SQL Server 2008 June CTP now available

You can go to MS Connect website to download it. You will require a Live account to do so.

Some more information on SQL Server 2008 can be found here.

Steve

Citrix Offers PS 4.5 Platinum Edition Evaluation VHD

The Citrix Evaluation Virtual Appliance version of Citrix Presentation Server, Enterprise Edition is a new virtual machine form factor for evaluating Citrix software.

Based upon a Microsoft .VHD Test Drive base image of Windows 2003 Server R2, this Citrix EVA will enable evaluators to be interacting with the Citrix management interfaces, and evaluating our application delivery platform from both the administrative and end-user perspectives within as little as 10 minutes after completing the download.

You will need a Microsoft Virtual Server host environment in order to use this virtual appliance.
If you have a MyCitrix account you can download the (huge!) Presentation Server
4.5 Platinum Edition EVA here.

You can sign up to MyCitrix for free from here.

Steve

VMRCPlus goes public – download now

Announced on Keith Combs‘ blog:

For those of you running Microsoft Virtual Server, we have a new treat in store for you.

Matthijs ten Seldam, a Principal Consultant in the Netherlands has developed a VM client display and management tool called VMRCPlus.  This tool will be available shortly on the Microsoft download center, TechNet online download centers, and in the companion disk of a new book written by Robert Larson & Janique Carbone.

As with most if not all of our resource kit type tools, there is no support for the tool.

However, here’s a list of the goodies in the tool in case you are brave enough:

Direct control of local or remote instances of the Virtual Server service. IIS and IE browser are no longer required!

Tabbed interface to quickly jump between Virtual Server hosts and guest VMRC sessions.

Reusable saved states: this feature allows users to preserve a particular saved state and return to that state at any time.

Multiple guest selection supported for startup/shutdown/save/display.

Browse button navigation for media, hard disk images, ISO images, .VMC files, etc.

Drag and Drop support for .VMC files, ISOs images, VHD and VFD files.

Resizable desktop support for guests running Virtual Machine Additions (maximize VMRC window supported).

Limited cut and paste of text from host to guest (only).

A built-in utility to take JPG screenshots of running guests. Useful when filing bugs.

Built-in error notification with Virtual Server eventlog viewer.

A Virtual Networks Manager and Virtual Disks Manager that cover all features.

Keyboard shortcuts (e.g. Ctrl-S to save state a guest).

Create multiple guests at once.

Create guest from parent (or multiple guests)!

Automatic reconnect to a designated Virtual Server host.

Toolbars in both Guest and Console Manager for quick access.

Unlimited number of guests.

Maximum of 32 Virtual Server hosts.

Sorting on columns of guests so you can sort based on status and multi-select.

Automatic detection of Virtual Machine Additions and notification.

Detection of Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1.

Download x86 version @ http://keithcombs.members.winisp.net/vmrcplus/VMRCplus-1.5.0-x86.zip

Download x64 version @ http://keithcombs.members.winisp.net/vmrcplus/VMRCplus-1.5.0-x64.zip

When the microsoft.com download center links go live, the links above will change.  Enjoy !!!

Steve

Personal news

I know… I know.

It’s been too long since my latest post on the blog. As an attempt to apologize, let me tell you that I have been rather busy for the last couple of weeks.

First I got to hear that my partner was pregnant. In fact, we are expecting twins!! Wow, what a news. So, little Alaïs is going to have two little brothers or sisters. Yipeeee!!!

As you can imagine, this implies a lot of life changes, the biggest one being that we will have to move in the coming weeks into a larger place.

On the professional side, I have been very busy with a project, still for my company Devoteam (which is recruiting various profiles). My contribution into the project will be tomorrow at its end. We are thinking about future assignments, but it’s too early to disclose anything relevant right now. I’ll keep you posted when I have enough concrete information.

OK, so now back to the blog. The IT industry is really shaking these days, so I’ll have a lot of topics to cover. Expect some posts on:

• Windows Server 2008: I will do some testings on Server Core, Read-Only Domain Controller, TS, …
• ITILv3
• some other nice subjects: iPhone, SQL Server 2008, …

Cheers!

Steve