How to configure IPSec in WinPE 2.0
This quick guide explains the necessary steps for configuring certificate based IPSec in Win PE 2.0.
31
July
Suppressing the Adobe Flash Auto Update in a Corporate Environment
For those who deploy software in a corporate environment you know the trials and tribulations of trying to maintain a locked down environment. This is a quick hit on how to stop Adobe's Flash player from checking for updates every 30 days and creating havoc in your environment.
This is not well documented and has been an issue even when Flash was a Macromedia product. You can suppress this part of Flash and alleviate the numerous support calls when your users see this message and try to install the updates and get error messages because they are not administrators on their machines.
There are multiple ways to achieve this, but there is one constant. Simply create a new text file called mms.cfg and enter the following line in the file.
AutoUpdateDisable=1
Save this file to the <%systemroot%>\Macromed\Flash directory.
You can deploy the file via a login script or using SMS or you can create a transform for the MSI installation and include that file when you deploy the application.
This will stop Flash player from using the default internet control panel applet and return control of the application to the company. This tip will work for any version of Flash that is greater than version 7.019.
30
July
TechNet Webcast Audio: Deploying IPSec with Windows Vista (Level 200)
Join this session to see how innovations in the new network stack in the Windows Vista operating system can help you secure your network by providing features that enable you to filter network traffic and prevent unwanted forwarding. Learn about the new features in Windows Firewall that are based on the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP). We cover the new rules system, which has many scenarios already defined in an easy-to-use interface. We show you how Windows Vista helps you to secure connections with tightly integrated IP Security (IPSec). We also explore how the implementation of IPSec in Windows Vista improves security and interoperability in mixed networking environments. Attend this webcast to see the new management features in Group Policy and enhanced command-line interface tools that give you greater control over connections.
Original Broadcast Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2007
25
July
Vista: Tools that you need to make the move
If you want to make that move to Vista, you need these tools to do it.
The tools include Windows Vista Hardware Assessment (WVHA) 2.0, the Windows Vista Business Value Assessment, and Microsoft LicenseWise.
Hardware Assessment
With the ability to scan up to 25,000 PCs per domain, WVHA 2.0 is an updated version of a network-wide assessment tool Microsoft introduced in February.
WVHA 2.0 lets you or Microsoft’s partners determine whether your hardware can support Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. With your cooperation, a partner can remotely and securely connect to your network, without installing agents, and collect relevant hardware information through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).
WVHA could return results within one hour and give you guidance on driver updates. WVHA 2.0 is available to IT pros, as well as partners, and you can download it here.
Vista’s ROI
Microsoft has developed the Business Value Assessment tool to help customers “realize an increased value of up to $130 per PC annually. Value-added resellers, systems integrators, and managed service providers can use the tool to calculate Vista’s potential ROI and build a business case for deploying it. This tool isn’t available to IT pros without going through a Microsoft partner.
Microsoft LicenseWise
The Microsoft Product Licensing Advisor (MPLA) became available in November 2005 to address midmarket IT pros’ complaints about the complexity of Microsoft’s licensing.
Microsoft has now released a companion product, Microsoft LicenseWise, for Microsoft partners.
LicenseWise provides information across programs such as Open License, Open Value, Select License, and Enterprise Agreement and informs users about product prerequisites and programs such as Software Assurance.
LicenseWise is linked with the MPLA to strengthen collaboration between partners and their customers through a seamless, consistent and predictable interaction.
So you can use MPLA to compile a quote for licensing a particular product, then call a Microsoft partner and give the product-specific quote from MPLA. LicenseWise will automatically pull up a fully configured partner UI and let the partner customize the quote to add in partner-specific products and services.
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24
July
Debugging upload control issues
There is an environment setting you can apply:
QPCTRLLOG=c:\temp\upload_control.txt
in order to get further debug information while uploading to QuickPlace or Quickr.
To set this setting:
1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties from the popup menu.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click the Environment Variables button.
4. Click New and add
Variable name: QPCTRLLOG
Variable value: c:\temp\upload_control.txt
You can change "c:\temp\upload_control.txt" to another location if you do not have a c:\temp directory on your machine.
After you restart Internet Explorer, you should see some output in your upload_control.txt like this:
QPCTRLLOG=c:\temp\upload_control.txt
in order to get further debug information while uploading to QuickPlace or Quickr.
To set this setting:
1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties from the popup menu.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click the Environment Variables button.
4. Click New and add
Variable name: QPCTRLLOG
Variable value: c:\temp\upload_control.txt
You can change "c:\temp\upload_control.txt" to another location if you do not have a c:\temp directory on your machine.
After you restart Internet Explorer, you should see some output in your upload_control.txt like this:
Mon Jul 23 16:03:05: ------------------------------------------
Mon Jul 23 16:03:05: BEGIN UPLOAD CONTROL LOG SESSION
Mon Jul 23 16:03:05:
Mon Jul 23 16:03:05: log file name: c:\upload_control.txt
Mon Jul 23 16:03:05: build version: Thu Sep 1 22:25:09 2005
Mon Jul 23 16:03:05: ------------------------------------------
23
July
TechNet Webcast Audio: Application Compatibility Considerations with Windows Vista (Level 200)
In this webcast, we focus on application compatibility issues that you may encounter when upgrading to the Windows Vista operating system, and we show you how to address them. We start the session by explaining User Account Control (UAC), which helps reduce the exposure and attack surface of the operating system by requiring that all users run in standard user mode . Although UAC provides many benefits, some applications may be affected by its implementation. We discuss these possible areas of incompatibility and look at how to resolve any problems that may arise. We also cover other areas of possible application compatibility issues, such as the new networking features. Finally, we introduce some of the helpful tools Microsoft provides to assist with application compatibility with Windows Vista.
Original Broadcast Date: Wednesday, July 18, 2007
18
July
TechNet Webcast Audio: Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 2.0 (Level 200)
The Windows Vista Hardware Assessment version 2.0 deployment tool enables you to determine in a matter of hours whether the computers on your network are ready for the Windows Vista operating system. In this webcast, we demonstrate how Windows Vista Hardware Assessment assesses the hardware and device compatibility of each of an organization's existing systems across the network from a single computer. Join us to learn more about Windows Vista Hardware Assessment, a centralized, agent-less inventory tool that provides auto-generated upgrade recommendations and detailed reporting.
Original Broadcast Date: Wednesday, July 18, 2007
18
July
ProjectLounge Lite has been Globalized
The pllite.com site is updated with the new languages
English:
http://www.pllite.com/en/projects/new
French:
http://www.pllite.com/fr/projects/new
German:
http://www.pllite.com/de/projects/new
English:
http://www.pllite.com/en/projects/new
French:
http://www.pllite.com/fr/projects/new
German:
http://www.pllite.com/de/projects/new
7
July
Quickr 8 Blog via iPhone
We are still working on upgrading all servers in the cluster and I just tested Satwik's blog via the iPhone. Seems to work as well as Safari (some DOJO limitations) but otherwise very easy to read and move around.
6
July