Is SOPA really that bad?
Friday, January 27, Mark Gibbs published an article discussing "the real reasons why SOPA and PIPA are real bad" (http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2012/012712-backspin.html).
Mark points out what he sees as two major issues: Read more
This week in System Center 2012
As you may have heard by now, Microsoft released the release candidate of System Center 2012 on Tuesday, announced during their "Transforming IT with Microsoft Private Cloud Virtual Event" on Tuesday. Just two days later, I see at least 112 news articles related to System Center 2012!
Here's a smattering of those articles: Read more
System Center 2012
Today Microsoft announced availability of the release candidate for System Center 2012. While there previously has been a System Center "suite," with this version, Microsoft is getting serious about making the suite the product, and the individual products are now components. Microsoft is focusing on the entire application. Read more
Microsoft System Center Evolution
System Center was first introduced as a concept in 2003, consisting of MOM and SMS, with an envisioned reporting product unifying information between the two. Since then System Center has gone through several product releases, but the components have been released on their own timelines using the System Center name as a moniker but not as a unified product. As System Center has grown, its products have largely operated independently, with only a few minor connections between the products. Read more
Microsoft's $99 hour PC support service
Microsoft's Answer Desk debuted Dec. 7, touted as a premium service to give you the most convenient, friendly, and easy way to get the most out of your PC (per a TechNet blog article by Blake Morrison Dec. 9 that was pulled shortly it was posted). However, http://www.answerdesk.com/ is live, including a complimentary consult to get you started. Service is oriented towards removing malware, helping with performance problems, or solving problems with Windows or Office. Read more
A blast from the past - Microsoft accused of monopolistic practices
On November 21, Bill Gates testified in a lawsuit charging Microsoft of monopolistic behavior against WordPerfect. Microsoft is accused of altering Windows 95 to make it more difficult for WordPerfect to produce a product that functioned well under the operating system.
A simple Google search already shows over a thousand news stories covering the testimony. Read more
Copying Software
A study commissioned by Microsoft found pirated software saves its users in developing countries more than $2.9 billion annually. In other words, pirated software is costing Microsoft more than $2.9 billion per year in sales. This includes Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Asia-Pacific. In fact, 90% of Microsoft users in China (sometimes referred to as a "one-disk" country) use pirated software (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/111711-pirated-software-253255.html). Read more
The Value of IT Certifications
The original concept of a certification was an official acknowledgement that the individual was a master in that field. I remember when I certified as a Microsoft Certified System Engineer – being a MCSE was the Holy Grail, I thought. Of course, there no longer is a MCSE certification. Around the same time, I earned my masters degree. A technical colleague congratulated me, saying getting a masters degree is for a lifetime, but a technical certification was not. Read more
Introducing the System Center 2012 lineup
Initially envisioned in 2003 as an umbrella over Microsoft Operations Manager and Systems Management Server with consolidated reporting, System Center has grown through several waves of staggered releases. Now with the 2012 version, including eight components and a tweak to the name, here's what we see at the end of October:
Naming changes: Read more
Microsoft announces availability of Intune 2
Just this spring, Microsoft shipped the first version of Intune. Now version 2 is available. Read more
The Service Manager 2010 Data Warehouse
In Service Manager 2010, the data warehouse is implemented a bit differently than in Operations Manager 2007. Let's take a look at some of the differences and potential implications.
Service Manager 2010 uses the data warehouse for long-term storage of data, such as incidents. This makes it the data source for reports, since old data is groomed from the Service Manager database on a recurring interval - helping to maintain performance and keep the database at a manageable size. Read more
Service Manager Management Packs
What are management packs? They are collections of logic used to tell System Center components such as Service Manager and Operations Manager what to do. They are the brain used by these products and serve two primary purposes: Read more
Announcing System Center 2012 Operations Manager Unleashed
Its official, an Unleashed book on the next version of Operations Manager is being born!
Updating the information in System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed and the System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed supplement, work will begin this fall on a new Unleashed book covering the newest version of Operations Manager. Read more
System Center Service Manager 2010: Why Should We Care?
Definitely the longest System Center product in the making, Microsoft announced availability of Service Manager 2010 in April 2010. The product first went into early testing in 2006 with a code name of "Service Desk," with release planned the second half of 2008. Testing revealed performance and scalability problems and that initial version of the product was ultimately scrapped and totally rewritten.
The current version thus is a "V1" product. Since its release, it has had a service pack, and a "v.next" release is planned as part of the System Center 2012 wave. Read more
The Service Manager Sizing Helper Tool
Provided as a downloadable utility, the Service Manager Sizing Helper tool can help to establish the number of Server Manager servers you need and assist with sizing your databases. Here are some of the things the tool can do: Read more
Making Magic in the Cloud with Opalis - Book giveaways for System Center Opalis 6.3 Unleashed
During the month of August, Network World ran a contest to give away copies of System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed. If you didn't win a book in the contest, you may be interested in the System Center Central promotion. See http://www.systemcentercentral.com/BlogDetails/tabid/143/IndexID/88908/Default.aspx. Five copies of the book will be given away on Friday!
How the power of Opalis delivers the magic of the Cloud
Thank you to Pete Zerger for your work on this posting. Pete is a System Center MVP and contributor to System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed. If you've been through the Seattle airport, you've probably seen the collection of Microsoft banners hanging from the rafters, bearing clever marketing phases, including: Read more
System Center Orchestrator 2012 - what's changing?
By Kerrie Meyler and Pete Zerger. Now that System Center Orchestrator 2012 is available in beta, you may be wondering if it is worthwhile to continue creating policies with Opalis Integration Server (OIS) 6.3. Will you have to rewrite all your OIS policies for the next release? Read more
Opalis Runbook Automation Fundamentals (Part 3)
Thank you to Pete Zerger for contributing and collaborating on this posting. Pete is a System Center MVP and contributor to System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed. The final installment of this three part series delves into other Opalis / Orchestrator functionality, discussing these policy authoring topics: Read more
Opalis Runbook Automation Fundamentals (Part 2)
Thank you to Pete Zerger for contributing and collaborating on this posting. Pete is a System Center MVP and contributor to System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed. This second installment in a three part series goes go a bit deeper into Opalis / Orchestrator functionality with a discussion of more advanced policy authoring topics: Read more
- About Managing Microsoft
Kerrie Meyler, MVP, MCSE, MCTS, MCT, is an independent consultant and trainer with over fifteen years of experience in IT. While at Microsoft in Field Technical Sales for four years she focused on infrastructure and mangement, presenting at numerous product launches. Kerrie has presented Operations Manager 2007 at TechEd 2007, MMS 2009, MMS 2011, and internal Microsoft conferences, receiving company recognition and awards including a SPAR MGS award. Kerrie worked with Microsoft Learning to develop functional specifications for the original Operations Manager Microsoft courseware, 2550: Implementing Microsoft Operations Manager 2000 and did the beta teach for that course.She also participated in development for several System Center certification exams.
Kerrie is the lead author of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Unleashed, System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 Unleashed, System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed, System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed and System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed.
Check out an excerpt from System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed, Chapter 3: Looking Inside OpsMgr.
You can also check out an excerpt from System Center Configuration (SCCM) Manager 2007 Unleashed, Chapter 3: Looking Inside ConfigMgr.
Read a sample chapter of System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed at Chapter 1: Introduction and What's New.
You can also read a sample chapter of System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed at Chapter 1: Introducing Opalis Integration Server 6.3 and System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed at Chapter 1:Service Management Basics.
System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed was selected as the September, 2011 book giveaway for Microsoft Subnet.
- Enter the monthly contest.
- Read a free chapter excerpt of System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed
- Buy the book.
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