Peter Gallagher's TS2 Blog

More Migration Information

So I almost completed my migration, with a few leftover cleanup items and some tidbits to share. 

Cleanup

• When uninstalling Exchange on the source server, the uninstall failed.
• The Exchange BPA on the destination server is complaining about the offline address list
• Exchange on the destination server had some emails stuck in the queue destined for public folders on the source server.  I deleted them and check periodically to see if they reappear.

Tidbits

• Non-domain joined machines will have to have the Outlook profile updated to point to the new internal servername.
• I could not logon to the source server via RDP after dcpromo'ing down to a member server.  This was a PAIN because I have a Avocent switchbox (long story) and the mouse and keyboard are directly connected to my workstation and not the server/switchbox.  This meant I had to unplug/plug cables to even logon locally.  If I recall it was because the source server was pointing to itself for DNS and it couldn't find any logon servers.  I didn't really care or troubleshoot the "why" because the server is going away anyway.
• I didn't realize the Vista gadget had to be manually added to the sidebar.
• The Vista gadget does not work on non-domain joined machines.
• For some reason, my account (petergal) in Exchange does not have the x.400 address.  No worries though.

Happy Holidays!

Petergal

OCS - Being "UC Enabled"

At Microsoft, we are on the bleeding edge of technology, right?  Well, one would think anyway!  Just recently, my account was "UC Enabled" (we have had the technology for over a year now).  What does this mean?  Like most aspects of technology, the application of said technology is dependant on the user.  Stay tuned and I will post how this technology fits into my workstyle.

Happy Holidays!

Petergal

A new phone - HTC Touch Pro, aka AT&T Fuze

I got this phone a week ago and promptly returned it.  The user experience was horrible, dropped calls, buttons that didn't work, etc etc.  I got a replacement and I have to say that I am really enjoying this device.  I had to turn off the silly Touch Flo interface!  A phone for me is about function, not coolness or cuteness!  Madison (my daughter) loves the cool games.  It took me a couple of days to get used to the QWERTY keyboard and now I am pretty efficient at typing on it. 

Check it out here:  http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=HTC+FUZE(TM)&q_sku=sku3090226

Enjoy!

Petergal

Prepping for the Migration...Following My Own Advice

I have SBS2003R2 Premium installed on a Dell Precision 610 workstation.  If you were around computers "back in the day", you know this bad boy was "the" workstation from Dell in the 2000 timeframe.  In my case, I bought one off EBay about 6 years ago for about $250.  This $250 workstation has served very well as "the little server that could" for quite some time.  It helped me solve COUNTLESS PSS cases.  I have done live demos in front of hundreds of people...connecting to a $250 "server" via RDP.  If people only knew...  The time has come, the time is now, Peter Gallagher retire that server, retire it now!

My plan is to migrate to and virtualize SBS2008 on my new Dell server (no, I do not endorse any particular vendor).  Reading through this doc and remembering this post...you really really need to read through (insert random whitepaper here) prior to actually following it.  If you read the SBS migration doc, it says that if you have 2 nics, to disable one and run the Configure Email and Internet Connection Wizard.  I am thinking to myself..."what about ISA?".  Well, a bit lower in the doc (yeah, I truly believe that if an email message does not fit in Outlook's preview pane, it doenst get read....SCROLL DOWN!) it talks about ISA and what to do with ISA. 

Read the whitepaper.  Then, read it again.  When you think you got it down, read it one more time!  An ounce of prevention...well...you know the rest...

I will probably do the migration between now and Christmas...

Stay tuned!

Enjoy...and Happy Thanksgiving!

Petergal

Upcoming Response Point Webcasts

Get the lowdown on Response Point, Microsoft's unique IP PBX system that is designed for the SMALL business - 50 phones or less!

12/9 Introduction to Telephony, VOIP and Response Point

Join us for this special webinar for our TS2 community to learn about telephony, VOIP and Microsoft Response Point from the first certified Microsoft Response Point provider.

Come learn the basics of telephony, understand the business benefits of VOIP and cost savings associated with using Microsoft Response Point. Register now!

12/16 Why use Microsoft Response Point with Digital Voice?

Attend this webinar for the Microsoft TS2 partner community to learn the business benefits of VOIP to your customers. Learn why Microsoft SMB partners are flocking to VOIP to increase customer retention and grow their businesses. Register now!

Enjoy!

Petergal

Save Money with Solutions Pathway

Get a Discount on Windows Essential Server Solutions (SBS2008 and EBS2008) Upgrades & Migrations with Solutions Pathway

Help your customers easily upgrade or migrate from their existing solutions to meet changing business needs. Solutions Pathway, exclusively for Windows Essential Server Solutions, provides tiered savings that enable you to develop new revenue streams when you help customers cost-effectively upgrade or migrate from existing solutions to the latest Windows Essential Server Solutions offerings. Leverage your customers’ existing investments—and help them make the transition to the latest Windows Essential Server Solutions offerings today. Small Business Specialists and Networking Infrastructure Solutions partners receive an additional 10% discount! 

Enjoy!

Petergal

Now THAT's a Workstation

I just invested in a new workstation.  It's a Dell (no, not endorsing our friends down in Austin).  Dual proc, quad core 2.0 Ghz Xeon's with 9 GB Ram and 1 TB of storage on a SATA drive.  The 1 TB drive and 8 GB Ram were added "aftermarket".  Here are the specs (stupid video card).

Enjoy!

Petergal

How do I still get SBS 2003 R2 + Software Assurance in October since it was removed from the Volume License pricelists? Final Solution.

Ok, this is a complete wholesale copy and paste from a co-workers blog.  It's THAT IMPORTANT...

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A topic of many conversations since the beginning of October, as well as over the SMB Nation weekend where I told those of you in attendance that we are working on a potential solution and would get back to you as soon as we had one, is the fact that SBS 2003 SKUs were removed from the Volume Licensing pricelists on October 1^st and were replaced by the SBS 2008 SKUs. What this means is:

1. In the month of October, there is no way to purchase SBS 2003 with Software Assurance through any Volume Licensing program.
2. Even though SBS 2003 is still available through Retail Box (FPP) and OEM and Software Assurance can be added to an FPP or OEM server license within 90 days of purchasing it, Software Assurance can only be added to the CURRENT VERSION of software within 90 days of purchase. With SBS 2008 being released October 1^st, SBS 2003 is no longer the current version, meaning you can no longer purchase Software Assurance to add to a Retail Box or OEM SBS 2003 license purchased on or after October 1, 2008.
3. Which ultimately means there is no way to purchase an SBS 2003 License with Software Assurance in the month of October, which was a point of confusion for many Partners who were under the impression that they had until October 31^st in order to get their SBS 2003 L+SA orders in.

This is what we have been working on day in and day out for the past few weeks to find a solution for to help our Partners out who are in this situation. And believe me, the number of solutions we have run through the tests to see if we could use them has been unbelievable. Finally, we have come up with the solution for Partners that wish to get their clients SBS 2003 licenses with Software Assurance that will work and can be executed in a timely manner, and here it is:

Microsoft will make a limited-time exception to the Software Assurance policy, which states that Software Assurance can only be attached to the latest software version for SBS 2003 R2. So now it will be possible to attach Software Assurance to SBS 2003 R2 SKUs, despite SBS 2008 being on the VL price list starting October 1^st and this exception has been granted until 12/31/2008. This means that Partners who have sold SBS 2003 R2 between 10/1/08 and 12/31/08 will be able to attach Software Assurance to it within 90 days of the SBS 2003 R2 purchase.

In addition, because we are aware of the fact that the SBS 2003 R2 license does cost more through Retail Box than it did through the Open License programs, we are going to be increasing the SBS 2003 R2 deployment rebate by the net difference between the Retail Box ERP and the Open License (L) ERP so that ultimately, the customers are paying the same for the SBS license that they would have through Open License. What this means is that the deployment rebate amount for SBS 2003 Standard R2 will increase by $50 and the deployment rebate amount for SBS 2003 Premium R2 will increase by $100.

So, if you are looking to get your clients an SBS 2003 R2 Server license with Software Assurance, here is what you should do:

1. Purchase a Retail Box SBS 2003 R2 Server license from your distributor
2. Add Software Assurance to it within 90 days of the purchase (best off to do it on the same order to make sure you get it added)
3. Follow the steps to claim the SBS 2003 R2 deployment rebate for your client

To make it easier for you, below are the Part #s you would use to add Software Assurance to the SBS Standard or Premium licenses. You will notice two options for each:

The first is the Part # you would use if you would like to take advantage of the spread payments benefit of Open Value. This part # would be the one you would sell and bill your clients for in Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3 of the Agreement.

The second is the Part # you would use if you would like to pay for the full three years of Software Assurance benefits up-front instead of spreading out the payments over three years. It is also the one you would use if you plan on processing this order through Microsoft Financing for spread payments.

SBS Standard:

• Software Assurance 1^st year payment (spread payments): Part #: T72-00893
• Software Assurance with 3 years paid up-front: Part #: T72-00897

SBS Premium:

• Software Assurance 1^st year payment (spread payments): Part #: T75-00935
• Software Assurance with 3 years paid up-front: Part #: T75-00937

Thank you to everyone for their patience as we have been working through this and trying to determine what solution(s) we could put in place here in October to address the concerns raised by our Partners about not being able to provide a way to get their clients SBS 2003 R2 server licenses with Software Assurance here in October. The solution above will provide you a way to do just that. Granted, it is not the exact same as buying the L+SA SKU through the Open License programs; however, with those SKUs being removed on October 1^st, the L+SA SKU was no longer an option as a solution.

And before anyone says, “You should have just added it back to the October pricelist,” believe me, if it were just that simple, we would have. There was no way to get the SKUs added back onto the pricelist for October (and we tried evaluating many different ways to possibly make this happen), which meant we had to find an alternative solution. The solution above is the absolute best one available given the circumstances. Plus, the solution above not only gives you an answer for October, it provides an additional window of opportunity for you all the way through December 31, 2008.

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman
Global Partner Experience Lead
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

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For the actual blog post, click here:  http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archive/2008/10/16/9001677.aspx

Enjoy!

Petergal

Licensing Boot Camps are Heading Your Way

Microsoft and TechData: Licensing Boot Camp

Attending a Boot Camp can help you differentiate your services from your competitors and most importantly, help you be recognized as a Microsoft Partner specializing in providing licensing solutions and services. 

We will teach what you should know about Microsoft’s licensing programs for small & medium business customers, how to choose the right licensing for your customer, how to leverage Microsoft tools to accurately quote customers and how you can increase your revenue and close deals by leveraging the correct licensing programs and current Microsoft Incentive Programs.

We will also cover the specifics around Windows Server 2008 and Virtualization. The Windows Server 2008 operating system, with its built-in Web and virtualization technologies, is the most robust, security-rich, and reliable foundation from Microsoft to date. Use it to develop, deliver, and manage dynamic applications and engaging user experiences.

Virtualization is on everybody's mind. And with good reason. It's a critical, sea-changing concept with wide-reaching implications. The idea that you can make pools of dynamic resources with unlimited capacity available to users anywhere at any time is extraordinary.

Agenda:

• Session 1: Open Business & Open Value Licensing
• Session 2: Windows Server 2008 and Virtualization

Join us for our fall Open License Boot Camps in a city near you!  Register at:

· Houston, TX – Monday, November 17, 2008

· Dallas, TX – Tuesday, November 18, 2008

· Austin, TX - Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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SBS2008 has HOW MANY product keys???

When I was in support, one of the least favorite calls we got was "invalid product key".  Keep in mind I was TECH SUPPORT.  "Invalid Product Key" is NOT a technical issue.  It involved asking the partner "are you SURE you typed it in correctly?" and "are you sure you used SBS media?".  None of those questions are very flattering to a partner I would assume.  Well, take a look at the following Technet site for the lowdown on the SBS2008 product key breakdown.

Enjoy!

Petergal

Gaining Ground: Hyper-V

In the not so distant past, Virtualization meant VMWare.  Rightfully so, they have been the de-facto standard in Virtualization for quite some time.  Heck when I was in PSS, WE used VMWare internally!  With Virtual Server 2005, we moved over to our own technology.  VS2005 really wasn't ready for prime-time.  It met our needs (Product Support) very very well.  We didn't have to worry about uptime, management, scalability, etc.  All we cared about was getting a box up with the same version of software the customer was running so we could fix their issue.  Well with Hyper-V and our new System Center product line, the game has changed.  InformationWeek just put out an article regarding the headway we are making on the Virtualization front.  Give it a read.

Enjoy!

Petergal

TechDays '08 is Coming to Dallas!

If technology is the backbone of your business, you won't want to miss out on the TechDays '08 event in Dallas. Filled with exclusive product information presented by insider experts, TechDays '08 will show developers, IT professionals, IT executives, and partners how Microsoft technology can take their business to the next level.

CLICK HERE to get the lowdown and REGISTER!

Enjoy!

Petergal

EBS2008 - What the heck is this new product?

Following up on this post for SBS2008 training resources, below is a great starting point for getting up to speed on our new product - Essential Business Server 2008.

WES10PAL: 5W/50 Series - Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 1 of 8: Introduction
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) 2008, part of the Windows Essential Server Solutions family, provides midmarket businesses with the software they need to run a more predictable, efficient, and manageable network. It provides enterprise-class capabilities with integrated setup, unified security, a single administrative console for managing all included products, and a single CAL enabling access to all included products—all for approximately 30% less than buying the included products separately.

WES11PAL: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 2 of 8: Planning, Design & Install
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

Compared to planning, designing, installing, integrating, and configuring all the component technologies that are included according to best practices, the cost of deploying Windows EBS 2008 is dramatically lower!  This webcast will cover the things you need to know to successfully prepare for and install Windows EBS 2008, including verification and corrective steps for the existing environment, supported topologies and the minimum and recommended hardware and client OS requirements.

WES12PAL: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 3 of 8: Migration
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

When upgrading an existing Windows server environment, having a simple yet comprehensive migration strategy is key to success.  In this webcast, we will discuss migrating from Windows Small Business Server 2003 to Window EBS 2008.  We will cover what you need to do to prepare the network for migration, how to automate the installation phase, and finally how to perform the actual migration.  

WES13PAL: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 4 of 8: EBS Mgmt, Health & Mgmt
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

One of the primary advantages of Windows EBS 2008 is the comprehensive management interface provided by the administration console.  In this webcast, you will learn about the full range of functionality provided through the Windows EBS 2008 administration console, which was designed to provide the right information and the right tools at the right time—reducing the burden and overhead of maintenance tasks.  

WES14PAL: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 5 of 8: Security, Group Policy, & Backup
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

One of the most powerful features of Windows EBS 2008 is the Security Server, which provides protection at the edge of your network and tightly integrates with the other components in the environment to help ensure comprehensive yet flexible security, configured according to best practices from the start.  In this webcast, you will learn about Forefront Threat Management Gateway, the successor to Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server, and how to manage it in the Windows EBS environment.

WES15PAL: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 6 of 8: Messaging & Remote Access
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

Today, e-mail has become the primary method for communicating with customers, prospects, partners, and just about everyone with whom they do business.   Windows EBS 2008 includes enterprise-class messaging features in a midsize business solution.  In this webcast, you will learn how to configure and manage Exchange Server 2007 in the Windows EBS environment, including managing external domains, design considerations for database and log file locations, and mailbox size quotas.

WES16PAL: Windows Essential Bus Svr 2008, Part 7 of 8: LOB Suppt, Extensibility & Troubleshooting
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

Windows EBS 2008 Premium supports line-of-business (LOB) applications by including an additional copy of Windows Server 2008 Standard and SQL Server 2008 Standard, enabling customers to run their LOB applications on a second physical server for enhanced performance, scalability, and compatibility.  In this webcast, you’ll learn about what’s included in Windows EBS 2008 Premium Edition and the different configurations supported.

WES17PAL: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Part 8 of 8: Virtualization
1  Hour
On Demand
Online
Web Seminars (On Demand)

Virtualization is one of the hottest trends around, and everybody wants to learn more about it!  Are you wondering when and why midsize businesses might care about virtualization? In this webcast, we explore virtualization for midsize businesses and how it relates to Windows EBS 2008.  Several different configuration scenarios will be explored using Microsoft Hyper-V, for both the Standard and Premium Editions of Windows EBS 2008, and what options the different editions provide.

Enjoy!

Petergal

Migrating from SBS2003 to SBS2008 - A Definite "Must Read"!

By now, you have heard all the buzz around SBS2008's "upgrade" story.  To be frank, there is NO upgrade in the traditional sense.  If you have an existing network with SBS2003 and are going to "upgrade" the network to SBS2008, you will be doing a migration to a separate server.  This is due to the fact that SBS2008 will only install on 64-bit hardware and it is technically impossible to upgrade a 32-bit OS (SBS2003) to a 64-bit OS (SBS2008).  Don't worry though!  We have a fully documented and supported path to get your SBS2003 networks up and running on SBS2008.  SBS2008 can be installed in "Migration Mode".  This whitepaper will walk you through the steps, including preparing the existing SBS2003 network, getting Active Directory prepared for migration, Exchange mailboxes, folder redirection, Sharepoint data, etc, etc, etc.  I would strongly recommend that you read the migration whitepaper in it's entirety prior to migration.  Understanding the concepts of the whitepaper (SBS2008 will be joined to the existing domain...for a time being you will have TWO SBS boxes in the same domain...) can help avoid pitfalls in your customer's migrations.

Enjoy!

Petergal

EBS2008 - A TS2 Presentation Virtually

Here is the 2nd part of my virtual presentation of Windows Essential Server Solutions, specifically Essential Business Server 2008.

Enjoy!

Petergal