Note from the Editor Greetings, and welcome to TechNet Flash. Getting your arms around all the new features in Windows 7 in preparation for delivering it to your users in a seamless fashion can be a bit daunting. But TechNet Magazine just published Windows 7: The 10 Things You Must Do First to help you prioritize and focus your learning curve. Here's a big heads-up regarding Windows 7 planning and deployment - the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack 2009 R2 will be released in late October 2009 and will add Windows 7 support. MDOP can help you rapidly migrate to Windows 7, deploy applications with greater ease, resolve application incompatibility, and reduce desktop management costs. Moreover, MDOP 2009 R2 provides the ability to optimize Windows 7 application deployment using Application Virtualization (App-V). App-V helps you transform applications into centrally-managed virtual services to reduce the cost of deployment. And a Windows upgrade is the best time to adopt App-V since all applications are tested and re-deployed as part of Windows 7 deployment. This is a great time to take a look at your application delivery strategy and adopt application virtualization with minimum overhead and cost. For more on that, check out the App-V Cost Reduction Study. On October 8 at 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time, IT Evangelist Kevin Remde will host a chat to discuss how Windows 7 can add more value to businesses. Kevin and his guests will address how Windows 7 provides improvements that can reduce total cost of ownership by helping to increase automation, improve user productivity, and provide flexible administrative control to meet compliance requirements. Register for the webcast. Tips and Tricks for the IT Pro at Home Want to get to know Windows 7 inside and out, and be better prepared for all those "quick" questions from your friends and family? Check out the new videos on the Springboard Series IT Pro at Home zone and learn more about: Windows Internet Explorer 8 Organizing with Windows 7 Libraries Windows 7 HomeGroup Location Aware Printing Security on Your Terms Windows Search Sign Up for Microsoft Project 2010 Beta Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Project 2010 beta will become available for testing later this fall, but you can now pre-register for the Microsoft Project 2010 beta. Microsoft Project 2010 will be generally available in the first half of 2010. Thanks for reading, Mitch Irsfeld Editor, TechNet Flash Subscribe to the TechNet Flash Feed blog for news updates as they happen, often several times a day. Or, to get the TechNet Flash Feed, plus news of new webcasts, videos and new TechNet Magazine content, all in one place, get the TechNet Widget for Your Desktop.

Configure the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Database to Automate Windows Deployment
11 Minutes, 2 seconds
Watch this demonstration to learn how to create and configure the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) database to further automate the deployment of Windows operating systems.

Get the Final Release of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010
As you prepare to deploy Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, get a jump start with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010. It includes new features such as flexible driver management, optimized user interface workflow, and Windows PowerShell command line interface to help simplify deployment and make your job easier.

Using Visio 2007 Professional for IT Asset Management
October 13, 2009, 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
In this webcast, we focus on using Visio 2007 Professional to create and maintain:

• Physical network layouts through plan-based diagrams
• Logical network diagrams through logical network topology diagrams
• Rack diagrams to document the physical IT assets in server rooms and equipment closets
• Wiring diagrams as overlays to floor plan diagrams

The Business Reasons for Migrating to Windows 7
September 30, 2009, 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time
With the release of Windows 7 to the general public just weeks away, we will be taking a look at the real business reasons that make migrating to Windows 7 the logical choice for the majority of IT managers and IT professionals.

Participate in the Microsoft Learning IT Manager Advisory Council
Microsoft Learning is making an investment in IT managers. We want to help add value to your organization in a way we've never done before. In order to do that, we need your help. You can provide valuable feedback and help develop certification offers, tools and materials exclusively for IT managers.

Don't Miss Steve Ballmer's Talk About the New Efficiency
If you have not already saved the date for September 29th, see how innovations in Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, and Microsoft Forefront offer familiar, integrated solutions that help you meet cost, innovation, and productivity challenges head on.