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April 2009 - David Overton's Blog
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  • UK event to learn more about Windows 7 (London, Birmingham, Leeds and Edinburgh)

    With the launch of Windows 7 coming this year I thought you might like to know what Microsoft is saying about it. We have four events around the UK to help partners understand more. Event Overview With the launch of Windows 7, within three years of general availability of Windows Vista, we are delighted to invite you to an event so you can experience for yourself the buzz and excitement of Windows 7. The Windows 7 team will show you how you can protect and grow your revenues between now and the launch date and will take you through the journey of converting your customers to Windows 7, whether they currently are on Windows Vista or Windows XP – allowing you the opportunity to extend the sale and ensuring you are selling today. For your chance to see a demonstration of what the press are raving about and experience what businesses will love about Windows 7 first hand, then join us at this additional session. Agenda 5.00pm - Registration 5.30pm - The journey to Windows 7 / Demonstration of Windows 7 7.00pm...

  • How to encrypt backups and optionally the system disks on Windows Server 2008 and SBS 2008 and Windows Vista too

    Hi, someone asked in the forums how if the backups on SBS 2008 and Windows Server 2008 were encrypted and the answer is no, even if the drives being backed up are BitLocker protected ( more details here ). However you can get encrypted backups with a bit of effort. To do this you will need to at least BitLocker enable your removable drives and optionally your system disk. I used the information at http://blogs.msdn.com/askdavid/archive/2007/06/08/enabling-bitlocker-on-removable-drives-usb-flash-drives-usb-hard-drives.aspx as a guide to putting together what I needed to do, so many thanks David Chandra for this. This same process can also be used on Windows Vista There are a couple of snags however and you need to work out which scenario you wish to have (if you have a TPM chip then option 2 & 3 can be replaced with entering a key into the TPM prompt: encrypt just the backup disks you will need to run a script each time a volume is added back to the system encrypt the system disk and the backup disks and you...

  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 9 - Configuring your services

    Configuring your services This chapter covers the process of finalising the network setup moving all network services to be served from the SBS 2008 server. In this chapter we will carry out the following tasks, some of which are optional: Accept the customer feedback option (as it is in this section of the console) Configure your internet domain name for remote access and e-mail Check your internet network settings Enable e-mail routing via your ISP (smart hosts) if required Installing a paid for SSL certificate (optional) Configure OfficeLive for Small Business for SBS 2008 (optional) Configure a VPN (also known as RAS) for external access (optional) The configuration and purchasing of a Domain Name and setting up for Office Live Small Business is a key benefit of SBS 2008 for those who don’t use this already today. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David Technorati...
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  • Business Productivity Online Suite training for partners in Manchester and Birmingham

    Business Productivity Online Suite Launch Join us in Birmingham and Manchester The UK software market is evolving, and customers are looking to embrace the change. Forecasted growth for subscription software is expected to achieve an annual growth rate of +30% during the next three years - considerably outpacing traditional market growth and providing a tremendous resale and service opportunity for Microsoft partners. In a tough economy, subscription services are more digestible to cash strapped customers. Microsoft's Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), provides a new IT solution for their needs, delivering enterprise-class software as a subscription service, hosted by Microsoft and sold by you. Costing £10.04 for the entire suite, per user per month, BPOS includes: > Microsoft Exchange Online > Microsoft SharePoint Online > Microsoft Office Live Meeting > Microsoft Office Communications Online > Microsoft Exchange Hosted Services For Microsoft Partners BPOS provides an annuity...

  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 13 - Introduction to SBS 2008 management

    Introduction to SBS 2008 management All computers, like cars, need regular maintenance, but unlike cars where this can be a once a year exercise and perhaps even once every two years, this needs to be done more frequently with SBS 2008. In this chapter we will cover the daily checks and what to consider if they are not all green on the reports. I start by covering the basic tools available before I cover off the steps to be worked on. Windows SBS Console Windows SBS Console (Advanced Mode) Windows SBS Native Tools Management Exchange Management Shell Command Prompt run as Administrator I also work through the following checks: Daily maintenance check via reports Maintenance areas Security Backup and Recovery Forefront Updates Storage Event Log Messages Troubleshooting common problems External Network Internal Network Spam Poor Performance The Windows SBS Console Advanced mode Native Tools Management Exchange Management Shell How to do a full, bare metal backup To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r...
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  • SBS 2008, Installing, migrating and configuring BOOK now available to pre-order

    [updated 2nd May 2009] Hi everyone. My SBS 2008 book is in now available to order. Details below. If you want to ask questions once you have the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?13 . To order the book click http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M Small Business Server 2008 – Installation, Migration, and Configuration David Overton Set up and run your small business server making it deliver big business impact · Step-by-step guidance through the installation and configuration process with numerous pictures · Successfully install SBS 2008 into your business, either as a new installation or by migrating from SBS 2003 · Configure hosted web sites for public and secure information exchange using Office Live for Small Business and Office Live Workspaces · An illustrative book for people with basic technical skills and no SBS background In More Detail Available April 2009. Order now! Cover price £24.99 Packt Special Offer £22.49 save 10% Multi-buy Discount £20.49...

  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 6 - Migrating e-mail from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007

    Migrating e-mail from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007 This chapter covers the migration of e-mail in Exchange 2003 on the SBS 2003 server to Exchange 2007 on SBS 2008. This will again require activities on both servers to complete this task. Migrating e-mail is a lengthy process and one you need to plan for in terms of cleaning up e-mail before migration to shorten the process. I walk you through all the activities until the migration is complete. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David Technorati Tags: SBS 2008 , Book , Microsoft , Migration , Installation , Configuration
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 7 - Migrating the CompanyWeb SharePoint site

    Migrating the CompanyWeb SharePoint site This chapter covers the migration of data in the CompanyWeb - http://companyweb , a Windows SharePoint Site from SBS 2003 to a site called OldCompanyWeb on SBS 2008. SBS 2008 ships with Windows SharePoint v3 which is different enough to stop a simple import of data from the Windows SharePoint v2 site that is hosted on SBS 2003. For that reason the recommended approach is to have two sites and to advise the users to utilise the new site going forward, but to retain data in the old site too. Should it be desired, the data and documents can be copied between the sites once the migration is completed. This chapter walks you through: On the SBS 2003 server Prepare and check CompanyWeb on SBS 2003 for migration Backup the database Copy the files to a removable device or create a network share On the SBS 2008 server Configure the DNS for the migrated site Import the data Create the OldCompanyWeb site Tidy up the site To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M ...
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 11 - Managing users and their computers

    Managing users and their computers In this chapter we will cover the tasks required to add and manage users as well as the tasks to add and manage their desktop and notebook computers. This is done using the standard SBS 2008 tools, but discussing the customising of settings to give you a solution that meets both the administrator’s and the user’s needs. This includes: Managing roles Adding Users Managing users storage Adding computers to the network Ensuring computers are up to date with updates To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David Technorati Tags: SBS 2008 , Book , Microsoft , Migration , Installation , Configuration
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 12 - Working with SBS Services as user

    Working with SBS Services as user To get the business benefit from SBS 2008 you will need to embed the use of the services and facilities use into the users psyche to enable them to benefit from it and use it. In this chapter we will cover the following areas: E-mail, Calendar and Contacts File Management Remote access to the server, network and services Many people believe the above are simple and well known, but taking Outlook as an example, learning how to do the tasks below in Outlook on a PC and via Outlook Web Access is often a real productivity tool. Viewing yours and other people’s calendar Scheduling a meeting for multiple people and ensure their diaries are all free for the time period Telling people when you are going to be away or unavailable Finding e-mails that have been filed Recovering e-mails that have been deleted and removed from the deleted items folder To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration...
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  • Microsoft and Citrix VDI and Terminal Server solutions at iForum – early bird discount until end of April

    I will be at iForum again this year representing Microsoft (with others). We will be presenting the joint VDI and Terminal Server solutions from Microsoft and Citrix, which includes Access Essentials for customers of less than 75 users. if you would like to attend, snap up the early bird discount. Here is the “blurb” Reducing costs, improving efficiencies and increasing performance is a challenge for any business…but Microsoft and Citrix can help. Citrix and Microsoft have decades of experience working together to provide customers a range of solutions which deliver choice, flexibility and cost savings. Our joint solutions to dynamically deliver desktop service and applications to uses wherever they are is based on tight integration of Citrix solutions with Window Server 2008, Hyper-V server virtualisation and terminal services / presentation virtualisation, and with the System Center management tools especially Virtual Machine Manager. Microsoft is proud to be a platinum sponsor at this year’s...

  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 3 - Preparing to migrate from SBS 2003

    Preparing to migrate from SBS 2003 If you are migrating from SBS 2003 to SBS 2008 then there are a number of preparatory steps you need to complete. In this chapter I will cover off the preparation required to migrate from SBS 2003 to SBS 2008. This will cover off the following steps: Checking your SBS 2003 server is healthy Backing up the server Installing required software Changing SBS 2003 to prepare it for migration Completing the migration tools I will also answer some questions that enable you to decide when and how to perform a migration. I then explain the steps of migration that you will need to follow: Plan the migration process including how you will move 3 rd party applications Communicate plan and impact to users and get agreement on impact Checking the health of SBS 2003 Active Directory Backup existing server Change network configuration to match SBS 2008 design requirements Update software on SBS 2003 Change Active Directory functionality level Confirm SBS 2003 is currently configured at best practice...
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 10 - Securing the server

    Securing the server This chapter covers the process of finishing the network protection and routing setup and configuring the protection of the data on the server. I cover Configuring the firewall ports Configuring and testing the backups Configuring anti-malware As the anti-malware solution of One-Care is to be discontinued by Microsoft, I also include information about the configuration of tools by other vendors so as to not interfere with SBS 2008’s normal running. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David Technorati Tags: SBS 2008 , Book , Microsoft , Migration , Installation , Configuration
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 8 - Migrating users and data from SBS 2003

    Migrating users and data from SBS 2003 This chapter covers the finalising of the migration tasks with the migration of the users and the remaining data from the SBS 2003 system to SBS 2008. This chapter covers: Migrating file shares Migrating the Fax data Migrate users and Groups Migrate LOB applications Finish the Migration I’m a firm believer in scripts and this chapter provides some scripts to simplify the task ahead. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David Technorati Tags: SBS 2008 , Book , Microsoft , Migration , Installation , Configuration
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  • Preparing for Windows 7 with ask the expert sessions for technical and sales success for sales people

    I saw this internally and thought I had better share via the blog - a number of ask the expert technical and sales events! Are you ready for Windows 7? The industry is preparing itself for one of the most exciting launches - Windows 7. The press is already buzzing with the launch of Windows 7 – are you ready? “ …it starts up relatively quickly, drivers already exist to make to make peripherals such as scanners and printers work with it, and it does clever things that XP, the version of Windows most people still use, just doesn’t ” The Daily Telegraph – 8 th January 2009 To ensure our partners have the opportunity to understand more about Windows 7 advantages, benefits and features, we have launched a monthly series of Windows 7 Live Meeting events. There will be two strands to this Ask the Expert (technical) and Sales Success for Windows 7 (sales). The Live Meeting sessions will focus on different topics during each session and will last 30 minutes and will contain 15 minutes...

  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 4 - Installing SBS 2008

    Installing SBS 2008 This chapter covers the installation of SBS 2008 on a new system, either as a first server in an organisation or as a new server into an organisation with SBS 2003.We will: Install the operating system Install the SBS components Configure basic IP network settings Get system updates Confirm your company information Create an administration account for new systems Name the server Install anti-malware tools Resolving installation issues This starts from the most basic piece of installing the server itself. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 5 - Migrating systems and settings from SBS 2003

    Migrating systems and settings from SBS 2003 This chapter covers the migration of the configuration settings from the SBS 2003 system to SBS 2008. This will require activity on both servers. We will cover the following items in this chapter: Starting the Migration Wizard Initially configuring the SBS 2008 network Configure Internet Access Migrate the SBS 2003 network settings across Cleaning up the group policy settings There are a number of checks in the migration process which if they throw up an error the recommendation is to stop and fix the problem. If the problem is particularly severe or points to a flaw in the original SBS 2003 system then most likely way to avoid further issues later in the migration would be to follow this process to repair the damage and re-start again. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration click here thanks David Technorati Tags: SBS 2008 , Book , Microsoft , Migration...
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 1 - Introductions

    Introductions This chapter introduces the book and explains how I’ve acquired my knowledge. It sets out to explain the book goals and the importance of using qualified Microsoft Small Business Specialists to deploy solutions if you are not qualified or confident with SBS 2008. In writing this book I wanted you to be able to achieve a simple set of goals: Install or migrate to SBS 2008 without any emergencies Understand the decisions behind your actions Enable your users to interact and gain benefit from SBS 2008 Enable SBS 2008 to be supported and reliable after the installation The book is split into sections that roughly cover the following topics: Installation and migration Configuration of SBS 2008 User enablement of the user Ongoing server management While you can dip in and out of the various chapters, if you are performing a clean install then you can skip the migration chapters as shown below. To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS...
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  • SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and Configuration – Chapter 2 - Introdcution to SBS 2008

    Introduction to SBS 2008 SBS 2008 is a collection of standard Microsoft technologies designed to deliver benefits that larger businesses enjoy at a price point that is desirable for small businesses. In this chapter I explain how SBS 2008 helps you deliver the following: Provision of a robust email system to a small (up to 50) group of users Support for easy collaboration between those users: email, shared calendars, document repository, internet access to all facilities A single source of common data across the customers and suppliers of a business, with easy tools to manage that data in one place Provide a website for customers, suppliers and staff Management of the company’s PCs for security, efficiency and backup Enable staff to be productive while working away from the office I also discuss the components normally required in a successful SBS 2008 installation To order the book, go to http://davidoverton.com/r.ashx?1M . To find out more about my SBS 2008 BOOK - SBS 2008, Installation, Migration and...
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(c)David Overton 2006-23