Tomorrow is the big day:

Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 launch event!

You can tune in LIVE!

Details:

• Date – Wed November 12, 2008
• Time – 11:00 AM Eastern (GMT -5)
• URL: www.thedreamserver.com 

See you there!

If you *are* listening and would like to get some free training on Hyper-V, here’s the perfect opportunity. Microsoft is giving away 4 free online eLearning classes, and if you haven’t tried the updated eLearning stuff lately, it’s pretty good.

You can click on the individual clinics below or snag all 4 courses in
Collection 6333: Exploring Microsoft Virtualization Technologies.

Individual clinic links:

• Clinic 5935- Introducing Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 
  (Self-paced course: 2 hours)
    - Features of Hyper-V
    - Features of server consolidation
    - Hyper-V implementation
    - Creation of virtual machines
    - Dynamic datacenters
    - Clustering in virtual environments
• Clinic 6334- Exploring Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 
  (Self-paced course: 2 hours)
    - Features and functionalities of VMM
    - Implementation and management of VMM
    - Management of VMM library
    - Management of hosts by using VMM
    - Implementation of virtual machine Self-Services
• Clinic 6335- Exploring Microsoft Application Virtualization
  (Self-paced course: 1 hour)
    - Features and functionalities of Application Virtualization
    - Deployment and maintenance of Application Virtualization
    - Management of Application Virtualization by using the Application
    - Virtualization Management console
• Clinic 6336- Exploring Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008
  (Self-paced course: 2 hours)
    - Implementation of Terminal Services
    - Working with Terminal Services RemoteApp, Terminal Services Web Access, Terminal Services Gateway, Terminal Services Session Broker, and Terminal Services Licensing

Note: This training is designed to be done at your own pace, whether that’s all in one shot, or 30-45 minutes per day. It’s totally up to you. And one of the really nice things about the Microsoft eLearning classes is that they have an E-Learning Offline Player, so you can view all of the content (except for the virtual labs) on your laptop anywhere. Very handy!

Description:

Your essential guide to TCP/IP—fully updated for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista.

This in-depth technical reference delivers must-know information on TCP/IP for any IT professional working with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista operating systems. This comprehensive guide starts with the fundamentals, delivering coverage of TCP/IP protocols layer by layer to help build mastery of protocols and their implementation. It focuses on Internet layer protocols such as IP, ICMP, IGMP, and includes a preview of IPv6; transport layer protocols such as TCP and UDP; and application layer protocols such as DNS, DHCP, and WINS. Written by a leading TCP/IP author, plus peer reviews from experts on the Windows Networking Team, this is the definitive guide to TCP/IP for Windows Server 2008.

Two partitions on Disk 0 both show as drive letter “D:”

Apparently this happens when trying to extend a partition. Props to Cory for this screen shot.

Microsoft “Office With Every PC” Video

Artie – The Strongest Man in the World

Yes, I know it’s not really Artie, but it’s still fun to imagine.

If you’d like to check out the video, you’ll need a Microsoft Partner ID to access the OEM Partner Center website, and Silverlight installed on your PC. Or, you can show up at the KYSBSUG meeting tonight and I’ll play it there.

So far Wordpress has been rock-solid and has kept the comment spammers at bay, and I don’t anticipate any blood on the floor with this upgrade. But hey, it could happen. 

See you on the other side.

UPDATE:

Well, the update failed and I completely destroyed the website. Fortunately I had a backup, but it was touch and go there for a bit. I’ll do some research and see where it failed. But, for the time being, we’re back in action using the old tech.

So far Wordpress has been rock-solid and has kept the comment spammers at bay, and I don’t anticipate any blood on the floor with this upgrade. But hey, it could happen. 

See you on the other side.

Initial impression of the 64-bit OS?: SMOKING FAST

The only driver issue was for my Plantronics DSP 500 USB headset, and that wasn’t even a driver issue really, it was just a configuration issue. So far everything is working great, and I’ve got a VPC of XP waiting on a second drive in case I run into any programs that aren’t 64-bit compatible.

The next OS decision it whether or not I should flatten my laptop and run Windows Server 2008 as a workstation OS.

In addition to the phenomenal training, another huge benefit of being here in person is the opportunity to network with the Microsoft SBS product team and other SBS-MVPs from around the world. It’s impossible to articulate just how much experience and passion these folks have for the SBS product and the community that uses and supports it. At every opportunity you’ll see folks sharing information, discussing best practices, giving feedback, and debating (sometimes fervently) the issues in the community and the product itself.

On Tuesday night Kevin Beares took the MVPs and some Microsoft folks out to dinner at Pogacha (a restaurant I *highly* recommend). As always, I feel like the least qualified person to be in the same room, but I’m thrilled at the opportunity to be there and share ideas and experiences.  Unfortunately, not everyone could make it to the training event, for various reasons. But for those of you have had a question answered in the SBS newsgroups, this picture of the dinner attendees should help you put a name with the face.

(Click for a larger picture)

1. - Microsoft
2. Mitch Garvis – Montreal, Canada
3. Ryan “Fuzzy” Spillane – Sydney, Australia
4. Kevin Weilbacher – Florida, USA
5. Cal McLennan – Ontario, Canada
6. Kerry Brown – MVP - Squamish, BC, Canada
7. Stuart Applegate – MVP – Australia
8. Tim Barrett – MVP- Kentucky, USA
9. Marina – Germany
10. Jeff Middleton – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
11. Dave Nickason – New York, USA
12. Mark Claggett – Microsoft MVP Lead
13. SBS product team
14. SBS product team
15. Kevin Royalty – MVP – Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
16. Marina Roos – MVP – Rotterdam, Netherlands
17. Eriq “Q” Neale – MVP – Denton, Texas, USA
18. Dean Calvert – MVP – Adelaide, Australia
19. Wayne Small – MVP – Sydney, Australia
20. Susan “Bitzie” Bradley – MVP – Fresno, California, USA
21. Charlie Russel – MVP – Canada
22. - Microsoft
23. Oliver “Ollie” Sommer – MVP – Germany
24. Jeff Loucks – MVP – Ontario, Canada
25. Henry Craven – MVP – Melbourne, Australia
26. Steven Banks – MVP – Seattle, Washington USA
27. Kevin Beares – Microsoft Community Lead - WSSG
28. Jon Bay – Microsoft Product Support (our trainer)
29. Marie “Mom” McFadden – Microsoft Community Program Manager

    Also here, but not pictured…

30. Dana Epp – MVP – Canada
31. Frank McCallister – MVP – Florida, USA
32. Larry Struckmeyer – MVP – Florida, USA
33. Tobias Redelberger – MVP – Germany
34. Steven Lai – MVP – San Jose, California, USA
35. Les Connor – MVP – Canada
36. Vlad Mazek – MVP – Orlando, Florida, USA
37. David “ShackDaddy” Shackelford – MVP – Seattle, Washington, USA

To all those with missing info, I’ll fill it in as soon as I can confirm info - I’m horrible with remembering names If you know any of the missing info above, please feel free to post it in the comments. And if I missed anyone who’s here, please comment that too.

Thanks Microsoft for a truly awesome and valuable event!