Spam Emails: Springboard Series Insider

Time: Fri May 06 07:31:13 ALMT 2011

Springboard Series Insider – May 2011 Edition

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Greetings from the road! This month, we are on the move for the annual Springboard Series Tour. If you are in one of our upcoming cities, make sure to reserve your seat at one of our remaining tour stops by visiting
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9768415
www.springboardseriestour.com and check out video updates from each city on the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9734344
Springboard Series Blog .

This month's newsletter is all about getting off of Windows XP and moving to a modern operating system (OS) for your desktop environment. We want to help and, for those of you that haven't yet made the move to Windows 7, here are five key ways you can get started:
Dive deep into the real differences between Windows 7 and Windows XP, and get honest answers about the cost of migration, compatibility, and organization readiness with the latest
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771841
Springboard Series Virtual Roundtable , "Is XP Good Enough? Really?"Assess your deployment skills, and get customized learning recommendations, with the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9739697
Windows 7 Deployment Learning Portal .Follow us
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9699312
@MSSpringboard for the latest news, tips, and IT pro insights.To better prepare for deployment, download the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9682079
Windows 7 90-day Trial and start testing your applications and hardware.Download the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771842
Windows XP End Of Support (EOS) Gadget (available soon in 10 languages) and keep tabs on the number of days remaining until Windows XP EOS in 2014.
Read on to explore common reasons IT organizations wait to deploy—and reasons not to wait any longer. Since the desktop is not about the OS alone, you'll also find recommendations to help you get started on considering and deploying Microsoft Office 2010 and Internet Explorer 9.

We have always said that as readers of the Insider, you get details about important events, resources, and other items first. As promised, here are the details to register for the Springboard Series Community Party at Tech-Ed North America on May 18, 2011.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771843
Click here to sign up for the party (use registration codeATLSBS). Within 48 hours, you will receive an email confirming your registration. Bring your email confirmation to the Springboard Series booth in the Windows area of the TLC at Tech-Ed to receive your pass for the party. If you are one of the first 85 people to show up at the Springboard booth to pick up your party pass, you will also receive a green wristband. Arrive with your green wristband for the first hour of the party and you will get a free copy of Mark Russinovich's debut novel,Zero Day, personalized and signed by Mark.

Have a great month and stay tuned for next month's edition, which will focus on networking (including IPv6) and mobility. I hope to see you on the tour or at Tech-Ed!
Stephen Rose

Sr. Community Manager, Microsoft Windows Client IT Pro

mailto:stephen.rose@microsoft.com

stephen.rose@microsoft.com

NEW RESOURCES

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771844
Microsoft Technologies for Consumerization
The workplace is changing. As the boundaries between our professional and personal lives are blurring, and work is no longer confined to the office, many users prefer to use the many consumer devices available to them. Explore the technologies that can help you as an IT professional embrace this trend of consumerization while minimizing the risk to your organization and its data—then delve into more detail on
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771845
specific strategies you can employ.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771846
Consumerization of IT: Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about the growing consumerization trend including recommendations on how to approach the management of user-selected devices, applications, and services within your desktop environment.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771847
Windows Security Survival Guide
Many companies invest a good amount of money trying to protect their resources by adding more software, additional layers of protection and also by enhancing policies and procedures to enforce security. Did you know that many of those security goals can be accomplished by correctly configuring the Windows operating system and taking advantage of the built in security features? Start here to give yourself a strong foundation in Windows security and to learn how to take advantage of Windows operating system security capabilities to achieve your company's security goals.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771848
Windows PowerShell: Dive Deep into Remoting
Remoting is one of the most useful and most remarkable features of Windows PowerShell. This month, let's dive a little deeper into remoting and how it works, and consider some more ways to make it an effective and valuable production tool.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771849
Microsoft Office Professional Plus for Office 365 Beta Overview
Office 365 combines the Microsoft Office Professional Plus client suite with cloud versions of Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Lync Online. Learn about system requirements, the activation process, and deployment options then
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771850
join the Beta to test Office 365 for your organization.

SOMETHING TO BLOG ABOUT

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9768415
The Springboard Series Tour Kicks Off in Toronto
The 2011 Springboard Series Tour kicked off this week with a stop in Toronto, Canada. Want to see what the tour is all about? Watch this
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771851
video recap of the Toronto event . There is still time to sign up for one of the remaining tour stops so take advantage of this opportunity to attend a free, full day of technical sessions, deep dive demos, face-to-face discussions with members of the Windows and Office product teams. Visit
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9768415
www.springboardseriestour.com and register today!

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771852
Submit Questions for the Next Springboard Series Virtual Roundtable
Save the date for our next virtual roundtable, "Why Desktop IT Pros Should Care About the Cloud." The live event will take place on Wednesday, June 22 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time and look at the relationship between cloud technologies and the desktop. Have questions about the cloud and how it will impact your IT plans and infrastructure? Submit them now to
mailto:vrtable@microsoft.com
vrtable@microsoft.com and the panel may answer your question live during the event.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771853
Special Training Offers on Windows 7 Now Available
Microsoft Learning Partners are offering specials during the month of May for training on
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771854
Course 6294, Planning and Managing Windows 7 Desktop Deployments and Environments . This five-day instructor-led course covers how to design, configure, and manage the Windows 7 client environment. It also prepares students for Exam 70-686, Pro: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Administrator. Sign up today!

TIPS AND TRICKS

Why You Need to Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7By Simon May, IT Pro Evangelist, Microsoft Corporation
Windows XP is cutting-edge—empowering a new wave of personal computing. The year is 2001 andDonnie Darko,The Fast and the Furious,A Beautiful Mind, andBlack Hawk Down are topping the movie charts... a short time later these movies will be among the first released on DVD. Since that medium wasn't available to everyone, and this was, of course, four years before YouTube, Microsoft released the training materials for
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771855
Windows XP on VHS cassette . These technologies are out-of-date, and, because it, too, is out-of-date, Windows XP is no longer good enough for your business. It's time to move on.
But, why isn't Windows XP good enough anymore? There are many reasons, but we are going to concentrate on the ones that actually matter to you. No, not the reasons that matter to your mother, father, children, and pets—but the ones that matter to you as an IT professional, and to your business users. In 2001, Wi-Fi was not yet an accepted term; there were no real standard standards for wireless Ethernet and, therefore, support in Windows XP was, and still is, limited. Now you might be thinking: Windows XP has couple of service packs, the last of which—Service Pack 3 (SP3)—wasreleased in 2008, and you might well be asking why that update doesn't make Windows XP good enough for today's world?
Without a doubt Windows XP requires SP3 to be considered anything like a modern OS, but even then SP3 is a bit like a new coat of paint rather than a new roof or foundations. The big features of Windows XP SP3? Network Access Protection, Black Hole Router Detection, CredSSP, enhanced security protection, cryptography, and activation changes. All essential features—but none that matter to your mother, your CEO, Dan in IT, or Jane in marketing.
So, what does matter to these folks?
-DirectAccess. Well, being able to connect seamlessly from home makes Jane in marketing far happier. And that's where the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771856
DirectAccess feature of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 comes in. She just connects to her home wireless network, and DirectAccess connects her to her corporate resources. She doesn't need to mess around with complex wireless network passwords and encryption settings; she doesn't need to check that she has connectivity or initiate a VPN connection.
-Problem Steps Recorder. Dan in IT has life easy with this setup, too. For example, whenever Dan deploys updates with Windows Software Update Services (WSUS), Jane's PC gets them, because, although Jane's rarely in the office, DirectAccess keeps her connected whenever her computer detects an Internet connection. Dan gets other fringe benefits from having Windows 7 deployed in his organization: If users get stuck with something or encounter a problem, all they have to do is typerecord steps into the Start menu search. Within a few minutes Dan has a recording of the steps required to reproduce the problem, and he can troubleshoot it with
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771857
Problem Steps Recorder , which is built in to Windows 7.
-Networking Enhancements. One of the most important additions to Windows XP SP3 was
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771858
Network Access Protection (NAP) , which is integrated into the Windows Action Center in Windows 7. NAP safeguards your network by isolating computers that don't have an acceptable level of updates or malware protection until they are updated automatically or otherwise remediated. It's a technology that helps reduce disaster cleanup for malware outbreaks.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771859
BranchCache is another extremely useful Windows 7 feature. BranchCache helps streamline operations for branch networks by securely caching frequently accessed data.

Windows 7 has a wealth of features worth discussing, but, really, Windows 7 is about working in a much more modern way. For example, the workflows your users experience are far easier and built for a modern world. Windows Search in Windows 7 is a prime example. Need to find a document? Click search in the Start menu, type information about the document. Need to find a program? Click search, type the program name. Can't remember the name of a setting you need to change? Click search, type some keywords. I normally demonstrate this capability by encouraging people to figure out how to change mouse buttons: Click search, type "mouse" or "button," and you—or your users—will have the job done in seconds.

For the IT professional, search is useful in two ways: Firstly, you don't need to know the name of every setting. Secondly, your users won't need to call you for every little thing; they just do what they expect to do today: conduct a search. With the emerging and accelerating trend of the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771845
consumerization of IT , in which people expect to be able to access everything they need and more on their own terms, including brining their own PCs in to the office, you start to see that you need a modern environment. In a consumerized IT environment, you'll want NAP safeguarding your network, you'll want simple ways to re-create problems on a nonstandard system, and you'll want many other things too.

However, even if you are not yet in a consumerized environment, you're likely looking at other smart ways of doing things. With the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771860
Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) , you have access to six key technologies that provide important functionalities for IT professionals and, in turn, enhance what you can offer users with Windows 7. So, how about
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771861
Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) ? App-V is a technology in MDOP, and its Sequencer allows you to take an application and sequence it so that it can be delivered to any machine, without installation. Sounds good already, doesn't it? Add in the centralized control that's available, and you've got a way of rapidly delivering applications to your computers. In fact, these applications don't even have to have fully downloaded to the computer for people to start using them. Say what? App-V sequences an application based on the way that people use it, so if the application is not needed immediately, it becomes an on-demand component that downloads only when necessary.

Not only can you virtualize applications with App-V, but, with
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771862
Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) , you can also virtualize applications that have compatibility issues with Windows 7 (IE6 is a prime example)—providing support that helps you overcome Windows 7 deployment hurdles. Your favorite MDOP technology may well become
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771863
Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) , which extends the troubleshooting functionality available natively in Windows 7 to enable even cooler capabilities. Need to reset local machine passwords? DaRT is your friend! Need to pull a hotfix off the machine that's made things go awry: DaRT it is. The list of challenges DaRT can help with is long.

So we've discussed some new features in Windows 7, some awesome troubleshooting tools in Windows 7 and MDOP, as well as capabilities that will make your life as an IT professional easier. The same is true for deployment of Windows 7. Check out the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9737936
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit , which includes tools that make your deployment faster and simpler.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771864
Windows Intune is a new offering that adds some excellent options (although not application and operating system deployment) for those running smaller enterprises. Through a combination of Windows cloud services and Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows Intune makes it possible to provide remote assistance for Windows 7 users, including management of WSUS. Plus, brilliant endpoint protection, which is based on the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine used by the Microsoft Forefront Protection Suite, is included in the Windows Intune subscription price. The biggest advantage for me though is that a Windows Intune subscription includes a Windows 7 Enterprise upgrade for each computer, and you can subscribe to MDOP for $1 per PC per month.

Let's sum up about why you should upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7. Windows XP wasn't built for today's world; it was built when wireless networks weren't around, before hardware became inexpensive, and when 64-bit wasn't the norm. It was built before people expected to be able to do at work what they can do at home with their PCs, and before search engines made it possible to get the information you need, when you need it. Users want to be able to use applications that don't take hours to install; they want to be able to work where and when they want.

For you, though, upgrading to Windows 7 means even more. It means being able to add value and enable business processes that result in cost savings and/or revenue generation. You don't want the nasty surprise of someone bringing their home PC in and infecting the office network, and you don't want mobile workers picking up viruses, spyware, or malware when they connect remotely. You want their computers to be secure, and you want the network to be safeguarded. You want to be able to provide remote management and application virtualization. But, you can't do any of this if you're scrabbling to support an operating system that is outdated. Also, you owe it to yourself and your career to stay up-to-date. The business benefits of Windows 7 abound in countless case studies, but hopefully this article has made things more real for you. Of course, you'll find more information about Windows 7 with the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9737920
Springboard Series on TechNet.

Simon May is an IT Professional Evangelist in the U.K. for Microsoft. He
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771865
writes ,
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771866
blogs ,
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771867
tweets and presents about Windows and Microsoft cloud technologies, but most of all loves a good chat about technology, especially if you can work in Windows Media Center. Follow him on
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771867
Twitter or the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771868
UK TechNet blog .

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Common Reasons for Delaying Windows 7 Deployment
By Todd Lamothe, MCT, MCSE, and Springboard Series Technical Expert Program (STEP) Member

Windows 7 has been out for almost two years. However, a lot of people are still running Windows XP for which end of support is quickly approaching. As I have travelled across Canada and spoken with IT professionals from around the world, I have asked how their Windows 7 migration plans are coming along. From those conversations, I've learned that while they would like to deploy Windows 7, there are concerns that are holding them back.

One of those factors was waiting for the release of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows 7. IT professionals have told me that they don't even consider installing a new operating system until the first service pack comes out. Having deployed Windows 7 on day one, I can vouch for the fact that Windows 7 had great prelaunch testing, and, therefore, the belief that waiting is necessary is unfounded. Also, for those who were waiting for SP1—it was released about a month ago, so it's time to get rolling with your deployment plans.

Another concern I have heard is that IT professionals don't think their line-of-business (LOB) applications will work correctly on Windows 7. For those who haven't yet tried, the first thing to do is test the applications. Many of the applications written for Windows XP will work on Windows 7 without any issues. If that isn't the case, a great tool to help is the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771869
Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) . It has fixes for many commercial applications, and it can be run against your own applications—both commercial and custom— to evaluate application compatibility and help mitigate issues. If you don't know how to use the toolkit, no problem; Microsoft has a virtual lab you can use to learn the tool.

You can also look to desktop virtualization to address application compatibility.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771870
Windows XP Mode is built right in to Windows 7. This feature provides a Windows XP environment on which to run LOB applications that aren't yet updated for Windows 7.

Another concern I have heard is in regard to the need for many custom images for different computer types. While Windows XP was hardware dependent, Windows 7 is hardware agnostic; the Windows 7 image doesn't really care what hardware is used. One tool that I promote to anyone who will listen is the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9737936
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit . This toolkit will help you build Windows 7 images faster, and, therefore, deploy Windows 7 more quickly and consistently. It can also deploy Windows Server 2008 and Windows XP, so you can start using it today and know that when you are ready to deploy Windows 7, it will be ready too.

I often heard the concern there isn't time to deploy Windows 7. Using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, I have a Windows 7 plus applications install down to thirty minutes from start to finish. Plus, I can run many installs at the same time.

With Windows XP support winding down, it is important that everyone is planning their Windows 7 deployment and ensuring a smooth migration plan. The migration costs for moving to Windows 7 are minimal; all the tools I've mentioned here are free. If you haven't already, I implore you head to the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9737920
Springboard Series and start planning your Windows 7 deployment today.

Todd is a Systems Administrator for the County of Lennox & Addington, Information Services Department. The lone IT guy supporting the Information Technology needs of the Libraries and Museum throughout their 12 points of service, Todd has been working in the IT field since 1995 when he first started doing tech support for an internet service provider. Todd has received the Microsoft MVP award for Windows Expert - IT Professional and is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

Dragging Your Feet About Migrating User Desktops from Windows XP to Windows 7?By Ed Roberts, STEP Member

As IT professionals, we're faced with numerous challenges every day. One of those challenges is bringing all of our users to a common platform. With several versions of the Windows operating system plus Microsoft Office programs and line-of-business (LOB) applications, we are constantly moving among versions and capabilities. In a perfect world, all of our companies and clients would just use the "latest and greatest" operating system and applications. This would make our jobs—and their productivity—even better. But we all know it isn't always the case that everyone is using the most up-to-date software. In this article I'm going to discuss three hurdles that might be impeding the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Application compatibility can be a hurdle, especially with custom written applications that have been around a while. One of the first things to do is get an accurate inventory of all the applications currently running in the business. Many companies have legacy software on their machines that can just be removed and don't need to be included in the migration. Check compatibility with Windows 7 for the applications the business still needs. Once you have the accurate compatibility information at your disposal, business decision makers can make an informed decision about upgrading to Windows 7. If an application simply will not run on Windows 7 due to operating system dependencies, you can use Windows XP Mode in Windows 7 or Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) to run older LOB applications on Windows 7. These are both now based on the updated Windows Virtual PC environment, which also adds support for USB as well as other features.

Hardware requirements delay some upgrades to Windows 7, but these challenges can usually be solved with simple RAM upgrades or scheduled replacements of desktops and portable computers. Perform an inventory of all of the computers running Windows XP and see if the CPU, RAM, and hard drives are suitable for Windows 7 or if they require an upgrade. Check for driver compatibility for peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, and other attached devices. Many times, Windows XP or Windows Vista drivers will work. If they don't, check with the manufacturer for an updated model of the device. Some units that do not have drivers are often up to 10 years old or older. In that case, to attain improved productivity and increase PC responsiveness, it's likely time to clean house a bit.

One of the most sensitive areas of any operating system upgrade is the end user's data and application settings/configurations. Migration of user data and application settings is simplified using a variety of tools. Moving the user files, settings, and programs in a small environment can be accomplished with the Windows Easy Transfer in Windows 7. For businesses with a dedicated IT lab, Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 can be employed for the migration of Windows XP desktops onto virtual hard disks (VHD) or onto new hardware running Windows 7.

Every business and, in turn, every IT professional, will have a unique set of challenges. I've just covered ways to address three of the more common hurdles in this article. I hope that these ideas will spark some of your own and inspire you to investigate the tools that are available—including utilities, articles, and training materials—on the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9737920
Springboard Series on TechNet and other resources to facilitate the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Ed Roberts has been involved in the computer industry for over 25 years. He is the President and CEO of
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771871
Lethos Incorporated , an IT consulting firm based in Southern California, as well as the Founder and President of the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771872
Southern California IT Professional Association . Ed has an extensive technical background in radio communications, satellite navigation, cryptography, and VMS and UNIX administration. He has spoken at numerous technical conferences and was a contributing author for QUE's "Microsoft Special Edition Using Microsoft Exchange Server" as well as a co-author of "Microsoft Server 2003 Insider Solutions" by SAMS.

OFFICE FOR IT PROS

Rules of Thumb for Office Upgrades
By Alistair Speirs, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Office

I have come to the conclusion that there are two powerful prerequisites to help people do their best work: a) a ready supply of espresso coffee; and b) a well-managed desktop with a modern Office suite. Organizational productivity suffers (at least in my case) when either A or B are lacking. While beverages remain the realm of facilities management, ensuring that users have a modern and secure Office suite is a core competency of ours as IT professionals.

It has been amazing to see the uptake and early adoption of Office 2010 in the year since release. Before we launched the product, we tested it with more users and IT shops than ever before through our extended beta. As a result, since launching Office 2010, we've heard some great "rules of thumb" for Office upgrades from the IT pro community:

Seek First to Understand Your Environment
Make sure you have a good understanding of your environment, particularly with regard to hardware, application, and file compatibility. Office 2010 was built to work with the hardware you already own, but
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771873
under the hood changes have made Office 2010 run significantly faster. As one example, check out the recalculation speed from one of our test spreadsheets, a
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771874
Monte Carlo simulation with over a million rows of data:

It would not be fair to talk about performance without mentioning the Office application that probably runs longer than your staff spend awake, Outlook. Outlook 2010 shows dramatic improvements in startup, synchronization, and shutdown speeds:

Office 2010 system requirements are
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771875
largely unchanged from Office 2007 , except for 1GB more hard disk and 192 less horizontal pixels, so any computer purchased in the last four years should run Office 2010 without issue (even Atom-powered netbooks and slates).

On the software side, it is important to get a sense of what other desktop applications rely on Office. Many customer relationship management (CRM) systems plug into Outlook just as analytics tools plug into Excel and records management systems plug into Word. Perhaps most challenging is the quest to obtain a clear picture of your document inventory. Where are documents stored? Who owns them? Do they contain macros? Understanding your document inventory will allow you to make better decisions about whether to convert to the new XML file formats, which users are the macro-making troublemakers, and which Group Policy settings you should configure.

The good news is that there are tools to help understand your environment. The
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771876
Office Environment Assessment Tool (OEAT) scans client computers for add-ins and applications that interact with Office 97 through 2010. The
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771877
Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM) helps you scan files for conversion issues, create reports and even convert documents to the new Open XML file formats. (Tip: don't try to scan every file in your company. Instead, scan a subset or put parameters around only files modified in the last 12 months.) The
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771878
Office Code Compatibility Inspector (OCCI) scans your VBA macro or VSTO code for known compatibility issues, such as object model changes or 64-bit compatibility issues.

Use 64-Bit Windows 7, But 32-Bit Office 2010
Even though its system requirements are similar to Office 2007, Office 2010 can take advantage of new hardware, advanced graphics cards, multi-core processors, and alternative form factor devices. Most organizations can realize these improvements automatically, but the decision to deploy 64-bit or 32-bit Office is one that IT pros should make up front.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771879
Our strong recommendation is to deploy 32-bit Office . While 64-bit Office is useful if a spreadsheet instance is using more than 2GB of memory, this is not a common scenario. The downside of 64-bit is that all VBA macros will need to be updated (unless your users had the foresight to declare pointer safe variables...) and non-Visual-Studio-Tools-for-Office (VSTO) add-ins will need to be rewritten. This is a lot of work for very little benefit. Office 2010 32-bit, however, benefits from running on a 64-bit operating system as the larger maximum memory allow you to run more applications. Office 2010 is only the first release of a 64-bit Office and is really a platform investment for the future.

So there you have it - work to make your IT life easier by understanding your Office environment using the tools we provide, deploying Office 2010 32-bit with Windows 7 64-bit, and drinking espresso coffee. More detail on these topics (sans coffee) and other considerations for Office IT pros are available on the Springboard Series for Office site at
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771880
www.officeitpro.com or our Windows Phone 7 app in Marketplace. Happy deploying!

Alistair Speirs is a Product Manager in the Microsoft Office team focusing on Office 2010 deployment. Before moving to Seattle, Alistair was an Office Technology Specialist for Microsoft in Australia, helping large organizations deploy, manage and maintain Office in their environments. Check out the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771881
Office IT Pro blog for more articles from Alistair and the Office team.

INTERNET EXPLORER IT CORNER

Is your organization still on an older version of Internet Explorer? Don't know where to begin with planning for Internet Explorer 9 deployment? Start with these targeted resources.

Learn about Internet Explorer 9:
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771882
Top 9 Reasons Enterprises should Deploy Internet Explorer 9
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771883
Discover and Explore Internet Explorer 9 on the Springboard Series for Internet Explorer

Download and try the following tools:
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9750311
Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.6 - The Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) version 5.6 contains the necessary tools and documentation to evaluate and mitigate application compatibility issues before deploying a new version of Windows Internet Explorer in your environment.
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9675128
Microsoft Assessment Planning Toolkit - The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit makes it easy to assess your current IT infrastructure for a variety of technology migration projects. This Solution Accelerator provides a powerful inventory, assessment, and reporting tool to simplify the migration planning process. Learn how to use the MAP Toolkit to simplify your migration with
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771884
this video .

Learn more about changes in the browser and migrating to Internet Explorer 9:
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771899
Migration and Application Compatibility
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771900
Mitigation Strategies and Solutions
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771901
Internet Explorer 6 to Internet Explorer 9 Browser Changes

TWEET ALERT

This month we're looking at some the individuals and resources focused on helping IT pros update their Windows deployment and management skills:
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771885
@technetguy (John Weston) - Microsoft IT evangelist focused on building and supporting the IT pro community, and Windows 7 user groups in particular
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771886
@jldavid (Jean-Luc David) - FourGraph Creator, Canadian, entrepreneur, manager, developer, evangelist, author, musician, gadget collector, technologist, and social media aficionado
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771887
@KevinRemde - Microsoft IT evangelist sharing lots of tips and insights on new technologies
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771888
@edbott - Award-winning author and veteran technology journalist, Windows expert, diehard music lover, and "occasionally bearded idealist in a curmudgeonly shell"
-
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771888
@itmasterclasses - In-depth training classes and resources presented by industry training experts

If you would like to be considered for this column, send a message to Stephen Rose via Twitter
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9714769
@stephenlrose and tell him, in 140 characters or less, why we should feature you next month. Also, for the latest information on what's going on here at Microsoft follow the Springboard Series
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9699312
@MSSpringboard .

EVENTS AND TRAINING

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771890
Certification Exam Preparation Session: TS: Windows 7 and Office 2010, Deploying (70-681)Tuesday, May 24, 2011 8:00 AM Pacific Time
Register today for a special exam preparation session designed to teach you what you need to know to get certified and pass the Windows 7 and Office 2010 Technology Specialist Microsoft Certified Professional exam (70-681). The session is led by an expert Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) who regularly presents on this topic. The presenter walks you through the objectives that are covered in the exam, and gives you some general exam taking tips and technology "gotchas" about Windows 7 and Office 2010 deployment. This session is your last step in getting ready for this exam.

Microsoft Tech-Ed North America Events

http://www.regonline.com/SpringboardTENA2011
Annual Springboard Series Community Party at Microsoft Tech-Ed North AmericaAtlanta, Georgia - Wednesday May 18, 2011 7:30-11:30 PM Eastern Time
Don't miss the always popular Springboard Series Party Community Event at Tech-Ed North America in Atlanta. Held exclusively for the IT pro community, Microsoft MVPs, Microsoft Certified Trainers, community members, and special guests (like Springboard Series Insiders!), the party is your opportunity to network with industry peers and key Microsoft executives, learn about other communities, and enjoy an evening full of music, food, drinks, and fun. Space is limited so
http://www.regonline.com/SpringboardTENA2011
register today (use codeATLSBS) to secure your spot!

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9768465
Microsoft Tech-Ed Professional Career Development SeminarAtlanta, Georgia - Sunday, May 15, 2011 5:30 PM Eastern Time
Join an interactive and informative evening devoted to professional development, and learn the technical and career skills to position yourself for jobs of the future. Springboard Series Insider editor Stephen Rose will be presenting the keynote so don't miss this chance to join him and other distinguished industry leaders and noted Microsoft speakers to learn about how you can re-tool your technical skill set and business acumen to create personal career insurance. Get tips for embracing new technologies such as cloud computing and mobile development and management. Learn ways to help effectively communicate the value of business and technology decisions to get buy-in from various stakeholders within your business.

Upcoming Springboard Series Technical Expert Program (STEP) Events

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9768466
Microsoft & Community Tour 2011
Rome, Italy - Monday May 16, 2011

The new Microsoft & Community Tour starts in May in Rome and will travel to cities across Italy. Sessions will cover Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) and Windows Intune, the new tool that enables management and monitoring of client directly from the cloud.

UPCOMING WEBCASTS

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771891
TechNet Webcast: Introducing Office 365 to Your End Users (Level 100)Monday, May 09, 2011 1:00 PM Pacific Time
In this fast-paced 60-minute presentation, you'll gain a strategy to make sure that your business captures the productivity gains that are possible with Office 365. Topics include planning pre-rollout training, generating excitement among your users, easing the tension of deployment day, and providing ongoing resources.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771892
Business Insights Webcast: BPOS to Office 365 Transition (Part 1 of 2): New Features, Experiences and RequirementsTuesday, May 10, 2011 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Get details on how to plan for the transition from Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) to Office 365, the requirements for Office 365, and administrator tasks for getting your organization ready for Office 365. Can't attend on this date? This session will also be offered on
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771893
Tuesday, May 24 .

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771894
Business Insights Webcast: BPOS to Office 365 Transition (Part 2 of 2): Administration Steps and Experience (Level 100)Thursday, May 12, 2011 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Gain a better understanding of the changes in the administration of Office 365 from BPOS, explore deployment options, and get valuable transition guidance from the IT perspective. Can't attend on this date? This session will also be offered on
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771895
Thursday, May 26 .

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771896
Technical Talks with Tim Vander Kooi: IT Pros, Microsoft, and the Cloud: Where Do We Fit? (Level 200)Monday, May 23, 2011 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Now that the cloud is a viable alternative, or addition, to the traditional data center, many IT pros wonder what it means for their immediate jobs and their long-term career choices. Join Tim Vander Kooi and Microsoft Evangelist Harold Wong as they discuss the impact that the cloud will have on IT pros both now and in the long term. They discuss why IT pros should not see the cloud as a challenge but rather as an exciting opportunity to learn new skills while spending more time innovating and less time trying to maintain. The webcast gives you the opportunity to see the new management tools in some of Microsoft's cloud products. You also can ask your questions about the cloud's impact on you.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771897
Business Insights Webcast: Microsoft's Slate Vision and the Consumerization of IT (Level 100)Tuesday, May 24, 2011 11:00 AM Pacific Time
This webcast provides a high-level overview of Microsoft's approach to new form-factors such as slates. We discuss how to manage, secure, and integrate these new devices into your IT environments and things to consider as new devices come into your enterprises through the consumerization of IT.

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9771898
Talk TechNet with Keith Combs and Matt Hester - IPv6 (Level 100)Wednesday, May 25, 2011 9:00 AM Pacific Time
Join Windows product team members Joseph Davies and Christopher Palmer for what promises to be a lively 60-minute session on IPv6. Bring your questions!

SNEAK PEEK: FOR INSIDERS
ONLY

The following resources will be released in April on the
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9668548
Springboard Series for Windows on TechNet. Bookmark or subscribe to
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9668549
our RSS feed and receive automatic notification when these and other resources, announcements, and downloads are released.
-More details about the next Springboard Series Virtual Roundtable, "Why Desktop IT Pros Should Care About the Cloud," which will be held on June 22, 2011.
-A Windows 7 Deployment Coach to help IT pros improve and update their deployment skills
-Recorded technical sessions from the Springboard Series Tour

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May 2011

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