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New Microsoft Press Book : MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-652): Configuring Windows Server Virtualization

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If you are planning on writing the Microsoft Certification Exam for 70-652: Configuring Windows Server Virtualization, Microsoft Press has released a self-paced training kit. The Microsoft press books are always well written and are of good quality. I have no doubt this one maintains the status quo. Here is a link to the Micorosft Press Self-Paced Training Kit. Chapters 6 & 8 are available for free, find them here.

MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-652): Configuring Windows Server Virtualization Book

I was planning on writing this exam over the summer, but with the baby looking like he maybe early, that might hold out until the fall. If I do wait, I might be interested in doing a self study group for this exam. Server Virtualization is something that comes up a lot and is probably a decent exam for a lot of people to write as a base. Virtualization is becoming more popular all the time and the certification exam would be a great asset to have.

Installing Windows Vista SP2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit using an Existing Image

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If you are like me, you already have your Vista image built and applied to your MDT installation. Now that Windows Vista SP2 has been released, you are wondering how best to deploy it. With MDT you have several ways to do it.

You could apply your image to a computer, install the service pack and recapture the image. You can do a fresh install from a Vista with SP2 media, add your apps and capture. I decided on a third way of doing it. Add the service pack to the applications. Call the executable and run the update in silent mode.

In my screenshot below, you see how I added the application as part of my MDT install. 

MDT - Microsoft Deployment Tookit Screenshot

I call the the command – Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe /quiet /norestart /nodialog

Add the application install as task sequence in your deployment or check it off with your litetouch install and away you go. It runs the update on the computer as it is deploying and now you have a machine, running Windows Vista SP2 right off the hop.

Eventually down the road, I plan to rebuild my image and capture it. But for now, this works fine for me.

OWSUG User Group Meeting – Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 SP1

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OWSUG is having a meeting tomorrow night. I would suggest if you are in the Ottawa area, checking it out. DPM is a great product and worth the free pizza. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend. I am in the middle of a moving and a few other things on my plate, so I can’t get the time to go up.  I did make it up for the security presentation earlier in the month, and I will post some photos from it. It might not be until after I move though.

 

June 18th 2009 User Group Meeting

Topic: Introduction to Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 SP1 (DPM).

Description:
Through discussions and demonstrations, we will be covering installation and configuration in DPM . We will talk about common situations and look at how DPM can meet these needs.

Presenter Bio:
Islam Gomaa is a Senior Systems Administrator at e-academy. He has over eight years of experience in IT in a Windows Server environment.  Additionally, he has 3 years of experience deploying and implementing System Center Data Protection Manager in several sites. Islam is a member of the Ottawa Windows Server User Group executive committee and the Team Lead of the SharePoint study group.

Agenda:    
5:00 p.m.  Event registration
5:30 p.m.  Presentation
7:30 p.m.  Q & A
8:00 p.m.  Door Prizes

Location:
Microsoft Canada Co.
100 Queen Street Suite 500
Ottawa, ON K1P 1J9

Notes:

  • Pizza and Pop will be served, Please RSVP to help us order enough of both.
  • Please note that no one will be admitted after 5:55 p.m.!

RSVP: http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=138745