What is going around with SharePoint 2013: SharePoint Conference 2012 Keynotes.

If you want to learn, what is going around with SharePoint 2013, you can watch the SharePoint Conference 2012 keynote.


There’s also a lot more going on with SharePoint; be sure to check out the following resources.

• Preparing for SharePoint 2013 Development (on-demand webinar)
• Preparing for SharePoint 2013 (November 27 webinar)
• SQL Server and You: Be a top notch SharePoint DBA (December 3 webinar)
• Be Prepared for SharePoint 2013 (December 11 webinar)
• SharePoint 2013 Preview and SharePoint Designer: Q & A with Asif Rehmani (blog post)

Hyper-V Q & A with John Savill

Q: Are Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000 guest OSs supported on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V?

A: Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000 are no longer supported by Microsoft, and so can't be supported on Hyper-V. Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V actually dropped integration service support for Windows 2000, which means it's no longer possible to use synthetic devices (such as network and storage) and there are no services to integrate with Hyper-V.

The net effect is the performance would be poor compared to an OS using synthetic devices, because emulated devices would have to be used. The recommendation would be to run Windows 2000 virtual machines (VMs) on a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V server, which still has integration service support for Windows 2000.

Another (unsupported) option to try could be taking the integration services from Hyper-V 2008 R2 and installing on the Windows 2000 VM, then running on the Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. This would give some synthetic device support and some integration with Hyper-V but would be completely unsupported by Microsoft. Longer term recommendation would be to migrate to a newer, supported OS as soon as possible.

For Windows NT 4, there really is no support. The legacy processor compatibility mode that helped NT 4 run on Hyper-V is gone in Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V, and emulated devices would definitely have to be used. However, the performance might meet what you need so this could be worth a try.

Q: When upgrading a Hyper-V host from Windows 2008 R2 to Windows 2012, can I save the state of a running VM and resume it after the upgrade?

A: No, you can't save the state of a running virtual machine (VM). The save state format of Windows Server 2008 R2 is not compatible with Windows Server 2012, in the same way the save state format of Windows 2008 wasn't compatible with Windows Server 2008 R2. 

You should shut down all VMs on a host prior to performing an upgrade of the Hyper-V host. Note that if you have online snapshots of a VM which also uses saved state as part of the snapshot, and then these snapshots will work after the upgrade to Server 2012.

Q: How can I attach USB devices to a Hyper-V virtual machine?

A: There are two scenarios for USB devices to be accessed in a virtual machine (VM):

1.      As part of a user's session on a VM

2.      Always available to the VM; for example, a USB dongle that must be available for a piece of software or service to function

Hyper-V doesn't allow the pass-through of a USB-attached device on a host to a VM. This would break the desired abstraction of the VM from the hardware, and therefore stop VM mobility. However this doesn't mean there are no solutions.

For the first scenario, a USB device available as part of a user's session on a VM, the solution is to use the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) capability to pass a locally attached USB device on the user's local device directly through to the remote VM. With Windows Server 2012 and RemoteFX technology, it's possible to redirect almost any USB device over RDP.

The second scenario, a USB device to always be connected to a VM even when a user isn't logged on, requires the use of third-party solutions that enable USB over IP. The solutions work by having a physical server that has all the USB devices connected to it and runs a service that enables the USB devices to be accessed remotely over IP.

The VMs then run a piece of client software that connects to the USB device over IP, and it looks to the VM like a local USB device. The benefit to these types of solutions is the VM can still be moved between hosts without losing connectivity to the USB device. There are many solutions available; among them are two I have seen used by my customers:

• Silex SX-2000U2 
• Digi Anywhere USB 

These questions are answered by John Savill, from WindowsITPro, Millions Thanks to him.

Windows 7 Security and managing UAC Prompts.

Windows 7 migrations are in full swing or completed.  As part of this desktop refresh, many companies have removed local administrative rights on the endpoint and are using the Windows 7 built-in security features.  Have these met your expectations?  Are your end users calling IT support to get assistance with prompts for UAC passwords?

Darren Mar-Elia, Microsoft Group Policy MVP, will walk us through the components of the Windows built-in security features and in which situations they work the best.  He’ll also introduce other methods for enhancing endpoint security within Windows 7 as related to managing UAC dialog boxes and best practices for managing administrator rights.

Next, Viewfinity will show you how to suppress the UAC dialog box and manage rights and privileges on Windows endpoints and servers. Using a fully automated process to identify common privilege needs across the entire user base, you can aggregate privilege needs and create a single policy for a collective group of users.  No longer will the removal of administrator rights be disruptive to your end users or a burden on IT.

Register Now!

Curtsey: Windows IT Pro

Share your thoughts on server OSes for a chance to win

Guys,

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With your help, SearchWindowsServer.com’s Windows Server Purchasing Decisions survey details the current state of you and your peers’ Windows Server hardware and software initiatives, from server virtualization and systems management to email platforms. Submit your responses today and gauge the maturity and success of your Windows environment against your peers.

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Thank you in advance for making time to let us in on your 2013 plans. Please click here to take the survey.

Curtsey: The Editorial Team at SearchWindowsServer.com

Upgrading to SharePoint 2013 from MOSS 2007.

As we all know SharePoint 2013 is bundled with all new features which give extendibility to the existing business processes.  Notably, the SharePoint platform is also be improved with some great new features. The new version promises updates to Claims-Based Authentication, Business Connectivity Services (BCS), eDiscovery, Business Intelligence and Workflows, among other features.

You’ll also notice several new Service Applications bundled with SharePoint, such as App Management, Machine Translation and the Work Management Service Application

The SharePoint user interface is also getting a design makeover, with cues from Microsoft’s Metro UI design principles

And there are a couple critical points here, which we need to consider before we plan to upgrade to SharePoint 2013.

1.      There is no direct upgrade path from SharePoint 2007 to 2013. You must have a current version (SharePoint 2010 Foundation or Server) in place before upgrading to the next version. Is your organization still using a 2007 version of SharePoint (WSS or MOSS)? Or perhaps even using SharePoint Portal Server 2003 (v. 2.0)? Well, you’re not alone. If you’re considering SharePoint 2013, now may be the perfect time to start migrating from your older installation to SharePoint 2010. That way you’ll be prepared for a smooth transition to the new software.

2.      The underlying server components for SharePoint 2013 are also being upgraded. Earlier this year Microsoft released its new database server, SQL Server 2012. And Windows Server 2012 is anticipated for public release before the end of this year. So, if you want to be ready when SharePoint 2013 rolls out, this is an ideal time to start considering migrating to the newest versions of Windows Server and SQL Server while you’re at it.

So, in a sense, upgrading to SharePoint 2013 is also going to be kind of a big deal. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big hassle.

If you need any assistance with the SharePoint 2013 upgrade or its plan, do let me know. It would be my pleasure to help you out with that.