Entries tagged with solution accelerator - TechNet Edge

MAP tool virtualization demo with Baldwin

extreme — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:36:00 GMT

In this Part 3 interview with Baldwin Ng, we cover the virtualization components of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) tool. In the first 5 minutes, he tells us the basics of how the tool works and how it can assist in your plan to virtualize your server and application environment using virtual server 2005 R2, Hyper-V, or Soft Grid. The tool is a compliment to the IPD virtualization guide. After this, Baldwin gives us a demo of the tool and gives us a peek at what's in store for the upcoming version 3.1 and 4.0.

See parts 1 and 2 of the interview with Baldwin.

Windows Server 2008 Security Guide PM interview - Part 2

extreme — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:59:00 GMT

In part 2 of this interview, we cover:

Reasoning behind why the specific account lockout and password policy settings were chosen in the guide
General tips (using the appendix when you have a problem and check out the Threats and countermeasures guide)
How to the guide helps implement the granular AD auditing capabilities in WS 2008.
Demo of the security solution accelerator

For part 1, click here.
You can download the Windows Server 2008 security guide here.

Windows Server 2008 Security Guide PM interview

extreme — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:01:00 GMT

In part 1 of 2 for this interview with the program managers of the security guides Jose Maldonado and Vlad Pigin, and test lead Bora Gaurav we cover a number of topics including:

What the differences are between the 2003 security guide and the new Server 2008 security guide
What are some of the "deal killers" for most people to be able to run in the specialized security limited functionality (SSLF) mode versus the Enterprise Client mode (EC)
Briefly go through the basic steps to implement
- Establish an acceptable security baseline (EC or SSLF)
- Run the GPO accelerator tool to deploy the baseline
- Deploy the server roles (if you haven't already done this)
- Secure the individual roles using SCW / GPO accelerator tool / guide & checklist
How to implement the guide using a different OU structure than mentioned in the guide.

You can download the Windows Server 2008 security guide here.

Solution Accelerators Beta release PM interview - Part 2

extreme — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

In this second and final part of the interview with Baldwin Ng, we dive straight into a demo of the new Beta version of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) solution accelerator. Check out what the console looks like as we walk through a sample discovery and see what some of the reports look like. After this, we talk to Baldwin about what some of the biggest challenges there are with the MAP tool and tips for using or deploying MAP in your environment.

The 1st part to this series can be found here.

Also, don’t miss out on the “Over the Edge” section at the end where Baldwin tells us about his most embarrassing moment and gives his personal book tip.

What would you like to see in the next version of the solution accelerators?

Solution Accelerators Beta release PM interview - Part 1

extreme — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:30:00 GMT

With the public Beta release of the "Microsoft Assessment and Planning solution accelerator" (MAP) I decided to sit down with Baldwin Ng, product manager. In this part 1 of 2, we start off light technically doing a brief intro into solution accelerators, where they're applicable, improvements over WVHA, and how they fit into other Microsoft product offerings. Then we dig in deeper with a whiteboard session to give you an idea of how this accelerator works, where the MAP fits into your architecture, and how to implement and scale your deployment.

If you've used or are thinking about using the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment (WVHA) solution accelerator, upgrading to Windows Server 2008, consolidating physical machines into virtual, then this video is definitely for you.

The second part to the series can be found here.