Download – Service Pack 2 for Office 2010

Office 2010 logoTitle: Service Pack 2 for Office 2010
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Published: 7/21/2013

32-bit Version
Filename: officesp2010-kb2687455-fullfile-x86-en-us.exe
File size: 638.2 MB
Download URL: Click here to download

64-bit version
Filename: officesp2010-kb2687455-fullfile-x64-en-us.exe
File size: 730.4 MB
Download URL: Click here to download

KB 2687455 – What’s new in Office 2010 SP2:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2687455

Spreadsheet listing bug fixes in Office 2010 SP2:
Click here to download

If you just need to download Service Pack 2 for a specific Office 2010 application, check this link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2687521

VN:F [1.9.20_1166]
Rating: 10.0/10 (2 votes cast)

Download – Windows Server 2012 R2 Test Lab Guide

Whitepaper - Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview Test Lab GuideTitle: Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview Test Lab Guide
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Published: 7/17/2013
Filename: Win2012_R2_Preview_TLG.docx
File size: 199 KB
Pages: 33
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here to download

Description:

This Microsoft Test Lab Guide (TLG) provides you with step-by-step instructions to create the Windows Base Configuration test lab, using computers running Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview.

With the resulting test lab environment, you can build test labs based on other Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview-based TLGs from Microsoft, TLG extensions in the TechNet Wiki, or a test lab of your own design that can include Microsoft or non-Microsoft products.

  • For a test lab based on physical computers, you can image the drives for future test labs.
  • For a test lab based on virtual machines, you can create snapshots of the base configuration virtual machines.

This enables you to easily return to the base configuration test lab, where most of the routine infrastructure and networking services have already been configured, so that you can focus on building a test lab for the product, technology, or solution of interest.

VN:F [1.9.20_1166]
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

An MVP By Any Other Name

The last 12 months have seen some pretty major changes at Microsoft (which I won’t rehash) and the changes continue:

“Effective July 17th, 2013, the technical expertise Small Business Server will be renamed to Windows Server for Small and Medium Business. Please note this is a MVP Program expertise change only and has no impact within the product team structure.”

(Excerpt of an email from my MVP Lead – quoted with permission).

Sign - Change Ahead

So, is that only a name change?

I don’t think so.

Here’s why.

Everybody who keeps an eye on Microsoft knows they’ve been spending gobs of money to try and get education out to the Partners.

Examples:

That’s just to name a few resources, and there are plenty more on the way. And all of those resources above are FREE.

What’s my point?

I’m not saying that Small Business is going away, but I am saying that with the amount of resources Microsoft is making available the Medium Business is more approachable than ever for the SMB folks. You have to adapt your skillset and your mindset. The medium business tools can be used for both small and medium businesses. In fact, that was the original intent behind SBS!

Look back in time to when SBS was born. Internet wasn’t mainstream yet. ISDN was expensive. Nobody had smartphones or tablets. Everything has changed. And it will continue to change, probably even faster than it has before.

To borrow a quote from the movie Hanna, “Adapt or die.”

Yes, that’s harsh. But ignoring the truth, the reality of the market and product set we now work with, the new opportunities and threats from a financial and security standpoint – it’s a recipe for disaster.

My recommendations to you, gentle reader:

  1. Learn PowerShell – It’s your friend
    http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/liveevents/PowerShell-JumpStart
  2. Learn about the cloud offerings (Office 365 & Azure) and how to deploy them
  3. Learn about Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 Preview
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtuallabs/bb512925

Bottom Line: On-premise is far from dead. But if you don’t continually fill your technical gas tank with proper business coaching, someone else who’s in a position to deploy the new technology might just end up driving away with your customer.

VN:F [1.9.20_1166]
Rating: 7.3/10 (4 votes cast)

Download – Digital Citizenship Toolkit – 27 Documents

There are two old sayings that often come to mind:

“Safety is no accident”

“Common sense isn’t very common”

Computer lessons that are learned the hard way (through first-hand experience) are very painful. But these days those lessons can cost you a lot more than lost time – you can lose your identity or the safety of the ones you care about.

Microsoft has released a series of 27 documents to help.

Title: Digital Citizenship Toolkit – Brochures, Factsheets & Tip Cards
Author: Microsoft Virtualization Team
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Published: 7/10/2013
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here to download

  1. Defend Your Computer Brochure.pdf (1.6 MB)
  2. DigiDucks Big Decision Book Sample.pdf (15.2 MB)
  3. Digital Citizenship Begins with You Factsheet.pdf (1.2 MB)
  4. Get Game Smart PACT.pdf (2.2 MB)
  5. Help Kids Stand Up to Online Bullying Brochure.pdf (294 KB)
  6. Help Kids Stand Up to Online Bullying Factsheet.pdf (236 KB)
  7. Is the Online World More Dangerous Than the Real World Factsheet.pdf (198 KB)
  8. Making Safer Financial Transactions Online Brochure.pdf (1.7 MB)
  9. Microsoft_Family_Safety_Tools_brochure.pdf (3.4 MB)
  10. Microsoft_Family_Safety_Tools_factsheet.pdf (3.5 MB)
  11. Play It Safe Gaming Online Brochure.pdf (1.4 MB)
  12. Protecting Tweens and Teens Online Brochure.pdf (1.6 MB)
  13. Protecting Young Children Online Brochure.pdf (1.6 MB)
  14. Protecting Your Information On the Go Brochure.pdf (1.4 MB)
  15. Protecting Your Privacy Online Brochure.pdf (1.1 MB)
  16. Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft Online Brochure.pdf (2.0 MB)
  17. Protecting Yourself from Phishing Scams Brochure.pdf (1.2 MB)
  18. Safer Online Socializing Brochure.pdf (1.4 MB)
  19. Seniors Stay Safer on the Internet Brochure.pdf (1.3 MB)
  20. Take Charge of Your Online Reputation Factsheet.pdf (1.4 MB)
  21. Talking Safely Online Brochure.pdf (1.1 MB)
  22. Teach Kids Mobile Phone Safety Brochure.pdf (1.5 MB)
  23. Top Tips for Internet Safety at Work Tip Card.pdf (356 KB)
  24. Top Tips for Online Safety at Home Tip Card.pdf (398 KB)
  25. Top Tips for Online Safety for Secondary Students Factsheet.pdf (900 KB)
  26. Top Tips for Online Safety in Secondary Schools Tip Card_For Teachers.pdf (1.7 MB)
  27. Use Location Services More Safely Factsheet.pdf (1.1 MB)

Tip: If you have kids at home that use computers, check out the PACT (#4)

VN:F [1.9.20_1166]
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

Farewell SBS 2011

SBS Tombstone

Effective today (Monday July 1, 2013) Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard has reached ‘End of Sale’ status for the retail version.

SBS 2011 purchase date information

Source: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=257790

You have until Tuesday December 31, 2013 to purchase SBS 2011 Standard OEM version.

Update 7/1/2013: Handy Andy says that you cannot purchase SA for SBS 2011 anymore.

Tip: If you’re buying the OEM version remember that you have a 90-day window after purchase where you can add Software Assurance to the OEM version. If you don’t add SA, the OEM version is legally locked to that hardware forever.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mssmallbiz/archive/2006/05/22/604221.aspx

VN:F [1.9.20_1166]
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)