Download Pick: Microsoft Remote Server Administration Toolkit

Micfrosoft has released a Remote Server Administration Toolkit for Windows Vista SP1to manage 2008 servers go get it at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9ff6e897-23ce-4a36-b7fc-d52065de9960&DisplayLang=en

There is also an X64 version out there.
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EMC's Chuck Hollis on VDI.

Chuck Hollis of EMC (VMWare) has written an article recently on where he feels Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is going. A VDI is an entire virtualized desktop that is run on the VMWare server that is accessed by multiple users. A good example of where it would be useful would be say like a training room where you could have multiple versions of desktops with different apps installed. This is worth reading and definitely worth checking out the links he mentions in the article.

A small company even could leverage this technology for example to keep their workstations longer and easily do change management for updates. Virtualization hypervisors are going to be built into servers with deals Citrix and VMWare have made with HP/Dell and Microsoft making HyperV for Server 2008. It will be important for administrators to follow this technology. And don't be fooled, it's not just a "Windows thing" Linux desktops are being virtualized.

http://chucksblog.typepad.com/chucks_blog/2008/03/vdi----the-red.html

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Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 now open for Public Beta

The product formerly known as Softgrid and now entitlee Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 has a public beta available. Check out the new site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/softgrid/default.mspx

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Blog Post Pick: Instantaneous Session Broker redirection leveraging CredSSP

The Microsoft Terminal Services team has posted a blog entry on the new Session Broker feature in Server 2008 Terminal Services which will allow you to reconnect to a session across load balanced servers. It is worth having a look at:

http://blogs.msdn.com/ts/archive/2008/03/14/instantaneous-session-broker-redirection-leveraging-credssp.aspx
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Warning: Vista SP1 will disable GPMC!

Hi All,
I know how people tend to not pay attention to things until the problem arrives at your doorstep so here is a preemptive warning. This info has been out there for a while but as the release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 to the general public draws nearer I wanted to reiterate that when you install SP1 and you are using your Vista Machine to control Group Policy on your domain that the Group Policy Management console WILL BE REMOVED!

Bottom line is you will have to get a Server 2008 machine going if you want to run GPMC and all your Vista machines to run SP1 and be up to date.

Someone has come up with a "hack" workaround using Altiris SVS to run it on Vista but it requires disabling UAC so I wouldn't reccomend it.

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Is Citrix going to move it's HQ to California? Maybe.

An Article in the Miami Herald from a few weeks ago hints that Citrix may be looking to move their HQ out of Florida. Several of their latests acquistions are in California. This makes a lot of sense if they are trying to woo new technology professionals.
JK

http://www.miamiherald.com/breaking_business/story/437361.html
Citrix Systems may be looking at moving at least some of its 1,500 Fort Lauderdale-based employees out of Florida.

The fast-growing technology company is often hailed by local leaders as an example of the kind of employer the region needs to provide good jobs for the community.

A board member of a statewide economic development agency alluded to the possibility of the move Thursday morning during a meeting of business and government leaders at Citrix's world headquarters on Cypress Creek Road.

Responding to criticism of Enterprise Florida's efforts to keep businesses from moving out of the state, agency board member Traver Gruen-Kennedy said his group has been working to retain jobs in the very location in which Thursday's meeting was taking place.

Gruen-Kennedy, a vice president of Boca Raton-based DayJet, is a former Citrix executive. DayJet was founded by Ed Iacobucci, who was one of the founders of Citrix.

Asked after the meeting to clarify that he was talking about Citrix, Gruen-Kennedy acknowledged that he was. But he referred further questions to Enterprise Florida staff.

''I can't speak directly to what Citrix is doing,'' he said. Then he added: ``Citrix is a company that has been growing dramatically, but most of that growth has been buying companies in California.''

In response to inquires from The Miami Herald, company spokesman Eric Armstrong e-mailed a statement saying that the company was reviewing its long-term options in response to its rapid growth in recent years.

''With that growth phase we have additional needs for top technology talent and modern facilities to house employees,'' he wrote. ``We've struggled to recruit top technology talent to South Florida. We have not had an easy time finding the skill set we need locally.

``We approached the state and county recently to talk about Citrix's future, our employee presence and community involvement in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and how we might work together to accommodate our business needs here in South Florida. While we are still very early in the process, the state and county's interest in working with Citrix has been very encouraging to us.''

State and local governments sometimes offer money to big companies that threaten to move away. These payments are known as ``economic incentives.''

Jo Moskowitz, Citrix's director of community and governmental affairs and a host of Thursday's meeting, said the company's CEO has expressed doubt about the company's ability to grow in South Florida unless the schools improve.

She added that seven of Citrix's last 10 acquisitions were in California and that the company now has about 1,000 employees out there.

The company makes hardware and software applications that enable businesses to access information from many locations and devices.

Miami Herald staff writer Patrick Danner contributed to this report

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Video Pick: Deploying and Adopting Vista

Microsoft has posted a video on deploying adopting vista in your organization. Below are the details:

Still Undecided About Windows Vista?
Join Mark Russinovich and a panel of experts for a discussion on adopting Windows Vista into a desktop infrastructure. Hear from real IT pros that have tackled Windows Vista deployment--all discussing the challenges, workarounds, and tips & tricks they have learned along the way.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/cc307852.aspx?ITPID=lt0490m

 

 

Microsoft has created an entire center on their site of Videos and info for Vista at:

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/bb905048.aspx?ITPID=lt0490m

 

 

 

 

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New: Microsoft Technet VIrtualization Center

Microsoft has set up a page to combine it's information on Virtualization including the Hyper-V in 2008.
Check it out at:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/default.aspx

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Download Pick: Microsoft Search Server Express

At a recent Sharepoint Server conference Microsoft Announced that Search Server Express is now available for download free of charge.
This is a new search product that is the FUTURE of search.
Check it out at:

http://www.microsoft.com/enterprisesearch/serverproducts/searchserverexpress/download.aspx
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