Certification – Where to Get Training?

Enjoyed a great PacITPros meeting this week and had several members ask me about certification, specifically how to prepare for exams for relatively low cost. Of course, effective studying means you need to know your best way of absorbing information – some people read, some like hands-on, some like the lecture setup. Personally, I’m a “reader”, but here is a list of resources that should have a little something for everyone.

Microsoft Learning Snacks – Short Silverlight presentations on a variety of products and technologies.

Online Training – browse the training catalog for free or low-cost online courses. Also check out the e-reference library, which requires a subscription, but there is a 10-day free trial.

TechNet Virtual Labs – Want to play with software but don’t have any machines? These 90 minute labs might just be the thing.

Microsoft Springboard – Geared to provide whitepapers, videos, forums and other resources for Windows client operating systems. The forums have over a 90% answer rate! Also, don’t miss out on the free Proof-of-Concept Kit for deploying Windows 7 and Office 2010. Complete with virtual machines, you can practice deploying Windows 7 and using several of the deployment tools.

TechNet Library – technical documentation for IT pros for all the Microsoft products and technologies. It can be dry, but it might just be the explanation you are looking for.

Good luck on your next exam!

Installation "Bug" with System Center Essentials 2010

Finally found a little time to install System Center Essentials at work. We are pushing the limit of supported servers for monitoring (50 servers, 500 clients), but I think it’ll meet our needs and allow us to replace a few other applications and manual processes once I figure it all out. The first challenge was getting it installed, as my first go-round failed.

A little searching turned up a pretty common issue. I was going with the default settings for this single server installation, including opting to send collection information to Microsoft. At the bottom of the screen titled “Help improve System Center Essentials” was an “opt-in” check box to “Use Microsoft Update to receive updates to this and other Microsoft products”. It sounded good to me.

Turns out, by checking that box I had doomed my installation to failure. Don’t check it. (Now that I think about it, I’m not sure what that option does that’s different than the included WSUS service which seems to monitor and update the server just fine.) Anyway, there’s some kind of bug in there and by “opting in” you are also opting out of a successful installation.

The Long Road to Shoretel 10.1

Last week, I upgraded the phone system in the office to Shoretel 10.1. This may not seem like that admirable of a feat, but it has been a long time coming as we’ve been using Shoretel 6.1 for the last several years. Outside of one small version increase to resolve a couple bugs, it’s been the same software on the same server for well over 4 years. Not that I haven’t been trying to upgrade regularly, because I have. I consider it a testament to how great Shoretel has been to us – it just works and works well. It was hard to justify playing with something that did its job everyday.

And that’s what happened. Every year that passed was another year that the to-do list item of “Upgrade Shoretel” was passed over for more pressing projects. But finally, the looming date of Windows 2000 “end-of-life” was hanging out there. Combine that with ribbing I would get from my VAR whenever I called and had to admit I was still several versions behind and I finally stopping putting off the upgrade.

I have to admit, I didn’t do THAT much of the work. Our VAR handled the majority of the driving for the main upgrade, which had several moving parts though was pretty straight forward. We replaced our conference bridge hardware as well, so I copied the appropriate settings from our existing bridge and had that ready to go once the phone system was completed.

We copied the existing 6.1 database to the new server, which left the original server untouched in case we had to rollback. Then on the new server, we watched the default installations of versions 7.5, 8.1 and then finally 10.1 get layered on top. Once the server software was where we needed it to be, we updated the firmware on the switches and the IP phones.

So what are some of the new things in Shoretel 10.1?

1) The Desktop Call Manager works on Windows 7 – The release notes won’t admit to this and only lists support through 64-bit Vista, but Windows 7 works no problem. The server software is supported on 2003 SP2, 2003 R2 and 2008 SP2. (No 2008 R2 support at this time.)

2) Malicious Call Tracing – Provides organizations with the ability to report a malicious call and record the source of the incoming call, assuming the service provider of your external connections support MCID. This isn’t something our office would seem to need at this time, but it could be important in other lines of work.

3) Mobile Call Manager – Additional support for devices, including the BlackBerry Curve 89xx and the Tour 96xx. This is something I’d like to look into configuring for our BlackBerry devices, so I’ll have to research more about how to go about implementing this feature.

Also, we upgraded to the latest version of Converged Conferencing, so I’m hoping the integrated instant message features and the more robust conferencing features will be something users will take advantage of. The Call Manager will also allow users to personalize call handling for specific callers, if you are using the “professional” or higher version of the desktop software.

So, yes, looks like there is some benefits to staying up to date. Glad I’ve finally caught up!

A Couple 2010 Dates to Remember

Now that 2010 is officially half over, you might want to keep in mind a few upcoming dates in “Microsoft-world” that could be important to your environment.

7/13/10 – Mid-July marks the end of life for Windows 2000 and Windows XP SP2. If you have either of those OSes running, remember they will no longer have updates developed for them. Its time to get those workstation upgraded to a more recent service pack for XP or consider Windows 7 if that is something feasible. I’ll admit, I’ve still got one Windows 2000 server hanging out there – I don’t know if I’ll make it!

10/22/10 – XP Home will no longer be sold on netbooks. In my organization netbooks are either reinstalled with XP Professional once they arrive, or we could consider Windows 7 for some users, so it’s not much of a concern personally. For those of you making recommendations to friends and family, I’d go with Windows 7. There’s not really a good argument otherwise when it comes to home users.

With so many other Microsoft products touting “2010” (SharePoint, Exchange, Office…) it’s easy to get sidetracked by things that are new and shiny. Don’t forget to be ready to clean up after some of those things are reaching their end of life. Every environment has a machine or two that lags behind, don’t let an end of life issue turn into a security one.

Exchange 2010 SP1: Personal Archive Improvements

I’ve spent a few years running a small Exchange 2003 organization and now’s the time to start thinking about upgrading. At one point I was deciding between Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010, but with improvements slated for Service Pack 1 for Exchange 2010, I’m sold. Granted, SP1 isn’t out for general release yet, but I’m willing to wait on my upgrade until it is. Here are some of the killer features for me:

Personal Archives – Introduced in the RTM of Exchange 2010, the personal archives act as an alternate location for users to store mail outside of the main mailbox. Service Pack 1 introduces the option to store the archive in a different database than the main mailbox, finally bringing home the chance for users to store ALL their mail on the server, without affecting the time needed to restore their main mailbox in a recovery scenario.

PST Import – One you are using that personal archive option for users, its possible to put back all that mail that users have already moved out to PST files. The import tool helps streamline this process.

Better Discovery – Improved multi-mailbox search features and search “preview” options will provide a basic “e-discovery” solution for companies that aren’t quite ready to invest in a full blown archiving and discovery product.

I’m looking forward to SP1 for Exchange 2010 as the chance to to bring some new and valuable features to our existing mail infrastructure and take the leap from Exchange 2003. A day where I don’t have to help users keep track of PST files is a day I’ll be breaking out the champagne.

My TechEd Session Wish List

Had a great time at TechEd this year, do not get me wrong. But like all the other conferences of the past, there is often too much good stuff to get it all in.
This year, just about all the breakout sessions are available online. While some may think this reduces the value of actually attending the conference, I disagree. The more intimate sessions, like Birds-of-a-Feather and the “Interactive” style sessions were not recorded. So when I could, I attended those sessions over the traditional breakouts, chatted with Microsoft experts in the TLC areas, or spent time networking with others in the Expo and Community Lounge.
If I could have tailored TechEd to fit my schedule and I had more than 4 days, here are the sessions I would have attended. I did get to a few of them during the conference, they are marked with a (*). Since it will probably take me a while to view all the ones I missed, if you caught one of these and it’s especially good or bad, comment and let me know!
Management Track
MGT314* – Technical Introduction to Microsoft System Center Essentials 2010
Office & SharePoint
OSP314* – Microsoft Outlook and Exchange 2010: Better Together Overview
OSP208 – Microsoft Office 2010 for IT Professionals
OSP203 – (SharePoint) Designing Governance: How Information Management and Security Must Drive Your Design
Security, Identity & Access
SIA333 – Useful Hacker Techniques: Which Part of Hackers’ Knowledge Will Help You in Efficient IT Administration?
SIA230 – Why Security Fixes Won’t Fix Your Security
SIA306 – Night of the Living Directory: Understanding Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory Recycle Bin, Undeletion and Reanimation
Unified Communications
UNC303* – Upgrading from Microsoft Exchange Server 2003/2007 to Exchange Server 2010: Tips, Tricks and Lessons Learned
UNC307* – What’s New in Archiving, Retention, and Discovery in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1
UNC201 – Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1: An Overview of What’s Coming
UNC306 – Going Big! Deploying Large Mailboxes with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 without Breaking the Bank
UNC203 – What’s New in OWA, Mobility, and Calendaring in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1
UNC301 – Microsoft Exchange Server 2010: Sizing and Performance – Get It Right the First Time

Virtualization
VIR310 – Networking and Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V: Deployment Considerations
VIR403 – Virtualization FAQ, Tips and Tricks
VIR316 – Remote Desktop Session Host vs. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Smackdown
Windows Client
WCL304 – Best Practices Guide to Managing Applications
WCL205 – Windows 7 Deployment Tips from Early Adopters
Windows Server
WSV208* – Best Practices in Architecting and Implementing Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
WSV333 – DNSSEC and Windows: Get Ready, ‘Cause Here It Comes!
WSV201 – 10 Hot Topics Every IT Admin Needs to Know about Windows Server 2008 R2
WSV303 – Death of a Network: Identify the Hidden Causes of Lousy Network Performance
WSV301 – Administrators’ Idol: Windows and Active Directory Best Practices
WSV307 – Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

Developer Tools, Languages & Frameworks DEV211 – Microsoft Professional, Master and Architect Level Certifications: Notes from Those Who Have Conquered and Lived to Tell the Tale

Bytes by TechNet

Last week at TechEd, Microsoft TechNet launched a new web page called Bytes By TechNet, which features interviews of IT Professionals from the community and Microsoft attending TechEd 2010 by IT Professional Evangelists Keith Combs, Chris Henley, Matt Hester and Harold Wong. Topic included Windows 7, Windows Server, Windows Azure, SQL Azure, BPOS, Sharepoint 2010, Office 2010, Exchange Server 2010 and SQL Server 2008 and a variety of additional topics that they are passionate about.

I was one of the IT Pros interviewed and you can check out my video here. Check back every week as the TechNet team posts new interviews. They’ve got a great list of IT Pros scheduled!

Phishing on your Phone

I feel like I should be sending out some kind of chain email, telling you to pass this on to everyone you care about because it’s true. But it is.

Over the weekend, someone pretty close to me received a phone call very early in the morning, claiming to be “Visa” and reporting that his Visa debit card had been deactivated due to fraud and that he needed to provide some information to reactivate it. In the blur of being woken early with a phone call and the confusion about potential fraud, he provided his card number, expiration date and PIN to the automated system.

Clearly this type of thing can happen to anyone, especially when the call comes during the early morning hours, before you might be thinking there are criminals out to get your credit card information. Just remember, your bank will never ask you for your PIN number -they will verify your identity using other information.

Since that early morning, successful phishing attempt, he made a second call to his bank and had the card canceled. Because of the quick action, no misuse of the card number or PIN had occurred.

Also, when in doubt about a call not initiated by you regarding your credit cards, inform the caller that you will call back and ask which department you should be contacting. Then hang up and call the customer service number on the back of your card.

This has been a public service announcement. Stay safe and keep an eye on your wallet.

Travel Wishlist for Calendaring and Time Zones

As the end of TechEd draws near, I’ve started looking ahead to next week on my calendar and find myself annoyed with the way time zones are handled in the applications I use to manage my schedule. I use Outlook 2007 at work, Google Calendar for my personal schedule and then sync them together with Google Sync on my BlackBerry.

I know scheduling across times zones is a necessary evil with today’s distributed workforce and it’s great that my appointments are adjusted to the proper time when I’m coordinating with people in other parts of the country. But I wish I could specify on my calendar what time zone I’d like “see” for any given range of days.

For example, an appointment that I have at 10am next Tuesday on the west coast, is going to be at 10am local time on the day I am in that time zone. Today (while in New Orleans for TechEd) if I look at that appointment it reports that it’s scheduled for noon, because my entire calendar reflects my current time zone. If someone calls me and wants to schedule something else for Tuesday, I have to convert the time zone in my head for my existing appointments before I can commit to another event on the west coast. (If everyone sent me calendar invites via email with meeting requests, this would be less of an issue, but that’s hardly realistic expectation from my dentist, for example.)

My calendar “wish” is a feature that would allow me to specify that my calendar reflect all my appointments is the Pacific time zone, unless I change a range of dates to use an alternate zone or to match the zone on my computer or mobile device. This way future appointments would be reflected in time zones that are relevant to my expected physical location at the time of the meeting, not my physically location at the time I’m looking at my calendar. Basically, it would be a little “override” feature for the way calendaring handles time zones now.

By no means have I thought out all the details of how this should work and I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t think like a developer, but I’m gonna toss my “wish” out there into the wind. Who knows, maybe a feature in the next version of Outlook will be my idea. (Or maybe this is already possible and it’s just not clear to me… either way, I want it!)

Notes from TechEd

Hope all the TechEd attendees have been enjoying themselves – I know I’ve been busy racing from one end of the conference center to the other. Turns out that the conference center is about 1.5 miles long and TechEd is spread throughout a mile of it. And it never fails, the next place I have to be is always the furthest point from where I am the moment before.
So far, I’ve been concentrating on sessions around Exchange 2010, so look for some Exchange and Outlook related posts as soon as I get a little bit more time to get everything I’ve been learning straight in my head.
This morning I’m starting out with a session on some technology that’s pretty critical to most systems administration – WSUS. I know it’s time for me to review and potentially adjust how we monitor and update computers in the office and I’m hoping this WSUS session will help move those tasks higher up on my project list.