November 9th, 2009

Windows Server 2008 R2 finally gets its day in the sun

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 8:30 am

Categories: Advertising, Corporate strategy, Exchange Server, Management tools, PDC 2009, Security, System Center, Utility/cloud computing, Windows Server 2008 R2 /("Windows 7 Server"), Windows server

Tags: Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Corp., WS2008R2, Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, E-mail Servers, Groupware

Microsoft officials highlighted the company’s wave of enterprise server products during the kick-off keynotes at the company’s TechEd Europe conference on November 9.

While the majority of the Microsoft’s marketing and advertising muscle has been behind Windows 7 for the past couple of months, this week, the focus is on the server side of house. Windows Server 2008 R2 (WS2008R2) — the server complement to Windows 7 has a lot of unsung features that could be of interest to IT pros, if only they knew about them, company officials said.

Microsoft officials have been touting the same handful of new WS2008R2 features as being key to IT pros, such as Hyper-V live migration; and better branch caching support and VPN-less networking (BranchCache and  Direct Access) when Windows 7 is used in conjunction with WS2008R2. But there are more than 100 features that are part of the WS2008R2 release. I asked Microsoft recently for a list of what it considered the top ten unsung features in the product. I compiled the list in the form of a slideshow.

Check out the slideshow: Ten unsung Windows Server 2008 R2 Features

As Microsoft officials have said for the past month, customers can begin to take delivery of Exchange Server 2010 starting today. (Microsoft released Exchange 2010 to manufacturing in October.) Microsoft also announced on November 9 that it has released to customers Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server. That on-premise offering will be complemented by a new, Microsoft-hosted Forefront service that will protect on-premise inboxes from spam and malware.

Exchange Server 2010 is a 64-bit-only release. The product includes new, integrated e-mail archive functionality; the ability to see text previews of voice mail; a new “Conversation View” feature; customizable call-routing menus; and a “MailTips” feature designed to help stamp out e-mail “faux pas.” It also includes a newly renamed version of Outlook Web Access (now known as Outlook Web App) that works with a variety of browsers

Microsoft originally was on tap to unveil Office Mobile 2010 at this week’s TechEd show in Berlin but took that topic off its agenda late last week. (I’m betting Office Mobile 2010 will get its day in the sun at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, which starts on November 16.)

Microsoft officials emphasized during the TechEd Europe keynotes and Q&A that customers shouldn’t wait to deploy Windows 7, WS2008R2, Exchange Server 2010 and Microsoft’s other new wares. Microsoft has been going public with names of corporations that already have begun deploying these products to reinforce this message.

IT pros: Are there any Windows Server 2008 R2 and/or Exchange Server 2010 features you’re especially interested in?  Any features that didn’t make it into the final versions of these products that you’re hoping will be incorporated in the next round?

Update: Directions on Microsoft’s Rob Helm tweeted today that Exchange Online users won’t get Exchange Server 2010 functionality “for at least a couple of months.” I asked Microsoft for clarification and received a confirmation:

“Exchange Online is updated quarterly with new features and capabilities. With the launch of Exchange 2010 next week, we will begin the process of updating Exchange Online. We expect those to be available to Microsoft Online Services customers next year, and customers will determine when their users are upgraded to the new capabilities, without the traditional investment of time and energy required for an on-premises upgrade.”

November 6th, 2009

Microsoft 'Geneva' identity wares approach the finish line

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 1:35 pm

Categories: .Net Framework, Azure, Code names, Corporate strategy, Development tools, Oslo, PDC 2009, Security, Utility/cloud computing, Windows server

Tags: Geneva, Microsoft Corp., Research & Development, .Net, Microsoft Windows, Application Servers, Development Tools, Middleware, Business Operations, Software Development

Microsoft is making available for download the near-final Release Candidate (RC) test build of its “Geneva” framework, the technology officially known as Windows Identity Foundation.

(For all you Microsoft codename trackers out there, “Geneva” is the next version of Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS). The programming framework supporting the next version of ADFS originally was codenamed “Zermatt,” then, later, also took on the “Geneva” codename. Microsoft’s Windows Cardspace is the third component of what Microsoft calls “Geneva.”)

On November 6, Microsoft released the RC bits of the framework, which are designed to provide developers with a new programming model and software development kit for creating identity-aware .Net applications. According to a blog post on the Forefront Team Blog, Windows Identity Foundation “provides developers pre-built .NET security logic for building claims-aware applications, enhancing either ASP.NET or WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) applications.

Geneva and the Geneva framework also are related to Microsoft’s Azure environment, as the next version of ADFS is part of the Azure Services layer in Microsoft’s cloud. (Microsoft’s current Azure diagrams don’t show ADFS as part of Azure, but I hear any new ones we see at the Professional Developers Conference in mid-November will include it.) The goal of Geneva is to provide developers and users with a single, secure sign-in capability across both cloud-based and on-premise applications.

In other PDC-related news, Microsoft is planning to distribute a new Community Technology Preview (CTP) test build of its Oslo modeling platform. This will be the first CTP that team has provided since May and it will require Visual Studio 2010 and .Net 4 Beta 2 to work. It’s due out on November 17. (Thanks to MVP Doug Finke for unearthing the Oslo link.)

October 24th, 2009

Selected testers get new build of Microsoft Security Essentials

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 9:38 am

Categories: Anti-piracy, Code names, Corporate strategy, Security, Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows client

Tags: Microsoft Corp., Tester, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, Operating Systems, Security, Software, Mary Jo Foley

Microsoft has made available for download on October 24 by a select group of testers the first build of its next release of the free Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) anti-malware product.

The new test build, No. 1.0.1676.0, is available via the Microsoft Connect site by those contacted by the company. The MSE team sent invitations for the “ongoing” beta of MSE to a subset of the Windows 7 test group earlier this month, telling those notified that they would hear back by November 1 as to whether or not they’d be getting the new test bits.

One tester who downloaded the build today told me the only difference he noticed was the new build number. Ars Technica is reporting that there are test versions available for Windows XP 32-bit (8.62MB), Windows Vista/7 32-bit (4.29MB), and Windows Vista/7 64-bit (4.72MB). Ars said that every installer grew by 0.01MB with this new build.

Here’s a copy of the e-mail message the MSE team is sending to some testers today (which one tester shared with me):

From: Microsoft Security Essentials Beta
Date: 2009/10/24
Subject: Microsoft Security Essentials Ongoing Beta Invitation
To: xxxx

The Microsoft Security Essentials Ongoing Beta Program needs you!

Interested in joining the fight against viruses, spyware, and other PC health dangers? Help improve Microsoft® Security Essentials, Microsoft’s new antimalware solution for consumers, by becoming an Ongoing Beta program tester. As part of the Microsoft Security Essentials Ongoing Beta program, you will have the opportunity to explore new builds before the public sees them, submit bugs, and give feedback. Your feedback helps Microsoftto make its software and services the best that they can.

If you are interested, please click on the link below, sign-in with Live ID/password and install the Ongoing Beta build.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE Microsoft Security Essentials Ongoing Beta Program

Best Regards,

Microsoft Security Essentials Team

Microsoft made available for download at the end of September the final version 1 of MSE. MSE (codenamed “Morro”) is the replacement for Windows Live OneCare and a superset of Windows Defender. Microsoft officials have said it will work on Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Microsoft is targeting MSE at customers who are unwilling and unable to pay for security software. Company officials have said they believed it was worth offering customers a free product to help thwart security breaches on unprotected Windows PCs that potentially could be used to infect other users’ systems.

I recently asked some of my Twitter followers and blog readers what they’d like to see in the next version of MSE. Here are a few of their responses:

PhilltheChill: “v2 of MSE should have integration within Outlook and Windows Live Mail - The icing on the cake”

nvyseal: “knock down that spike in MsMpEng.exe. http://bit.ly/VXvyr”

mgeddes: “It doesn’t show a history of scans (that I can find anyway). It would be nice to know if it did a full scan last week for instance. I have them scheduled but I don’t really have proof they ran. Maybe it puts something in the event viewer (haven’t looked), but easy and up front is better. Also, move towards business support like WSUS. (management, AD & workgroup support, reporting etc). The non-free versions from other companies always leave a lot to be desired.”

Other new feature requests for the MSE team?

October 15th, 2009

Report: Microsoft prepping now for next beta of Security Essentials

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 7:29 am

Categories: Channel, Code names, Corporate strategy, Security, Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows client

Tags: Security, Ars Technica, Microsoft Corp., Beta, MSE, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

With version one of its free anti-malware product just out the door, Microsoft is lining up testers for the next release of Microsoft Security Essentials.

That’s according to Ars Technica. Ars has posted what it says is an e-mail message that Microsoft sent to a subset of Windows 7 beta testers, inviting them to apply for an “ongoing beta” for MSE.

(Note: I am hedging this not because I don’t believe Ars, but because so far I can’t find anyone who has been invited. Update: I’ve  now seen the e-mail myself and know Ars is on the money, so I’ve removed the hedging. I’ve asked Microsoft for comment on the Ars story and e-mail but no word back so far.)

Here’s what Microsoft is telling potential beta applicants about its testing plans for the next release of MSE:

• Microsoft is planning to roll out an ongoing beta program for MSE that will include new private beta builds and lots more testers.
• The first group of invitees are participants of the Windows 7 beta program.
• Those who are not selected to participate in the beta (word will come by November 1, 2009) will have an opportunity to participate in a Customer Preview Program, available next year.

Microsoft made available for download at the end of September the final version 1 of MSE. MSE (codenamed “Morro”) is the replacement for Windows Live OneCare and a superset of Windows Defender. Microsoft officials have said it will work on Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Microsoft is targeting MSE at customers who are unwilling and unable to pay for security software. Company officials have said they believed it was worth offering customers a free product to help thwart security breaches on unprotected Windows PCs that potentially could be used to infect other users’ systems.

Any readers out there get an invitation to the next MSE beta? Whether you did or not, what are you hoping Microsoft introduces as part of MSE version 2?

October 13th, 2009

Custom PC makers finally get Windows 7 preinstallation kit

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 11:57 am

Categories: App Compatibility, Channel, Corporate strategy, OEMs, Resellers, Security, System builders, Windows 7, Windows client

Tags: Microsoft Corp., System Builder, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

On October 12, Microsoft provided system builders with the Windows 7 OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) tools and related documentation they need to preload and customize Windows 7 on multiple new PCs.

System builders are custom PC integrators. They are a lot smaller than the 20 or so PC OEMs who received the final Windows 7 bits and tools just days after Microsoft released Windows 7 to manufacturing in late July.

A number of system builders have said they’ve been frustrated that they couldn’t get the OPK until mid-October, given that Microsoft and its biggest OEMs will be launching Windows 7 and making it generally available on October 22. Microsoft officials have said they believed providing the system builders with the code and tools now would give them enough time to get their systems out by October 22.

“The thing about this is that the WAIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit) was released about two months ago,” said one system builder. “The only big difference is the labelling in the software (basically just the Autorun application), and the docs. It takes 2 months to do that?”

Microsoft said at the end of September that it planned to allow distributors to provide system builders with the OPK on October 12. Microsoft officials have said that system builders can begin selling Windows 7 systems once they’ve preloaded the final bits, but aren’t expecting that to happen more than a few days before October 22, at best.

Speaking of Windows 7, Microsoft issued the first Patch Tuesday security fixes for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 on October 13.

October 8th, 2009

Microsoft delays Forefront business security client six months

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 11:35 am

Categories: Code names, Corporate strategy, Management tools, Security, System Center

Tags: Microsoft Corp., Business Security, Forefront Official, Microsoft Windows 7, Team Management, Microsoft Windows, Servers, Management, Operating Systems, Software

Microsoft’s Forefront team is again delaying a piece of its next-generation “Stirling” suite of products.

The next version of Microsoft’s Forefront Client Security (FCS) product, Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010, won’t be shipping in the first half of 2010, as the team had been planning, according to an October 8 post on the Forefront Team Blog. Instead, the team is delaying the release until the second half of 2010 in order to change the underlying management technology.

Forefront officials are attributing the decision to delay to both tester feedback and industry trends. From the post:

“Based on customer feedback and market trends, we have made the strategic decision to build Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) on System Center Configuration Manager, Microsoft’s solution to comprehensively assess, deploy, and update servers, clients, and devices.  This approach better aligns our customers’ client management and security infrastructure, helping simplify deployment and reduce costs.”

Another result of the decision to align Forefront Endpoint with System Center is that the ForeFront Protection Manager — a unified console designed to provide administrators with a single view of all the next-gen Forefront client and server releases — will only manage the server-based Forefront products.

Microsoft officials said no other pieces of the Forefront Stirling release will be affected by the change announced today and will ship in either late 2009 or the first half as 2010, as Microsoft previously indicated. Here’s Microsoft’s full Forefront roadmap, which for now, doesn’t include the new, later date for Forefront Endpoint 2010.

Microsoft is advising corporate customers who need a client for securing Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to use the V1 Forefront Client Security product. Microsoft added support for the Windows 7 client and WS2008 R2 releases to this product in August.

In April, Microsoft officials acknowledged plans to delay the Stirling release of the Forefront products by a number of months as a result of customers’ interoperability requests and the decision to incorporate a Dynamic Signature Service. Because of that delay, Microsoft is now planning a phased launch of the various pieces of the suite. Some of the components of Forefront Stirling still are on track to ship before the end of 2009; many other pieces are now going to be shipping throughout 2010.

One of my readers who is a Forefront tester said he was surprised how late in the development cycle the Forefront team decided to make this change. He said he also worried that the decision to align with Configuration Manager could alienate some businesses that already are focusing their management strategies (and purchases) around System Center Operations Manager.

Any other Forefront testers or users have anything to say on these latest Forefront moves?

September 29th, 2009

Microsoft's message to IT pros: Meet us half way with Windows 7

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 12:57 pm

Categories: Corporate strategy, Exchange Server, Management tools, Security, System Center, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 /("Windows 7 Server"), Windows client, Windows server

Tags: Information Technology, Steve Ballmer, Web Application, Microsoft Corp., Outlook Web App, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Cloud Computing, Operating Systems, Software

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is confident about Windows 7. But he’s nowhere near as outwardly cocky about the business prospects for the operating system as he and other Microsoft execs were with previous Windows releases.

In fact, Ballmer told IT pros during a low-key September 29 business-launch kick-off event “thanks for your consideration of Windows 7.”

Ballmer and a handful of invited corporate Microsoft customers took to the stage for Microsoft’s “The New Efficiency” event today. The overall theme of the hour-and-a-half event — which was live in San Francisco and Webcast, as well — was how IT pros can, with less, do more.

The products that Microsoft touted during the event included Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, Exchange Server 2010, and, to a lesser extent, the Forefront enterprise security suite and System Center management line.

Ballmer said it was Microsoft’s job to help IT pros get corporate buy-in for Windows 7. He said Microsoft was responsible for half that effort (actually, he pegged the number at 60 percent). But the other 40 percent of the job was up to enterprise users. They’re the ones who need to convince their purse-string-controlling bosses that it’s worth upgrading to Windows 7, in spite of tight budgets and cost-cutting pressures.

“We have to help you make the business case,” Ballmer said.

Ballmer’s push for Microsoft’s soon-to-be-introduced products boiled down to a few key messages.

• Windows 7: It makes everyday tasks easier to achieve anywhere
• Windows Server 2008 R2: It provides next-generation and control (and Hyper-V offers users more options for consolidating servers)
• MDOP: It helps streamline PC management
• Exchange 2010: Its new back-end storage management are a boon

Because I write so often about Microsoft’s enterprise products and strategy, none of what Ballmer said today was a surprise. It’s the Microsoft “better together” messaging in new bottles.

The only thing that surprised me was I noticed during the demo that Microsoft has renamed its Outlook Web Access (OWA) feature in Exchange 2010 to “Outlook Web App.” I discovered that the company had done this in August of this year. Given Microsoft’s recent acknowledgment that it is going to keep the “Office Web Apps” name for its forthcoming suite of Webified Office products, I find the new OWA name rather confusing. Word Web App, PowerPoint Web App, OneNote Web App and Excel Web App are all part of Office Web Apps. Outlook Web App is not.

Microsoft is making case study information and trial versions of its Windows 7 and final and/or beta releases of its related enterprise products available on its New Efficiency Web site.

September 28th, 2009

Report: Final version of free Microsoft Security Essentials to ship September 29

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 1:06 pm

Categories: Channel, Code names, Corporate strategy, OEMs, Resellers, Security, System builders, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Live, Windows XP, Windows client

Tags: Microsoft Corp., MSE, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, Operating Systems, Security, Software, Mary Jo Foley

Just over a week after telling beta testers that the final version of Microsoft’s free Security Essentials antimalware product would be released soon, Microsoft is set to deliver the final bits to the public.

I’ve seen a couple of unsourced reports about the final MSE (codenamed “Morro”) bits going live on September 29, which is tomorrow. But this tweet from Network World Editor John Fontana sealed it:

I’ve asked Microsoft for an official confirmation but haven’t heard back from anyone. (Muglia is about as official as it gets, though….)

Update: Microsoft is now confirming MSE will ship on September 29.  From a spokesperson: “I can confirm that Microsoft Security Essentials, the company’s highly anticipated no cost consumer security offering, will be released to the public tomorrow, September 29th.” It will be available in 19 markets worldwide, according to the company. The final build no. is 1611 and it is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials.

MSE is the replacement for Windows Live OneCare and a superset of Windows Defender. Microsoft officials have said it will work on Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista and Windows 7. More than 400,000 testers are believed to have downloaded the test version of MSE.

Microsoft is targeting MSE at customers who are unwilling and unable to pay for security software. Company officials have said they believed it was worth offering customers a free product to help thwart security breaches on unprotected Windows PCs that potentially could be used to infect other users’ systems.

On September 29, Microsoft also is holding a Webcast where CEO Steve Ballmer is planning to detail how Microsoft customers can, with less, do more. It’s part of the company’s “New Efficiency” enterprise-focused campaign and is slated to touch on a host of soon-to-be-shipping Microsoft products, including Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Exchange 2010, Forefront, System Center and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.

Microsoft is planning to deliver in early 2010 a new version of its Forefront client, its paid desktop security product, that competes with/complements MSE. The company is stepping up its message that Windows 7 will offer more than just consumer-focused features (which has been Microsoft marketing’s main focus to date).

September 24th, 2009

Microsoft plays the security card in response to Google's Chrome Frame

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 6:21 am

Categories: Google, Internet Explorer, Security

Tags: Google Inc., Card, Malware, Microsoft Corp., Google Chrome, Plug-in, Exec, Web Browsers, Cyberthreats, Spyware, Adware & Malware

I was doubtful that Microsoft execs would have anything to say about Google’s introduction this week of a plug-in that allows users to run the Google Chrome browser inside Internet Explorer.

But I was wrong.

A day after I asked Microsoft execs for their take on Chrome Frame — which Google is promoting as a way to bring more advanced features (like HTML 5) to IE 6, 7, and 8 users — Microsoft responded. A spokesperson sent me the following statement:

“With Internet Explorer 8, we made significant advancements and updates to make the browser safer for our customers. Given the security issues with plug-ins in general and Google Chrome in particular, Google Chrome Frame running as a plug-in has doubled the attack area for malware and malicious scripts. This is not a risk we would recommend our friends and families take. For a deeper look at how the browsers stack up in security, take a look at the latest phishing and malware data from NSS Labs.”

Do you think Microsoft execs have a valid point here or are grasping at straws to try to thwart anything with a Google label on it?

September 21st, 2009

Final Microsoft Security Essentials due in 'a few weeks'

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 5:35 am

Categories: Code names, Corporate strategy, Management tools, Security, System Center, Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows client

Tags: Security, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Security Essential, Servers, Hardware, Mary Jo Foley

Microsoft is preparing to end its Microsoft Security Essential (MSE) beta and release the final version of the program “in the coming weeks.”

From the note Microsoft sent to its beta participants:

“The final version of Microsoft Security Essentials will be released to the public in the coming weeks. If you are running the older version of the beta (1.0.1407.0), we encourage you to upgrade to a newer version of the beta (1.0.1500.0).”

MSE, codenamed “Morro,” is the replacement for Windows Live OneCare and a superset of Windows Defender. Microsoft officials have said it is meant for consumers who are unwilling or unable to pay for security software. More than 400,000 testers are believed to have downloaded the test version of MSE.

Microsoft execs have begun attempting to differentiate MSE from the company’s Forefront Client product, a new version of which is due out in the beginning of 2010.

I asked Microsoft a few questions from my readers recently about Forefront and how it compares and contrasts with MSE. Here are a few of them, with answers provided by a Microsoft spokesperson:

Reader: Is Forefront Client supported only available for managed environments — and requires the purchase of a management console ($ 2,468/server/year!)?

Microsoft: Forefront Client Security is supported in an unmanaged environment. In fact, we have many customers who have licensed FCS and deployed it in an unmanaged manner.  A good example of this is the Egyptian Ministry of Education Furthermore, when the Forefront Protection Manager is released next year, it will be offered to customers for free when they buy Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010.

As a reminder, Forefront Client Security (the next version Forefront Endpoint Protection) is part of Forefront Protection Suite –  an integrated, centrally managed enterprise security suite for protection across client, server, messaging, and network edge, all part of the Business Ready Security strategy.

Reader: Forefront Client Security IS NOT supported on a domain controller at all (neither client, nor server components); nor on a virtual machine host (neither client, nor server components); nor on a Terminal server/gateway machine (neither client, nor server components). It is only supported on servers that have ONLY the file server role installed. So how can MS say this is a SMB solution?

Microsoft: Forefront Client Security (client agent) is supported on different server roles including domain controller, hyper-v environment and servers running terminal services.  Latest information on supported platforms for client and server installation is provided here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb404245.aspx

Reader: Will Microsoft continue to preload Windows Defender on Windows machines with Windows 7? Or is the expectation we will have to buy Forefront client?

Microsoft: Yes, defender is part of Win7.

Reader: How can this be this true? Microsoft Security Essentials is NOT supported for businesses of any kind.  Not only that, but it is licensed for consumer use only, and carries similar license wording to Office Home & Student.

Microsoft: Microsoft Security Essentials is designed for home use. It requires no registration, trials or renewals and will be available for download directly from Microsoft. Microsoft continues to offer security solutions for businesses with the Forefront line of products as part of its Business Ready Security strategy . However Microsoft Security Essentials may be a good solution for small home offices with only a few individually managed PCs.

Any other questions you have on either MSE or Forefront client? Fire away and I’ll try to get some more Microsoft answers.