Download Data Protection Manager 2010 Beta

Microsoft has just released the beta version of the third generation of System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM), previously called “DPM v3” or “Zinger”.

DPM 2010 Beta is Microsoft’s backup and recovery solution for Windows customers in four significant areas (note: partial features list):

1. Continuous data protection of Windows application and file servers to seamlessly integrated disk, tape, and cloud—with support for:

• Windows Server from 2003 through 2008 R2

• SQL Server 2000 through 2008

• Exchange Server 2003 through 2010

• SharePoint Server 2003 through 2010. SharePoint enhancements such as automatic protection of new content databases and no need for a recovery farm for Office “14” servers

2. Robust and flexible protection and recovery for the following Microsoft virtualization environments:

• Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2

• Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V

• Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V

• Hyper-V Server 2008 and 2008 R2

3. Industry-leading Windows client protection:

• Protection of Windows XP through Windows 7

• Centralized policy management from DPM 2010, but backups occur while laptops are online or offline by managing policies within the local VSS client/backup tools

• Restores can also be done while online or offline—from the local repository or the DPM media

4. Scalability, reliability, and manageability:

• Up to 100 servers, 1000 laptops, or 2000 databases protected by a single DPM server

• Significant auto-protection, auto-healing, and reduced alerting for a more “fire and forget” experience

 

You can download Data Protection Manager 2010 beta from DPM 2010 Beta site.

Download System Center Essentials 2010 Beta

Microsoft has just released the beta version of System Center Essentials 2010. This is the second version of the product, which is heavily based on Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) but provides additional features for midsize businesses.

One of the new features in this release is the ability to automatically distinguish between physical and virtual servers and manage them accordingly.

Microsoft® System Center Essentials 2010 provides IT professionals in mid-sized organizations, a unified physical and virtual management experience. It enables you to better secure, update, monitor, and troubleshoot from a single console, so you can efficiently and proactively manage your IT environment.

What’s new in System Center Essentials 2010

Watch this video (11:13) from Tech-Ed 2009, containing a live product demo.

In order to download the beta (819.2 MB - 4851.1 MB) you need to register first.

The Essentials 2010 Beta can be evaluated for 180 days and allows for management of up to 50 servers and 500 client computers.

(Updated) Forefront UAG RC0 Download Available

As we reported a few days ago, Microsoft has made available for download the “Release Candidate 0” (RC0) of Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG).

Forefront UAG RC0 provides a number of new features, including support for migration from Forefront UAG Beta 2.

Even though Forefront UAG requires Windows Server 2008 R2, the UAG RC0 requires the Release Candidate edition of Windows 2008 R2.

Update: Forefront UAG RC0 can be installed on Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM, the reference to the RC version is probably wrong. This is also confirmed at the System Requirements page of Forefront UAG RC0:

Forefront UAG can be installed on computers running Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard (RTM release) or Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise (RTM release) operating systems.

 

More information about Forefront UAG as follows:

• To read the Forefront UAG documentation, visit the Forefront UAG TechCenter library (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd861463.aspx)
• To read about up-to-date issues, visit the Forefront UAG Product Team blog (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=156512)
• For Beta 2 support issues, visit the Forefront UAG forum (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=156513)
• To migrate a Forefront UAG Beta 2 configuration to RC0, ensure that you run the UAG_RC0_4_0981_2.msp file after running Forefront UAG Setup.

Source: Microsoft Download Center

Office 2010 / SkyDrive Integration

As LiveSino is reporting, Microsoft Office 2010 will support direct document storage / sharing with Windows Live SkyDrive, as presented by the screenshot below (notice that this screenshot is not from the official Technical Preview Microsoft released to Office 2010 testers).

 

Source: LiveSino

Forefront UAG RC0 available in a few days

Forefront Unified Access Gateway, the upcoming Microsoft product for secure remote access and application publishing, has reached its Release Candidate 0 milestone and will be available for download in the next few days.

Forefront UAG integrates Windows Server 2008 R2 DirectAccess to allow seamless connectivity to corporate networks regardless of location. It will also make use of functionality of Forefront TMG, the new version of ISA Server 2006, which will feature the ability to combine ADSL lines.

Here's the shortlist of some highlights you'll find in Forefront UAG RC0:

· Publishing Exchange – Added Web Services to the out-of-the-box publishing experience, with full support for NTLM and Kerberos authentication.

· Remote Desktop - Support for Remote Desktop publishing and single sign-on through the UAG portal.

· SCOM - The UAG management pack monitors health aspects of critical components of UAG & DirectAccess services, enables centralized viewing of important UAG events and alerts on the SCOM console, and supports array-level views for easier monitoring of complex deployments.

· Simpler array management - Now it's even simpler to deploy and manage your array from the Forefront UAG management console.

· Import/Export - Use the new import/export capability to backup your configuration. You can even export an array configuration and import it into a standalone machine.

Additional features of Forefront UAG can be found at the product’s web site.

Stay tuned for more information as soon as the RC0 is released.

Source: TechNet Blogs

Just got my invitation for SkyDrive Office Web Apps (screenshots included)

Just after I published my previous post on Windows Live SkyDrive Office Web Applications Technical Preview, I logged in to my SkyDrive and ta-da! I had received my invitation:

Even though the ‘Learn More’ did not work, it takes you to http://g.live.com/8seskydrive/LearnMorePreview.

In order to join the program, I had to accept a Supplement to Microsoft Service Agreement (which was surprisingly less than expected):

After accepting the invitation, I was automatically forwarded to the home page of SkyDrive:

 

but with new capabilities:

Unfortunately,  you cannot create new documents in this Technical Preview but this feature will eventually be available during the beta timeframe:

If you weren’t lucky enough to receive an invitation today, sign up for early notification about Office 2010 Beta to know when you can try it out too.

Stay tuned for more!

View Office Web Apps in action!

Even though “starting today, a select group of SkyDrive customers will be invited to try out a technical preview of the online versions of Microsoft Office Excel, Word and PowerPoint, also known as the Office Web Apps, integrated right inside their Windows Live SkyDrive experience” (source: Windows Live Wire), you can see a demo of the Excel Web App, Powerpoint Web App, Word Web App, and their sharing capabilities right away:

Source: TechNet Edge

Search Bing from within Windows 7

A Windows 7 Federated Search Connector for Bing allows users to easily search Bing from within Windows 7:

To use it simply;

• create a new folder on your C: drive “Search Connectors”
• download the Bing.osdx file to this new folder
• double click the Bing.osdx file
• click Install, then you are ready to go

Source: MSDN Blogs