Techsynopsis: Corporate IT Summarized

Rational ClearCase to Team Foundation Migration & Sync Tool Released

Cost: $0

Synopsis: Just as the tag line says. new ClearCase -> TFS migration and synchronization tool provides the ability to migrate ClearCase data to TFS, and it also provides a service that will keep items in sync between TFS and ClearCase.  These features  make the process of migrating from ClearCase to TFS much simpler, and far more automated.  It enables you to make a onetime switch and preserve your data and history or it allows a longer term coexistence by allowing different people or teams to use ClearCase and TFS while ensuring that all of the data and history is available to all users.

A quick summary of the features of the tool:

• Supports migration of base ClearCase VOBs
• Migrate a snapshot of source control to TFS
• Migrate files to Team Foundation Server while preserving history
• Migrate branches to Team Foundation Server retaining the branching structure/hierarchy
• Bidirectional synchronization of data between TFS and ClearCase

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Windows Vista SP1: Don't Hold Your Breath!

Cost: Time

Synopsis: WindowsConnected has been helping Microsoft spread the word that SP1 is not slated for release in 2008. They however did say that it was "in testing", with a limited beta that will release within the year.  The words from Microsoft are as follows.

“There will be a Windows Vista service pack and our current expectation is that a beta will be made available sometime this year. Service packs are part of the traditional software lifecycle — they’re something we do for all Microsoft products as part of our commitment to continuous improvement, and providing early test builds is a standard practice that helps us incorporate customer feedback and improve the overall quality of the product.

Service packs are just one example of the work we do to constantly improve the Windows experience.  We also deliver improvements to Windows via Windows Update, which is an excellent channel for providing our customers with the most significant updates as they happen.  And, since Windows Vista launched, we have continued working with partners to improve overall device coverage and application compatibility. There are now more than 2.1 million supported devices and more than 2,000 logoed applications for Windows Vista. We think customers will have a great experience using Windows Vista today.”

Source

Microsoft Opens "Open XML" for Word for Mac.

Cost: $0

Synopsis: Microsoft has a released a converter for .docX file formats for Word 2004. Good news...it works. Bad news, it works one way, and does not support Excel nor PowerPoint. The word is that we should expect the reader for Excel and PowerPoint near the end of the summer. It should be noted however that Office 2008 will be released prior to the full conversion solution for 2004...how not so odd.

Alternatively, you can just download NeoOffice, or read your .docx in TextEdit.

Microsoft's 1st Public Beta of Longhorn Server

Cost: $0 (not including your time)

Synopsis: Microsoft has just made their Beta 3 for Longhorn Server available. Yes, they continue to be non-committal on the naming / release date. Over 10,000 have tested the technical betas, but a large scale release such as this should provide the required feedback for the server to go gold before the end of the year. I am guessing "Windows Server 2008", will be available for production use before the end of the year.

Enough rambling...here is the download <LINK>.

If you are wondering why you should take a look at the software, perhaps the MS Highlights will shed some light. <LINK>

SQL Patching & Hotfixes: New & Predictable

Cost: $0

Synopsis: Microsoft has announced that they will patch SQL server with some appreciated consistency. April 16th will mark the first release of what is planned to be new cumulative patch schedule. The patches and hot-fixes will be released on a month to two month release cycle. This puts Microsoft on par with Oracle and IBM.

If you are still struggling with downtime for Microsoft, Oracle, Red Hat, Solaris, or SuSE, you may want to check out BlueLane's PatchPoint.

<Source>

Free Tools to Manage & Deploy Vista

Cost $0

Synopsis: Microsoft wants to make it as easy as possible to roll out Windows Vista in the corporate space. I say, let them help. Here is the list, and summary. Full info and download links after

Microsoft Solution Accelerator for Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 -  best practices, and tools that organizations can use to deploy Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system to desktops.

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.0 - ACT 5.0 is a tool that helps businesses reduce the cost and time needed to resolve potential application compatibility issues encountered when moving to Windows Vista

Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 1.0 - The beauty of this tool is that in can be run on a single PC by an IT admin and get an inventory and readiness assessment of all PCs on the network (up to 5,000).

Virtual PC 2007 - Already <covered>

Volume Activation 2.0 Tools - Volume Activation 2.0 is a technology in Windows Vista that requires activation of each Windows Vista license acquired under a Volume License Agreement. There is now a new set of tools for managing activation.

PowerShell 1.0 -   The new command line shell and scripting language.

Microsoft Offers Free Vista, 2007, etc. Training Worth Thousands!

Cost: $0 (Temporarily)

Synopsis: The Video Professor is not going to be happy...In hopes of increasing adoption/sales of Office 2007, Windows Vista, and most any new product, Microsoft is provided free e-Learning for a limited amount of time to those to sign up. Office 2007 and Vista are significant UI and functional departures from all previous generations of Office and the OS...and you will learn what to do with Groove.

The training following the jump should reduce the number of calls to your help desk, as well as from family and friends who want to know how to use their new computer.

It should be noted that these courses typically range from $29.99 to $159. There are different tracks for IT Professionals and end users. To speak in Microsoftese, Knowledge Workers.

Microsoft Home Server Beta 2 Sign-up

Cost: $0

Synopsis: Microsoft is accepting applications for beta testers of Microsoft Home Server Beta 2. As usual, this will fill up quickly. If you are not familiar with Home Server, it is a simplified hardened variant of Windows Server 2003 that aims to provide centralized storage for media, connections, and device management.

<PCMag Review>

<MS Beta Sign Up>

MS: Desktop Optimization, for Win OS SA Only!

Cost: Approx $10/usr/yr (Select A)

MS Pricelist: January

Download: Available February

Reviews: N/A

I often get the question, “why do I have Software Assurance (SA) on my OS?” For the most part the answer has always been, “to get the latest version of the OS and license additional features". For those of you who do not have those additional features mapped out yet, please see below.

You must have SA on your OS to recieve:

• Four Virtual OS Licenses
• Windows BitLocker HD Encryption
• Subsystem for Unix Based Applications
• Multi-lingual User Interface

To bolster the value of SA on the Operating System, Microsoft will only license the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack” to those with SA.. The technology itself is not a Microsoft Plus, or BOB. The package is compiled from the library of four recent acquisitions, who had well reviewed track records of their own.

AssetMetrix = MS Inventory Services

Agent free asset inventory solution. Has a total of 430,000 titles on file.

SoftGrid = MS Virtual Applications

Deploy software applications that are never installed to minimize regression testing, yet follow users anywhere, on demand.

Winternals = MS Diagnostic & Recovery

Quickly repair unbootable or locked-out systems, restore lost data, and remove malware from infected systems while the system is safely offline

DesktopStandard (GPOVault) = MS Advanced Group Policy Management

Control desktop through effective change management and roll-backs via GPOs and a robust role-based administration and delegation model.

For IT Buyers & Procurement: If you already have licensing agreements with the publishers listed above, then the savings should be easy to calculate. If you are looking at migrating from TrackiT, NetIQ, etc. subtract the cost of the multiple maintenance agreements and add conversion costs. Contact your Microsoft Representative and reseller to discuss the potential savings and arrange for assistance in evaluation.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/optimizeddesktop.mspx