Looking at the world - from Down Under

Going to meet with Trend Micro next week

calvert — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:17:00 GMT

This is a copy of an email I sent to the Adelaide SBS User Group a few minutes ago and consider this worthwhile posting to the wider world.

"I’ve got a meeting with Trend Micro next week with one of the top people in the company who’s travelling out from the USA to meet with me and a few others to discuss Trend and the IT community moving forward. This will not be a technical discussion – it’s going to be more strategic.

So, I’d like some feedback to take with me to the meeting. Those of you currently using Trend products, can you please provide me with some feedback (offlist if you think it’s sensitive) about your working relationship with Trend. Some things to consider are:

· Are Trend an important partner for your business and your customers?

· How easy do you find it to get answers to questions you have for them?

· Comments on the Trend web site – the good, bad and ugly

· Do you use the partner portal and do you have comments on its usability, information etc

· Anything else of relevance – remember this is not a technical discussion so it can’t be along the lines of “I’ve got this issue with CSM at a site where.....”

For those of you not using Trend products I guess it would be interesting to know why not and who you do work with – why you use other products and what are the great points about these products/companies that have got you using them.

I’m not a Trend evangelist by any means – I’m simply looking for feedback. We use Trend products (I make no secret of that) and we have our reasons for this as a company. Personally I’ve no issue with anyone not using Trend product but am seeking great feedback to take to Trend which will make working with them, and protecting the networks we maintain, better for the future.

My meeting is next Friday (May 16) so if you can please get me any feedback by midday Thursday next week that’d be great. I’m happy to keep your comments confidential too if you want that."

So please let me know what you'd like Trend to hear. I can be reached at dean[cut this bit out] at calvert DOT net DOT au

SBS2008 is coming...

calvert — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:16:00 GMT

It's my last day in Seattle having been here for over a week to attend MVP Summit 2008. Whilst here we've learned a LOT more about SBS2008, Essential Business Server and of course how little sleep we can survive on!

Just stumbled across this this morning...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UrYAycRKW0

Now I'm not going to comment on its origin...but I'm happy for the link to be forwarded around in order to build momentum around the coming release of these great products.

Pass it on. And perhaps if you've got a bit of time up your sleeve you can through your own SBS2008 related video together to build up the excitement before release later this year :)

There's a whole world outside the USA...

calvert — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:34:00 GMT

Microsoft - why can you not realise there is a whole world outside of the United States when it comes to setting up and MAINTAINING operating systems?

I have lost count of the number of times I've setup a system, telling it to use English (Australia) only to find that it's switched back to English (United States). Even during the operating system setup process when I specify I want English (Australia) and go so far as to remove the USA references I manage to find it's "infected" my system once again.

Not only that but upon installing IE7 the first page I get hit with asks me about changing my search provider (not getting into that one right now) and also asks if I want to set myself up for English (United States) once again. Plus that option is the one that's automatically selected for me so if I'm not paying close attention I might just end up on the opposite side of the world!

Please please please - realise that when I choose my own country I really want to stay there. I'm Australian and darn proud of it, plus I'm sure this affects other country selections as well so I figure I'm not alone in this. I want to speak Australian English, not American (which if you ask a Brit is not real English at all!!)

Also I'd like to be able to specify regional settings in group policy so I can roll out my country of choice to the rest of the computers on the network, so they too don't get "infected" with English (United States).

Hey - don't get me wrong. I quite like visiting the USA - I've been there some 9 times in the last 2 years, but I live and work in Australia, as do the servers I setup and maintain. I don't want to have to keep reminding these systems of that fact.

Am I the only one frustrated with this??

SBS Technical Training now in Canberra

calvert — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:27:00 GMT

Nick's just blogged this:

http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmayhew/archive/2007/09/14/sbs-partner-training-now-with-a-date-in-canberra.aspx

This follows on from my last post about the training for SBSers. If you're in Canberra please take advantage of this offer.

It's a simple matter of economics that if Microsoft can see the numbers in Canberra for these events then they'll continue to offer them there. If attendance is routinely low (and this is really for any place an event is run) then they won't be offered there in the future.

So - support yourself and your local community by attending these events and reap the rewards.

Microsoft SBS technical training for Australia

calvert — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 03:58:00 GMT

I've received an email from Microsoft with the following information in it regarding the next round of technical training sessions coming up. If you're working with Small Business Server then make sure you register for these events being held through September.

This technical training focuses on the Small Business Server 2003 Release 2 and will be delivered in two sessions, with each session focusing on a different aspect of SBS Server 2003 R2. The sessions will run for approximately three (3) hours with a lunch break in between the sessions. The session’s outlines are:

Session 1 - Microsoft SBS 2003 R2 – Exchange 2003 and Outlook 2003 SP2 Features

This session introduces the new features on SBS 2003 R2 in regards to Exchange 2003 SP2 and Outlook 2003 SP2. After completing this course, you will be able to:

· Describe the new flexible client licensing in SBS 2003 R2. · Identify ways to increase mobile security and efficiency through new Windows Mobile 5.0 policies and Direct Push technology. · Provide increased message hygiene by using the Open SPF standard as well as an improved Intelligent Message Filter. · Show how to allow for more storage with an increased mailbox size limit of 75GB.Session 2 - Microsoft SBS 2003 R2 – Windows SharePoint Services V2.0\V3.0 Features

This session will introduce WSS v2.0, however it will be mainly focused on WSS V3.0. Students will learn the advantages of using Windows SharePoint services in their SBS 2003 R2 environment. After completing this course, you will be able to:

· Describe the benefits of using SharePoint as an information sharing tool.· Show the advantages of using WSS V3.0 in their environment.· Preparing for and upgrading to WSS V3.0.· Integrate WSS V3.0 into Microsoft SBS 2003 R2 environment. · Utilizing advanced WSS V3.0 features to enhance the current environment.

Spread the word with your workmates, associates and anyone else you come across. I expect all Small Business Specialists to be there too

Calling all network manager type people

calvert — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 08:36:00 GMT

Put this onto your radar:

http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/essentials/default.mspx

Had a meeting with some bodies here at the MS Australian partner conference just a while ago, in particular the lovely Frederique Dennison (Product Marketing Manager, Secfurity and Management) where we were discussing network management tools and processes.

Microsoft is certainly ramping things up for the SME end of town and if you work in this space then you need to start getting familiar with System Center Essentials (SCE) before the guy up the road does. It's going to change the way networks are maintained moving forward - making things easier, more visible, more pro-active rather than reactive (aka waiting for the phone to ring).

You can download a VHD of SCE to play with so you're not installing it into your production environment to begin with, and being a virtual machine you could even play with it whilst flying home from the conference

Hint: SCE is part of the wave hitting a network near you next year (http://msmvps.com/blogs/calvert/archive/2007/08/31/aussies-add-this-to-your-rss-feed.aspx), so get your board waxed and ready ahead of time.

Aussies - add this to your RSS feed

calvert — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:35:00 GMT

Sitting in the key note this morning at the MS Australia partner conference.

Nick Mayhew just announced this URL to keep an eye on (or subscribe to with RSS): http://blogs.msdn.com/ridethe2008wave/

I thought I should crow about this one...

calvert — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 02:35:00 GMT

I'm at the Microsoft Australian partner conference, being held on Hamilton Island. There are 633 Microsoft partners here and around 140-150 Microsoft staff, together with 23 exhibitors including Trend, Kaseya, Wacom, ProCurve etc.

Anyway, Friday night is the big gala dinner where the partner awards are given out. I'm proud to say we're a finalist for the Partner of the Year award for the Network Infrastructure category.

We're up against 2 giants - Commander & Southern Cross. Just being a finalist is something special but winning will be even sweeter.

Anyway, just in case you don't believe me, check out Nick Mayhew's blog post - http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmayhew/archive/2007/08/21/award-finalists-announced.aspx (scroll down to the bottom 25% in the list).

Note one key name missing from this list - Axxis! Mathew Dickerson is most certainly here dressed up with Axxis branded clothes and golf buggy, as you'd expect. I forgot to bring my camera to show you but then he really doesn't need any more publicity :)

If we win, expect another post and a rather sore head. If we don't win I'll still be very happy with being a finalist. Chalk one up for the SMB focussed partner.

SBSC Get Together Today

calvert — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 01:34:00 GMT

I'm at the Microsoft Australian Partner Conference, being held on Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Islands, just off the mid-north Queensland coast. Weather is not too bad - lots of cloud but we're getting bursts of sunlight which keep us awake (together with copious loads of coffee).

There's a meeting of the SBSCs at the conference this afternoon in room 312 of the Reef View Hotel at 3:45 today. Pip Marlow (SMSP Director) and Tracey Fellows (MS Australia Managing Director) will both be there.

If you're here at the conference, and are a Small Business Specialist, make sure you come along to find out what's happening with the SBSC program in Australia and to ask any questions you've got.

Eric Ligman just posted on the SBSC PALs too...

calvert — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:53:00 GMT

see http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archive/2007/07/31/4144618.aspx for Eric's post which also gives contact details for the PALs around the world.

My mailbox is protected by Exchange Defender too so take care if sending me any mail.

BTW - Ben Walton is the New Zealand PAL but his contact details aren't on the page. If you're from NZ and trying to contact Ben ping me and I'll pass your message onto him in the meantime.

Small Business Specialist Community Partner Area Lead

calvert — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:54:00 GMT

So there's been a lot of noise around the place lately about the SBSC PALs that have been "appointed" by Microsoft. There's not yet been an official announcement yet - I believe this will be coming around September. I figured it was time I came clean and 'fessed up that I'm the Australian SBSC PAL for 2007/2008.

What does this mean? What is an SBSC PAL? What does this mean to you? - All good questions.

There has already been a fair bit of explaination of the SBSC PALs by other PALs around the world so rather than regurgitate all the great work they've done you can read their view of things on their blogs. See:

Vijay Riyait blog: http://www.iqubed.biz/blog
Mark Crall: http://sbsc.techcareteam.com/

Elisabeth Vanderverlt: http://elisabethcanadaiamcp.spaces.live.com/

There are more blog sites for the other PALs - I'll need to update my list as I get them together.

You can also listen to this Vladcast I did on July 30: http://www.vladville.com/2007/07/vladcast-episode-9-pal-program-with-vijay-riyat-and-dean-calvert.html.

Essentially I don't see my role in the IT community changing radically. I will continue to work hard to improve the overall IT community as best as I can (with what available time I have) but I guess now I can have a bit louder voice into Microsoft about what we all want to see done to improve things for SBSCs and ultimately for our clients.

For the Australian SBSCs out there, I want to hear from you about what you would like to see changed to make it easier for you to serve your clients. Be realistic here - if I go back to Microsoft telling them that the SBSCs collectively had said that giving them a million dollars each is going to make things truly amazing I think we'll lose some credibility!

I communicate regularly with the other SBSC PALs around the world (we're using Groove at the moment - very cool stuff) so we can certainly get some momentum going around the world that could see great change.

SBSCs - it's time for us to raise our collective voices and be heard. Let me know what you want and we'll see what can be done.

Products coming to end of support life

calvert — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:42:00 GMT

Got an email from John, my MS partner account manager. He was forwarding on a newsletter called the "Microsoft Support Lifecycle Customer Informational Update".

Some relevant (SBS-ised) inclusions are:

SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3a — Support Ended July 10, 2007, Custom Support available
On July 10, 2007, SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3a (SP3a) transitioned out of its supported lifecycle. Custom Support will be available and additional details are available from your Technical Account Manager or Account Representative.

SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 0 — Support Ended July 10, 2007
SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 0 (SP0) transitioned out of support on July 10, 2007. Microsoft recommends customers upgrade to Service Pack 1. Please note that Custom Support is not available for this Service Pack.

Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 — Support Ends January 8, 2008
Support for Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) will end on January 8, 2008. Customers currently on Service Pack 1 should consider migrating to Service Pack 2.

There are tables included in the newsletter with plenty of products listed showing when mainstream and extended support finish. At the very least you should take note of when key applications being used are being "expired" - don't want to be caught short.

Note the following URLs:

Microsoft Support Lifecycle Site: http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle Frequently Asked Questions: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy Service Pack Information: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifesupsps

If you want to subscribe to this newsletter directly go to https://profile.microsoft.com/RegSysProfileCenter/subscriptionwizard.aspx?wizid=98973176-f0b1-4f60-957d-5936c3b933c0&lcid=1033

(sorry about the mixed fonts - it was the cut & paste!!)