Hi all,

Microsoft announced the release of Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta 1, providing enhancements in virtualization, Web platform, management, scalability, and reliability. New features also ensure greater integration with Windows 7 for scenarios such security, remote access, and branch office infrastructure. You can learn more and download the beta today. And TechNet Plus subscribers can download the Windows Sever 2008 R2 beta bits.

Also released was the beta of Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization V 1.0, an enterprise virtualization solution that helps your users run legacy applications on their Windows Vista desktops. The final version of MED-V 1.0 is slated for release in the second quarter of this year as a part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack. Download the beta.

Thanks to MicrosoftTechnet

Hi all, here there is a cool free tool that I think will be needed for all.

IT’s name is WinDirStat that reads the whole directory tree once and then presents it in three useful views:

• The directory list, which resembles the tree view of the Windows Explorer but is sorted by file/subtree size,

   

• The treemap, which shows the whole contents of the directory tree straight away,

   

• The extension list, which serves as a legend and shows statistics about the file types.

   

• Coupling. Select an item in the directory list: The treemap highlights it; and vice versa.

   

• Zooming.

   

• Built-in cleanup actions including Open, Show Properties, Delete.

   

• User-defined cleanups (command line based).

   

• Works with network drives and UNC paths.

   

• 'Create disk usage report' option.

   

• 'Submit bug report/Feedback' option.

   

• Online help.

   

• setup.exe.

   

• Language can be set to Czech, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, German, English, Spanish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Polish and Russian.
  Just have a look at the Translation website if you want to help or if you want to know more.

   

Platforms and Status

WinDirStat is known to run on all version of Windows Operating System, included Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista.

The stable version is 1.1.2.

This Microsoft paper shows technical decision makers and IT managers how organizations can reduce costs and improve their IT efficiency by optimizing their core infrastructure and adopting server-related best practices. This paper identifies which best practices are most effective in driving IT efficiency to reduce operating costs and free up human and financial IT resources to add more value to the business.

System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems is Windows Server 2008

You can download PDF Document from Microsoft web site here…

As part of Microsoft's routine, monthly security update cycle, Microsoft released 1 new security update on January 13, 2009.

Here is the new security update:

MS09-001 - addresses a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows (KB 958687)

Here there are details for IT professionals:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS09-001.mspx

Description

The Internet Explorer 8 Blocker Toolkit enables IT Administrators to disable automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 8 as a high-priority update via Automatic Updates and the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites.

Overview

To help customers become more secure and up-to-date, Microsoft will distribute Windows Internet Explorer 8 as a high-priority update through Automatic Updates for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and higher, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Server 2003 SP2 for x64 and x86, Windows Vista for x64 and x86, Windows Vista SP1 for x64 and x86, and Windows Server 2008 for x64 and x86. This Blocker Toolkit is intended for organizations that would like to block automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 8 to machines in environments where Automatic Updates is enabled. The Blocker Toolkit will not expire.

 ...and you can choose any version of the new build of Windows operating system such as (x86) and (x64) platform, and some languages pack in beta too.

It's important to read the relese note of the new build to understand which features are included in this version.

There are Checked Build versions of Windows 7 that you can try... happy install!!

I would resume the index that is published in the release note only to better understand.

I would highlight some posts from Daniel Petri (Microsoft MVP) that explain how to work with new features in Windows Server 2008 regard AD Snaphot.

This new feature in Windows Server 2008 permit to create a snapshot from AD and working with it trough some tools.... I suggest to read these post because for me are very interesting.

Many thanks to Daniel Petri that have published these for the comunity...

Below the link:

Working with Active Directory Snapshots in Windows Server 2008

Directory Service Comparison Tool

Exporting Information from Active Directory Snapshots in Windows Server 2008