Want To Pass The ConfigMgr Tech Specialist Certification? 70-401

Some great tips on what is included in the exam, and study materials based on feedback (brain dump) from someone who recently took and passed the exam over here.

Good luck!

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E

Microsoft MVP System Center Configuration Manager

http://configmgr.com

© Anthony Clendenen

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How Update Enforcement Works in NAP

There is a great article on the NAP team’s blog on just how update enforcement works in NAP. 

"The easiest way to discuss update enforcement is to step through each part of the “Security Update Protection” section of the WSHV user interface. This is the dialog that appears within the Network Policy Server (NPS) console on Windows Server 2008"

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E

http://configmgr.com

© Anthony Clendenen

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Attending MMS 2008? Yes I Am - We Are

I have gotten a ton of emails asking me if I am going to be at MMS this year and when and up until now I have held off because I was waiting for some things to finalize.  But today 1E sent out an email to customer letting them know the booth number, and when Sumir, one of the founders of 1E, was going to speak.  Which is right after the State of the Union, and also at the same time as Paul Thomsen is presenting his session on ConfigMgr Client Health.  So yes, I will be there from Sunday to Friday afternoon.  And we are trying to get my wife to be able to attend at least a day or more as well, I know some of you look forward to seeing her more than me - but I won’t mention any names, you know who you are! Not that I can really blame you…

I will be doing my best to blog live or very close to it when I am there but this year I will have to actually work so it may be more hit and miss regarding coverage of the sessions for those who can’t attend or those who use my posts for your justification to attend. 

We will be having demos at the booth of the different 1e products and most of us can also do an impromptu demo if you want to see something that isn’t on the schedule.  Just hunt me down and I can arrange it. 

There is more info on the 1E presence below, our booth is in the second row right as you walk in the doors. I am finalizing some plans to hold a special session in one of our conference rooms and when that it finalized I will publish the detail of it.

I look forward to meeting up with a bunch of you again I am sure there will be quite a few people from the myITforum.com list, Microsoft, and Dimension Data that I haven’t seen in at least a few months, people like Omar it has been since last MMS. 

Dear Colleague,

1E will be exhibiting at the Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) in Las Vegas from
April 28 - May 2, 2008. Please come and visit us on Stand 311, where you can:

· Find out how to dramatically reduce the cost of running Windows infrastructures

· See ‘live’ technical demos of our core solutions

· Discover how you can quickly & easily save $45 per PC per year

· Find out how Dell is saving $1.8 million a year across 50k PCs

· Enter our competition to win a Nintendo Wii

Come and listen to 1E CEO Sumir Karayi speak, following Bill Anderson’s "ConfigMgr - State
of the Nation" session.  Sumir will talk about real customer System Center and PC power management success stories.

Speaker: Sumir Karayi, CEO 1E

Date/Time: Tuesday 29, 11.45 – 13.00

Location: F-Veronese 2402-2503

1E has been providing robust integrated Windows systems management solutions for over 10 years. Join us as we detail real-world experiences of System Center success and PC power management implementations in large, complex, distributed environments.

» Book a 1:1 meeting
Use this opportunity to book a pre-arranged 1:1 meeting with 1E while you are at MMS. This
will give you the chance of discussing your requirements with us at an agreed date and time, and make sure that you maximize your attendance at the event.

For more information, please visit the 1E website.

We look forward to seeing you at MMS 2008.

Best regards,
1E Events Team

www.1e.com

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E

http://configmgr.com

© Anthony Clendenen

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New FolderShare

FolderShare has gotten a face lift, new client, and has moved to the Windows Live platform.  If you are not familiar with FolderShare Microsoft bought them a couple years ago and the concept is that you can setup shares among computers that sync with each other.  I have been using it for years to sync computers and make sure that I have the same documents on each computer.  You can set the sync to be automatic or on demand, you can also share your FolderShare libraries with your friends.  It is similar to Groove but it is a free service.

New FolderShare Blog.

New Windows client direct download.

Mac client direct download.

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E

http://configmgr.com

© Anthony Clendenen

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Repurpose That Old Laptop

Most IT related folks have an old laptop laying around that is too slow for what they need to do or they get a brand new one every six months.  I know I have one that the hard drive has bad sectors on and don’t want to spend the $40-60 to get a replacement drive since I have over half a dozen computers in my house and only four people.  I have used it for testing in the past, setting up Server 2003 with SMS 2003 on it for upgrade testing to CM, testing the 1E products in different configurations, as a DC, and other scenarios.  LifeHacker ran an article last week on different idea on what to do with your old laptop and there are some good idea that may spark life into some of your old equipment, check the comments too for additional ideas.  If you find that it doesn’t then you may want to consider recycling it or donating it since you can’t just toss it.

Like a famed race horse or a classic book, you don’t just throw away a laptop because it’s banged up a little. Even if it seems outdated and underpowered, most any laptop is still small, quiet, and relatively low on power consumption, making it a seriously valuable spare to keep handy—even without a working screen. With some free software, a little know-how and some creative thinking about your home network, nearly any old laptop can find its second wind, and today I’ll run through some of the best ways to get it there.Photo by daveynin.

Create a no-monitor, low-power spare system

So everything on your laptop runs just fine—except the screen, the most important (and expensive) part. That’s not a death knell, just a chance for re-purposing. Set your laptop up somewhere near your router, connect it with network cable, then read up on how to set up your system to run "headless" with any OS and only when you wake it up. That way, you’ve got a computer that uses a bare minimum of power and doesn’t neeed no fancy screen to convert a file, download a big file, or serve as a temporary backup box. But if your system lacks Wake on LAN abilities, or you’re just looking for more use out of that laptop, you could always …

Convert it to a home server

The idea of a "server" usually conjures images of rack-mounted, temperature-controlled boxes, or at least a desktop system, but a laptop’s power-scaling abilities, small size, and built-in screen can actually make for a quietly-great unit. You could put it next to your printer to allow printing from anywhere, use a browser to get it grabbing BitTorrents in Windows or Mac systems, or set up your own web server for grabbing files or hosting things like your personal Wiki. Oh, and don’t forget your multi-purpose media server, if you’ve got the hard drive space. Once you’re set up and have enabled outside access, the world—or at least your files at home—is at your fingertips.

Make a better digital photo frame

Unless you avoided the big stores entirely last holiday season, you’ve probably noticed the boom in digital picture frames—those small $100-and-up devices with not-so-amazing screens and a canned slideshow ability. If you know your laptop isn’t much for getting anything done these days, consider bending it over backwards to make for a sizable, attention-grabbing frame that can show whatever you want and possibly even grab photos as they’re dropped on a main computer. Instructables has a highly detailed guide to taking apart a MacBook to get started, while Popular Science shows an alternate scheme using an old ThinkPad. To keep your spare laptop from becoming a power draw (or running long and hot), consider setting up timers to run your "frame" only during your waking hours.

Make it fly again with lightweight Linux

If you’re shelfing your trusty road warrior mostly because it just runs … so … slow, consider that it’s not always the laptop’s fault. Most modern operating systems aren’t designed to give you only the web, email, document handling, and a little multimedia, but there is an entire OS realm that is that can make your old system seem new again. Here are a few free, open-source recommendations and what an old laptop might get out of them:

• Puppy Linux: Very slim (97 MB) distribution, but retains a basically smooth and polished interface, with apps to cover common computer uses.
• Damn Small Linux: For really, really fast and light performance with a straight-up interface. A system smaller than 50 MB that can run on a machine with a minimum of 16 MB memory (assuming you can boot/load it on there).
• Xubuntu: Puts the Ubuntu methodology and software support into a lighter, XFCE-based desktop (check out its look and newest features here). For an even lighter kind of "Damn Small Ubuntu," try Fluxbuntu.
• gOS: For those who live inside their browser, gOS isn’t so much a gimmicky "Wal-Mart OS" as a webapp-focused version of Ubuntu, with a lightweight window manager (Enlightenment) and an OS X-like bottom dock containing most of what you need

Convert its LCD into a Stand-Alone Monitor

Not for the faint of heart or unsteady of hand, this Instructables guide runs you through the basics of turning a perfectly good LCD laptop screen into a vertical-mounted monitor. Havingl pulled apart a laptop myself to replace a monitor cable, I can just tell you that you should go real slow, and make sure you have a place to put all the spare screws and parts during disassembly.

Salvage an external back up drive from it

Assuming your laptop didn’t die from hard drive failure, those little magnetic platters inside it can make for a really handy pocket-sized external drive. Follow Lifehacker alum Rick Broida’s instructions on properly enclosing a 2.5" drive, and you’ll have avoided paying a premium for a seriously useful addition to your computer inventory. Photo by Justin Ruckman.

Extend your wireless coverage

If wireless coverage throughout your house is hit or miss, your best bet is to do a little DIY router upgrading. If, however, your router can’t handle Tomato or DD-WRT boost, your trusty laptop can serve as a temporary booster. If your trusty laptop is running OS X, Vista, or XP, you can turn on its hot spot abilities with only minor tweaking. Linux users should check out this Linux.com tutorial for general guidance, while Ubuntu fans can get more specific instructions here. Finally, those who also keep an Xbox on their network but think Microsoft’s $100 wireless adapter is a bit much can jerry-rig that shelved laptop to serve as a stand-in.

I tried to cover the basics and a few quirky ideas for an old-but-trusted laptop, but many of you have years of experience on me in this area. What’s the coolest, or most useful, thing you’ve done with an old laptop? What do you wish you could do with it? Share your tales and wishes in the comments.

Kevin Purdy, associate editor at Lifehacker, hopes he never has to part ways with his ThinkPad. His weekly feature, Open Sourcery, appears every Friday on Lifehacker.

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E

http://configmgr.com

© Anthony Clendenen

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BDD 2008 Beta 3 Available On Connect

The ConfigMgr compatible version of BDD (Beta 3), which I will call BDD 2008 for now, is available through open beta on the Connect site.  The RTM version is expected to be out in November of this year.  In this version there is the previously discussed multicasting, USMT, WAIK, and ACT 5.0.

On Friday October 5th there is also a webcast on deploying an OS with ConfigMgr, you can register for it here.

Official announcement below.

Deployment 4 is the code name for the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 and unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. For the thousands of IT professionals already trained on BDD 2007, Deployment 4 requires minimal extra training to perform large-scale Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 deployments, while offering a further enhanced desktop deployment experience. Deployment 4 adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and deployment, including:

• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment
• Windows Automated Installation Kit
• Windows Deployment Services with new multicast technology
• Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
• User State Migration Tool 3.0.1
• Windows Server 2008 Server Manager for automated server role definition (coming soon)

Enhanced Beta Program on Microsoft Connect

This Beta release also offers an enhanced Microsoft Connect portal including technical frequently asked questions, deployment tips and tricks, a recommended 10-step program for new users to quickly get acquainted with deployment accelerators, customer-ready Solution Accelerator informational materials, and deployment-related conference presentations.

Accelerator Description

Deployment 4 Beta 3 combines the guidance and toolset from previous releases of Business Desktop Deployment and Beta releases of Windows Server Deployment. This release continues to support Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) of desktop operating systems using Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack and adds new deployment and task sequencing capabilities for desktops and servers using System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Deployment 4 also continues to provide Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support without infrastructure requirements and adds capabilities for Windows Server 2003 and pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008.

New features in Deployment 4 Beta 3

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 support, with the following features:
  • Full support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 deployments with Deployment 4 and Configuration Manager 2007.
  • Complete integration into the Configuration Manager 2007 admin console and task sequencing capabilities.
    • Quick start Configuration Manager 2007 operating system deployments using one wizard to create needed task sequences and packages.
    • Extends the Configuration Manager 2007 task sequencing capabilities with new actions.
  • Feature parity with BDD 2007 and SMS 2003, including dynamic package installation, automatic determination of state store location, computer backup, database settings.
• Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support for Windows Server 2008:
  • Support for deploying Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 and potentially RC0 (to be verified after RC0 release), including support for Server Core installation options. (Windows Server 2008 TAP customers only.)
• Lite Touch Installation (LTI) enhancements:
  • Enhanced disk and network interface cards (NICs) configuration options, including support for static TCP/IP configuration.
  • Design changes to ease the migration from LTI to Configuration Manager 2007.
  • Support for multiple task sequence templates. New sample templates include:
    • Client template: Windows Vista, Windows XP
    • Server template: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
    • Replace scenario template
  • Ability to invoke web service calls Support for web service calls from rules
    • Web services can be invoked as part of the rules processing performed by Deployment 4, using new rules that can be defined in CustomSettings.ini.
  • Support for side-by-side installation with Deployment 4 and BDD 2007 installed on the same machine.
• Lite Touch Installation (LTI) multicast support:
  • Deployment Workbench supports multicast transmission of operating system images when performing LTI deployments from Windows Server 2008 servers that are running Windows Deployment Services.

Where to Find Deployment 4 Beta 3

Deployment 4 Beta 3 is part of the Windows Server 2008 Beta and TAP Programs. It is also available as an open beta download.

To join Deployment 4 beta 3 program, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Microsoft Connect Web site (http://connect.microsoft.com).
2. Click Invitations on the Connect menu.
3. You will need to sign in using a valid Windows Live ID before you can continue to the Invitations page.
4. Enter your Invitation ID in the box. Your invitation ID is: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
5. Click Go.
6. If you have not previously registered with Microsoft Connect, you might be required to register before you continue with the invitation process.
7. To download Deployment 4, click Download Now.
   

(If this link does not work for you, copy the full link and paste it into the Web browser address bar.)

Thanks for your participation.
Deployment 4 Team
Microsoft

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E Inc.

http://configmgr.com

© 2007 Anthony Clendenen

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Microsoft ConfigMgr Community Forums Now Live

In another move to get away from the newsgroups Microsoft has opened up the System Center Configuration Manager Community that includes a web based forums section.

On the front page you will find a link to the subforums of ConfigMgr, Microsoft employee blogs, MVP blogs (not mine however?), and links to related communities like myITforum.com.

Regards,
Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E Inc.

http://configmgr.com

© 2007 Anthony Clendenen

Technorati Tags: ConfigMgr, SCCM, CM, Config manager, Microsoft, TechNet

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