David Mackies Blue Brain

New Business and Technology Assessment Toolkit

David Mackie — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:15:19 GMT

Look what is in the new Business and Technology Toolkit …

Yep EBS 2008 and SBS 2008 Assessments, yee haw.

The Business and Technology Assessment Toolkit Assess the business and technology needs of your small and midsize business prospects using our step-by-step approach. By getting to know your customers' business needs, you can recommend targeted solutions to help them meet their objectives. You'll be on your way to closing deals faster and securing long-term customer relationships.

The latest version of the toolkit offers a range of new features such as:

New assessments to evaluate your customers' server, mobile, desktop, and Exchange needs and to help you identify solutions based on Windows Small Business Server 2008 , Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Windows Mobile 6 , the 2007 Microsoft Office system, Windows Vista, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 technologies.
A product-driven customizable question bank that enables you to better tailor assessments to your customers' specific needs, based on your product and solution expertise.
A Windows-based platform that's compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista the 2007 Microsoft Office system, and 64-bit processors.
New decision tree functionality to better guide a customer in choosing which solution –Windows Small Business Server 2008, Windows Essential Business Server 2008, or stand-alone Windows Server
New report generation for partners to customize and give to their partners

TrendProtect Toolbar

David Mackie — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 11:08:24 GMT

As you may be aware at Synergistic we really like the Trend Micro product Worry Free Business Security (WFBS) Advanced (WFBSA) and while we may do a walkthrough of the configuration not until WFBSA 5.1 ships later this month.

Here is something that has caused me some concern for a while now and I could not get an easy answer. How do you get the TrendProtect toolbar loaded on all the machines under management in a network using WFBSA?

Even when I asked one of the Trend Micro Presales Engineers at the vmware Virtualization summit, and while he made a very good argument about why I don’t need to use the toolbar, I said it was a week answer and would let him know how to deploy this Automagically.

So I’ve put a little effort into how to do it because I’ll tell you for nothing there is no way I’m pressing that install button on every client we install.

By the way we don’t do the next > next > next shuffle for installing the client it self either but that will need to wait until after the 18^th of November 2008.

Back to the toolbar.

So first if we don’t need it why do I want it?

Consider wanting to go to Astalavista.com source of some very educational content that I have been know to go to from time to time just not from my Corporate Desktop. So I enter the url into Internet Exploiter and BANG “Dear user Trend Micro says you might want to think twice about this” or something like that ;-D.

Now what if I was going to go there via a search engine? If it were via Google (not Live Search) I could get pre-warned about the sites reputation and make a decision before clicking the like but only with the toolbar installed…

AND the Green TrendProtect icon is for the Google and Live Search sites NOT the search results. Notice the colour coded links in Google and NOTHING in Live Search perhaps this should be a feature request to Trend Micro as I use both engines to be honest.

OK still haven’t said how to do this.

Well I did capture an install Winstall LE and while it worked wasn’t too convinced repackaging in 2008 was the way to go so looked a little deeper…

So I looked at the actual toolbar and went to the about page which takes you to the TrendSecure product page where you can download Version 1.2 of the client without actually owning Office Scan which is pretty cool and a great community service.

Still no closer to rolling out Automacially OK here it is…

Once I knew the Executable name TrendProtect_IE.exe I looked in my OFCScan share and Bingo \\SMEManaged01ofcscan\Web\ClientUtility\TrendProtect_IE.exe which is several months newer than the free download but the next steps work for both.

Run \\SMEManaged01ofcscan\Web\ClientUtility\TrendProtect_IE.exe /a to build an administrative installation point. I’d put it in E:\ClientApps\TrendProtect
Then just use Group Policy to deploy to all workstations if you don’t know how to do that wait until the post 18^th of November post of doing the whole system end to end.

Post 18^th of November means some time after so those who expect it earlier than the beginning of summer might be disappointed.

Cross Posted from http://SMEManaged.com

Enough said

David Mackie — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:29:12 GMT

Vista SP2 Goes Out in Limited Beta – And in no time at all it is leaked

David Mackie — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:39:00 GMT

OK just looked on Connect and I can’t find a way to get on this Beta so it would seem to be for TAP customers only which is what they said in MCPMag

Microsoft will release the second service pack for Vista "to a small group of Technology Adoption Program customers" today.

SP2 for Vista is being made available to selected testers for beta evaluation on Wednesday, according to Microsoft's Mike Nash, corporate vice president, Windows Product Management, in a statement released last week. The beta release will include updates for both client and server (Windows 2008), just as SP1 for Vista did in February.

So why is it that this guy has published a Registry Hack to enable download through Windows Update, hope he gets a take down notice and kicked off the TAP (If he is on it) man why is it that folk can’t respect an NDA these days, happy to be wrong but seems to me he is not being the partner he needs to be with the product team.

Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online | News: Vista SP2 Goes Out in Limited Beta

Hyper Venetian - I'm a little Disappointed

David Mackie — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:55:09 GMT

Last year at TechED Australia on the Gold Coast - IBM was handing out Lotus swag across the road from the convention centre, back then I thought it was tacky and was glad that I chose my partners better. Well just over a year later Microsoft has done the same cheap stunt on VMware and I must say for me it has back fired.

Microsoft has put up with the I'm a PC and I'm a Mac campaign with the grown up attitude I expected from them. So what has changed?

If every single competing vendor to Microsoft were to hang out near Microsoft Conferences it would get old real soon but it really could be a case of my "Karma just ran over your Dogma" ok a stretch how about just desserts.

Congratulations! You came for VMworld and ended up here. Check out who else found our street team.

and of course if MS didn't think this was going to smell bad why "This site Hosted for Microsoft by Wexley School for Girls LLC. " and not on Microsoft.com

Really very disappointed by this.

The integration of HP BladeSystems with espresso machines, Zunes, and Xboxes is for entertainment purposes only.

David Mackie — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:20:00 GMT

The integration of HP BladeSystems with espresso machines, Zunes, and Xboxes is for entertainment purposes only, WTF did that really need to be said?? Happy to see a fun piece for EBS 2008 and HP C3000 Blades very cool.

I'm a PC and I integrate EBS 2008

SBS/ EBS Virtualization with Wayne & Lingan

David Mackie — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:05:57 GMT

Just sitting in the Wayne/ Lingan Virtualization show, the first thing that amazed me were the numbers compared to the numbers at the SMB servers session this morning.There must be 5 times as many folk, how can this be?

Virtualization will be huge in SMB?
SBS will not be as huge??
Steve Riley isn't presenting right now?
The word virtualization tricked enterprise guys into the room?

*** or just Wayne's Posse?

the session was really Ms Hypervisor 101 with SBS 2008 as a guest so yes good for a starting point & I hope it starts the conversation around M in SMB availability using Hyper V replication, SCVMM, adding perhaps DPM 2007, SCom & SCCM 2007 given that are bundled. @ an attractive price point.

so yeah a little 101 but maybe very worth the conversations afterward.

Very cool Lingan just had a SCVVM reference for source management (.iso files)

I'm Surprised he didn't mention the management bundle especially with the DPM integration in the EBS Console.

One reason TechED is worth it - NAP Deep Dive

David Mackie — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:31:08 GMT

OK I was talking with some guys on Tuesday Night and they had questions about why I came to all of TechED and didn't go home after the SMB Day.

Well aside from I have come to every TechED since Canberra a few years back AND...

I get to spend some time with folk I would otherwise not be able too AND.......

I go to lots of sessions across many tracks and sometimes I learn stuff I didn't expect like this afternoon.

I have done a NAP deployment for a federal Government client and thought I know quite a bit about it and it turns out my troubleshooting technique was the hard way...

You see we were doing 802.1x and the machines were not moving VLANs so we tailed the log files and checked Event logs made a change rinse repeat. So imagine my surprise to see a demo that included proof of what was happening on the client using EAP or DHCP filter in Microsoft Network Monitor 3.1 this could give me back billable days in future remembering many clients have separate guys who do the switch infrastructure.

"Oh yeah my issue with the previous deployment was the Compliant VLAN not being configured on a switch but on all the others so inconsistent results from different client machines

The other thing I saw in that session was the options to do enforcement via ACLs and not VLAN switching so I will be looking way more closely at vendor specific attributes.

And the last thing coming to a Network near you NAP Reporting solution out soon! Based on reporting services on SQL using the NAP Logs pointed at SQL instead of the default logfiles location

If I learn one more thing each day I might know three things but TechED will be both TechED AND TechFriends

Tech ED Australia SMB Pre-day Impressions

David Mackie — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:06:58 GMT

It has been roughly 24 hours since the wrap up of the SMB Pre-day and I thought time would bring perspective so here goes. I was feeling a Little nervous about the content ever since we were given the agenda and I did think it might have been just me but I was really looking for super dooper deep guidance on how to do very tricky things like how do I emulate a complete "lite touch" deployment of the SBS server (yes Wayne covered some of it, and when I get the slides I'll look deeper too) or using WDS in 2008 STD (what SBS 2008 is built on) to multicast whole networks of PC's.

Where I am wanting efficiencies is all around deployment, given my disposable asset theory of desktop support.

Maybe there will be deeper content in Wayne & Lingan's Virtualisation & EBS 2008 sessions and barring a conflict I'll be at both of these sessions. Of course I keen to spend some time with Lingan too.

Irrespective of the Content I thought the SMB Day was a huge success. It brought many many SMB focused partners and end users into a room together for the 1st time in several years. Robbie took a punt and got support to run which is exactly what he needs to continue with, the road he has us on I believe will re-crystallise the community toward where many SMBers have been saying they want to go so from that perspective "snaps" to Robbie.

Next steps for me might be follow up technical training perhaps after the MVPs are trained, provided they are not prevented by NDA, I have heard plans for more information sharing, more best practice boot camps / Bar Camp and I do feel some more energy in the AU SMB Community.

Thanks Robbie Great Job

Oh you too Wayne and Dean

Robbie Announces SBS 2008 AU Pricing

David Mackie — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:21:00 GMT

Today is the SMB Preday and Robbie announced the Price....

SBS 2008 - $ 1,694.00 CALs $ 120.00

SBS 2008 Premium - $ 2,954.00 CALs $ 194.00

Open License RRP

Doing the EBS 2008 Beta Exam on the last possible day

David Mackie — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:43:30 GMT

OK so I could be a little frazzled at the next SMBIT Professionals Sydney Group Meeting on the 12th of August, why??

I’m doing the EBS 2008 Beta Exam in Sydney (No Test Centres in Canberra have it) so I found one near North Ryde (5 Min's from MS Sydney Office) so scheduled for the last appointment possible leaving 4 Hours (the maximum exam length) before needing to be at the User Group Meeting.

Where can you find out more… Well over at the Beta Exam Announcements Blog and just so you know when I registered at the NetPrep Solutions Centre Via Prometric there looked like LOTS OF SPACES between now and the 12th of August.

Dear DAVID MACKIE,

Thank you for scheduling your exam with Prometric. Your appointment request has been received and confirmed.

Included within this e-mail is your official appointment summary.
Please print and retain this information for your records. Included below are answers to frequently asked questions.
For additional assistance, you may visit our website at www.prometric.com!

Appointment Summary
Confirmation #: Q82SYD5AE3
Prometric Testing Id DT151xxxx
Candidate's Name: DAVID MACKIE
Address: Conder, 2906, Australia
Company: Synergistic Network Solutions
Home Phone: 61 - 409601835
Work Phone: 61 - 0262945927
Email Address: David.Mackie@synergistic.com.au
Program Name: Microsoft (070, 071, 074, 075, 076)
Exam Name: TS: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Configuring
Test Site: NETPREP SOLUTIONS
Test Site Address: Unit 11 1 TALAVERA ROAD NORTH RYDE NS , AUS
Test Site Phone #: 9889 7999
Appointment Date: 08/12/2008
Appointment Time: 13:00
Appointment Duration: 04:00 [hh:mm]
Exam Price: 180 AUD
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Registration Expiration:
7/31/2009 11:59:00 PM

Please note: For security reasons, we have not included updates to your Prometric ID or password specific changes, if applicable. Additionally, you must have scheduled and completed your exam prior to the expiration date, listed above, or your payment will be forfeited. Exams paid for with a promotion or voucher may expire earlier. Please review your promotion or voucher for more detail.

Heroes Happen Community Demo Competition

David Mackie — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:50:07 GMT

I put in a last minute Entry…

And of course rolling out NAP Client config's to XP

More to come

Four'N Twenty Magic Salad Plate

David Mackie — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:36:00 GMT

From the people who found a way for you to hold hot meat at lunch, Four’N Twenty now proudly brings you one of our crowning achievements - the Four’N Twenty MAGIC SALAD PLATE™.

So with Marketing on my mind I think this is GOLD, during the Bombers (Essendon) vs the Magpies (Collingwood) was a Four’N Twenty Pies and I think it is Funtastic.

Seriously Sales and Marketing seems to be a very hot topic this week in SMB and I know it is critical for us at Synergistic Network Solutions. Checkout my earlier post about what Carpe-Diem are doing in Canberra next month, taking with Vicki she said they may take it on the road too so feel free to go to the Carpe-Diem site and let them know if this is something you would go to if in your city.

Solution Sales Training with Carpe-Diem

David Mackie — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:18:59 GMT

I have raved about the Solutions Selling training I have attended with Carpe-Diem in the past. I’m going to the Building and Managing a Sales Pipeline session in Canberra and hope this will help us achieve a better close rate by having enough prospects in our pipeline.

In fact when I was talking with Vicki about this training I said something along these lines:

I really think I need to sign up for the Sales Pipeline because if we don’t focus much more effort on finding more SMB 10-300 User opportunities and VERY soon we will need to go back to selling staff into 2000 Hour a year contracts and give up our SME Planning. Sounds Dire but we are simply not a sales and marketing focused company we are great at delivering technical solutions and it might just not be enough.

So not wanting to place too much pressure on Bruce learning some of these skills will help us with direction moving forward.

You can see the Flyer for the Canberra Event here

Here is the Stuff from Nick Mayhew’s Blog

Carpe-Diem are delivering sales training in collaboration with the AiiA which is open to non-AiiA-members as well as members. More info and registration links are on Bruce's blog here but here are the key topics, of use for many MS partners:

1. An Introduction to the Essence of Selling Solutions

2. Building and Managing a Sales Pipeline

3. Improving Customer Satisfaction and Customer Value

4. Developing a Word of Mouth Marketing Strategy

5. Developing a Strategy to Win a Major Opportunity

Reaching Out to Microsoft Partners in Australia : Solution Sales Training with Carpe-Diem and AiiA

Free for Resale Copy of SBS 2008 Standard for attending the TechED AU SMB Pre-Day

David Mackie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:58:23 GMT

We have been expecting this announcement for a little while, and I’m sure this will drive numbers like nothing else so you better get in fast. Details over on Robbie’s Blog

The post you've been waiting for...

I'm very happy to announce that every attendee of our SMB Servers day at TechEd Australia 2008 will receive a free copy of the soon to be released Small Business Server 2008 Standard. Not kidding. Yours to take & use to make your first sale on the new platform.

I was already Registered so I’ll see you there.

SBS Down Under : The post you've been waiting for...