The Web Service Software Factory: Modeling Edition (also known as the Service Factory) is an integrated collection of resources designed to help you quickly and consistently build Web services that adhere to well-known architecture and design patterns. These resources consist of patterns and architecture topics in the form of written guidance and models with code generation in the form of tools integrated with Visual Studio 2008.
Source : msdn2.microsoft.com
Windows Vista SP1 stand-alone packages do not contain the updated Windows Vista SP1 Help files.
The updated Windows Vista Help file packages are named "Update for Help Files." These files are packaged separately for each language.
The updated Help files have been excluded from the stand-alone SP1 packages to reduce the size of the packages. However, the updated Windows Vista Help files are contained in the retail and OEM versions of Windows Vista that include SP1. Therefore, if you perform a clean installation of a version of Windows Vista that includes SP1, you do not have to add an updated Help file.
To discover the various scenarios in which you must manually install the "Update for Help Files" package to obtain the updated Windows Vista Help files or to learn how to verify if the updated help files are installed check kb937286.
| Download : |
Say No To IE 6!
Our current campaign focuses on assisting users in upgrading their Internet Explorer 6 web browser. This campaign will result in former IE 6 users having a more enjoyable experience on the web while (hopefully) creating a less stressful and complicated environment for web developers by hastening the retirement of an outdated browser.
Source : www.savethedevelopers.org
Before you ask, SharePoint does support FireFox, Mozilla, Netscape and Safari ... from a user point of view.
For an administrator, SharePoint is optimize for Internet Explorer 6 and over.
If you want want to know exactly what works and what doesn't on witch browser read the following documents :
Language packs enable the use of multiple languages without requiring separate installations of Microsoft Search Server 2008. Multiple language packs can be installed on the same server. Application of a Language Pack will not change the language of the installed server product SKU, or the language of the administrative features.
| Download : | Search Server 2008 (x64) Language Pack |
| Search Server 2008 (x86) Language Pack |
Jorge as a great list of free AD objects recovery tools on his blog.
I wonder how many different names this tool kit already had. Just some months ago, Microsoft renamed Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 into Microsoft Deployment 4. The name of the new version, which was released today, is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2008. I guess many got confused by the former name because they thought it would be another deployment tool which is not the case. MDT is indeed just a tool kit, but one that is delivered without the tools. That means you have to download the tools you need for your work. The new version has quite a few new features.
Source : 4sysops.com
For WSUS users, the Standalone Package of the Service Pack and its prerequisites will be available on the MU Catalog Tuesday March 25 but before that, there are a few things to take into consideration:
- This process applies to WSUS 3.0 RTM and SP1 servers only.
- If you are running your WSUS server on a Windows 2003 Server, you will first need to download and install the WinTrustVerify update (KB 938759) on that server.
Read the complete article : WSUS Product Team Blog
Many of you have asked us when the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) would be available for download now that Windows Vista SP1 has been released. As of today, you can!
RSAT is an excellent set of tools for IT Pros wanting to manage their Windows Server environment right from their desktop. RSAT also includes an updated Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), which was previously removed in Windows Vista SP1.
Download: Remote Server Administration Tools (x86)
Download: Remote Server Administration Tools (x64)
RSAT is an updated version of what is called ADMINPAK.MSI and can be used by IT Pros to manage computers running Windows Server 2008. Because many of these tools also work for managing computers running Windows Server 2003, it is essentially "the next version" of ADMINPAK.MSI.
The following are a list of the tools you will find in RSAT:
Role Administration Tools:
- Active Directory Certificate Services Tools
- Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Tools
- Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) Tools
- DHCP Server Tools
- DNS Server Tools
- File Services Tools
- Network Policy and Access Services Tools
- Terminal Services Tools
- Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) Services Tools
Feature Administration Tools:
- BitLocker Drive Encryption Tools
- Failover Clustering Tools
- Group Policy Management Tools
- Network Load Balancing Tools
- SMTP Server Tools
- Storage Manager for SANs Tools
- Windows System Resource Manager Tools
And these tools also fully supported managing Windows Server 2003 servers:
Download RSAT today and start managing your servers!
Note : Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is required.
Source : Windows Vista Team Blog, Windows Server Division WebLog
There is three updates you need to have before installing Vista SP1 (that is if you don't want to reboot 2 ou 3 times).
All of those updates are available thru Windows Updates or WSUS.
| Sources : | Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Deployment Guide |
| Microsoft Update Product Team Blog | |
| WSUS Product Team Blog |
Ruben Spruijt wrote a comprehensive overview of Hyper-V over at Brian Madden’s site.
Why have I never heard of this before?! It’s called Spotlight on Windows from Quest Software, it’s free, and it’s worth more like a million bucks or so. If you manage a Windows server, or servers, please install and try this software now.
Source : David Szpunar's Blog
The Windows Server® 2008 Network Shell (Netsh) Technical Reference provides a comprehensive command reference for networking technologies such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Network Policy Server (NPS), Network Access Protection (NAP), and Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS), among many other technologies for which there are netsh commands.
Download : www.microsoft.com/downloads
Microsoft has created a new WebDAV extension module that has been completely rewritten for Windows Server 2008. This new WebDAV extension module incorporates many new features that enable web authors to publish content better than before, and offers web administrators more security and deployment options. This new WebDAV extension module supports a wide range of features and improvements, and the following list contains several of the improvements in this version:
| Download : | Microsoft WebDAV Extension for IIS 7.0 (x86) |
| Microsoft WebDAV Extension for IIS 7.0 (x64) |
As you probably already knows IE 8 Beta 1 is available for download from Microsoft.
Guest what, this new version comes with new compatibility issues. Don't panic, it won't be as bad as with IE 7. Microsoft build a «IE7 compatibility mode» in IE8. You can trigger it by hitting a button on the tool bar or web page developers can add the following tag to their web pages :
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=7" />
More infos :
The slipstream version also known as Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 with SP1 has been released. If you've attended any of the Windows Server 2008 sessions or been following the instructions across blogs you'll be very pleased. As well, this release makes fresh installations easier.
SharePoint Server 2007 RTM or WSS 3.0 will not install on Windows Server 2008. It requires SP1. Thus these bits simplify and reduce confusion resulting from users trying to install WSS 3.0 or SharePoint Server RTM versions directly on Windows Server 2008. Previously, steps were required to add SP1 to the update folder.
Download :
Source : blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint
Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 Manager is an administration UI that provides end users and administrators with a way to remotely manage IIS 7.0 servers.
You must have the Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0 or greater installed.
If you are installing on Windows Vista:
If you are installing on Windows XP:
If you are installing on Windows Server 2003:
Source and Download : www.microsoft.com/downloads
Key Management Service 1.1 (KMS) for Windows Server 2003 SP1 and later enables enterprise customers to activate volume editions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
KMS version 1.1 for Windows Server 2003 provides the same feature set as version 1.0 and the following additional functionality:
Downloads :
Key Management Service 1.1 (x86) for Windows Server 2003 SP1 and Later
Key Management Service 1.1 (x64) for Windows Server 2003 SP1 and Later
A genuine crack for Windows Vista has just been released by pirate group Pantheon, which allows a pirated, non-activated installation of Vista (Home Basic/Premium and Ultimate) to be properly activated and made fully-operational.
Unlike cracks which have been floating around since Vista RTM was released in late November, this crack doesn’t simply get around product activation with beta activation files or timestop cracks - it actually makes use of the activation process. It seems that Microsoft has allowed large OEMs like ASUS to ship their products with a pre-installed version of Vista that doesn’t require product activation – apparently because end users would find it too inconvenient.
Source : apcmag.com
From Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Team Blog :
I'm incredibly proud and pleased to announce that after 9 months of work (all volunteers!) and 2 very well received/tested beta versions, the final release of the Community Kit for SharePoint: Enhanced Blog Edition 2.0 is now available on the CKS project space on CodePlex at http://www.CodePlex.com/CKS
Here are the CKS 2.0 editions currently being actively worked on by the CKS team.
Kirk Koenigsbauer (General Manager, SharePoint Business Group) :
Today, I’m very happy to write about our continued momentum in Enterprise Search! At the sold out SharePoint Conference here in Seattle, we're launching Search Server and Search Server Express to deliver on promise of enterprise search for the masses
They also re-launched the Search Connector Gallery as the place you can go to find partners who offer search connectors.
Source : blogs.msdn.com/enterprisesearch/
Download : www.microsoft.com/enterprisesearch
The tool automates the process of deploying the MOSS site settings in all or selected sites in a server farm as shown in the following list:
Note : The Tool also enables IT administrators to customize the site settings to be deployed.
Source : www.codeplex.com/SPConfigurator
Microsoft has put up a new site for Products & Extensions for Visual Studio. This is a library of free and commercial add-ons.
Website : visualstudiogallery.com
Don't waste your time trying to understand what this blog is about or why is there so many unrelated news in it (from Formula 1 to computer programming). It's simply my own personal blog where I can put any information I like.
