Vol. 17, #1 - January 2, 2012 - Issue #860

Managing Change

 

 

Editor's Corner

Managing Change

My name is Mitch Tulloch and as I'll be taking over the editorial role of this newsletter I thought it might be a good idea if I started by introducing myself. I'm a Microsoft MVP and author of two dozen books and hundreds of articles on WindowsNetworking.com and other IT pro sites on subjects like Windows administration, deployment and virtualization. For example, if you happen to have a copy of the Windows 7 Resource Kit laying around then you probably already know me as the lead author for that Microsoft Press title. Lots more info about me can be found on my website and you can follow me on Twitter if you want to keep abreast of my various IT writing activities.

While the majority of my current business activities center on developing technical content for IT pros, it hasn't always been that way. That's because one thing both you and I are very familiar with as IT pros is change. And not just grappling with constant technological changes, but struggling with frequent career shifts as well. For example, during my own IT career I've shifted from being a webmaster to a LAN admin to a Microsoft Certified Trainer to writing books to managing online communities to developing courseware to you probably get the picture. I'm not trying to boast--I simply want to emphasize that constant change is a fact of life for IT pros like us. Now I'm not sure about you, but I don't really like change. Yet I don't hate it either, and I've learned to manage it as you probably have too--otherwise we wouldn't still be in this profession!

That's why I'm excited to be taking over the editorial reins of this newsletter. Change can be difficult, and my hope is that the news, tips and other suggestions we've been providing you with in this newsletter will continue to help you manage the changing landscape of Windows Server technologies, practices and solutions. With that in mind, over the next few months we'll be gradually introducing a few changes to this newsletter with the aim of making it even more useful for IT pros who work primarily with Windows Server platforms and technologies. And if you have any suggestions on topics you'd like to see covered in this newsletter, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

Tip of the Week

If you need to install a kiosk computer in your premises or in some public location, you probably don't want users to be able to press CTRL+ALT+DEL and log themselves off. While the usual (but often expensive) solution is to get a keyboard specially designed for kiosk operation, there are some software alternatives you should check out. One that's been recommended to me by some colleagues is Elbacom's Keyboard Filter Driver for Windows Embedded Standard 7. I've been told that it also works on Windows 7 Professional and Enterprise though not officially supported on those platforms. 

Download the driver: 
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325060809031

Recommended for Learning

Constant change in the IT profession also means constant learning, so one of the things I plan on including in each issue of this newsletter is a brief review of a book or other learning resource that can help you learn what you need to know in order to implement and manage Windows Server solutions effectively. To kick things off, here's a book I strongly recommend plus a terrific online resource you should be sure to check out.

Windows Server 2008 Inside Out is the bible for Windows Server admins and it's an excellent reference that I've often used myself to look up procedures or troubleshoot problems. William Stanek is a well-known author who has written over a hundred books, and his Microsoft Press titles are known for their accuracy and completeness.  
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325060924578

Microsoft Virtual Academy is a great place to get a high-level understanding of the latest Microsoft technologies especially when it comes to virtualization and cloud computing. Courses are free and consist of short videos followed by self-assessment tests.  Windows Live registration is the only requirement.  
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325060956312

Send Feedback

Finally, I'd love to hear your feedback about anything in this newsletter.  And if you have any products to recommend or tips you'd like to suggest, I'll be happy to consider sharing them with our readers.  Just email me at [email protected]. 
And be sure to forward this newsletter to a friend or colleague who hasn't seen it. They can subscribe here:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061006046 

Have a great week!

Cheers,
Mitch Tulloch

 

Admin Toolbox

Admin Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without

Top 10 free tools for IT PROs. Audit changes in Active Directory, file servers, VMware; manage passwords; track inactive user accounts; monitor disc space usage; etc.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325513730048

With Centrify's detailed recordings of privileged user sessions, you've got a better way of knowing whether suspicious activity on Windows Servers is a result of unintentional actions or a malicious insider. View Demo: 
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325513807947

Need a really good tool for Cat6 jack termination? Black Box has quality tools and my own experience is they also provide very good support. 
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061267312

Cheap 2-port KVMs won't work if you have a hi-res (2560 x 1600) monitor. You'll need one that supports DVI. Several of my colleagues have recommended IOGear.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061290031 

Pre-release versions of several System Center 2012 products are now available from the TechNet Evaluation Center.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061305421 

Get detailed info about the processor cores and topology of a system by downloading the latest version of Coreinfo from Microsoft's Windows Sysinternals website.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061315781 

Microsoft's Log Parser can be helpful for analyzing IIS site usage logs. But try Nihuo's Web Log Analyzer instead, which can also generate reports with 2D or 3D graphs.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061326687 

 

Webinars & Seminars

System Center Universe 2012

System Center Universe 2012 is a one-day event in Austin, Texas on January 19, 2012. The conference focusses the powerful new capabilities of the System Center 2012 family or products.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061691171

Webcast: Advanced Collaboration Tips for Using Exchange Online with Outlook

Ron Braatz, President of Liftoff Learning, explains how to use advanced Outlook features like setting email delegates, send as/on behalf of, calendar sharing, and PowerShell commands for Office 365. The webcast will be on January 9, 2012 and targets the IT Decision Maker audience.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061704937

Webcast: Information about Microsoft Project and Project Server December 2011 Software Update (Level 200)

This TechNet webcast provides an overview of the updates for the Microsoft Project Server 2010, Project Server 2007, Project 2010 and Project 2007 products. The webcast will be on January 10, 2012 and targets the IT Decision Maker and IT Generalist audience.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061715921

Jump Start Training

This 1-day online accelerated Jump Start training on January 11, 2012 covers the skills needed to pass Exam 70-659: TS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization and earn a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) server virtualization certification.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061727968

 

Tech Briefing

Why Windows 8 Will Win Big

Don Reisinger of eWeek shares 10 reasons why he thinks Windows 8 tablets will be a bit hit.

Read More:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061870609

Let's Just Forget 2011

Ellen Messmer of NetworkWorld looks back at the biggest security snafus of 2011.

Read More:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061912875

Aligning IT and Business Needs

Are your IT department and business units on the same page? These 7 questions from BizTech Magazine may help you answer this question.

Read More:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325061964531

A Delegate's View of the Cloud Security Alliance Congress 2011

Tim Rains, Director of Trustworthy Computing Communications at Microsoft shares his thoughts after attending the second annual Cloud Security Alliance Congress.

Read More:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062016390

 

Windows Server News

The Cloud on Your Terms: Lessons Learned

Read about lessons learned from building a test lab for demoing System Center, Private Cloud, VDI, Clustering and other Windows Server technologies.
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062208625

Get Ready for Hyper-V 3.0

At the Microsoft Build conference held September 13 - 16, 2011 in Anaheim, Microsoft provided a first look at Windows Server 8 features, including Hyper-V, which will enable organizations to support Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) deployments using public, private and hybrid, multi-tenant cloud architectures.

Learn about the next version of Hyper-V in this series of articles on VirtualizationAdmin.com:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062219859

Learn About the High Availability Capabilities of Windows Server 8

David B. Cross, Director of Program Management for Windows Server Engineering at Microsoft describes a few of the core HA features that will enhance the Hyper-V role of Windows Server 8. 
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062262328 

Advanced Group Policy Management

Managing Group Policy Objects (GPOs) in a large organization can be challenging. Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM), which is part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) for Software Assurance (SA), helps lessen this challenge by providing change control and simplified management of GPOs.

Learn how to use AGPM 4.0 with this series of tutorials on WindowsNetworking.com:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062271515

 

WServerNews FAVE Links

This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff

• It looks like I finally have a reason to consider buying an iPad:
  http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062355031 

• Hardware mod an oldie but goodie. But I prefer my Nespresso machine... 
  http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062368796

• A novel use for hardlinks in a file system. WARNING-MATURE CONTENT!
  http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062378890 

• I wish it was 1989 so I could play Dungeon Master again on my Amiga. It was the Best. Game. Ever. 
  http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062389828

• Should astronauts be allowed to play with fire?
  http://www.wservernews.com/go/1325062399187
  

 

WServerNews - Product of the Week

 

WServerNews - Editors

Mitch Tulloch is Senior Editor of WServerNews and is a widely recognized expert on Windows administration, deployment and virtualization.  Mitch was lead author of the bestselling Windows 7 Resource Kit from Microsoft Press and has published hundreds of articles for IT pros.  Mitch is also a seven-time recipient of Microsoft's Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his outstanding contributions in support of the global IT pro community. For more information see www.mtit.com.

Ingrid Tulloch is Associate Editor of WServerNews and was co-author of the Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking from Microsoft Press.  She is also a Content Expert for Jones International University where she co-developed the four-course Information Security Management specialization of the Masters of Business Administration program. 

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