November 2008 Advanced Notification
I wanted to let you know that we just posted our Advance Notification for next week’s bulletin release which will occur on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 around 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
It is important to remember that while the information posted below is intended to help with your planning, because it is preliminary information, it is subject to change.
As part of our regularly scheduled bulletin release, we’re currently planning to release two security bulletins:
· One Microsoft Security Bulletin affecting Microsoft Windows/Microsoft Office rated as Critical, and one affecting Windows rated as Important. These updates may require a restart and will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.
As we do each month, the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool will be updated.
We are also planning to release high-priority, non-security updates on Windows Update and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) as well as high-priority, non-security updates on Microsoft Update and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). For additional information, please see the Other Information section of the Advanced Notification.
As always, we’ll be holding the November edition of the monthly security bulletin webcast on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008 at 11 a.m., Pacific Standard Time. We will review this month’s release and take your questions live on-air with answers from our panel of experts. As a friendly reminder, if you can’t make the live webcast, you can listen to it on-demand as well at the same URL. In addition, we’ll also be posting the text of the questions and answers from each month’s webcast. You can see a full listing of the posted questions and answers on this page.
You can register for the webcast here: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032374642&Culture=en-US
Source- Technet Blog
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System Center Service Manager Beta 1
It’s been a while since I posted as we have been feverishly working on the Beta 1 for System Center Service Manager. Now that we are getting close to shipping Beta 1, I will start blogging again.
Beta 1 has a number of great features, including Incident Management (including automatic creation of incidents from SCCM Desired Configuration Management compliance errors), Change Management, Configuration Management/CMDB, and Connectors to Active Directory & System Center Configuration Manager.
We are very excited about sharing what we have been putting together – it’s coming soon!
Source- Technet Blog
New Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR) Released!
The latest version of the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report is now publicly available:
The SIR is a helpful document designed to assist you in determining the current technology threat landscape, especially with regard to Microsoft software. In it you will find assessments of the current security threats, the trends on a per-threat basis, and data to help you identify where your security dollars might best be spent.
In SIR’s approx. 145 pages, you will also find:
- NEW - The threat ecosystem, narrative section
- Security vulnerability disclosures, industry-wide and Microsoft specific
- Vulnerability exploits, Microsoft specific
- NEW - Browser-based exploits, Microsoft and third-party
- Security and privacy breach reports
- Malicious and potentially unwanted software trends
- Focus on malware and signed code
- NEW – specific malware and potentially unwanted software data for 15 locations worldwide (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, China, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Africa, and the Gulf Cooperation Council)
This document is invaluable for CSO’s, Directors, and security auditors looking to assess the current security topology for the purposes of allocating budget spend over the coming year. And, actually, the short 15 pg. summary document, which is a truncated version of the larger document and can be found at the same site, is not a bad read for anyone in technology who is interested in understanding today’s risks.
Source- Technet Blog
Now Available!!!! Windows Server 2008 Evaluation Virtual Hard Drive Images (for Hyper-V)
Are you working with Hyper-V?? Want to save some time creating virtual machines? Then take a look at the Virtual Machine download site, there are two virtual machines available: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Server CORE installation and Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Server FULL installation.
These VHD’s are only available in English only and is only for evaluation and testing purposes. Evaluating Windows Server2008 software does not require product activation or entering a product key. Any edition of Windows Server 2008 may be installed without activation and evaluated for an initial 60 days.
Need an Evaluation Period Longer Than 60 Days ?
If you need more time to evaluate Windows Server 2008, the 60 day evaluation period may be reset (or re-armed) three times, extending the original 60 day evaluation period by up to 180 days for a total possible evaluation time of 240 days. After this time, you will need to uninstall the software or upgrade to a fully-licensed version of Windows Server 2008. To extend the initial evaluation and testing period, please go here and follow the instructions.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Neither virtual machine has anti-virus installed, so it is highly recommended you install anti-virus softeware BEFORE you connect the machines to any network. THe virtual machines are patched with all updates as of May 8, 2008, so make sure you also get the latest updates installed after .
Source- Technet Blog
Launching Small Business Server & the New Essential Business Server - 12th November 2008
On November 12th Microsoft is launching the next version of Small Business Server & the New Essential Business Server. These are known together as Windows Essential Server Solutions. To celebrate this Microsoft Ireland are hosting an Irish launch event on the 12th November from 09:00 to 14:00 at Microsoft, Sandyford Ind. Estate, Dublin 18.
SBS 2008 has built on the strengths of the previous version and added improved management, back up and remote access capabilities. Essential Business Server is the new integrated multi server solution designed for mid market organisation with up to 300 users. EBS is designed for the mid market offering them a comprehensive IT Solution with reduced complexity at an affordable price.
Source- Technet Blog
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 Now Available!
Expanding to assess readiness for Microsoft Online Services, SQL Server 2008, Forefront Client Security, and Network Access Protection
Many of you are in the midst of an IT migration or upgrade planning but do not know 100% with certainty what computers are in their IT environment or what applications have been deployed. The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 3.2 makes it easier for customers and partners like you to quickly identify what servers, workstations, and network devices are in your IT environment. MAP also provides specific and actionable IT proposals and reports to help you get the most value out of Microsoft products and infrastructure.
Source- MAP Blog
Windows Home Server System Builder Software Price Decrease
On November 1, Microsoft will introduce a 30% price reduction of the Windows Home Server software for the System Builder channel. After a successful year in the market, Microsoft is reducing the price of the System Builder version of Windows Home Server to provide additional value to the system builder community and further promote the home server category. Momentum for Windows Home Server remains strong. During the first year, Windows Home Server has been embraced by System Builders in over 50 countries. The list of hardware partners continues to grow and third-party software developers have released or have announced more than 60 Add-in programs extending Windows Home Server’s capabilities. Thanks for all of the great support over the last year, and we look forward to working with you all in continuing to grow the home server marketplace!
Source-Windows Home Server blog
New Features in the Worldwide Telescope
This week at PDC we launched the new version of WWT, “Equinox” this is truly stunning stuff and here is an overview of the new features included in this release:
- 3d Navigation from Earth, thru the Solar system, to the stars and out beyond the Milky Way, rendered in real time with lighting. This mode is just mind-blowing!
- More than double the data from our initial release. Tons of new studies, surveys, panoramas and more.
- Enhanced animation in tours. Just set position and properties for start and end of slide and WWT animates the tweens for you.
- Multi-level undo/redo in tour authoring.
- Copy/paste from MS Office and more.
- Full screen mode (F11 toggles) + make your own desktop backdrops with a click of the mouse.
- Localization packs and tool for Self-Localization. Allows for universities and other organizations to create localized UI and data.
- Preliminary Chinese language pack.
- XBOX 360 controller & 3d Connexion support
Source- Technet blogs
