Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Resource Kit tools and documentation is now available.

Download URL (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=80cc5ce7-970d-4fd2-8731-d5d7d0829266)

Technet Blog article on the resource kit.

#Lync ´ing from a thin client–Lync on XenDesktop with Hyper-V, RemoteFX, App-V

This is actually pretty cool. Check out the video on how to get Lync inside of an virtual desktop with HD video and enterprise voice with a usb phone device.

teach your kids programming

Microsoft Small Basic is a project that is aimed at making computer programming accessible to beginners. The project comprises a simple programming language that gathers inspiration from the original BASIC programming language; a modern and attractive programming environment; and rich, extensible libraries. Together they make programming fun for kids and adults alike.

Download details: Microsoft Small Basic: "Microsoft Small Basic"

Download details: Migrating from Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to Lync Server 2010

Download details: Migrating from Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to Lync Server 2010: "Migrating from Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to Lync Server 2010"

STEALTHbits Technologies, a leader in the data security and compliance space, announces the release of Version 2.0 of their Data Governance software s

"In Wake of WikiLeaks, Data Audit and Security Software Solution"


Glen Rock, NJ (Dec. 2, 2010) – STEALTHbits Technologies, a leader in the data security and compliance space, announces the release of Version 2.0 of their Data Governance software solution set. Helping organizations address critical security risks such as the recent WikiLeaks incident, the StealthAUDIT Management Platform for Data Governance arms administrators with comprehensive and scalable user activity monitoring, security permissions and assessment tools, and advanced auditing, reporting, and resolution features.

Read more ..
http://www.stealthbits.com/newsroom/WikiLeaks-Solution-Release.html

New HTTP POST DDoS Attack Tools Released

New HTTP POST DDoS Attack Tools Released - Darkreading

Moving your customers to BPOS or Office 365? Check their BANDWIDTH!

From my expereince in deploying BPOS, the customer's bandwidth is a very critical component in deciding how smoothly the migration is going to go thru.
I had customers with low bandwidth that a 4GB mailbox took over night to upload / migrate to BPOS.

Microsoft finally has a deep analysis tool of the customer's bandwidth.
Here is the blog post: http://blogs.technet.com/b/uspartner_ts2team/archive/2010/11/30/moving-your-customers-to-bpos-or-office-365-check-their-bandwidth.aspx

Partner Solution Brief - Unify Square

Download the solution brief here : Download details: Partner Solution Brief - Unify Square: "Partner Solution Brief - Unify Square"

Analysis Services – Roadmap for SQL Server “Denali” and Beyond

Analysis Services – Roadmap for SQL Server “Denali” and Beyond - SQL Server Team Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Among the numerous announcements relating to BI were two key ones:
· A new ad hoc reporting and data visualization experience codenamed “Project Crescent”.
· A new Business Intelligence Semantic Model (BISM) in Analysis Services that will power Crescent as well as other Microsoft BI front end experiences such as Excel, Reporting Services and SharePoint Insights

Read more... http://blogs.technet.com/b/dataplatforminsider/archive/2010/11/12/analysis-services-roadmap-for-sql-server-denali-and-beyond.aspx

Is Microsoft ready to roll out its BPOS v2 test build? | ZDNet

Is Microsoft ready to roll out its BPOS v2 test build? ZDNet: "Microsoft ready to roll out its BPOS v2 test build?"

Biggest insider threat? Sys admin gone rogue

Biggest insider threat? Sys admin gone rogue: "Biggest insider threat? Sys admin gone rogue"

OCSblogs: Webcast from Teched

OCSblogs: Webcast from Teched: "Webcast from Teched".

This is useful indeed.

Exchange Web Site Updates with New Videos

The Exchange team has been working on several ‘lightweight’ introductions to Exchange technology.

The first of these is now available on the updated technology workload pages on the microsoft.com/exchange site. Each workload page includes a 30-45 second video which introduces the Exchange technology workload - these are fun, creative and tell the story for each workload.

Watch the new videos, explore the new pages.

Voicemail with Unified Messaging
Mailbox Resiliency
Mobility
Outlook Web App
Management
Information Protection and Control
Archiving, Retention, and Discovery
Deployment
Advanced Security


Thanks to the Exchange TPM team for their hard work in making this happen – Adam Glick, Ankur Kothari and Jim Lucey.

Microsoft shares (officially) its future BPOS plans | ZDNet

Microsoft shares (officially) its future BPOS plans ZDNet: "Microsoft shares (officially) its future BPOS plans"

Now Available: Facebook & Win Live Messenger for Outlook Social Connector

The Microsoft Office Blog - Connect your Inbox to Facebook and Windows Live with the Outlook Social Connector: "Connect your Inbox to Facebook and Windows Live with the Outlook Social Connector"

A plumber's guide to SaaS

A plumber's guide to SaaS: "A plumber's guide to SaaS"

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 - Advanced IT ProfessionalTraining | TechNet

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 - Advanced IT ProfessionalTraining TechNet: "SharePoint 2010 Advanced IT Professional Training"

Southeast Asia SharePoint Conference

“Southeast Asia SharePoint Conference is COMING to Singapore from October 26 & 27! Please help to spread the word via your viral marketing and social media channels.

Interested speakers can also submit your topics via the Speaker Registration Survey. For more information, visit our conference web site - www.sharepointconference.sg.”

Download details: Hands-On Labs for Microsoft Enterprise Library 5.0

Download details: Hands-On Labs for Microsoft Enterprise Library 5.0: "Hands-On Labs for Microsoft Enterprise Library 5.0"

Google buys VOIP engine behind Yahoo, AOL, WebEx, Lotus conferencing | ZDNet

Google buys VOIP engine behind Yahoo, AOL, WebEx, Lotus conferencing ZDNet: "Google buys VOIP engine behind Yahoo, AOL, WebEx, Lotus conferencing"

Visio Insights : Introducing Visio Services

Visio Insights : Introducing Visio Services: "Introducing Visio Services"

Microsoft OCS Rides Its Own Wave - Unified Communications Strategies Views - Unified Communications Strategies

Microsoft OCS Rides Its Own Wave - Unified Communications Strategies Views - Unified Communications Strategies: "Microsoft OCS Rides Its Own Wave"

Voicemail: A story of unrealized potential

Brief Description
This whitepaper details the value that Exchange 2010's Unified Messaging capabilities offer to empower your users, reduce cost and manage risk by replacing your voicemail system.

Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog : SharePoint 2010 reaches RTM!

Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog : SharePoint 2010 reaches RTM!: "SharePoint 2010 reaches RTM!"

The new Exchange 2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator

Read more here .. http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2010/03/31/454475.aspx
Download here .. http://msexchangeteam.com/files/12/attachments/entry454483.aspx

Propagation Status - Waiting for Initialization

i had a customer with 19,000 users and 5 server farm with 2 x WFE.

The problem had to do with search. After applying the cumulative patch from Feb, things did not really good.

In the search administration site, under search setting, the Propogation Status showed "Propagation Status - Waiting for Initialization ().

Event ID: 6482 was logged in the event log of the query server with the reason being something like this "Object 66a9ed68-c956-4bb3-af4f-3b9eb257a64e not found".

The waiting for initialization error points to the process of of propogation in a stuck state. So got to restarting the Windows SharePoint Administration services on both the query servers (WFE) and the propogration kick started. This services is found in the Services applet in the Administration tools of the WFE servers.

Before doing anything drastic, understand how search works in a SharePoint farm. Know the services involved, know the process involved and the flow of this services from index to propogation.

March 27, 2010

SQL Server® 2008 R2 November CTP Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint® Technologies 2010

You need this to enable SSRS on SQL Server 2008 R2 to work with SharePoint 2010.

Download details: SQL Server® 2008 R2 November CTP Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint® Technologies 2010: "SQL Server® 2008 R2 November CTP Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint® Technologies 2010"

Download details: PHP on Windows Training Kit

"PHP on Windows Training Kit" by Microsoft, available free for download.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=c8498c9b-a85a-4afa-90c0-593d0e4850cb

Office Communications Server Team Blog : Free Instructor-Led Training for end-users: Introduction to Office Communicator

Office Communications Server Team Blog : Free Instructor-Led Training for end-users: Introduction to Office Communicator: "Free Instructor-Led Training for end-users: Introduction to Office Communicator"

Download details: Critical BI Platform Whitepaper

Download details: Critical BI Platform Whitepaper: "Critical Business Intelligence Platform for the Agile Enterprise"

Cisco Space Router (IRIS) Is Orbiting The Earth Now

Cisco has successfully launched it's first IP router in space abroad Intelsat's IS-14 satellite on Nov. 23, 2009. The satellite and the router attests a major milestone in Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) technology.

German government warns against using MS Explorer

From my friend Mike Veltman

I like the statement made by the spokesman of Microsoft Germany, that this was a specific attack by highly motivated people. Somehow I doubt that other hackers abusing Internet explorer are less motivated. Money always motivates very well.

Russian hackers who want to plunder your accounts are also highly motivated people. So saying that this is a special occasion is a joke.There will always be people who exploit the weaknesses of software for own gain. Whatever these gains would be.But those hackers would focus on Firefox when 95% of the users would use that. So its not only a IE problem. But saying that this is special occasion would will make all security people laugh".

Here is the news at BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8463516.stm

Virtualboy @ TechNet Edge

Great resources on anything virtual on Windows 2008 R2, be it RDS or Hyper-V, this is the place: VirtualBoy

Windows 7's 'GodMode'

Understanding Windows 7's 'GodMode' Beyond Binary - CNET News: "Understanding Windows 7's 'GodMode'"

Avaya Lists 10 Communications Trends for 2010

Avaya Lists 10 Communications Trends for 2010: "Avaya Lists 10 Communications Trends for 2010"

Plan, Planning, Baseline and something is better than nothing

A well-prepared plan provides the management team with a means to accomplish project objectives and to direct work and assess project status and is critical to the success of the project. Assessing project status requires a baseline project plan from which cost, schedule, and performance status can be compared and change management corrective actions taken, if required.

A plan is nothing more than our best estimate of how a project will be performed. Plans must be modified as a project progresses. The right thing to do is to develop and baseline the deliverables and assumptions and plan to the best of our ability. Imperfect planning is far better than no planning!

The set of plans required for a project are unique to each project. Use this sequence of plan preparation to ensure inter-plan consistency.

• Baseline the Requirements
• Determine the Technical Approach
  Determine major risks
• Develop the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS), Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), and Financial Control Structure
• Identify resource training needs (as part of the project team training plan)
• Identify risks and perform risk assessment and mitigation planning
• Develop the Schedules, Resource Requirements and Cost Estimates
• Update the Resources and Budgets
• Set up the cost management and control approach (as part of the Cost Management & Control Plan)
• Develop the escalation and jeopardy plans
• Define the project status-ing and reporting Approach (as part of the Communications Plan)
• Define project information system and distribution needs (as part of the Project Information System)

To summarize,

Something is better than nothing.
Start with a baseline and update as project progresses. In time, your baseline gets more accurate.