StarWind Contest and the iPad Arrival

January 31, 2012 at 1:02 am | Posted in Contests, Cool Stuff, Free Stuff | 4 Comments
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I want to share with the blogosphere some of the great consequences about writing a geeky blog. A few months ago, StarWind started a contest for the best article of the year regarding their iSCSI software. The prize was nothing else than an iPad 2, and I won with this article :)

There were some issues in receiving the article because some laws here in Argentina prohibit the importation of these products, but we’ve managed to get the iPad locally instead of shipping it and finally I have it in my hands.

Pretty cool stuff, indeed :)

photo

Even though most of us writing technological blogs we never look to these contests or prizes as an objective, it is indeed motivating when you find in your path some acknowledgments.

Thank you StarWind!

App-V Book Giveaway!

February 10, 2011 at 12:00 pm | Posted in App-V, Cool Stuff, Documentation, Free Stuff | 2 Comments
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As a celebration since my App-V Book: Getting Started with Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 has just been published, I want to give away a free paperback version among my blog readers.

giveaway

Here’s the deal:

  • All you need to do is email me at augusto@augustoalvarez.com.ar with the subject: “App-V Book”.
  • Include in the email body your full name plus the address where you would like for us to send the copy.
  • I’ll close up the contest on February 25. All the emails sent until that date will be included in the election, which will be completely random.
  • I’ll notify the winner in the following days and we’ll ship a free copy of “Getting Started with Application Virtualization 4.6”.

For more information about the book and the free chapter available for download, check this last post of mine.

To avoid any problems, here are some disclaimers:

  • Only one email by person will be included. Do not use different mail accounts to participate several times.
  • Emails that don’t include person’s full name and address will not be considered valid.
  • We’ll cover the expenses regarding shipment but we are not responsible for extra fees or taxes other countries may include in the package.

Remember that the book is available in the following stores: Packt Publishing; Amazon.com; Amazon.co.uk and Lehmans.

Good luck!

Free E-Book: Deploying Windows 7 Essential Guidance

October 17, 2009 at 7:00 pm | Posted in Cool Stuff, Free Stuff | 2 Comments
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Fresh and free new book available from Microsoft Press and Microsoft TechNet! Deploying Windows 7: Essential Guidance.

deployingw7

This book contains ten chapters from Windows 7 Resource Kit, so if you ever read one of these Resource Kits, you would know that the content it is very complete and interesting. Some of the topics discussed in this free book:

  • Planning Deployment
  • Testing Application Compatibility
  • Developing Disk Images
  • Migrating User State Data
  • Deploying Applications
  • Volume Activation
  • Using Windows Deployment Services (WDS)
  • Using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)

I know, I know, I was missing the free e-books offers from Microsoft too.

Here’s a little bonus: Microsoft also published as a free download the Chapter 23 of the Windows 7 Resource Kit, “Supporting Users Using Remote Assistance”.

To review some of my posts about deploying Windows 7, check this category:

http://blog.augustoalvarez.com.ar/category/microsoft-deployment-toolkit-mdt/

Cheers!

Free E-Books from this Month: Office Communications Server 2007 R2

June 17, 2009 at 11:42 pm | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, Free Stuff | Leave a comment
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Continuing with their 25th Anniversary Microsoft Press prepared for us their final release for free E-Books (yes, these two and you won’t be getting this exciting offers anymore):

“Office Communications Server 2007 R2: Resource Kit”

If you are not very familiar with the communications suite, here’s a short topic review that is included in almost 900 pages:

  • Overview and server roles
  • Key deployment scenarios: VoIP, basic IM, conferencing, voice mail, etc.
  • Planning and Deployment
  • General administration and monitoring
  • Backup and restore
  • Troubleshooting.

And as for previous released, the offer also includes the developers e-book:

“Programming for Unified Communications with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2”

Remember that these downloads are available for a short period of time.

Enjoy!

May Free E-Book: Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit

May 20, 2009 at 2:49 pm | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, Free Stuff, Terminal Services | Leave a comment
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Disclaimer: Remember that these books are available as a free download for a limited period of time. 

Microsoft Press released two new e-books to continue celebrating their 25th anniversary:

Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit

On this book you’ll find detailed information about what’s new in Windows Server 2008 regarding Terminal Services and common scenarios to use a Terminal Services ecosystem.

As an always requested topic regarding to Terminal Services, you’ll see how the applications publications works within these environments, using Terminal Services RemoteApps (TS RemoteApps).

Some of the topics:

  • Planning and installing Terminal Server environment.
  • Creating and maintaining user work environment.
  • Installing and Publishing Applications.
  • Terminal Services ecosystem management.

Also, on the devs side again, you can find this another “best practices” book:

“The Practical Guide to Defect Prevention”. Techniques to meet the demand for more reliable software.

Enjoy and don’t forget to share the links.

Cheers!

Free eBook: Windows Small Business Server 2008 Administrator’s Companion

April 15, 2009 at 10:16 am | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, Windows Server 2008 | 6 Comments
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Again, Microsoft Press is releasing a brand new book for you to download it completely free:

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Administrator’s Companion

But you should know that this book is going to be available for download for a short period of time: April 15 to April 22. So you better hurry up and get yourself a copy!

The SBS platform that was introduced with Windows Server 2003 is oriented to small-medium organizations (between 5 and 75 computers) and gives you all the possibilities and solutions that you may need to use on your organization within a single server: Active Directory, Exchange Server, Internet Information Services (IIS), Sharepoint, SQL, Terminal Services, etc. Avoiding, this way, to consider the implementation of several servers and their hardware and licensing costs.

Also, on the devs side, you can find this book also available:

Microsoft® Visual Basic® 2008 Express Edition: Build a Program Now!

Enjoy!

Free eBook from this Month: Windows Vista Resource Kit

February 20, 2009 at 11:24 am | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, Windows Vista | 2 Comments
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Microsoft Press keeps celebrating their 25th anniversary, that’s why you continue to keep getting this free eBooks all the time. This time you get the chance to get a free book related to desktop environments:

Windows Vista Resource Kit, 2nd Edition

On this book you’ll find:

  • Windows Vista Deployment
  • Desktop Management
  • Desktop Maintenance
  • All you need to know about Networking on Windows Vista
  • Troubleshooting

It’s quite interesting actually, on this book you’ll find several topics that can be quite useful as an IT Pro or a common user: Regarding to Vista Deployment you can find everything you need to know about deployments using Windows Deployment Services (WDS) or Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), preparing Windows PE boot environment, etc.

Also take a look at the networking section that will explain the improvements that were made on this OS (firewall, IPSec, etc); troubleshooting hardware, devices and common errors.

Remember that these free eBooks will be available for a short period of time, so don’t waste any more time and get it!

Adding now another free eBook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

Enjoy!

Cheers

More Free eBooks: Windows Server 2008 Server Core and SQL Server 2005 Integration Services

January 22, 2009 at 10:28 am | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, Windows Server 2008 | 3 Comments
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Two more new and completely free eBooks from MS Press are available for download:

Windows Server 2008 Server Core Administrator’s Pocket Consultant

On this book you’ll find:

  • Introduction to Server Core
  • Deploying Server Core
  • Initial Configurations
  • Installing Roles and Features
  • Local and Remote Management
  • Detailed description of all roles available:
    • Active Directory and DNS
    • Hyper-V
    • DHCP
    • File and Print Services
    • Web Server
    • Others
  • Maintaining Server Core

Did you give Windows Server Core a chance already? On the obvious security reasons that you can find to install it; you’ll see other benefits like having a small footprint operating system, licensing price, great performance to take advantage all the features on the mentioned roles, including Hyper-V clustering.

You can start on this book to get a nice introduction and to know all the possibilities with Server Core.

And again, on the devs side (but it is also quite useful for IT guys) you’ll find a SQL Server 2005 book:

SQL Server 2005 Integration Services Step-by-Step

For another free eBook (“Virtualization Solutions”) still available, click here.

Enjoy!

Cheers!

Free eBooks: "Understanding IPv6" and "Writing Secure Code for Windows Vista"

January 11, 2009 at 4:05 pm | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff | 1 Comment
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THESE BOOKS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR A FREE DOWNLOAD.

You can still access the “Virtualization Solutions” free eBook from MS Press on this link.

I’ll keep you updated whenever this offers appears!

 

More very interesting reading MS Press books available for free.

On the IT side, you can find "Understanding IPv6". Great book to get to know this (still not commonly used) networking and security protocol.

  • IPv6 Protocol for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
  • IPv6 addressing and headers
  • Neighbor Discovery
  • Address Autoconfiguration
  • IPv6 name resolution
  • ISATAP
  • Teredo
  • Deploying IPv6
  • Setting up a lab with IPv6

On the devs side, "Best Practices Writing Secure Code for Windows Vista".

Enjoy.

Cheers!

Free eBook "Virtualization Solutions" Desktop to Datacenters

January 4, 2009 at 9:31 pm | Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, Virtualization | 2 Comments
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Taking your first steps in the virtualization world and you don’t really know where are you standing? Getting to know what virtualization products are available? Want to understand about VDI (Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) or App-V (former known as SoftGrid)? Confused about virtualization licensing?

Well this is for sure a must reading book for you. And the best thing, it’s here for free! You can get the PDF (~14mb) at this link (link updated):

“Virtualization Solutions from the Desktop to the Datacenter”

Chapter 1: Microsoft’s Virtualization Solution
Introduction to the virtualization world, benefits and how to implement it.

Chapter 2: Server Virtualization – Hyper-V
Start to know about the hyper visor released by Microsoft from Windows Server 2008 platform. How it works, benefits and different scenarios.

Chapter 3: Managing Virtualization – VMM 2008
The latest centralized platform from System Center, Virtual Machine Manager 2008. Where you can manage different type of servers: Virtual Server, VMWare and Hyper-V.

Chapter 4: Application Virtualization – App-V
How App-V works (former known as SoftGrid) and how it can be delivered to users.

Chapter 5: Presentation Virtualization – Terminal Services
How Terminal Services complements the different virtualization solutions and their benefits.

Chapter 6: Desktop Virtualization – MED-V and VDI
Explaining Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) and Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

Chapter 7: User State Virtualization
Complementing Romaing Profiles, Folder Redirection, Offline Files, Group Policies with virtualization and how to implement it on an organization.

Chapter 8: Building a Virtualization Infrastructure
Getting to know Microsoft Virtualtion Solutions Accelerators, Microsoft System Center and Virtualization Licensing.

Enjoy it!

Cheers

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