April 2007 - Posts
This month the Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group will be exploring the features and benefits of System Center Essentials.
This product over view will feed into next months providing managed services with System Center tool sets.
Remember everyone who filled in an evaluation sheet last month is eligible to recieve the Feedback Incentives described last month. I have drawn all 15 names in an order of merrit, there are ten winners and YES you need to be there to win, if a winner is not present their Feedback Incentive will be awarded to the next perdon on the list until everything is gone.
Group meets 17:30 at Microsoft Canberra, Level 2, 44 Sydney Ave Barton
Please RSVP by 12:30 on Monday 7th May to David@Mackie.dropbear.id.au
Cross Post: Events Notices from the Canberra Windows User Group
The thing I have noticed about going to Technical Briefings lately is the stuff that is topical now and creating the most interest in my User Group were all sessions at TechEd 2006. I just don't get why more folk don't come along every year, is a 7 month head start with the next kewl thing something that has been kept secret?
To help get more people along I will make a group booking for any Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group member that has money to me BEFORE the 16th of May 2007, you can assume $1485.00 it will be cheaper with more takers and of course if there are less than 3 Takers then you can still make the early bird as an individual.
So have a think and register as a community pretty sure your badge would say Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group too so this will help people talk about coming along for the rest of the year.
Fee structure as follows
Corporate Group Package 3-9 $1,485.00 $1,649.00 after May 21st
Corporate Group Package 10+ $1,439.00 $1,599.00 after May 21st
Corporate Group Package 20+ $1,349.00 $1,499.00 after May 21st
Corporate Group Package 50+ $1,259.00 $1,399.00 after May 21st
Source: Microsoft Tech.Ed 2007
Cross Post: David Mackie wears Microsoft Underwear - a Canberra Windows User Group Blogger
I got an invitation to this tonight, from what I saw from the audience that came along to Jeffs sessions on the 10th, there are a lot of folk who are hungry for Longhorn knowledge. Hope to see you all there.
Longhorn Server – 1 day Technical “Chalk & Talk” for Partners- Canberra
Event ID: 1032338901
Agenda:
| Start | End | Activity |
| 8:00 | 9:00 | Registration & Breakfast |
| 9:00 | 9:15 | Welcome & Introductions |
| 9:15 | 10:15 | What’s new in Windows Server “Longhorn” for developers |
| 10:15 | 10:30 | Break |
| 10:30 | 12:00 | Lap around the Application Server |
| 12:00 | 13:00 | Lunch |
| 13:00 | 14:00 | Lap around IIS 7.0 |
| 14:00 | 15:00 | Lap around Management |
| 15:00 | 15:15 | Break |
| 15:15 | 16:30 | Lap around fundamentals |
| 16:30 | 17:00 | Server Platform Roadmap |
Source: Longhorn Server – 1 day Technical “Chalk & Talk” for Partners- Canberra
Cross Post: David Mackie wears Microsoft Underwear - a Canberra Windows User Group Blogger
Redmond Channel Partner has jumped on the Virtualization delays, with a focus on Longhorn Virtualization slipping.
Microsoft Virtualization Products Face Delays
April 12, 2007
by Keith Ward
Several Microsoft virtualization products are seeing their shipping dates slip.
The first service pack for Virtual Server 2005 R2 has been delayed from the first quarter of this year to the next quarter. Arguably the bigger news is that the public beta of Windows Server virtualization will slide from the first half of 2007 to the second half. No more precise dates were available on the Windows Server Division blog, where the announcement was made.
While Longhorn schedule slips make good media releases, I'm over the moon to hear about the things a later shipping Virtual Server R2 SP1 will bring.
We’ve made numerous enhancements with Virtual Server R2 SP1 that allow it to scale (64 VMs on 32-bit Windows Server hosts; 512 VMs on x64 Windows Server hosts) on systems with more memory (up to 256 GB) and more cores. And we’ve added support for hardware assisted virtualization in the form of Intel VT and AMD-V.
Firstly my lab machines needed to be replaced so I could participate in betas that required 64 Bit Machines. Now my old work horse virtual lab can come back to the fore, it is a quad P3 Xeon with lots of RAM, It will be back in the mix so I can do more solution design on next years offerings.
So for me this schedule slip is great news whoo Hoo
Source: Redmond Channel Partner Online | News: Microsoft Virtualization Products Face Delays
This is really old but can I really get Microsoft Cola????????
Next thing you know we'll be wearing Microsoft underwear. Then drinking Microsoft cola.... sheesh, will it ever end?
Source: Microsoft Targets TVs in Latest Move Off Desktop - DriverHeaven.net
Cross Post: David Mackie wears Microsoft Underwear - a Canberra Windows User Group Blogger
I recently gave out a survey about the Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group, I found this feed back the most eye opening:
What Value does coming to User Group Session add for you?
- Network with Peers - x4
- Update Technical Skills - x2
- Improves my MS Knowledge and keeps me abreast of new things. (That way I don't have to buy mags)
- Keep in touch with ex-coworkers I don't see elsewhere
- Targeted info I'm interested in, in one place
- New friends
- Product awareness - x2
- Learning curve
- Best Practices
- Helps me in strategy planning in my work
WOW so I help drive Best Practice, Strategy and obviously Evangelize more than I thought.
Interestingly people come to make friends and network. That's a surprise given the number of people who say fill my head with stuff and let me go in other surveys. Watch out for meet the member (does that sound sus?) I think I'll concentrate on getting people to at least know peoples names, but I don't do name tags so how can I achieve this??
Some of the other feedback I expected but the one that I thought of but didn't think was really common was ....... Canberra Windows User Group?? I though that was about XP, so now Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group is how I'll refer to the group. Good compromise I hope so.
Cross Post: David Mackie wears Microsoft Underwear - a Canberra Windows User Group Blogger
FOR years Indian IT services companies have attracted customers to the sub-continent by undercutting global rivals because of their access to a seemingly limitless supply of high-skilled tech workers.
Now Indian firms are facing some of the skill shortage pain their developed economy customers have suffered for years.
So does this mean in a global economy skills costs level eventually and no matter what the cost of living the prices begin to be relatively level so off shoring then will begin to be non viable and folk will see jobs move back to a more parochial base?
OR were the cartoons which were popular during the off shoring boom really true and the guy stilting on a commode chair in the call centre of his family room actually the case and the attrition is because he finally feel asleep and could not be woken up.
Source: IT Service Expo Australia - Now India’s turn for skills shortage pain
This month the regular meeting is the 10th of April (the day after Easter). Microsoft will be running an event with a deep dive into Group Policy and a Technical Overview of Longhorn Server.
We don’t often get both Jeff Alexander and Michael Kleef in town so I strongly recommend that you come along, this session will replace the regular User Group meeting.
The sign up URL is http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032334476&Culture=en-AU
So that I can track the impact of event announcements through the user group please register online but also ping me to let me know you are coming.
Now it wouldn’t be a CBRWINUG things if I wasn’t looking for feedback about futures, so to make sure I get feedback forms and can validate attendance. The User Group will have a feedback form for all attendees, it will be a small survey and details collection / permission for contact. After the sessions I will draw out a number random entries which will be awarded at the May User Group meeting you MUST attend the may meeting to win.
Prizes for the 10 Lucky winners:
· 1* Imation Disk STAKKA
· 2* 25 User Windows 2003 R2 Server Enterprise Edition NFR
· 3* Windows Vista Business
· 4* TechED 2006 Boston DVD Set
Event Overview
Group Policy Deep Dive: Managing Policy Features, Troubleshooting, Settings in Enterprise Environments
Lets face it, you’re not going to deploy Vista overnight but at some stage you will begin to think about the incremental additions to your network. So what do you need to know in order to get ready for it? There’s new policy settings and other stuff that you need to know about before you begin the deployment process. This session tells you all of them!
Longhorn Server: The Technical Overview
Before you know it Longhorn Server will be upon us. There’s so much in it to understand though and so little time to understand what each bit does. In this session we’re going to go through the top 15 things in Longhorn Server that customers asked us for and we’re going to show you all about it! This will be a engaging and demo heavy session that shows you why you will want Longhorn Server!
Cross Post: Events Notices from the Canberra Windows User Group
If you have ever wondered why your eyes start glazing over as you read those dot points on the screen, as the same words are being spoken, take heart in knowing there is a scientific explanation.
It is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you in the written and spoken form at the same time.
OK so now I'm forced to come up with new ways to talk about technology. So no Power Point, hmmm but the demo gods hate me!
How about some Power Point but I adopt the advice of Guy Kawasaki from the Small Business Summit a couple of weeks ago and use the 10, 20, 30 rule of Pitching. 10 Slides, 20 Minutes and 30 Point font. Of course the other tenant I intend to embrace is "Don't worry, be crappy" i.e. doesn't need to perfect put it out but fix it.
So I'm not planning on running TechEd Sessions every month, when I present I plan on Nuggets of nerdy stuff that is good enough to inspire people to dig deeper, if they want to go way deep might I suggest Microsoft Consulting Engagements or even engaging us, Infrastructure Technical Readiness will be a huge focus for us this year.
BUT having fun and sharing what I know are things of personal focus this year too so lets see where things go.
Source: PowerPoint presentations a 'disaster' - Technology - smh.com.au