Volume 12, Issue 3 | February 10, 2010

Top Stories

TechNet 2.0 Is Coming - Join the Conversation

Every Tuesday and Thursday in February, Keith Combs is updating his blog with more details on the upcoming enhancements to TechNet. Provide your feedback and help the TechNet team prioritize its work around this project.

Take the Short TechNet Flash Subscriber Survey

We've listened before and we'll listen again. Many of the ideas for the recent changes to the newsletter came from subscribers. Tell us what you think of them and give us more ideas.

Your Featured Content

Evaluate Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010 Check out Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) 2010, part of our identity and access management solution. You can also read the white paper on the DirectAccess feature of Forefront UAG and watch these videos to learn more: technical demonstration, technical deep-dive on UAG and DA. Download the Virtual Machines for Evaluating Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 This set of virtual machines enables you to demonstrate and test Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 in a fully configured environment with sample data. Get the Beta: System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard The Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard lets you track application and operating system deployments, security updates, the health status of computers, and IT compliance. The Dashboard is a free Solution Accelerator, and fully supported by Microsoft.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Expires June 1, 2010 - Shutdowns Begin March 1 If you are still running the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC), beginning March 1, 2010, your PC will start to shut down every two hours in preparation for Windows 7 RC expiration on June 1, 2010. To avoid interruption, you will need to reinstall an earlier version of Windows, or the final, released-to-manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 7. Application Compatibility Toolkit Connector for SCCM 2007 Now Available The Configuration Manager 2007 ACT Connector helps you inventory installed applications and determine their compatibility with Windows. It also retrieves device driver compatibility for installed devices and reports which device drivers will need to be updated to support Windows. Preview the Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant Microsoft recently announced the first CTP of a SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) for MySQL v1.0, which automates aspects of the migration process to Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 2008, including SQL Azure Database.

		Editor's Note TechNet Flash Editor Mitch Irsfeld

Moving Apps into the Cloud

First the news: coinciding with the commercial launch of Windows Azure, Microsoft released the Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 1.1 for creating, configuration, building, debugging, running, and packaging scalable Web applications and services on Windows Azure. And for getting your current Windows applications running in the cloud, the Windows Azure team released a beta of Windows Azure Drive....

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		Central Region IT Pro Extras IT Pro Evangelist Matt Hester

Published and Loving Windows Server 2008 R2

One of my areas of passion has always been server technology, and my book on Windows Server 2008 R2 has just been published: Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Administration Instant Reference. I hope you'll order it. So why is this important?

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	Training and Books Save on Training and Software with a Windows 7 Career Package This package from Microsoft Learning includes classroom training, a certification exam, and a free, fully licensed copy of Windows 7. Offer available through June 30, 2010 or while supplies last. Discounted Training Offer: Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008 Get the skills you need to support, deploy and develop for Windows HPC Server 2008, at special invitation-only pricing. Attend this training at the deeply discounted pricing of only US$75 per seat (retail price is US$1,500 per class). View full class schedule and use voucher code USA-HPC-LMS to receive US$75 pricing.

	Register by February 28, 2010, and save US$200. Expand your Tech•Ed 2010 experience. Attend a pre-conference seminar on June 6.