TechNet Flash - Volume 16, Issue 6: March 19, 2014
Top News Worldwide
SQL Server 2014 released to manufacturing for April 1 availability
Free MVA course: System Center 2012 R2 Advisor for IT Pros
New virtual labs: Get hands-on experience with Windows Azure Pack
Mark your calendar for our Accelerate Your Insights event
Top Downloads
System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
Get Microsoft Cloud OS products and services alerts
Your Featured Content
Garage Series: What’s different and better in the cloud for IT pros?
With the rise of cloud services, many IT pros are asking, “What does it mean for me?” Garage Series host Jeremy Chapman is joined by Curtis Sawin to explore the topic by discussing how we got to where we are today and showing you some of the tools that can help as the role of an IT pro evolves.
Free MVA training: Virtualizing your data center with Hyper-V and System Center
In this free, on-demand training from MVA, Microsoft virtualization experts and VMware-certified professionals Symon Perriman and Matt McSpirit show you how to build your infrastructure from the ground up on the Microsoft stack. Discover how you can consolidate workloads and reduce costs. Download the System Center 2012 R2 evaluation to try Virtual Machine Manager for yourself.
How much can you save with Office 365?
Support ends soon for Office 2003, Exchange Server 2003, and Windows XP. With the CloudReady Insight tool, you can assess potential savings and formulate a strategy for migrating to Office 365.
Oracle VMs with license included are now available for Windows Azure
Now you can spin up a Virtual Machine with a license for Oracle software already included to take advantage of the on-demand infrastructure scaling provided by Windows Azure. Visit the Windows Azure image gallery to find images with Oracle software, including Java, Oracle Database, and Oracle WebLogic Server.
Life in the digital crosshairs: An inside look at how Microsoft builds secure software
Microsoft technologies are common targets for malicious code and users. Have you ever wondered how the company has used the security development lifecycle (SDL) to address this threat-filled landscape? Check out this interactive look at Microsoft’s approach to SDL over the last decade.
Edge Show: Using Chef to deploy Windows Azure resources
Ross Gardler, Senior Technical Evangelist from MS Open Tech, discusses Chef and how you can use it to deploy Windows Azure resources.
TechNet Radio: To scale out or not to scale out... that is the question
Jose Barreto and Senior Program Manager Ned Pyle join Dan Stolts to discuss scaling out file servers. Get an overview of the Scale-Out File Server technology and discover different scenarios for your organization. Download a free 180-day trial of Windows Server 2012 R2.
Top 14 things every IT pro should love about Windows PowerShell
In this installment of IT Time, BlainBarton and Ed Wilson talk about the top 14 things they think IT pros will love about PowerShell. Download the Windows Server 2012 R2evaluation and try these PowerShell features yourself.
Become a solutions expert with free exam prep and limited-time certification offers
Microsoft training and certification provides the opportunity to expand your skills, gain valuable knowledge, and prove your expertise. This limited-time certification offer and free exam prep can help you take your career to the next stage.
Disaster recovery: Saving desktops, work files, and pictures of Fluffy the Cat
Disaster recovery has gotten trickier as today’s bring-your-own-device (BYOD) culture has blurred the line between personal and work devices. Find out how Windows Server 2012 R2 technologies, such as Hyper-V and RDS, enable great strategies for protecting user desktops and data.
Training and Books
Free MVA course: System Center 2012 R2 Advisor for IT pros
Learn about System Center Advisor directly from Microsoft experts. This course covers the high-level architecture and explains how you can use System Center Advisor to optimize Windows Server and server workloads.
Free MVA training: Virtualizing your data center with Hyper-V and System Center
Discover how you can consolidate workloads and reduce costs. In this free, on-demand training from MVA, Symon Perriman and Matt McSpirit show you how to build your infrastructure from the ground up on the Microsoft stack. And download the System Center 2012 R2 evaluation to try Virtual Machine Manager.
Now available on demand: SQL Server in Windows Azure Virtual Machines
Running SQL Server in an Azure VM offers great flexibility and cost efficiencies for organizations who want to run a full-featured SQL Server database in the cloud. Learn more in this free, expert-led training from MVA.
Recommended Windows Server MVA training:
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
• Windows Server 2012 R2: Web and Application Platform
• What’s New in VDI for Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1
• Windows Server 2012 R2: Storage
Events
Mark your calendar for our Accelerate Your Insights event
Watch the Accelerate Your Insights keynotes live from San Francisco on April 15, 2014 – you’ll learn how to drive your business in real-time, from apps to insights, using all your data.
Spend a day working hands-on with Windows Azure
Join a Microsoft Developer Camp and learn critical skills that all modern developers need to know. These free, instructor-led workshops let you roll up your sleeves and get hands-on with Microsoft’s latest development tools and technologies.
Join us at the Gartner Business Intelligence & Analytics Summit 2014
March 31–April 2, 2014, Las Vegas, NV
See how our vision of bringing Big Data to a billion people is coming to life with Power BI for Office 365, Windows Azure HD Insight, and SQL Server 2014. Use code BISP7 when you register to get a US$300 discount.
TechEd 2014: Trends, innovations, professional development, and more
Over 600 sessions and labs are available. Explore the content and build your own specialized experience. And take advantage of Microsoft certification exams being offered at 50% off the standard price. All this and more in Houston, May 12–15. Register today.