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Windows 8 Consumer Preview are now live
The Windows 8 Consumer Preview bits are now live. Everything you need to know, including links and information about the download is on the Springboard Series for Windows 8 on TechNet. Also, the Windows 8 TechNet forums are now live.
http://technet.microsoft.com/windows/windows-8
- Windows 8 Consumer Preview Product Guide
Download a detailed guide to the new and improved features in Windows 8 including AppLocker, BitLocker, Windows To Go, measured boot, and Client Hyper-V. - Windows To Go Technical Overview
Learn how Windows To Go can help you provide users with bootable USB storage devices containing a copy of Windows 8, along with their business apps, data, and settings. - Frequently Asked Questions: Managing the Windows Store
Get answers to frequently asked questions about managing end user access to, and usage of, the Windows Store within your organization. - The Windows 8 User Experience
Learn more about application, Web, and cloud features for end users. - Windows 8 Consumer Preview Technical Forums
Get help with questions on installation and setup, networking, compatibility, security, performance, and more
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Consumer Preview
Remote Server Administration Tools enables you to manage roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server “8” Beta from a remote computer that is running Windows 8 Consumer Preview.
Download and install the version that matches the architecture of the computer on which you plan to install the administration tools :
**Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Consumer Preview can be installed ONLY on computers that are running Windows 8 Consumer Preview.** Remote Server Administration Tools cannot be installed on computers with an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) architecture, or other system-on-chip devices.
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Consumer Preview includes support for remote management of computers that are running the Server Core installation option or the Minimal Server Graphical Interface configuration of Windows Server “8” Beta, and in limited cases, the Server Core installation options of Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2008. However, Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Consumer Preview cannot be installed on any versions of the Windows Server operating system.
Server Manager is included with Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Consumer Preview; GUI-based tools that are part of this release of Remote Server Administration Tools can be opened by using commands on the Tools menu of the Server Manager console. To use Server Manager to access and manage remote servers that are running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, you must install several updates on the older operating systems.
Find out what hotfix or update replaces other windows updates
Sometimes you need an hotfix but you find that hotfix is currently unavailable for online request. How to find out a superseding hotfix.
I found out the procedure in this wiki page : http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/windows-server-how-to-determine-update-supersedence-and-find-replacing-hotfixes.aspx
System Center 2012 Pre-Release Products : Download
Download link : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/evalcenter/hh505660
Available System Center 2012 Products:
- System Center 2012 Configuration Manager RC provides comprehensive configuration management for the Microsoft platform that can help you empower users with the devices and applications they need to be productive while maintaining corporate compliance and control.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection RC, built on System Center Configuration Manager, provides industry-leading threat detection of malware and exploits as part of a unified infrastructure for managing client security and compliance that can help you simplify and improve endpoint protection.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center Operations Manager 2012 RC provides deep application diagnostics and infrastructure monitoring that can help you ensure the predictable performance and availability of vital applications and offers a comprehensive view of your datacenter, private, and public clouds.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center Data Protection Manager 2012 Beta provides unified data protection for Windows servers and clients that can help you deliver scalable, manageable, and cost-effective protection and restore scenarios from disk, tape, and off premise.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center Orchestrator 2012 RC provides orchestration, integration, and automation of IT processes through the creation of runbooks that can help you to define and standardize best practices and improve operational efficiency.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 RC provides virtual machine management and services deployment with support for multi-hypervisor environments that can help you deliver a flexible and cost effective private cloud environment.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center App Controller 2012 Beta provides a common self-service experience across private and public clouds that can help you empower application owners to easily build, configure, deploy, and manage new services.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: English - System Center Service Manager 2012 Beta provides flexible self-service experiences and standardized datacenter processes that can help you integrate people, workflows, and knowledge across enterprise infrastructure and applications.
System Requirements >>
Available in these languages: Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish
Comprehensive list of Hyper-V updates ( 2008, 2008R2 and 2008R2SP1 versions )
Quick note: the recommended for all Hyper-V configurations vs. recommended if you meet the scenario documented in the KB.
- Recommended updates for all configurations: Required column = Yes
- Recommended update if you meet the scenario: Required column = Yes, ONLY install if the issue applies to you.
Comprehensive list of Hyper-V updates : Applies To: Windows Server 2008
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd430893(WS.10).aspx
Comprehensive list of Hyper-VR2 updates : Applies To: Windows Server 2008R2
List of Hyper-V Packages Updated After the Release of Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) :
NOTE: For Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V systems with SP1 installed, there are two recommended updates for all configurations:
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KB2263829 – Hyper-V networking issue that multiple customers hit; This fix is also published on WU.
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KB2525835 – Security Update
Configuration Manger 2012 RC2! It is now available
The Configuration Manager Team is pleased to announce the release of Configuration Manger 2012 RC2! It is now available for download on microsoft.com:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/system-center/configuration-manager-2012.aspx
Configuration Manager 2012 Central Administration Site database server
Supported versions of SQL Server 2008 for RC2:
·SQL Server 2008 SP2 Standard and Enterprise CU7
·SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 and CU4
· SQL Server Express 2008 R2 and CU4
Are you ready for the Microsoft Private Cloud?
On February 21 & 22 Microsoft is running a 2-day virtual training event to help the world learn about the upcoming enhancements with the Creating & Managing a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 Jump Start.
It is 100% free and open to the public, so register now!
Sign up today at: http://mctreadiness.com/MicrosoftCareerConferenceRegistration.aspx?pid=298
Event Overview
Adopting this exciting new computing paradigm provides a whole new landscape of technology and career direction for IT professionals. Microsoft Learning and the Microsoft System Center 2012 team have partnered to bring you an exciting opportunity to learn what you need to know to deploy, manage and maintain Microsoft’s private cloud solution. Leveraging the popular Jump Start virtual classroom approach, the industry’s most gifted cloud experts will show attendees why this new private cloud solution, based on System Center 2012 and Windows Server, has garnered so much attention. Presenters include Symon Perriman, Sean Christensen, Adam Hall, Kenon Owens, Prabu Rambadran & Chris Van Wesep and there will be a live Q&A during the event.
Event Agenda
Day 1: Deployment & Configuration (Feb. 21)
· Part 1: Understanding the Microsoft Private Cloud
· Part 2: Deploying the Infrastructure Components
· Part 3: Deploying the Private Cloud Infrastructure
· Part 4: Deploying the Service Layer
· Part 5: Deploying the Applications & VMs
Day 2: Management & Operations (Feb. 22)
· Part 6: Managing the Infrastructure Components
· Part 7: Managing the Private Cloud Infrastructure
· Part 8: Managing the Service Layer
· Part 9: Managing the Applications & VMs
Sign up today at: http://mctreadiness.com/MicrosoftCareerConferenceRegistration.aspx?pid=298
Jump Start Overview
This accelerated Jump Start sponsored by Microsoft Learning is tailored for IT professionals familiar with Windows Server technologies, Hyper-V virtualization, and the System Center management solutions. The course is designed to provide a fast-paced and technical understanding of how and why Microsoft’s approach to the private cloud delivers scalability, security, flexibility and control. Here are few unique benefits of this course:
· Students have the opportunity to learn from and interact with the industry’s best cloud technologists!
· This high-energy, demo-rich learning experience will help IT Professionals understand why Microsoft private cloud solutions are making a splash in the industry.
· Students will see with their own eyes how Windows Server 2008 R2 and System Center 2012 work together to provide the best combination of security and scale.
· Information-packed agenda! Day one of this two-day online course will focus on designing and deploying the right solutions for your organization, while day two will provide an in-depth look at the tools available to help monitor, secure and control the operational aspects of a private cloud.
Sign up today at: http://mctreadiness.com/MicrosoftCareerConferenceRegistration.aspx?pid=298
Dell Advanced Infrastructure Manager (AIM) awarded Bronze Product of the 2011
Dell’s Advanced Infrastructure Manager (AIM) is one of the more interesting systems management products to hit the market in recent years. It is a heterogeneous product, able to work with a variety of different vendors to maximize data center compute resources. It also automates storage and network connectivity, which eases the burden of reconfiguring the environment every time something in the data center changes. It’s a combination of features worthy of a Bronze systems management Product of the Year award for 2011.
IT resource utilization is becoming a more important metric every year, especially as IT budgets continue to shrink with the economy. Dell’s Advanced Infrastructure Manager is a great tool to help system administrators maximize their compute environment while decreasing the administration workload.
SCVMM 2008R2, awarded GOLD Product of the 2011
Gold : Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 SP1
“The right systems management tool can save time, streamline operations, and help administrators proactively address potential issues before they become critical problems. An effective systems management tool is as critical to a data center as any server or air conditioning system – especially for larger data centers with high levels of workload consolidation.
For the purposes of this year’s awards, systems management products include any systems management appliances and software products designed to measure, benchmark, report, provision, plan and control servers and other data center devices. Entrants may include any systems management point products up through major management frameworks
The single pane of glass is the dream of all systems operations managers – to be able to effectively manage their entire environments through a single screen. The dream may not yet be fully realized, but as part of the System Center Suite of management tools, Microsoft’s Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 R2 SP1, is close enough to deserve the Gold Product of the Year award in systems management for 2011.
But what really makes SCVMM 2008 R2 SP1 shine is that Microsoft decided to seamlessly integrate with other virtualization products and vendors. In addition to Hyper-V, SCVMM provides compatibility with VMware VI3 through Virtual Center integration. SCVMM supports VMware-specific features, such as VMotion, while also providing SCVMM-specific features like Intelligent Placement to VMware servers. It also provides a process that converts VMware VMs to virtual hard disks through the virtual to virtual (V2V) transfer process. There is also a very user-friendly self-service portal, which is compatible with multiple third party vendors and tools.
Microsoft has made some very significant strides with this latest release of SCVMM. The company is also freely admitting that there are actually other virtualization solutions out there, and that some of them are good (a hard pill to swallow for Microsoft). Their efforts to integrate with other system management products and tools make the newest version of SCVMM the realization of the single pane of glass dream come that much closer, and worthy of evaluation by data center managers. ”
Transforming IT with Microsoft Private Cloud : explore your cloud options.
Hear from other senior IT professionals about how cloud computing can help you gain maximum competitive advantage with minimal risk.
Learn about Microsoft cloud offerings, including private, public, and hybrid cloud models. Experience Microsoft private cloud solutions through the Microsoft Technology Center.
Private cloud discussion with Microsoft executives: Insights and news
- Satya Nadella, President, Server and Tools Business, Microsoft
- Brad Anderson, Corporate Vice President, Management and Security Division, Microsoft
Register Now for the virtual event Tuesday, January 17th 8:30 AM PST | 16:30 UTC
Recommended Books
System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine
System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Cookbook
Cloudtidings.com 