.     Why aren’t all settings manageable as preferences?
A.      Group Policy preferences are intended to supplement Group Policy settings, Items that cannot be configured through or have limitations when they were configured through Group Policy settings are configured though preferences.

Q.     Do Group Policy Preferences apply to Local Group Policy Objects (LGPOs)?
A.      No.  Group Policy Preferences only apply to domain-based Group Policy Objects.

Q.     What versions of Windows can be managed via Group Policy Preferences?
A.     Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista RTM and Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, and Windows Server 2008 can all be managed via Group Policy Preferences. 

Q.     How can I get these new Group Policy Preferences?
A.      Group Policy Preferences will ship as part of the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) in Windows Server 2008.  An updated GPMC will be provided as a separate download to run on Windows Vista with Service Pack 1. 

Q.     Do I need to upgrade my domain to Windows Server 2008 to have this functionality?
A.      No.  Group Policy Preferences will work in a Windows Server 2003 environment, by being managed via either Windows Server 2008 or the GPMC update for Windows Vista with Service Pack 1.

Q.     There seems to be a few areas of overlap with existing Group Policy settings, like Power Management, Internet Explorer, and Printers.  How is this overlap handled?
A.      In some cases, the same setting can be configured through a Group Policy setting as well as a preference. If both settings are configured and applied to the same object the Group Policy setting value will always apply. This is because Group Policy settings have a higher priority than  preferences.

Q.     Will I need to install something on the client to enable Group Policy Preferences?
A.      Yes, there are a set of client-side extensions (CSEs) which will be released as a separate download for Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2003.

Q.     Do I need to obtain an additional license to use Group Policy Preferences?
A.      Group Policy Preferences ships as a feature of Windows Server 2008 and as a separate download for Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows Vista .  No additional licenses beyond the normal Windows Server license and Windows Client Access Licenses are required.

Q.    Will Microsoft continue to sell all of DesktopStandard products?
A.    The answer to this question depends on the product and is as follows:

• The former GPOVault Enterprise offering from DesktopStandard has been replaced by the new, Windows Vista compatible, Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management.  AGPM, released July 1, 2007, is included as part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance. For more information on GPOVault and Microsoft’s Advanced Group Policy Management offering in the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack please go here.
• PolicyMaker™ Standard Edition, PolicyMaker™ Share Manager and Registry Extension continue to be available directly from DesktopStandard through January 31, 2008. (These offerings are NOT part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.)  These DesktopStandard offerings continue to deliver great value to new and existing customers who need the added functionality immediately, or for Windows 2000 PCs.  Customers should be advised that they will not receive a credit for any PolicyMaker licenses purchased between now and Windows Server 2008.
• ProfileMaker is no longer available for sale to new customers.
• PolicyMaker™ Software Update is no longer be available for purchase. Customers who need the functionality provided by this product should explore Windows Server Update Services as an alternative. For existing PolicyMaker™ Software Update customers, Microsoft will continue to provide patch information until April 1, 2007 and support customers according to the terms and conditions of existing DesktopStandard call support agreements.
• Microsoft did not acquire the PolicyMaker™ Application Security business. PolicyMaker™ Application Security will be exclusively available from BeyondTrust Corporation, formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of DesktopStandard. BeyondTrust is focused on enterprise security products that eliminate the need for security administrators to place trust in computers or users. BeyondTrust will continue to develop, sell and support PolicyMaker Application Security under the product name, BeyondTrust™ Privilege Manager.

RSAT Questions and Answers
Q.     What RSAT?
A.      Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) is the collection of Windows Server management tools made available as a separate download so IT Professionals can manage their Windows servers from their desktop PC running Windows Vista with Service Pack 1.

Q.     When will RSAT be available?
A.     RSAT will enter public beta in November, 2007.  Target Release to Web (RTW) is in the Windows Server 2008 timeframe.

Q.    Why is Microsoft making these tools available?
A.    Many IT Professionals manage their servers from their own desktops.  RSAT enables IT Professionals to use the updated Windows Server 2008 management tools to manage their servers remotely from their own PCs.

Q.    Which operating systems will RSAT manage?
A.    All RSAT tools will manage Windows Server 2008 servers.  Many RSAT tools will also manage servers running Windows Server 2003.  More information on which tools support Windows Server 2003 will be made available at beta time.

Q.   How can my customer obtain the beta of RSAT?
A.    The RSAT beta will be an open, public beta.  Customers wishing to test RSAT will be able to register at http://connect.microsoft.com once the beta announcement is made.

Q.   Is RSAT the next version of ADMINPAK.MSI?
A.   Yes.  As ADMINPAK.MSI provides IT Professionals the ability to remotely manage their Windows Server 2003 servers, RSAT provides updated functionality for Windows Server management from PCs running Windows Vista with Service Pack 1.

Q.   Will RSAT run on the gold (RTM) version of Windows Vista?
A.   No.  RSAT will require Windows Vista with Service Pack 1.

Many of you have anxiously waited for this day. The SQL Server Connect Team in conjunction with the SQL Server Product Team are proud to announce the release of the November CTP of SQL Server 2008 Katmai.

We know, we know. Where are the bits? Here is a direct link to the download on the Download Center. Yes, we have installers and media ISOs available. Along with x86, x64, and IA64 releases, we are also happy to present an Express version!

To allow for more visibility to the masses of this major release, we have hosted our builds on the Download Center. Don't fret. The SQL Server Connect site will still be your primary source of resources, knowledge, and information about SQL Server 2008 Katmai. We plan to make it a very happy holidays for you. After you have downloaded the November CTP builds, come back to the SQL Server CTP site to see what new features and improvements make up the November CTP.

After the Thanksgiving holidays, we will also resume our Live Meeting Improvement series with our improvement teams. If you missed the prior Live Meetings, go to the Connect Downloads area and download the recordings to listen to while you are recovering from turkey overload.

Last and most important, we at the SQL Server Team want to wish you a very happy holidays with your loved ones. We appreciate all the feedback you have given us to help us make SQL Server 2008 Katmai the best product around.

The December 2007 edition of TechNet Magazine will be dedicated to Exchange Server 2007 SP1.  This edition will cover the following topics thanks to the hard work and contributions of several Exchange Team members:

• Exchange 2007 SP1 Overview – Tony Smith
• Exchange 2007 SP1 + Windows Server 2008 – Paul Bowden
• Standby Continuous Replication – Scott Schnoll
• Unified Messaging Deployment Planning – Jeff Goodwin (UM Specialist, The VIA Group)

In addition to a dedicated magazine, we are also bundling a 30” x 20.5” poster which highlights the architecture and feature set of Exchange 2007 SP1.  You can download a PDF of this poster by going to Poster: Exchange Server 2007 Component Architecture.  We plan to have copies of both the magazine and the poster.

For those of you that have seen those Apple commercials touting the whole “iPhone Visual VoiceMail” scenario:

1. IT’S JUST AUDIO/.WAV-LIKE FILES
   There’s no magic behind this technology, folks.  Visual VoiceMail on the iPhone is just a bunch of audio files delivered to the iPhone over the carrier’s cellular data connection into a separate database of “voice mails”.  A simple voicemail client user interface provides the ability to scroll through these voicemail recordings, see information about each, play them back, and delete them just as you would with email.
2. SIMILAR TO ENTERPRISE UNIFIED MESSAGING
   This is like the Unified Messaging experience you get through Avaya or Nortel where people receive their voice mails through Outlook.  In fact, any person that has Microsoft Exchange-integrated Unified Messaging and synchronizes attachments between their Windows Mobile phone and their Exchange Inbox AND has a player that is capable of playing the audio codec used by their telephony vendor, could listen to their own voice mails directly from their Windows Mobile’s Pocket Outlook inbox.

People with Unified Messaging systems have been able to do this for a while now.  The problem has been that Windows Mobile has required that people listen to their voicemails from their Pocket Outlook Inbox and hasn’t had a “pretty voicemail user interface” to provide a similar experience to what you see in the Apple commercial unless the Unified Messaging vendor provided it for them on Windows Mobile.   

Until now.  Introducing mVisualVoiceMail for Pocket PC and Smartphone.
http://www.motionapps.com/mvisualvoicemail/_otherppc.jsp

Compatible with Avaya, Cisco, and Nortel Unified Messaging environments.  So if you want the same iPhone Visual VoiceMail experience like they see on the commercials and your company supports Unified Messaging… try this tool out.

We are pleased to announce details of how you can order Microsoft^® RoundTable™ devices.

Starting on September 1, 2007, if you are a customer in a RoundTable launch country, you will be able to order RoundTable devices through your Microsoft account team contact(s). Shortly thereafter, you will be able to order through a limited set of resellers (the target timeframe for this is mid-September). This document contains details of the ordering process for RoundTable.

What to know before you place your RoundTable order:
Cost:
Each RoundTable device will have a unit cost of US$3,000, or, if you are in a launch country outside the United States, the equivalent amount in your local currency.

Countries of availability:
RoundTable will initially be available in the following 10 launch countries:

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. France
4. Germany
5. Italy
6. Japan
7. Netherlands
8. Spain
9. United Kingdom
10. United States

How  to place your RoundTable order:
To order RoundTable devices, fill out this order form and e-mail it to your Microsoft account team contact(s) with a request that they place a RoundTable order on your behalf.

• http://www.evilkoala.org/Documents/RoundtableCustomerOrderForm.doc
  (AUTHOR'S NOTE:  This is a form download from my own personal web server.  In case you're wondering, 'Evil Koala' is a nickname for "Stitch" my favorite character from the Walt Disney movie 'Lilo & Stitch'.)

Shortly after you place your order, Microsoft will send you an e-mail quote with the total amount for the order, as well as an electronic copy of the Terms and Conditions for the sale. You will need to sign the Terms and Conditions, either electronically or via fax, for us to complete your order. We may also contact you to ask for a PO number for your order for internal accounting purposes.

Once you place your order, your RoundTable devices will ship via DHL to the address you specify on your order form. You can expect your devices to take up to 4 weeks to arrive.*

We will also send you an invoice for the order that will be payable via electronic funds or wire transfer. If you have any questions, please see the attached FAQ on ordering RoundTable.

Thank you for your interest in RoundTable.

*Note: Delivery times are subject to change based on the availability of RoundTable devices. See the FAQ for more information.

--------------------------

Customer FAQ

Q. When can I order RoundTable?
A. You can order RoundTable devices starting on September 1.

Q. Is there a maximum quantity of RoundTables I can order?
A. Because RoundTable is a new device, Microsoft’s manufacturing capacity for RoundTable is limited. While there is no maximum quantity of RoundTables you can order, please note that we may not be able to completely fulfill RoundTable orders that are exceptionally large if the quantity of devices we have in inventory is insufficient to do so. If this is the case, we will promptly let you know, and we will also let you know what part of your order we can fulfill.

Q. How do I place a RoundTable order?

A. You will need to fill out the attached order form with the details of your order and e-mail it to your Microsoft account team contact, who will then place the order on your behalf. Microsoft will process your order and ship the RoundTables directly to the address you specified in the order form.

In addition, you will soon be able to order RoundTable through a limited set of resellers that we are working to enable in each RoundTable launch country (target timeframe: mid-September).

Q. Are there restrictions on the countries to which you can ship RoundTable?
A. Yes. Because RoundTable is an electronics device that connects to the public telephone network, it must be certified for use in a country before we can ship devices to that country. Currently, RoundTable is certified for use in the following 10 countries:

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. France
4. Germany
5. Italy
6. Japan
7. Netherlands
8. Spain
9. United Kingdom
10. United States

Unfortunately, due to regulatory and other restrictions, we cannot ship RoundTables to any countries besides the ones above.

Q. How much will RoundTable cost?
A. We are offering RoundTable at a fixed price of US$3,000 per unit. If you are located in a launch country outside the United States, the unit price is the equivalent of US$3,000 in your local currency.

Q. Does the US$3,000 unit price include shipping or taxes?
A. Yes, it includes both shipping and applicable taxes.

Q. Will any Volume Licensing or other discounts apply to volume orders of RoundTable?
A. Because RoundTable is a hardware product for which our initial manufacturing capacity is limited, the economies of scale that we are able to pass on to customers who place volume orders for Microsoft software unfortunately don’t apply to RoundTable. As a result, RoundTable will not be part of any Microsoft Volume Licensing programs.

Q. What happens after I place my order?
A. After you place your order, we will send you an e-mail quote for the total cost of your order, including shipping and taxes, within 48 hours. This e-mail will include the Terms and Conditions for the transaction. You will need to electronically sign these Terms and Conditions before we can process your order.

We will then send you a standard Microsoft invoice payable via electronic funds or wire transfer. This invoice will include detailed payment instructions.

Q. What if my company doesn’t support electronic signatures?
A. We prefer that you electronically sign the Terms and Conditions, but you can also print out the Terms and Conditions, sign the printed document and fax it back to us at +1 (425) 936-7329, attention: RTOrders.

Q. After I place my order, receive the e-mail quote, and sign the Terms and Conditions, how long will I need to wait for my RoundTable order to arrive?
A. We will ship your RoundTables via DHL to the shipping address you specify in your order form. Your RoundTables will take up to four weeks to arrive after you place your order.

Q. Is it possible that RoundTables will stock out because there is not enough inventory to meet demand?
A. As with all hardware devices, it is possible that we will not have sufficient RoundTable inventory and manufacturing capacity to meet demand, and a stockout situation may arise. In this event, we will immediately start investigating options for expanding manufacturing capacity, and the lead times required for this will add several weeks to the time-to-delivery for your order. To reduce the chances of a stockout situation affecting your RoundTable order, we recommend that if you are interested in ordering RoundTable, you place your order promptly.

Q. What process will you use to fulfill the RoundTable orders you receive? Will certain countries receive more RoundTables than others?
A. RoundTable orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis worldwide, with no allocations or quotas per country.

Q. How can I check the status of my order?
A. Please let your field account contact know if you would like an update on the status of your order. Again, expect up to four weeks after you place your order for your RoundTables to arrive.

Q. Once I’ve received my RoundTables, how can I obtain support for devices that don’t work correctly or were damaged in transit?
A. You will be able to obtain support for RoundTable through the standard Microsoft Product Support channel. The support information for your country will be included in your order. This channel will handle not just RoundTable technical support questions but also returns, should your RoundTable be defective and we need to ship you a replacement. If this is required, we will give you instructions on how to return your RoundTable and receive a replacement.

All RoundTables include a 1-year warranty, and the cost of support issues that arise during the warranty period, as well as the shipping costs for replacement RoundTables, will be covered by Microsoft.

Q. I understand that Microsoft cannot ship RoundTable devices outside the 10 launch countries. Once I receive the devices, can I ship them myself to my company’s offices outside the launch countries?
A. There may be legal considerations in using RoundTable outside the 10 launch countries. We suggest checking with your company’s legal team beforehand. Also, note that sending RoundTable devices outside the launch countries will void your product warranty.

Q. Will the RoundTables I order include external dialpads or microphones?
A. Yes, each RoundTable will ship with one external dialpad and two external satellite microphones.

Q. What if I have additional technical questions on RoundTable?
A. Please see the attached datasheet for additional technical details, including system requirements, certifications, and package contents.

Q. What if I have additional questions on RoundTable or the ordering process?
A. Please ask your Microsoft account team contact if you have any additional questions.

Come join us at the Microsoft Management Summit 2008 (MMS 2008) and learn about the latest releases of IT management solutions from Microsoft.

On-line registration for MMS 2008 is now open, and can be accessed from the event web site at www.mms-2008.com.  This site also provides an overview of the event, the overall event schedule and information about the available hotel accommodation.

Event Overview

In the past year Microsoft has released a range of new management products and technologies, including seven new System Center suite releases alone.  MMS 2008 provides the best way to learn how to apply these solutions in your organization, fueling productivity and building growth.

With sessions by technical experts, opportunities to try out new products and meetings to discuss them with leading Industry experts and peers, MMS 2008 remains the premiere technical event of the year for IT professionals and the IT community.

Event Theme

The theme of this year’s Microsoft Management Summit is Integrate IT, reflecting the increasingly complex world of IT Management and the key role integration has to play in reducing complexity while maximizing flexibility, availability and performance.  Sessions from Microsoft speakers and industry experts during MMS 2008 will focus on how the latest wave of management solutions support:

• Integration with your business objectives
• Integration across your IT disciplines
• Integration between your management products and technologies
• Integration across platforms and vendor boundaries

Event Agenda

MMS 2008 will offer more deep technical breakout sessions than ever before, covering a broad range of Management topics and technologies. Daily Q&A slots also allow attendees to meet the presenters and discuss specific session content informally in a 1:1 format. In addition, the event will provide over 9,000 Hands-On Lab places during the week, including more Instructor-led Labs than in previous years and a “walk-in” self-paced lab area.  All of Microsoft’s Management solutions, together with those provided by Partners, will be on show at the MMS 2008 Expo where you’ll have the opportunity to review the solutions and discuss your specific requirements with company experts.

Attending MMS 2008 will enable you to harness the power of System Center by Integrating IT with your business goals.  Visit the conference web site at www.mms-2008.com for more details of the overall agenda and registration information.

Event Content

Recent Microsoft product releases which will be covered in detail during MMS 2008 include:

• System Center Operations Manager 2007
• System Center Configuration Manager 2007
• System Center Data Protection Manager 2007
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007
• System Center Essentials 2007
• System Center Remote Operations Manager 2007
• System Center Capacity Planner 2007
• Desktop Optimization Pack for SA
• Windows Server Update Services 3.0

In addition during the event there will be early looks at some releases due to ship during the coming year, including:

• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1
• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
• System Center Operations Manager 2007 SP1
• System Center Mobile Device Manager

MMS 2008 is the ideal opportunity to come listen to the product teams describe these new releases, try out the new products and discuss real-world deployment experiences with leading industry experts and your peers within the IT industry.

Content Survey

If you’d like to help in the content selection process for MMS 2008, we invite you to complete the MMS 2008 Content Survey. By taking a few minutes to tell us about your experience and information needs, you’ll help ensure the topics and labs presented at the event are relevant to you and your organization. The survey can be accessed here and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.  When the survey closes we will draw four entries from amongst the responses and will send a Portable Media Player to those respondents.

Registration

This year the summit will be returning to The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Two different registration options are available for MMS 2008 attendees - you may either purchase your MMS 2008 registration and hotel accommodation separately, or as a package.

If you choose to register using the “Package” option, your registration fee includes accommodation for the nights of April 28^th – May 1^st 2008 at the Venetian Hotel. This is adjacent to the event venue, a short walk from the Conference venue.  Alternatively you may choose to purchase accommodation separately from your registration or during the registration process.  The MMS 2008 Event Team has negotiated a special rate at the Venetian Hotel, available only through the registration web site. Details of the accommodation on offer are provided at the MMS 2008 web site.