Month: February 2010

Secunia Corporate Software Inspector (CSI) 4.0 BETA

– integrated with Microsoft WSUS for 3rd Party Patch Management

Using WSUS for automatic patching of 3rd party programs

Secunia is currently conducting public beta testing of the new patch management capabilities.

The goal with the Microsoft WSUS implementation has been to utilize the data collected by the Secunia CSI to automatically repackage 3rd party patches and updates. Currently we support fully automatic repackaging for more than 50% of the updates, more will be added as we get feedback from customers about their needs.

Patch Management

Secunia CSI now integrates with Microsoft WSUS, for easy deployment of 3rd party updates. Installing updates is simple and straightforward with the automatic repackaging feature and distribution approval via the CSI.
Patching of vulnerable software, in particular 3rd party software, which is not supported by Microsoft WSUS, has been a cumbersome and resource demanding process, causing many not to patch or only patch very few non-Microsoft programs.
With the seamless Microsoft WSUS and Secunia CSI integration, the patching process has been simplified and can literally be conducted with a few simple clicks:

• Inspect software on PCs
• Select insecure software to patch
• Approve automatic patch repackaging for Microsoft WSUS
• Approve distribution via Microsoft WSUS

Patch Management has never been easier and more straightforward than with the Microsoft WSUS and the Secunia CSI integration.
Existing patch management solutions require that customers use complicated tools for repackaging patches. However, due the information gathered by the Secunia Software Inspector technology, it is possible for the Secunia CSI to automatically repackage a majority of the patches.

Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6

The Infrastructure Planning and Design team has released an updated guide: Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6.

This IPD guide, updated for App-V 4.6, provides actionable guidance for planning your application virtualization infrastructure. With App-V, your organization can respond to the complex challenge of managing applications. This guide simplifies your App-V planning process; updates now include support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, including such features as BranchCache; support for 64-bit clients; and server-sizing data.

Strategically planning your infrastructure can help you avoid problems before they begin, allowing you to serve your customers more accurately and reliably, as well as saving you time and money.

Infrastructure Planning and Design series guides streamline the planning process by:

• Defining the technical decision flow through the planning process.
• Listing the decisions to be made and the commonly available options and considerations.

· Relating the decisions and options to the business in terms of cost, complexity, and other characteristics.

You can download it  Here.

 

AD LDS is a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory service that provides flexible support for directory-enabled applications, without the dependencies that are required for Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). AD LDS provides much of the same functionality as AD DS, but it does not require the deployment of domains or domain controllers. In environments where AD DS exists, AD LDS can use AD DS for the authentication of Windows security principals. You can run multiple instances of AD LDS concurrently on a single computer, and have an independently managed schema for each AD LDS instance.

Installing AD LDS

1. Download AD LDS for Windows 7.
2. Run the downloaded AD LDS file to install the AD LDS binaries.
3. Refer to the following instructions for installing AD LDS instances:
   1. Create a new AD LDS instance: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=177373
   2. Create a replica AD LDS instance: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=177371
   3. Perform an unattended install of an AD LDS instance: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=177375

Get AD LDS  Here

The Outlook Social Connector  allows you to synchronize your contact data right into Outlook and obtain information about your friends and colleagues. See status updates from various networks and recently posted files.
Easily track your communication history. Use the Outlook Social Connector to display a quick view of related Outlook content when you click on an email from a contact, such as recent e-mail conversations, meetings, and shared attachments.
Developers can connect and feed social streams from line-of-business applications or integrate their solutions directly into Outlook.

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7; Windows Vista; Windows XP

• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows 7

This download works with the following Office programs:

• Microsoft Outlook 2010 Beta 32-bit (build 14.0.4514.1009)
• Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
• Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

Get the Beta Here

 

 

I have been teaching the Understanding and Administering Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008 course and have created this resource for you.

Here is a group of links that can help you with Microsoft HPC Product.

Microsoft Windows HPC Server:

http://www.microsoft.com/hpc

http://resourcekit.windowshpc.net/

Download the 180-day trial and see how you can harness the power of supercomputing here

Microsoft Technet :

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/hpc/default.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc514029.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/hpc/cc511255.aspx

Community Forums and blogs:

http://windowshpc.net/

http://archives.windowshpc.net/

http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowshpcitpros/threads

http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/windowshpc

http://blogs.technet.com/windowshpc/

http://blogs.msdn.com/hpctrekker/

Whitepapers:

"Windows HPC Server 2008 Head Node Performance Tuning" is here

"Windows HPC Server 2008 System Management Overview" is here

————————————–

The test HPC Exam 70-690 will ask questions about Power Shell, if you are new to Power Shell, I found some good tutorial exercises at this link:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/7/1/47104ec6-410d-4492-890b-2a34900c9df2/Workshops-EN.zip

The HPC specific cmdlets are documented here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc947676(WS.10).aspx

The CLI commands are documented here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc972841(WS.10).aspx

In fact, it would be a good idea to make sure you study all of the Technical Reference and Troubleshooting sections from the TechNet Library.

It would be helpful to review this article as well:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772590(WS.10).aspx

—————-

Some of the IB device drivers that have the Certified for Windows Server 2008 logo that are available are:

• Mellanox Technologies, WinOF device drivers (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=139691)
• Chelsio Communications, Windows iWARP device drivers (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=139692)

You can also download the latest device drivers that are published by the OpenFabrics Alliance (OFA), which work with most commercially available HCA cards. For more information and to download the latest device drivers that are published by the OFA, see The OpenFabrics Alliance (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=137347).

http://www.mellanox.com/content/pages.php?pg=windows_hpc

——————

HPC Server Activation Filter that Checks for License Availability is here.

 

If you received a call last week from the 809 area code….

The woman said ‘Hey, this is Karen . Sorry I missed you–get back to us quickly. I have something important to tell you.’ Then she repeated a phone number beginning with 809  or 284, 878

They  also get you to call by telling you that it is information about a family member who has been ill or to tell you someone has been arrested, died, or to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc..

DO not Respond !

In each case, you are told to call the 809 number right away.  Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls.
If you call from the U.S. . , you will apparently be charged $2425 per-minute.
Or, you’ll get a long recorded message. The point is, they will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges.  WHY IT WORKS:

The

809 area code is located in the Dominican Republic ..

The charges afterward can become a real nightmare. That’s because you did actually make the call.  If you complain, both your local phone company and your long distance carrier will not want to get involved and will most likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign company. You’ll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done nothing wrong.

Please forward this entire message to your friends, family and colleagues to help them become aware of this scam.

AT&T link for more information is Here

Group polices (GPs) are the easy way to configure and manage window computers. The user of GPs can do amazing things once you user stand the basics of this technology. You can same time and automate lots of things, for example control desktops, install, patch and remove software. But there more you now use power shell to expand the power. all cmdlets use the *-gp*.

You can use Windows Server 2008 Group Policy to manage configurations for groups of computers and users, including options for registry-based policy settings, security settings, software deployment, scripts, folder redirection, and preferences. Group Policy preferences, new in Windows Server 2008, are more than 20 Group Policy extensions that expand the range of configurable policy settings within a Group Policy object (GPO). In contrast to Group Policy settings, preferences are not enforced. Users can change preferences after initial deployment. For information about Group Policy Preferences, see Group Policy Preferences Overview.

Using Group Policy, you can significantly reduce an organization’s total cost of ownership. Various factors, such as the large number of policy settings available, the interaction between multiple policies, and inheritance options, can make Group Policy design complex. By carefully planning, designing, testing, and deploying a solution based on your organization’s business requirements, you can provide the standardized functionality, security, and management control that your organization needs. To learn more about using and deploying Group Policy Planning go here

To go to the Group policy blog go here

Sign up for an IE6 to IE8 Migration Webcast Today

You are probably excited about the new Windows 7 operating system, and the Windows Internet Explorer 8 Web browser comes as part of the package. You may have seen the demos of new features and tools that are available, but you are still using Internet Explorer 6. The demos are sometimes simplified, with pages with a single issue conveniently fixed using a click of a button. But it is definitely not that easy. You could have thousands of apps, many of them packaged, or you could be prevented from accessing the code because it is part of a product you bought.  

Attend this demonstration-heavy webcast, have your questions answered by the experts and learn what IT professionals do in real-world scenarios to configure, manage, deploy, and ensure the compatibility of their Web applications with Internet Explorer 8.

Title:     Migrating from Internet Explorer 6 to Internet Explorer 8
Language(s):     English.
Product(s):     Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Audience(s):     IT Generalist.
Duration:     60 Minutes

Event Overview:
Speaker: Chris Jackson, Principal Consultant and the Technical Lead of the Windows Application Experience SWAT Team, Microsoft Corporation.  Chris Jackson is a widely recognized expert in the field of Windows Application Compatibility, creating the technical documentation, training, and service offerings used inside and outside of Microsoft based on years of real-world experience with enterprise customers and independent software vendors.

Schedule of Webcasts:

Tues, Feb 16       10 am PST

Fri, Feb 19           3pm PST

Mon, Feb 22       1 pm PST

Tues, Feb 23       8 am PST

Wed, Feb 24       6 pm PST

Thurs, Feb 25     10 am PST

Fri, Feb 26           12 pm (noon) PST

Mon, Mar 1        11 am PST

Tues, Mar 2        7 pm PST

Wed, Mar 3        4 pm PST

Thurs, Mar 4       8 pm PST

Fri, Mar 5             2 pm PST

Sun, Mar 7          10 pm PST

Tues, Mar 9        6 am PST

Thurs, Mar 11    7 am PST

Sun, Mar 14        9 pm PST

Tues, Mar 16      9 am PST

Thurs, Mar 18    12 pm (noon) PST

Mon, Mar 22      1 pm PST

Tues, Mar 23      5 pm PST

Click this link to sign up for a webcast that best fits you schedule. Each session will include a 45-minute pre-recorded session, with live chat Q&A with an IE expert during the session, and 15 minutes of phone Q&A at the end.

 

Here a goodie I found that may be of interest to you.

Microsoft WebsiteSpark offers professional Web developers and designers visibility, support and software, all in one place. WebsiteSpark provides new business opportunities through connections with global partners and customers, support and training, and software tools—at no upfront cost. Through WebsiteSpark, you’ll have access to:

• Business opportunities: Connect with partners through the WebsiteSpark Marketplace and other Microsoft networks.
• Support and training: Connect to an ecosystem of professional support on a wide range of technical and business resources from Microsoft, WebsiteSpark partners, hosting partners and developers.
• Software and solutions: Access to Microsoft development tools and Web server production licenses at no upfront cost.

To learn more go here

The HPC Debugger is an add-in for Visual Studio 2008 that helps launch remote debugging sessions for MPI or SOA applications running on a Microsoft HPC cluster.

The first feature integrates the ‘F5’ experience of launching the Visual Studio 2008 MPI Cluster Debugger for C++ MPI applications and your Windows HPC Server 2008 environment, for a better and more integrated debugging experience. A new tool window where you can specify the nodes that the debugging session will use is included. A project template for C/C++ MPI programs is also included.
The second feature enables a similar ‘F5’ experience for Cluster-SOA applications for debugging on the cluster. Three different debugging styles are enabled: (i) debugging all of the services simultaneously, (ii) debugging all requests made to a service on a specified machine, and (iii) debugging specific requests.
For both features, once your break points are set and the debugger settings are specified you only have to press ‘F5’ to launch the debugger. Pressing ‘F5’ deploys your application binaries and the remote debugger, and submits a job to the scheduler. When the job is scheduled the MPI or Cluster-SOA service processes start under the control of the remote debugger.

 

Get it Here