The World According to Mitch

Certification Path: Why you need your map and compass

An acquaintance sent me an e-mail yesterday in which he essentially asked: 'I am interested in becoming an IT Professional.  What certifications should I get and where should I start?'  Here is my answer to him:

You are right on the mark… certifications, no matter which one, take a lot of learning to achieve. Before you start on a path that can be truly never-ending, you have to make a couple of decisions, especially if you are just starting out on a path toward a career in IT:

• What is it that you want to do? If I were to divide the general term ‘computer professional’ into four categories, they would be (and these are quite rough):
• Systems Administrator / Engineer (SA/SE)
• Desktop Support Technician (DST)
• Developer (DEV)
• Database Administrator (DBA)

Although in many cases there will be overlap, these are four very distinct professions. You have to decide which one (or ones) interests you, and then decide what certifications would be relevant to that/those. A DST might benefit from an understanding of the DBA role, but chances are an MCDBA certification would be irrelevant to their work.

• Are you more interested in working within a larger organization, or are you more interested in smaller companies (or even supporting small businesses as a consultant)? In large organizations the job roles will be pigeonholed – a DST will work on and support desktop PCs, and will escalate network issues to an SA (or often to a senior DST who will work with the SA), whereas the SA will delegate even the smallest desktop issues to a DST. The smaller the environment the better the chance that an IT Generalist will be called upon to perform multiple tasks across these boundaries.

Once you have answered these questions – and you have to do it honestly – you can then sit down and chart the certification path you should take, both from the perspective of what certifications you need/want, and what course you should take to get there.

Your career in IT is a path that should be mapped out before going into it. Just like you would not walk into a forest without a map or at least a compass, you should similarly map your goals or at least have a clear understanding of your direction before you embark on a long journey.

Depending on what experience a candidate may have, some exams and certifications may be easier to attain than others. For example, a candidate who has been a power-worker on Windows XP for several years might not have to spend too much time studying for the MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician) exams (070-271, 070-272) and would be able to get by with a decent study-guide and practice exams. The same candidate who is interested in becoming an SA would have to chart a path to the MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) certification, and may require ILT (Instructor-Led Training) in addition to practice, study-guides, books, and practice exams.

With all of that in mind it could be seen as the ‘easy path’ to become a DST and stay there. There will likely always be need for them, but they are also going to be paid less than the SA/SE. It might be a good plateau/stepping stone for a candidate entering the market to get certified and work as a DST while working toward an SA role. These decisions would determine the career path which might not be set in stone, but would be a great way to map out the certification goals for the short- and medium-term.

Remember there are a plethora of resources available to you along your path, including:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcp

http://www.certguard.com

http://blog.mitchgarvis.com

Good luck!

Windows Vista - Comments from a converted enthusiast

For more information about the Windows Springboard Series visit http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8418918.

Six weeks ago I was sitting at Starbucks (until Java U comes to Oakville...) working on my laptop when the manager started talking to me.  It turns out he is a real computer enthusiast, and I was impressed by the specs of the computer he had built for himself... truly top of the line.  It was obvious that he had spent a lot of time researching memory specs, video cards, motherboards, and so much more.  There were only two things that surprised me... one I expect from time to time, but the other floored me.

1. His kick-butt computer was running Windows XP Professional; and
2. He was not running any sort of anti-virus on his PC.

'It's okay though, because if you really know how to harden your operating system you don't really need an anti-virus program.'

I am not going to lie: in this day and age there are situations where anti-virus programs are not necessary... but they usually involve disconnected environments ten stories underground on deserted island in the south Pacific where there is no electricity or phones where the computer is guarded by native tribesmen with spears and buried under six inches of peat moss.

I was amazed that he seemed to on the one hand know so much about computers, and on the other hand have such blind faith in his ability to protect them without using some of the most basic tools that are so easy to deploy and maintain.  Back to that in a minute.

My next question was of course about his operating system... why is it that he had invested so much in his hardware, without going to the operating system that would take advantage of it all?  It all came down to money... it was hard for him to justify spending several hundred dollars on an operating system when in fact the one that he had... worked.

I made him an offer: I was going to bring to him a copy of Windows Vista Business Edition and a license for Live One Care.  I would give him my e-mail address and any support he needed with questions or guidance.  Run it for thirty days and if you don't like it at the end then reformat with XP and reinstall One Care.  Deal?  Deal.

The next day I left for Europe and did not hear from him until I got back and went back into the cafe.  John Evan looked like he was going to hug me.  'I love it!  It is incredible!  I love it!' were some of the comments he made.  Because he is truly a power user, I asked him to take a few minutes to write a couple of his favorite points.  Below is his unedited document to me, good AND bad:

---

Advantages at a glance

• Task manager - shows detailed information on programs and processes running and allows you to open parent directory for each executable file so you can easily detect unwanted programs and terminate their use. MSconfig.exe is still integrated into the operating system, a tool many do not know about, but is my favorite for managing my computers performance by disabling startup applications and to ensure unwanted programs do not get reinstalled at startup.
• Integration! Designed very well to work seamless with Microsoft designed applications. No more fooling around, it's about action!
• Ready to go! During initial installation, windows vista installs with security and privacy in mind! Making less frustrations for the average user.

Areas for Improvement

• Superfetch – this should be easily attainable for the average user so that they can choose to enable or disable this feature. Superfetch preloads the most often used applications into memory during startup which can tie up a lot of ram.
• In today's world, the average user needs a wireless network security analyzer! This should be built into the operating system to educate the average user about their wireless network and actions needed to resolve security flaws.
• This is a must for programmers, the ability to open up a directory and send all the file names of a directory or by selection or by file extension to a text document at a touch of a button.
• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer - This should come with it, I love this tool, and this tool should be expanded upon. Offers insight into security flaws and detailed solutions.

---

It is always interesting for me to hear what others consider their favorite points about Windows Vista... I have my own favorites but I have been talking about them for too long, and love hearing other points.  You should see how excited he is with the new Microsoft Office 2007 that I brought him back from Seattle!

For more information about the Windows Springboard Series visit http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8418918.

Windows Vista: Clunky on old hardware?

For more information about the Windows Springboard Series visit http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8418918.

I am not going to lie to you.  Windows Vista has some serious hardware requirements, and like most versions of Windows ever released the minimums should be considered just that... very bare minimums.  Of all the complaints I hear against the platform, that is one of the louder ones, and it is not one that I can really deny... when I decided to beta test Vista the first thing I did was upgrade my laptop.  This is however not a new phenomenon.

In October, 2001 Microsoft released Windows XP.  All of a sudden my Pentium 3 with 64 Megabytes of RAM... just didn't cut it.  Coupled with the fact that I was starting a new course of training, I invested in a brand spanking new Pentium 4... 1.8GHz with a whopping and (at that point) mostly unprecedented 256MB of RAM.  The CPU lasted for several years... the memory level became a joke within months.  The problem was simply that XP simply did so much more than Windows 2000... and by definition more needs more.

Windows Vista does so much more than Windows XP did.  That is why most of us are migrating (or have already done so).  Some of the cool new features do require hardware upgrades (do not skimp on RAM!), especially if you were running at or close to the minimum requirements for Windows XP.

Note: In this professional's opinion the minimum system requirements for Windows XP should have been modified upon the release of Windows XP SP2 to more closely reflect a more realistic minimum for a comfortable user experience. 

Now, if you have read my blog before or heard me speak it is unlikely at this point that I am going to say 'that's the way it is... live with it.'  Microsoft has released three different sets of 'System Requirements' for Vista... and the likelihood is that the system that you ran Windows XP on will also run Windows Vista:

Minimum Supported System Requirements

These are exactly that... Vista will simply not install on less, and chances are you will not be able to do much more than check your e-mail and write letters on this... and slowly:

• 800 Megahertz CPU
• 512 Megabytes RAM
• 20 Gigabyte hard drive (with 15 Gigabytes available space)
• Super VGA video
• CD ROM Drive (ummm... can you install Vista without a DVD?)
• Network Interface Card (if you want the Internet)

Let me be clear again... these are bare minimum requirements, and will not give you the true Vista experience.  It will run or... walk.

System Requirements for Windows Home Basic

Again, these are pretty minimal requirements, but are a step up from the minimum:

• 1 Gigahertz CPU (32-bit or 64-bit)
• 512 Megabytes RAM
• 20 Gigabyte hard drive (with 15 Gigabytes available space)
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 32 Megabytes of video memory
• DVD-ROM
• Audio output
• Network Interface Card

This configuration offers a few improvements over the minimum requirements... slight speed improvements on the CPU and since Vista Home Basic does not support Aero Glass the 32 Meg video RAM will suffice.

System Requirements for Home Premium / Business / Ultimate

• Support for DirectX 9 graphics
• 128 Megabytes Megabytes of video memory (minimum)
• Pixel Shader 2.0 Hardware
• 32 bits per pixel

In addition to these requirements, there are a number of caveats, such as:

• Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate will support dual processors;
• Vista Home Premium and Ultimate will require a Vista-compatible TV tuner card for TV functionality within the Media Center;
• Vista Home Premium, Business and Ultimate support Tablet and Touch Technology, which require either a Tablet PC or alternate touch screen; and
• If you are planning to use BitLocker (only available in Vista Enterprise and Ultimate) make sure your computer has a TPM 1.2 chip, or else you will need to use a USB key for encryption.

Do all of these different sets of requirements make your life easier when planning to upgrade to Vista?  Of course not.  However to mitigate the difficulties there is a free Hardware Upgrade Advisor tool (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx) which will check your current hardware and make recommendations before you install Vista.  With this tool's help I was able to discover before going ahead that although my family room computer (mostly used by our son to play games and use the Internet) needed more RAM, <start segue> and if I wanted to run Aero Glass would have to upgrade the video card.  I have always loved the Aero Glass effects, but decided it was not necessary for my son's Zoo Tycoon, so I ordered more RAM and proceeded with my installation.

As nice as it is, and there is a very solid case for Aero Glass being a productivity tool and not simply a 'shiny bead'... but the reality is if that a WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) video card the only road block preventing you from going forward then GO AHEAD!  You can still benefit from the myriad other improvements in the operating system... and if you do eventually decide to upgrade your video card you will be ready to hit the ground running.

In the case of Rami Negev - the first winner of the blog.mitchgarvis.com Vista Springboard contest - he stated that the TV tuner in his ATI All-In-Wonder video card was not compatible with Vista.  I have not checked whether this is still the case, and it might be true that in order to get the full Media Center experience.  That is why it is so important to check your hardware compatibility before upgrading.  If he wants to find out without going through the install process he can run the Vista Hardware Upgrade Advisor to find out.

It is easy to participate in the blog.mitchgarvis.com Vista Springboard contest and possibly win your own copy of Windows Vista... simply leave a comment with why you are concerned about upgrading and you can win too... just like Rami.  Just be sure to include your e-mail address (it will not be published) so that I can contact you and get your prize out.

For more information about the Windows Springboard Series visit http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8418918, and make sure you are subscribed to this blog to keep up to date with my Springboard articles!

Vista - Fact or Fiction?

For more information about the Windows Springboard Series visit http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8418918. 

As the old saying goes, if I had a dime for every person who has come up to me and told me why they are not moving to Windows Vista, I would be a rich man.  The problem is that most of those reasons are just not true.  There seem to be enough myths surrounding Vista to fill a textbook.  Over the next few weeks I am going to address many of them in the hopes of dispelling some of the falsehoods and hopefully convincing some of the doubtfuls to give Vista a try.

The one issue that I know IS very real is the cost... so I'll make you a deal: If you post your issues as a comment to one of my articles then you just may win one of five copies of Windows Vista Ultimate to install on your PC!

So let's pick a single arbitrary myth to discuss here: hardware compatibility.

In the beginning there were a whole lot of computers running Windows XP with any number of peripherals, such as scanners and printers.  When Windows Vista was released many people decided it was the right time to either upgrade their existing computers, or in some cases purchase new ones.  Unfortunately many of them (including my mother) had older peripheral devices (in my mother's case it was an inkjet printer, but it would go for scanners and all manner of other devices) that did not have device drivers available.  Blame Vista.

It might not occur to everyone, but Microsoft does not write device drivers... well, except for Microsoft Hardware which creates the drivers for its own products.  It's true, there were hardware manufacturers slow out of the gate to get proper drivers written, and especially in the first few months there was a simple rule: the older your device, the worse your chances of finding a driver for it.  Indeed, to this day I am not certain that hardware manufacturers did not withhold drivers for older devices in the hopes that consumers would buy new ones. 

How often has Vista crashed on your computer?  I can count on one hand how often I have seen a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) on Windows Vista.  Care to guess the root cause of each and every one?  If you guessed Device Drivers then you get the prize!  Again, while Microsoft can write the most stable code possible, and then provide guidelines to hardware manufacturers, it is simply not possible to regulate and test every driver.  That is why signed drivers are always a better idea than unsigned drivers.  When I was beta testing Vista on my Media Center PC I had terrible problems with BSODs until the video card manufacturer released an updated driver.  The moment they did my Media Experience has been a smooth ride.

Let me be clear here about one thing.  I am not going to be an apologist for Microsoft with respect to Windows Vista.  I like the product - I do prefer it to Windows XP - while realizing there are downsides to it.  As a very early beta tester I have now had nearly three years to get used to it, and did so to the point that when I go back to Windows XP - an OS I used to know like the back of my hand - I often pause to remember 'the old ways'.  I had no such issues going from Windows 2000 to XP and back, because they were so similar; indeed, XP was written on top of Windows 2000.  That is not the case with Vista, which has been rewritten from scratch.  A lot of legacy issues and inefficiencies that date back three versions or more are gone, while building in a level of both stability and security previously unheard of in Windows.

The problem then is that when rewriting the operating system several things were done differently.  Microsoft is not the first company to move things around for comfort, efficiency, and logic; remember the old gear shifts behind the steering wheel in cars? 

Of course, the gearshift being a physical handle it was easier to  look down and see a new handle where the bench seat used to go across and make the connection.  So many features in Windows Vista are much harder to find, so (in what I consider a huge improvement) the Start Pearl now has a built-in live Search feature... if you are looking for the Display Properties, just type that in and it will pop up.

So now that I have covered a couple of Vista Myths, tell me about yours... why aren't you deploying yet?  Make it good and you might win a copy of Vista to try out for yourself!  Just leave a comment below and make sure I have your e-mail address... I will try to answer all questions, either in reply comments or in future articles, and hopefully help out one or two converts ;)

Talking in Movie Theatres

I have always loved going to the movies.  I remember as a child going to some of the old 'Paradise Theatres' in Montreal like the Imperial and the Rialto.  Sitting in the grand old theatres - it was rare for there to be even two screens in the theatre but the one auditorium was replete with pre-war decorations reminiscent of the golden age of the silver screen.  From a very early age I was taught to talk in hushed tones until the lights went down, but once the curtain rose you sat in silence and enjoyed the movie.

When I was fourteen I had a job as an usher at the York Theatre on Ste-Catherine Street between Guy and Mackay.  I helped people to find seats if the place was packed, and if people spoke they got a warning before being asked to leave.

How things have changed.

I still love going to the movies... though the experience has changed drastically.  Rather than one overwhelming theatre in a complex there are now an overwhelming number of unimpressive theatres... but that is fine because the decor is only interesting until the movie starts.  The movies are probably not as good as they were, and Hollywood thinks that they are compensating by putting out more of them.

As I walked into the AMC Theatre in Oakville last night - a complex of twenty-four respectable sized screens and theatres - I counted six people selling tickets next to eight automated ticket machines, three taking the tickets at the door, and a meeting between two manager-types and ten usher-types; there were ten people selling popcorn and candy (and nachos, hotdogs, and any number of items previously unheard of in theatres).  Unless it is all automated there would also be twenty-four projectionists.  That is a staff of fifty-five employees before you even count that there must be others behind closed doors that I did not see.

And yet I still could not enjoy the movie in peace.

Our society has changed visibly in my lifetime.  People do not have the respect that they once did, for the institutions and for their fellow patrons.  This is of course not limited to movie theatres, but it's my blog.

I have gone to movies that appeal to both a younger and an older crowd, and there always seems to be a group of teenagers who forget that they are not watching in their own personal theatre.  Of course this is explainer by the fact that for the past thirty years our primary movie-watching venue has changed from the theatre to the family room.  Betamax to LaserDisc to VHS to DVD to BlueRay, the reality is that most of the movies we watch are in the comfort of our own home, where we can act however we like.  We are no longer conditioned to sit and watch a movie quietly, because we can pause and rewind if we miss something important and besides, Hollywood's decline has seen to it that we cannot really miss that much.

We are a ME NOW society.  Too many people do not care about their fellow man, it is all about ME... and the thought I have in the theatre cannot wait until later because I can say it NOW.

I am of course not primarily referring to people making comments about the movie, but they are no better than the cliques talking about where to have dinner.  But last night the guy behind me said at a crucial scene:  'Oh John don't kiss her, you KNOW your girlfriend is going to walk in and catch you!'  For the cheap seats, let me clarify a number of points:

• Unless your name is Roger Ebert I am really not interested in what you think about the movie;
• The guy on the screen is an actor portraying a character, and by the way does not have any decision making or editorial powers over what happens next... and by the way cares less than I do what you think of the movie;
• It's a movie!  The outcome was decided a very long time ago, and the only people who hear you are people you are disturbing!
• Your date to whom you said it is embarrassed by your comment, and knows as well as you do that he is going to kiss her;
• You do not have any super-psychic powers of prediction, and if you know what he is going to do and what the results will be, everyone else in the theatre does too so cut the play-by-play!

I want to be clear that these offenses are not limited to teenagers.  I have given up turning around and asking people to stop talking, but when we got up at the end of the movie the play-by-play guy behind me turned out to be about my age... so he probably learned the same manners I did and just forgot them, which is a worse offense than the teenagers who may not have been brought up the same.

I mentioned I go to a lot of movies, and recently I had the pleasure of sitting in front of a couple with a cell phone that kept ringing.  I call out ringing specifically because she did not even have the courtesy (brains?) to put the phone on vibrate.  As a parent I understand the concern one has when leaving your children with a babysitter, but for heaven's sake sit on the aisle and take the call outside... and if your babysitter has to call you six times during a movie maybe it is time for you to cut date night short and go home.

Remember when the worst offense in a theatre would be the couple in front of you necking?  About a year ago I had the displeasure of sitting behind a couple who had that intent but the woman seemed to have difficulty finding her date's neck, and searched in the most interesting and inappropriate spots.  His neck it up there ma'am, and there are enough cheap hotels and secluded spots where you can explore in private without sharing. 

I will not lay the blame squarely on the patrons.  Management is equally to blame because they refuse to do anything to stop it.  Several weeks ago I walked out of a movie and found the theatre manager to complain.  'What do you think I can do about it?'  Though I have several opinions, the bottom line is I am an not in the business, and though I do not know what you can do, I do know that you must do something.  Kick them out, offer me a free raincheque, whatever... but it is not my place to tell you how to handle it.

Is the solution to stop going to movies?  We have a DVD player and I certainly see a lot of movies on airplanes... but as I have stated I still love going to the movies, and am angry with those who would take that pleasure away from me.

I do not think that the majority of people are disruptive in theatres... I rather suspect that most of the patrons - the truly silent majority - agree with me.  Unfortunately no silent majority has ever changed anything... and so I will continue to dread the talking, chatting, phone-call taking, making-out and making whoopie manner-less and tactless patrons who diminish the experience for the rest of us.

A Myth of (Virtual) Fingerprints

I was sitting in a cafe minding my own business the other day when I overheard a couple of network administrators discussing the benefits of virtualizing their server room.  As this is a topic about which I am quite passionate I was delighted to hear the 'buzz'... the fact that organizations were discussing implementing solutions revolving around virtualization technologies, including the soon to be released Microsoft Hyper-V Server.

I listened with half an ear mostly because I am interested in hearing what real IT pros are thinking candidly when 'the guy from Microsoft' is not around (I have not quite yet given up explaining that I do not work for Microsoft).  They discussed the advantages of Hyper-V over Virtual Server, the pros and cons of using a Microsoft solution over a third-party virtualization technology (no I am not afraid to say VMWare!), and the licensing advantages of purchasing Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition over Standard Edition.

Then they mentioned a perceived advantage that is unfortunately a very real misconception in the real world:  '...and my favorite advantage of virtualizing the servers is that I only have to secure, monitor, and patch the parent server... on a virtual parent with four virtual machines I save eighty percent of my work!'

I can no longer say I am surprised because this is a very prevalent misunderstanding in the IT world.  it is vital that every IT administrator understand one thing about virtualizing above all else: Treat your virtual machines as you treat your physical machines... always.

Virtualization is a tool to create a machine within a machine, it is true.  It allows IT departments to consolidate and save often huge amounts on hardware while minimizing wasted resources.  However excepting the fact that they share resources and coexist within the same physical space, a child operating system is completely independent and segregated from the parent operating system (in the Virtual Server vernacular the guest and host OSes are equally segregated).

I have heard virtual security compared to securing rooms in a house, wherein if the perimeter is secure then likewise the inner walls are equally secure.  This is true, as long as you are only applying the analogy to physical security, wherein if the parent is physically stolen then the child is equally lost. 

Server maintenance is so much more than physical security.  Of course the environment is important, and issues such as temperature, humidity, and ventilation have to be considered in addition to physical security.  However the OS is so much more than that, and issues such as firewalls, monitoring, and patch management apply equally to every instance of an operating system, whether physical or virtual.  Microsoft (as well as third party ISVs) provide the tools for those and yes in many cases it will involve higher licensing costs... but if your environment has System Center Operations Manager monitoring your servers, System Center Configuration Manager and Windows Server Update Services handling system security and patch management, and a backup solution protecting your servers and data then you need all of these securing, monitoring, and patching all of your servers, whether they be parent, child, host, or guest OS.

Hyper-V will offer us all a plethora of benefits, whether for lab or production environments.  We should definitely discuss and make use of those advantages and appreciate that there are enough that we do not have to make up others.  If you are unsure then it might pay for you to invest in a consult... we cannot all be experts in every new technology out there... if you do not know of anyone then go out to a local IT Pro user group meeting and hear what your peers have to say.  In the case of security and stability, it will be a very worthwhile investment!

Drinking From a Fire hose

One of the great advantages to MVP Summit is the information that is made available to us; speak to any MVP and chances are they were in no fewer than a dozen sessions over the course of four days, not to mention all of the break-out sessions, the Open Space sessions on the first day, and a plethora of additional meetings and semi-organized conversations with anyone from peers to product managers.  There was a welcoming keynote on Monday, and two keynote speeches on Thursday, delivered by Sean O'Driscoll, Ray Ozzie, and Steve Ballmer respectively.

All of that information can be overwhelming - it is not uncommon to suffer from information overload.  One of the common terms tossed about is drinking from a fire hose.  If you have ever tried to do that you will likely have three results:

1. Your thirst is quenched;
2. Your face is wet from a lot of the overage; and
3. The more you try to ingest the more likely you will get hurt, either from the water rushing to your face or from the bloating.

If there is one thing I have realized as my relationship with Microsoft has progressed and continues to progress is that the more connected you become - the more NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) you sign, the more programs you become involved in - the more information is made available to you, and the harder it becomes to ingest it all.

Of course I would never complain of being given too much information, but the reality is that at a certain point you start realizing how much of that information is wasted.  You could spend twenty-four hours per day reading and keeping up - but what suffers as a consequence of that?  No sleep, no work, no family time, no eating (many would suggest that I could afford to miss a meal or two... but that is another story).

The problem with all of that is that every (or most) MVP has a number of things in common, which they also share with most of the people I have worked with at Microsoft; that is a passion for the technology and a thirst for the knowledge.  I have met MVPs (and Microsoft employees) who will sacrifice those aspects of their lives to quench that thirst.  On occasion I have been one of those, although often I try to skim the interesting information and only get deep into the necessary information.  Again, this is not an easy skill, but I consider other aspects of my life too important to sacrifice completely.

So this week at a glance I have been exposed to sessions, talks, and conversations on:

• Social Networking and Web 2.0
• Windows Mobile 6 and related technologies
• Essential Business Server
• Small Business Server
• User Groups
• Certifications
• Licensing
• Writing
• Public Speaking
• Virtualization
• A brief History of the beginning of Microsoft (VERY abridged)
• Collaboration Tools
• Many, many more...

In a perfect world I would now be much smarter on any number of these topics than I was... hopefully I am at least a little better off than I was.  I know I have paid much closer attention to sessions that are of more pertinent relevance to what I am currently working on than the others, but I would be lying if I said I got as much out of them as I could have.  My best hope is that the feedback that I offered was heard by the people who can make a difference, or at least caused some of them to continue to discuss my ideas.

This is my second MVP Summit and I am happy to be here for many reasons... not only for the information but also (and possibly especially) because of the people I get to interact with... fellow MVPs and Microsoft employees alike.  The entire event has been planned to expose many of us to different groups which remind me of the Web 2.0 discussion that Sean gave - of course I spent a lot of time meeting with my immediate peers (related to my technological areas of interest); but I also had a lot of opportunity to interact with fellow Canadian MVPs (some of whom I have no technical interests in common), and then the social meetings and keynotes that were open to all.

Most of you know that I have been a big proponent of IT Pro communities - local user groups and such - which I see as a similar model on possibly a smaller scale.  I love going to a user group meeting (either at one of the groups I am a member of or as a guest speaker) and seeing the interaction that happens at different levels:

• Attendees who are obviously friends or colleagues who interact naturally;
• An attendee may make a point during the event that rings true or important to another who will start a conversation during a break;
• Attendee interaction with the speaker or other guests - including speakers or sponsors - in attendance

These introductions and conversations extend our own webs and reach, and I always encourage them even often to the extent of introducing people who might not know some of the common needs or pain points.  When I founded the Montreal IT Professionals Community (www.mitpro.ca) in 2005 I did not have the foresight so realize how important that would be, and yet I count a number of friends and colleagues whom I met through MITPro, and who continue to be friends and colleagues to this day, fifteen months after I left the group.  When I started the IT Professionals Community of Greater Toronto (www.itprotoronto.ca) I did realize that, and have encouraged the relationship fostering among our members, including initiating an informal gathering at a cafe or pub after every meeting.

What information do you come across that is important to you?  Do you like to share that information, or are you the type to horde it to give you a leg up on your competitors?  Have you noticed increased success as a result of your participation in either in-person or on-line groups?  Share your story by filling out the Comment form hereinbelow.  Share your stories, and maybe your insight will be helpful to someone across town... or across the globe.

Can vs. Should

There is a big difference between things that can be done as opposed to what should be done. 

I have discussed virtualization in great detail of late because of how interesting it is to the average IT Professional.  Windows Server Virtualization, or Hyper-V, is a server role in Windows Server 2008; presently it is still in beta, but it is coming soon, and has been available to the general public since Windows Server 2008 released a few months ago.

In the second half of 2008 Microsoft will release Windows Small Business Server 2008; it is built on the Windows Server 2008 platform and as such includes all of that platform's roles and features including Hyper-V.  For any number of reasons SBS clients and consultants should be very happy about this.

Hyper-V in Windows Server Standard has a fairly simple licensing model in much the same way that hieroglyphics are simple.  Add to that a number of the licensing requirements of Small Business Server - simple in and of themselves - things get murky.  Some of the relevant points:

• The primary SBS server (Server 1) must by definition be the primary domain controller.
• With Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition you have the right to install a parent operating system and then virtualize a single instance of Windows Server 2008 within Hyper-V as a child OS, on the condition that the only role and purpose of the parent OS is to host and manage the child OS.
• SBS 2008 Premium Edition will include a second license of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition to be installed on a second physical server.

I am going to go through a number of scenarios that came up today and then do my best to explain my point. 

1. Can we install the primary Windows Server 2008 SBS license on a server and install the Hyper-V role, and then install the same license into a Hyper-V environment to be managed by the parent?
2. Can we purchase SBS Premium Edition and install the second license on a server, configure Hyper-V, and then install the first license in a child OS?

There are several other combinations that were discussed and I started to ask myself the question... just because some of these combinations can be done, does it mean it should be done?

I have given these a lot of thought and I asked if even though some of these options are possible, would they be recommended?  The truth is that for many scenarios it will be a lot simpler to purchase a license for Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition - or even the Microsoft Hyper-V Server which was recently announced and is due to release later this year.

Although many people - SBS consultants included - like to play with the system in order to save a few dollars, the time spent trying to figure out and configure these unsupported configurations will often cost more than purchasing the actual license (the Hyper-V Server is going to sell for about $28).

We so often discuss the K.I.S.S. Principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid!) but then go out of our way to overcomplicate our lives to save a few dollars.  I understand that SBS is a platform that is by definition going to be attractive to companies trying to save money... but save it where it matters.  Purchase the licenses that will simplify your business for the long term rather than saving a few sous (which will not really be a saving in the end). 

I am interested in hearing how many SBS clients will install in a Hyper-V environment.  There are some great advantages to it... but do it wisely!

SMB Nation Canada: Why aren't YOU registered yet?

Every so often an event comes along that has the potential to offer a lot to many for very little.  The problem in deciding which ones are worthwhile is not only deciding which ones are primarily focused towards marketing rather than offering benefit, but sometimes in taking the time to understand just what a conference will offer that is new and exciting.

Response Point

The first time I had a hands-on demonstration of Response Point was at SMB Nation in Redmond last year, and I thought it was a spectacular offering.  Unfortunately it was not available in Canada, and there was no indication that it would change.  Now that Microsoft has announced its intention to launch Response Point north of the 49th Parallel - at SMB Nation Toronto no less! - I am surprised that the registration limit was not tipped within the first three hours.  On Saturday May 3rd (Day 1 of the conference) you will not only see RP in action, but you will get a 3-hour presentation introducing the product, the technical side as well as tips for selling it.

For those who are new to the term, Microsoft Response Point is a Voice over IP (VoIP) solution for small businesses.  It combines software with network-attached telephony devices for a complete inexpensive and easily managed solution that can be offered by IT Professionals.

Windows SharePoint Services

Yeah I know... SharePoint Services is not new, and you have heard it done to death. But how much of it do you really understand?  Do you know what you can do with it, and how you can leverage it within your own organization to show your clients and possibly create an entire new revenue stream?  Have you seen and really understood how public calendars, document libraries, and the entire portal solution can transform a business and give it real advantages over the competition?

Web 2.0 for SMB Consultants

I'll be honest, I do not even know how to bill this, except that Stuart Crawford is an incredible speaker with a better understanding of business than most people I have seen in the SMB market.  If you are in business for yourself this presentation will be worth your while.

How to Sell Managed Services

Matt Makowicz came out to my presentation in Fort Lauderdale in November and after a bit of small talk handed me a book with his name on it.  As I do not sell anything - let alone managed services - I did not think it would really benefit me but as I started reading it I was spellbound.  The book really framed what small business IT consultants really need to do in order to thrive and do what we all expound - work smarter, not harder.  If you are old hat or even if you do not know what managed services means this presentation will give you tips and tricks on how to earn more money while working less.  A tip to why you shouldn't miss it: if you don't use his tricks your competition will.

First Look SBS 2008

I know I know, Small Business Server 2003 (and even R2) are products that you have been selling and managing for years.  You probably don't have much to learn on it which is why a lot of people are likely not signed up for this conference yet.  Here is your chance to be the first on your block to really see and learn the next generation, Microsoft Small Business Server 2008.  To paraphrase an old slogan, this is not your granddad's SBS.  If you have never seen SBS 2003 or if you have been working with it for five years then you need to see this presentation so that you can learn what is coming up in the new version... the similarities yes, but especially the differences between the old and the new.  Find out what features you will miss and what will make your life easier.  We are less than six months out from launch, and this is the time to learn it!

The Truly Mobile Worker

It is a toss-up for me, between saying this is the best seminar of the conference (because I am presenting it) and saying this is the one that can be missed (because I am so excited about the other seminars and have already seen most of my material!).  As I have said a thousand times, unless you and your employees and clients all get to the office at 9am and leave the office at 5pm and do nothing outside those hours and do not leave your desk during them, then you need to know what mobile solutions are available to you to make sure you are accessible, and that the data that you need anywhere is always available to you.  There will also be discussion of how to manage those mobile devices centrally, from security to OTA (over-the-air) software and patch deployment.

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Is that all there is?  No, there are lunch talks and networking between sessions and giveaways and yes, there are even vendor booths where you can connect with the vendors whose products are being highlighted.  There are even rumours - unsubstantiated as yet - that an unnamed but really good-looking Microsoft MVP will be offering a bonus session Saturday evening presenting a first look clinic on Essential Business Server, available to conference attendees only.

Registration is limited so I will ask you again... if you are not registered yet, why not?  Sign up now at www.smbnation.com and tell them you read about it here.. and make sure to say hi to me at the conference!

A Simple Explanation of Microsoft Essential Business Server

So what is Essential Business Server (EBS)?  In simple terms EBS is a complete corporate network for mid-sized companies in a box, or rather in three or four boxes depending on the version.  Let me explain:

In the beginning there was the PC.  And of course Microsoft looked up at the PC and said it was good, but did not really do very much.  And Microsoft laboured and toiled and created DOS... and DOS was good.

And on the second day Microsoft created Windows.  The second day was a very long and tiring day that involved great struggles between Redmond, Washington and Armonk, New York.  The struggles would take a long time to resolve, and in the end two brothers emerged, OS/2 which would take many years to come into its own before fading away; and the younger brother would be named Windows.  Windows would also take time to emerge, but its potential was limited only by the genius of its creators, who one day knew that it would indeed rule the world.

And on the third day Microsoft created Windows Server, a network operating system (NOS), is the backbone of most corporate networks.  Since Server 2000 it has allowed companies to build forests and domains based on the Active Directory (AD) infrastructure.  Included with Windows Server were roles and features such as DNS, DHCP, IIS, and Terminal Services, not to mention file and print sharing services. 

For companies that live in a vacuum there really is little more needed for a perfect network.  Unfortunately most companies need features such as the Internet (which requires a proxy, firewall, and Internet sharing), e-mail (which requires a mail server), corporate portals, databases, and more... all of these features require different servers, all of which need to be secured and protected...

So on the fourth day Microsoft created Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA), and although ISA Server would require some tweaking over time, it was essentially good.  With network protection they could then introduce Exchange Server, which would not only allow e-mail but also shared contacts and calendars, Public Folders, tasks, and such.  And the industry looked at it, and it was good.

And on the fifty day Microsoft created SQL Server, a database server running the mighty structured query language to make things faster and better... and based on that SharePoint Server was introduced as the Internet portal platform which would take advantage of the best technologies of IIS and SQL Server.  And the industry looked at it, and it was good.

And then on the sixth day Microsoft released management tools that would allow all of the existing technologies to be monitored and maintained.  The System Center product line would take many disjoint tools and bring th em together; and for smaller organizations the features of these tools would be brought together into a single product called System Center Essentials. 

On the seventh day (Microsoft does not rest!) the cries were great; security was hardly manageable and unattainable without third-party tools.  And Microsoft heard the cries, and their answer was called Forefront Security for Exchange.  The mail server would now be protected.

These server products are not inexpensive, and license management for them all has been referred to alternately as a joke and a curse.  For each server you need a license.  For each server product you need a license, plus a license of the NOS.  For some (but not all!) of these servers and server products you need Client Access Licenses (CALs).  Of course some of those CALs will be User CALs while others should be Device CALs, and let's not get into per server CALs.  It is enough to employ a specialist in most organizations; for organizations large enough to have issues but too small to employ a specialist it can drive the person responsible to drink.

In 1996 (about Day 4) Microsoft decided to package many of these products together and offer a simplified low-cost solution for small businesses.  Over the years the definition of small business has grown (it currently sits at 75 computers).  Small Business Server was a single-server and single-license solution (CALs are simplified too!) that offered smaller businesses the tools to compete with their larger competitors using the same tools.  All of the required server tools which were previously installed on separate hardware were consolidated on a single box (E pluribus unum).  SBS has had its fair share of detractors, many with ridiculous claims but some with legitimate shortcomings which were not an issue for most smaller businesses. However one of these persistent claims has been that the various server software packages were not designed to coexist on a single server.

...So several years later Microsoft undertook to create a solution for both those concerned, and for enterprises which have outgrown the single box.

Essential Business Server is not only a solution for businesses who have outgrown the seventy-five CAL limit of Small Business Server; that may have been the original driver behind the product, but it addresses many of the arguments that some have had against SBS since the beginning.

Like its older cousin SBS, there will be two editions of EBS.

Microsoft Essential Business Server (Standard Edition)

The entry-level EBS package consists of:

• Windows Server 2008
• Exchange Server 2007
• Forefront Security for Exchange
• System Center Essentials
• Internet Security and Acceleration Server

These five packages are installed on three separate x64 servers.  It includes three licenses for Windows Server 2008 (Standard), which is installed at the base operating system for each server.

The first server (Management Server) controls the network (DNS, DHCP, etc...) and the Active Directory Domain Services.  As well, Microsoft System Center Essentials is installed on the Management Server.

The second server (Messaging Server) works in conjunction with the first server to control the Active Directory Domain Services.  In addition Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and Forefront Client Security for Exchange Server are installed on the Messaging Server.

The third server (Security Server) has a second Exchange Server 2007 installed, as well as Internet Security and Acceleration Server.  It acts as both a firewall and a proxy server, and is the only server connected to the outside world, controlling and security the traffic between the intranet and the Internet.

Microsoft Essential Business Server (Premium Edition)

The Premium Edition of EBS includes all of the architecture of the Standard Edition, but includes a fourth license for Windows Server 2008, as well as Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition.  These install on a fourth server (Database Server) and will shoulder the burden of most database-type applications, either out of the box or custom.

One of the advantages for Microsoft, a company with a great history of having their private beta applications and operating systems released into the wild for the 'just because we can' community, is that the hardware requirements (which are quite reasonable for companies building their infrastructure) lean towards the ridiculous for the hobbyist hacker.  Even at the MVP Summit deep-dive last year there were cries of 'Who the hell has three x64 systems lying around to test it on?'  I would suspect that for that reason and more unlike SBS of late the serious EBSers (did I just coin that term?) will have a real opportunity to show others their first glimpses of the package.  I had that opportunity recently at the Toronto Heroes Happen {Here} Launch event.  Really cool.

Keep tuning in for more news on EBS as it happens...

Essential Business Server: Coming soon to a mid-sized company near you!

For years I have been saying that Small Business Server was the best solution for small businesses that did not have huge IT budgets; it allowed them to take advantage of the same enterprise-level tools such as Microsoft Exchange Server, SQL Server, and SharePoint Server without having to purchase several servers with tens of thousands of dollars of software, not to mention a full-time IT department.

Several people and groups have challenged me with 'what if' scenarios intent on debunking the applicability of SBS to their specific business network scenario, and I have always been glad to address these challenges because most of them were based on myths.  The truth is that to date I have not heard of any scenario where SBS could not be deployed in a small business as the backbone infrastructure, with one exception: The Hard Ceiling.

of course I am referring to the two great licensing limitations of SBS:

1. You can only have a single SBS server in your network environment; and
2. You were limited to (on SBS 2003) seventy-five CALs (Client Access Licenses).  Once you hit that ceiling you had to transition off SBS onto the enterprise packages.

Of course the first limitation is also a myth; although it is a true enough statement, that does not mean that you are limited to having a single server, rather that only one of them - the primary Domain Controller that hosted all operation master roles (commonly referred to as FSMO, or Flexible Single Master Operation roles) - could be running SBS.  You could add as many servers (up to ____) to your network, they just could not hold the operation master roles.

The second limitation is real.  If your company grew past seventy-five users (let's not get into the device CALs versus user CALs discussion) you had no choice but to leave the safety and comfort of the SBS world. 

The allure of SBS was (and continues to be) not only the power of the tools offered, plus the fact that they could all be run from a single box (My first SBS which I ran from home for two years ran very reliably on an IBM Pentium III workstation with 1GB RAM)... but also the fact that everything was configured and managed by very intuitive wizards and tools.  Creating a user was a single process which would include all permissions for everything from Exchange to SQL to SharePoint Services.  Transitioning beyond SBS meant leaving those wizards - and the revered Remote Web Workplace - behind.

Enter Essential Business Server.

A year ago I saw Windows Server Codename: Centro for the first time and fell in love.  It was the solution for mid-market companies up to 250 computers, and it was in a word everything that SBS was not.  Not only did it break the seventy-five user limit, but it also addressed most (if not all) of the actual and perceived limitations of SBS... while maintaining the cohesiveness of the single package. 

We could easily steal for SBS the motto from the US Dollar Bill,  E pluribus unum - from many, one.  That is because SBS integrates a number of servers that in the enterprise are generally separate and hosts them all on a single server.  The Standard Edition of Essential Business Server installs on three independent servers: the Management server, the Security server, and the Messaging server.  (the Premium Edition of EBS adds a fourth for the Database server).

Now that Microsoft has lifted much of the veil of secrecy from both EBS and the next release of SBS (Windows Small Business Server 2008, formerly codename Cougar) you will find that I have a lot to say about both of these products.  I see four distinct groups to whom this series of articles should be of interest:

1. IT Professionals with an eye toward small and mid-sized businesses;
2. Small Business IT Professionals who have been working with SBS;
3. Small business owners or managers who need to make informed decisions about their IT and do not necessarily want to pay for consultants; and
4. People interested in becoming IT professionals.

While I am not promising to answer all of your questions, I do hope to introduce both products to you so that when they do release to manufacturing (RTM) there will be not only a proper and comprehensive understanding of the products (and often of the reasons behind certain decisions and the like), but also a complete library of information that will be available, from an interested and connected (and mostly objective) IT Professional who does not actually work for Microsoft.

Strap yourselves in... because here we go!

Homeward Bound

It occurred to me that thanks to the US Government (and my wacky travel schedule) 2008 is the first year that I have 'sprung forward' twice.

I am of course referring to the fact that North America switched from Daylight Savings to Standard (or is it the other way around... I never remember) a couple of week ago, while Europe did it last week-end.  I was actually confused that when I got to Stockholm I was in GMT+1, but the time was only five hours ahead of Toronto, which is and has always been GMT-5. 

The mystery was solved Friday evening when a notice was posted in the lobby of my hotel in Kista reminding guests to adjust their clocks forward the next night.  So technically I have actually lost two hours of sleep this spring instead of the usual one; in the back of my mind there is a bit of a concern that I will be off-balance for the rest of my life because of this, until I decide to book another trip to Europe in the fall between the time shifts.

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So Europe is behind me, and in three hours or so I will finally land at Toronto Pearson Airport. It is a dreadful place, not one that I relish spending any time in, either going or coming.  In the past few hours I have had another opportunity to call Air Canada and Aeroplan prostitutes with no interest in offering service to very frequent customers (same reason coming as going... I will never get any satisfaction beyond what I get for posting that, so my faithful readers can more or less expect to hear that every time I cannot use an upgrade certificate.  A week tomorrow I am flying to Seattle... I wonder what they will say about my North American Upgrade Certificates. 

Sometime in the autumn I was running very late to catch a plane - I am tempted to say I was coming home from Cleveland - and forgot to put my utility knife into my checked luggage.  Of course I knew that there was no way that I would be allowed to take it on the plane (those of you who really know me can surmise just how sharp the blade was) so when I got to the security checkpoint I handed it to an agent and told her to enjoy it.  As you know knives of any sort are not allowed on airplanes, along with nail clippers.  (It should be noted that despite every argument I hear about how stupid that law is, I can see nail clippers being quite easy to convert into a weapon)

The first time I discovered the extent of that new reality was in January, 2002.  I was on the very long return trip from Steamboat, Colorado and about thirty-two hours after the journey began I found myself sitting at T.G.I. Fridays in Washington Dulles Airport.  The menu was extremely abridged - they had removed all foods that could not be eaten by hand, and naively I asked about it.  We were living in a very new world at the time and I suppose I understood.

I have been in one or two airport restaurants since then, both in North America and abroad, and have noticed that the only cutlery you can generally get beyond the security checkpoint is plastic.  I suppose it is an alternative to having to keep track of every single knife, and I am not the type to argue security measures.

So after my frustrating encounter with the Air Canada gate agent I walked across to the Lufthansa Executive Lounge in Frankfurt.  I suppose because it was between 'meal times' there were tons of snacks-type foods such as popcorn and breads with cheese and spreads, as well as soup, .  (The highlighted beverage was Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon... sheesh!)  I poured myself a cafe au lait and sat across the snack bar when it hit me...

...they had knives set out at the buffet.

To be clear I do not mean plastic knives, it was actual silverware.  They were butter knives, but actual knives nonetheless.

It got me thinking back... I do not generally pay attention to these things in the lounges, but I do remember that at the SAS Lounge at Stockholm Arlanda I had fried herring with, you guessed it, actual silverware; and I know for a fact that every time I have flown either business Class or First Class on any airline it has been the same.  It no longer sticks out as it once did, but I remember my trip to California in May when I was upgraded, I blogged about that experience and noted with great excitement the silverware.

So my question is this: why is it that airlines (and more importantly the folks at airport security) are willing to put potential weapons in the hands of people who fly Business Class?  I am pretty sure that at least some of the 9-11 hijackers (may each one of them and their families rot for eternity) flew Business Class.  It is absolutely impossible for me to get into the head of someone who would do that, but if I accepted a suicide mission that involved an airplane you can be certain that one of the non-negotiable conditions would be that they flew me First Class.

It is not as if the terrorist organizations cannot afford it... Thanks to the oil-rich states that finance them they certainly have the means.  Every time we hear of such things (okay, for most of us this is probably in movies and on TV) the terrorist cells are receiving wire transfers of twenty-five (or two hundred and fifty) million dollars.  That to the tembel who is martyring himself translates into a very lavish night on the town, dinner, drinks, prostitutes, and yes, First Class airfare.

(If you read my initial article equating Air Canada to a high-priced escort, you will understand that I, like most travelers, generally book the lowest fare available and only get to fly up front when the airline asks for volunteers or when my agent successfully negotiates the +6hour clause in my contract.  I still hardly understand the difference between the three fare classes that Air Canada has that all put you in the back of the plane.)

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I definitely prefer most Boeing aircraft over most Airbus aircraft.  I was disappointed that I was not able to upgrade my flight from Toronto to Frankfurt, but truth be told the Economy Class seats of a Boeing 777 are pretty comfortable.  The personal entertainment unit in each seat ensured that I could watch whatever movies I chose, and when I wanted to sleep the seats reclined quite comfortably.  (I then transferred onto another Boeing, a 737-800, which was not as lavish but still quite comfortable)

Flying home from Oslo through Frankfurt had me on a Lufthansa Airbus 320, initially next to a man who had no interest in sharing the armrest and went out of his way to demonstrate that.  Because the flight was not full I was able to switch seats when the crew closed the doors.  I then transferred onto the Air Canada Airbus 330.  This one is in fact a full flight, and I am quite grateful that I have an aisle seat.  The seats recline in a rather odd manner which would be perfect for getting a shave at the barber, but is not at all comfortable for watching movies (minus the personal entertainment unit, so I was happy that the first movie was one I had not seen, but have seen the second one).

On trans-Atlantic flights Air Canada not only serves you a hot meal, but also plies you with liquor.  I am three rows behind the impenetrable Business Class Curtain, and was actually envious knowing that just four seats ahead of me the passengers were not only eating much better hot food, but with actual cutlery.  They are sipping champagne from goblets while I settle for California white wine out of a plastic cup.  (Later I had an Irish Coffee, but the best they could manage was Canadian Club Rye)

I did get to do a good deed by helping a very elderly lady in and out of her wheel chair when the crew needed help... good deeds just feel good, and it is not about the thanks... it is about the deed itself.

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If you are wondering why I might sound slightly whinier than normal it likely has to do with my stay in Oslo.  My presentation was well received, but I feel like the rest of the time was well and truly wasted.  I ventured into the city a number of times, but the weather was not conducive to wandering tourists.  I did what I had to do and then went back to my hotel, which was in the middle of nowhere (Fornebuparken!). 

I suppose I was blessed in Stockholm because after a good presentation I had four great sunny days to wander, explore, and such.  As my pictures on Facebook (and here) will attest I saw any number of great sites, both historic and modern.  I saw castles, museums, the old section of town (which made Old Montreal look like a modern metropolis), and the changing of the guard, not to mention a 370 year old ship that sank before it could even raise its sails.  The weather made me want to get out of bed, and jump from sight to sight. 

In Oslo the only half-decent suggestion was to see a place called Akke Brygge, which apparently locals are incapable of saying slowly.  It was on a fjord which is always nice, but nothing worth writing about.  I was accosted by a teenaged girl raising funds for charity who was excited to meet a Canadian, and asked me if I said oot and aboot.  She had all sorts of suggestions for what I should do on my last night in town, but none of them really appealed to me. 

The truth is that as much as I enjoy my work, including the travel involved, I miss my family dearly, and cannot wait to get home to them.  I know that once I have walked the seventeen miles from the gate to Customs to Baggage Claim, wait to find out if they have lost my luggage (the less-than-helpful agent who checked me in at Pearson only checked my bag through to Frankfurt, which did not help my mood), I will only be mere yards from an incredible greeting... Theresa is bringing Aaron to the airport, and I know that he is as excited to see me as she is.

Once we get home there will be another wonderful reunion - my three beloved puppies.  Jacob always is always less happy and playful when I am away, and when he hears my voice when we video-chat he comes up and licks the screen.  Gingit - has she really been with us less than a month? - hears my voice and jumps on the keyboard, and I have gotten some great messages that she has typed.  Bailey is the brave one, but I know that when I come through the door the three of them will be fighting for position in daddy's shadow... and I assure you they will all get their turn!

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So another journey is coming to a close.  I won't be home for long - a week tomorrow I am off to Seattle for the MVP Summit, but for the time being there are no more two- or three-week absences planned.  My next contract actually has me working primarily from home for a few weeks!  I may complain about the noise and probably am a bit rough with the discipline (mostly Aaron and Jacob) but the truth is I love it... and wouldn't have it any other way!

Certification Exam Security... what can be done?

The following is a comment I made to a blog article on Network World on the topic of certification exam security.  The actual post can be found here: 

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/26502

Using the MCP ID card as your security poses a number of downsides.  To mention two severely opposite issues:

1) A new candidate, or one who has never passed an exam, does not have a card yet; and

2) I have no fewer than ten such cards for my various certifications, including two for MCSA on Server 2003 because they mailed me two of them.

With the pervasiveness of fingerprint scanners on many computers and with external fingerprint scanners being relatively inexpensive I thought this might be an interesting way to ensure that the candidate taking the exam was who he or she said they were.  This is not a foolproof method, as the same person could register and take all of someone's exams going forward, but it would go a long way to eliminating many incidences of cheating.

I would love for Microsoft to come up with a better testing method than multiple choice; those were the exams that were easiest to cheat on in high school, and that has not changed.  I suspect they are working on it, and it cannot come soon enough.  Of course simulations are nice, but there are nowhere near enough of them yet... and the ones they do have are still too easy to guess.

What is the solution?  If it were a two line answer it would have been implemented long ago.  I just hope they come up with something soon!

Hosting Servers Without a Static IP Address

Microsoft Windows Small Business Server is a great solution for small businesses of any size, from two to seventy-five seats.  The standard package offers the complete functionality of Windows Server, along with a web server, mail server, SharePoint Services, and much more for a small business price.  It allows small companies to bring their IT in-house and to compete with their larger competitors on an equal footing using the same technologies.

Unfortunately the way the Internet is designed in order to host public-facing servers (web, e-mail) you need a static IP address, much like having a business requires a telephone number.  Not every company with an Internet connection wants to pay the higher monthly fees (depending on the ISP and service often between $75 and $200 per month) for those benefits, and instead opt for a dynamic IP address, or an address that changes every so often. 

To address that problem a number of DNS Providers offer what is called dynamic DNS services, by which companies can configure a software client on the server (many inexpensive routers have the client built-in) to report back to a central server every time the dynamic IP address changes.  The DNS Provider then gives them an address (such as mitchgarvis.dyndns.org) which they can use to access their servers remotely anytime. 

Although this solution does address the initial problem, it creates a number of problems as well, such as:

• Visitors know immediately that the company does not use static addresses;
• The DNS Provider's name (or a variation thereon) is always part of their web address; and
• Many ISPs block the default ports for many popular services on their lower-priced packages.

In this article I will offer solutions for all of these issues.  I will offer a solution for a fictitious company called Alpine Ski House that:

• Registers their own domain name (alpineskihouse.com);
• Configure web services and e-mail services at that address;
• Redirects the necessary ports for the mail services*; and
• Costs the company less than $100 per year, over and above their basic ISP fees.

What you need:

Although many of these methods can be adapted to different configurations, this article assumes that you have:

• A properly configured server running Microsoft Windows Small Business Server, Standard Edition; and
• A permanent connection to the Internet.

Domain Name

First things first, in order to do any of this you must purchase your domain name.  Choose something simple but explicative... so if your company name is Alpine Ski House try to choose something like alpineskihouse.com, and not theskichaletdowntheroadfromthatplaceIoncehaddinnerat.com.  Unfortunately it is true that most of the good domain names are taken, and consider alternate top-level domains, such as .info or .tv, if your first choice is taken.

Once upon a time there were only a couple of companies selling domain names, but those days are behind us.  Companies such as domainsatcost.ca, godaddy.com, and dyndns.com all sell domain names, and depending on what you want you may need to go to a few of them (domainsatcost.ca sells Canadian domain names which many of the others do not, though they should all sell .com, .net, and such).  Pick one that offers what you need at a reasonable price.  Recently a client told me they had paid $98 per year for their domain name and asked if they had paid too much... the same week that I paid $12.95 for one.  Shop around if you like and find a site you are comfortable with.

Register with a Dynamic DNS Provider

Open an account with a DNS Provider that offers Dynamic DNS services in addition to regular DNS services.  For the purpose of this article I used dyndns.com, but there are others such as no-ip.com who offer comparable services.  This service should be free, though it will start costing a bit as soon as we start adding options.  You will be asked what hostname you want to use (alpineskihouse.dyndns.org) as well as what domain name you want to use (dyndns.com offers several choices in lieu of dyndns.org).

NOTE: Especially if you have outside consultants working on your network I recommend selecting a password for this account that is completely different from all of your other services such as banking and such.  The password for your dynamic DNS will be configured either in your router or in a dynamic DNS client on your server, both of which are clear-text and unsecured.

Install a router with a DDNS Option

Even many of the lower end home routers these days offer a Dynamic DNS feature, and it is one less service that needs to run on your server.  For extra