leedesmond’s blog

- Risk and Health Assessment Program for Active Directory - Scoping Tool v1.3
- Infrastructure Planning and Design v1.0
- Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) 2010 Evaluation Version
- Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) Documentation
- Getting to Know Hyper-V: A Walkthrough from Initial Setup to Common Scenarios v1.0
- Code Name Dublin Tutorials (November 2009)

Technorati tags: Windows Server 2008 R2, Forefront, Security, Hyper-V R2

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On many Microsoft download sites, it it likely that you have to use the Microsoft File Transfer Manager in order to transfer large files, typically over 2GB in size, with Internet Explorer. First time users will see the gold information bar prompting:

This website wants to install the following add-on: ‘Microsoft File Transfer Manager (Build 5.0.0.32)’ from ‘Microsoft Corporation’. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to install it, click here…

Clicking on the gold bar and selecting “Install This Add-on for All Users on This Computer…” will cause the User Account Control (UAC) security prompt to appear. Once you acknowledge it, you may encounter the error message:

—————————
VBScript: Microsoft File Transfer Manager
—————————
There was an error launching File Transfer Manager.

If you are running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, this installation may have been blocked.  If the gold IE Information Bar is present above, please click the bar and select the option to ‘Install ActiveX’.

For additional assistance, please visit the web site https://transfers.ds.microsoft.com, or contact your help provider.
—————————
OK
—————————

To resolve this, make sure that you are running the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer 8 and not the 64-bit Edition that is separately available as part of the Windows Seven or Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 operating system.

Technorati tags: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

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Running Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 in a Virtualized Topology:
Best Practices and Performance Considerations (link)

This is an update of the Microsoft white paper describing the virtualization support policy for Office Communications Server 2007 R2. In a nutshell, the supported workloads remain unchanged i.e. Instant Messaging, Presence and Group Chat. The product is not designed to support virtualized real-time traffic as there is no guarantee of stable performance and scalability for production use nor consistent, acceptable user experience at this point in time.

To quote …

Enterprise Voice, Remote Call Control (RCC), Response Group Service, dial-In conferencing, audio/video conferencing, Web conferencing, and Communicator Web Access desktop sharing workloads are not supported in a virtualized Office Communications Server 2007 R2 deployment. This occurs because of several factors, including packet loss, delay, jitter, and clock skew.

Further …

Desktop virtualization is not supported. The client should be installed on physical client computers.

Depending on your strategic goals, environment and user base, this may not necessarily be of any relevance, importance or concern from a usability or (official Microsoft) supportability perspective. Obviously your mileage may vary and the risks associated with deploying a virtualized topology may be tolerable for a limited number of concurrent users running any form of time sensitive traffic.

Technorati tags: LCS/OCS, OCS 2007, Virtualization

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Die Swiss Windows 7 Launch Party wird am Di. 27.10.09 in Zürich stattfinden. Ab 1930 Uhr treffen wir uns bei Bohemia (Kreuzplatz) an den gratis Event zusammen zu feiern. Alle Teilnehmer haben sich die Chance mit IT Pros zu vernetzen und tolle Preise von Windows 7 Ultimate bis special edition Windows 7 USB sticks zu gewinnen. Finger food und Getränke sind on the house solange vorrätig. Beschränkte Plätze auf first-come-first-serve Basis.

Anmeldung und Informationen können Sie hier erleben.

The Swiss Windows 7 Launch Party will take place on Tu 27.10.09. Celebrate with us at this free event at Bohemia (Kreuzplatz) from 1930 hrs. All registered delegates will have the opportunity to network with IT Pros community volunteers and stand a chance to win exciting lucky prize draws from Windows 7 Ultimate to special edition Windows 7 memory sticks. Finger food and drinks on the house while stocks last. Limited seats on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Registration and more information can be found here.

Sponsors:
 

Update (6 Nov 2008)
Event 27 Oct 2009 Zurich - Swiss Windows 7 Launch Party Photo Highlights

Technorati tags: Windows 7, Community/User Group, Events

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Es ist so weit. Offizieller wird Windows 7 am 22.Okt 2009 auf dem Markt weltweit erscheinen. In der Schweiz wird eine sogenannte Windows 7 Launch Party von Swiss IT Pro User Group mit Support von Microsoft unter dem Thema “Windows 7 for You and Me” geplant. Diese spezielle Party wird an einen Abend zwischen 22. und 29. Okt 2009 in Zürich stattfinden (Datum noch nicht bestimmit).

Falls Sie Windows 7 in der Praxis erleben und die Gelegenheit bei einer lockenden Umgebung neue Leute, Kollege und die IT Pro Community kennen lernen, verzögern Sie sich nicht anzumelden. Ein Kommentar mit Ihren Vor-, Nach- name, Firma und gültigen E-mail Adresse gilt als eine Anmeldung (wird nicht veröffentlichen). Details über die Party folgt. Teilnahme ist gratis.

Sponsor gesucht - bitte kontaktieren Sie uns, falls Sie zu diesem Community Event beitragen und unterstützen können z.B. Veranstaltungsort, Verpflegung, Door gifts, lucky prize draws, usw.

Technorati tags: Windows 7, Community/User Group, Events

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- Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Application Compatibility Update (KB974332)

- BranchCache Security Guide

- Automated Installation To Upgrade Windows 7 Step-by-Step Guide

- Manual Installation of Windows 7 Overview

- Upgrading to Windows 7 with a Standard Image Overview

- Automated Installation of Windows 7 Overview

- Windows XP to Windows 7 Hard-Link Migration of User Files and Settings
Guide to move users’ files and settings from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Vista covering the User State Migration Tool (USMT) 4.0.

- Choosing a Deployment Strategy (Windows 7; Windows Server 2008)

- Resources for Top Areas of Support for Windows Server 2008 R2

- Step By Step Guide: Demonstrate DirectAccess in a Test Lab

- System Update Readiness Tool (KB947821 - x64, ia64, x86)
Resolves inconsistency issue in the Windows servicing store necessary to successfully install future updates, service packs and software on Windows Server 2008 RTM/SP2 and Vista RTM/SP1/SP2.

- Deploying Personal Virtual Desktops by Using Remote Desktop Web Access Step-by-Step Guide (Windows Server 2008 R2)
Check out related series of documents under “What Others Are Downloading”.

- Active Directory Management Gateway Service (AD Web Service for Windows Server 2008 and 2003)
ADMGS provides a Web Service interface* to AD DS or AD LDS on Windows Server 2008 RTM/SP2 and Windows Server 2003 (R2) SP2 running as member servers** or domain controllers (WS03, WS08 full or RODC). Requires .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and software updates (Window Server 2003 SP2 - KB969166 and KB969429 or Windows Server 2008 RTM - KB967574). Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell and the Active Directory Administrative Center (ADAC) running on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 can then be used to manage directory service instances on the former list of OS.

- WS08 Whitepapers

- Update for Windows Vista SP1 or above to enable RemoteApp
Install this update package in the Windows Vista SP1/SP2 virtual machine running in Windows Virtual PC under Windows 7 host machine to enable RemoteApp.

* the Active Directory Management Gateway Service runs as the Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) service; more here and here

** running AD LDS or ADAM instance

Technorati tags: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, PowerShell

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 Si vous avez intéressé pour la nouvelle système d’exploitation Windows 7 et comprendre les finesses de ce nouvel OS des spécialistes en la matière, n’hésitez pas de vous inscrire pour cet ‘événement en 1. octobre 2009 (jeudi) à Genève. Je suis invité à faire une presentation technique avec le thème “La Raison d’être pour Windows 7” et j’aimerais de faire votre connaissance!

If you are interested to learn about Windows 7 from your IT Pro peers in the industry, come join us in Geneva on 1 Oct 2009 (Thu) for an half-day event on “Windows 7 - Are You Ready” to experience first-hand on what it means to you at work and at home. I am invited to speak on the topic “Raison d’être pour Windows 7” in English and am looking forward to meet you in person. Detail event information and registration can be found here.

” From netbooks to notebooks and desktops from the home office to the enterprise, Windows 7 is faster, more secure, reliable and loaded with productivity features that appeal to techies and the not so-savvy users. With productivity enhancements like PowerShell v2.0 and Windows XP mode, Windows 7 is unmistakably the platform of choice to harness new features from Branch Office Cache to DirectAccess in your Windows Server 2008 R2 infrastructure while maintaining your investments to support critical line-of-business applications. This technical session will walk through the highlights of the whys and hows to help get you started in the planning for Windows 7 deployment. ”

Technorati tags: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, Events

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The default installation of Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM or Windows 7 RTM as a guest (or child) virtual machine under Hyper-V v2.0* already includes the Hyper-V Integration Services. If you attempt to manually install it a second time via Hyper-V Manager / Action / Insert Integration Services setup Disk (or Ctrl+I), a warning message will appear:

Hyper-V Integration Services
The Hyper-V integration services are already installed on this version of Windows.
[OK]

For R2, the full set of integration services are available, namely:
- Operating system shutdown (Hyper-V Guest Shutdown Service)
- Time synchronization (Hyper-V Time Synchronization Service)
- Data Exchange (Hyper-V Data Exchange Service)
- Heartbeat (Hyper-V Heartbeat Service)
- Backup (volume snapshot) (Hyper-V Volume Shadow Copy Requestor)

You can find them enabled as NT Services set to Automatic within the guest OS and under Hyper-V / Settings / Management / Integration Services.

* available as part of Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM (v6.1 build 7600, x64 only)

Technorati tags: Windows Server 2008 R2, Hyper-V R2

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For 60 days you can run the evaluation version of OCS 2007 R2 in a virtualized environment. The pre-configured virtual hard disks are designed to work under Microsoft Hyper-V on a 64-bit physical machine, and must be enabled with hardware-assisted virtualization and data execution prevention (DEP) feature.

The trial includes optional downloads for the Group Chat and Quality of Experience Monitoring Servers. These must be separately added to the (trial environment) domain in order to function properly. More information and download here.

Technorati tags: LCS/OCS, OCS 2007 R2

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One of the most anticipated announcements of the year has finally arrived! Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 have been Released to Manufacturing (RTM). Along with the core operating system, PowerShell v2.0, Hyper-V v2.0 and Live Migration (and the standalone Hyper-V Server 2008 R2) and Internet Information Server 7.5 are some of the highlights available out-of-the-box.

Windows 7 continues to be available in both x86 and x64 versions whereas Windows Server 2008 R2 is the first 64-bit only edition of the enterprise server platform. What an exciting milestone as this brings back fond memories where I was working on a project with Microsoft Gulf (Dubai)* even before Windows Server 2008 and Hyper-V (was still called Windows Server Virtualization, WsV) went RTM back in 2007!

You can read details of the official blog posts here, here and here, and the Microsoft official press release here.

Update:
Windows PowerShell 2.0 RTM (23.7.09)

* in the gulf region to drive awareness, readiness and adoption for top clients plus speaker role for the TechNet & MSDN Roadshow

Technorati tags: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, Windows Server Virtualization, Hyper-V R2, Powershell

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