Ready for a Future of Device Independence?: MS TechNet Flash Newsletter 2/29/12

Unsubscribe | Customize TechNet Flash Volume 14, Issue 5 | February 29, 2012 Top Stories Windows 8 Consumer Preview Released – What’s Next?You can now test drive Microsoft’s vision of a unified operating environment across all your users’ computing devices. But the road to Windows 8 goes through Windows 7. See how to prepare now for the next user experience. TechNet Subscribers can get the Consumer Preview bits here. “Smoked by Windows Phone” Goes Social“Smoked by Windows Phone” is a fun way of showing how Windows Phone is faster at doing the real stuff that real people do on their smartphones every day. See the Windows Phone Facebook page and download “Smoked by Windows Phone” wallpapers for your phone and desktop. TechNet Subscription Offer ExtendedGet access to full version Microsoft products with no time or feature limits. Your Featured Content Access Microsoft Forums with This Mobile App The Microsoft Forums app allows you to access MSDN, TechNet, and Office365 forums from your mobile devices. You can keep on track with the hottest topics, your own threads, favorite forums, search on major topics, FAQs, and the latest news from OneCode and OneScript. Case Study: Monitoring Applications via Windows Phone 7.5 and the Cloud Volume Licensing IT Monitor (VLIT) is designed to provide near real-time status on availability and performance for critical applications in the VLIT ecosystem along with their business process mapping. It is difficult for the business and IT leadership to understand which critical business processes are affected if a system is down or having issues. Now with VLIT Monitor, monitoring alerts can be sent directly to your Windows Phone 7.5 device wherever you are. Twelve Reasons to Love SQL Server 2012: Reason #11 – Optimized Productivity  For an integrated development experience, build for traditional server, private, or public cloud deployments with new SQL Server Data Tools and gain efficiency with T-SQL enhancements. Download the SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate today and try it for yourself. TechNet Radio: The Consumerization of IT at Microsoft Director of IT Business Relationships Gus Gustafson joins us to talk about the consumerization of IT. Tune in as he shares some industry insight into this technology trend as well as Microsoft IT’s viewpoint on how to embrace a more flexible work style that can benefit employee and company. Also be sure to listen in for how Microsoft IT is preparing internally for Windows 8. Windows 8 and Personal Cloud Storage Get an update on how Microsoft expects to deliver its vision of personal cloud storage for Windows 8 that will scale to meet the needs of billions of customers who will store hundreds of petabytes of data in the service. Virtual Lab: System Center Configuration Manager 2012 Hierarchy Install After completing this lab, you will be better able to prepare Active Directory for System Center Configuration Manager publishing, install a central administration site, install a primary site server, install a secondary site server, view status message activity related to site server installation, and configure appropriate boundaries for the environment. Application Management in a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 Learn how the application management capabilities in System Center 2012 empower you to deliver applications more cost-effectively, quickly, and reliably to your business. TechNet Radio: The SQL Server 2012 Virtual Launch Event Bruno Aziza, Worldwide Product Marketing Director for SQL Server, covers the upcoming SQL Server 2012 Virtual Launch Event: what we can expect to see, hear, and learn, how to sign up, and how to interact with other attendees online. TechNet Flash SponsorsBDNA, and Veeam: • Make Your ConfigMgr Data Work Harder NOW@BDNA – Win MMS Pass • Hyper-V Backup and Recovery Planning Best Practices Editor’s NoteTechNet Flash Editor Mitch Irsfeld Ready for a Future of Device Independence? Microsoft has released another preview of the upcoming Windows 8 operating system, so aside from an opportunity to get a hands-on look at a pivotal Microsoft work-in-progress, what does the Windows 8 Consumer Preview release mean to IT professionals? The answer, as with most things IT, is “that depends.” One of the key dependencies is which operating system you are moving from. If your organization is still on Windows XP, consider this your wakeup call…. Read more ADVERTISEMENTAnnouncing BDNA Normalize for ConfigMgr – Win MMS Pass Windows 7 migration, software license audit, other IT projects? Need detailed inventory of your IT environment? Watch the demo. Download the free trial. Win a pass. Training and BooksGet Trained on Exchange Server 2010 Microsoft Learning Partners are offering special training deals for course 10135, Configuring, Managing, and Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, and course 10233, Designing and Deploying Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. Offers are available both online and in the classroom.20 Years|20 Ways Opens Forum, Needs Your Input Help aspiring technical professionals by sharing your industry experience and insights on the 20 Years|20 Ways Forum – it’s the latest way you can support the next generation of global IT workers during the year-long 20 Years|20 Ways celebration. ADVERTISEMENTWatch now this recorded Veeam webinar with Brian Posey. Explore common “gotchas” that can undermine your disaster recovery initiatives. Learn more about the backup types, advantages and disadvantages, and more. EventsRegistration Opens for 24 Hours of PASS: SQL Server 2012 March 20 – 21, 2012 Online, in 15 languages The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) is bringing an exceptional lineup of SQL Server and business intelligence (BI) experts directly to your computer March 20 – 21 for the free, nonstop 24 Hours of PASS: SQL Server 2012.IT Camp: The Future of IT, Series 1 March 16 – June 19, 2012 Nationwide Find a location near you and learn about Microsoft’s virtualization solution, Hyper-V, the first step on your path to mastering private cloud. TechEd North America 2012: Learn. Share. Connect. June 11 – 14, 2012, Orlando, FL Get four days of more than 1,000 learning opportunities covering Microsoft’s current and future technologies. Share real-world IT solutions with like-minded peers and connect with Microsoft and industry experts. Visit our website for more details and register today. ResourcesTechNet Plus Direct Subscription TechNet Evaluation Center TechNet News Feed TechNet Flash Archive TechNet Magazine Microsoft Virtual Academy MSDN Flash Newsletter Security Newsletter TechNet ©2012 Microsoft Corporation Terms of Use | Trademarks | Privacy Statement Microsoft respects your privacy. To learn more please read our online Privacy Statement.Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 USA