Windows Server 2012 R2 and System Center 2012 R2 now available

It looks like the Volume License bits are now available …

What's New in Windows Server 2012 R2 Jump Start

The I.T version of Waldorf and Statler are back with ‘whats new in R2’:

”View this demo-rich Jump Start showing IT pros the new capabilities and features of Windows Server 2012 R2. Microsoft Senior Technical Evangelist Rick Claus and Lead Architect and President of holSystems Corey Hynes demonstrate these new capabilities via numerous scenarios and demos.”

The videos can be found here;

Server Virtualization in Windows Server 2012 R2 can be found here;
Storage in Windows Server 2012 R2 can be found here;

Free eBook: Introducing Windows Azure for IT Pro’s!

The book goes into detail on most Windows Azure services along with screenshots to demonstrate the capabilities of the platform.  If you have a bit more experience there are some under the hood insights and expert tips from insiders who develop, test and use the Windows Azure Platform.

You can download the PDF here and there is also companion content available here.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V Component Architecture Posters

Provides a visual reference for understanding key Hyper-V technologies in Windows Server 2012 R2 and focuses on Generation 2 virtual machines, Hyper-V with virtual hard disk sharing, online virtual hard disk resizing, storage quality-of-service, enhanced session mode, live migration, Hyper-V failover clustering, and upgrading your private cloud.

Posters can be downloaded here;

Microsoft to unleash fall wave of enterprise cloud solutions

Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced a wave of new enterprise products and services to help companies seize the opportunities of cloud computing and overcome today’s top IT challenges. Complementing Office 365 and other services, these new offerings deliver on Microsoft’s enterprise cloud strategy.

On Nov. 1, Microsoft will offer Enterprise Agreement (EA) customers access to discounted Windows Azure prices, regardless of upfront commitment, without overuse penalties and with the flexibility of annual payments.

Microsoft will release a second preview of SQL Server 2014. The new version offers industry-leading in-memory technologies at no additional cost, giving customers 10 times to 30 times performance improvements without application rewrites or new hardware. SQL Server 2014 also works with Windows Azure to give customers built-in cloud backup and disaster recovery.

With Windows Server 2012 R2 Microsoft is introducing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, available for download in application stores later this month, to provide easy access to PCs and virtual desktops on a variety of devices and platforms, including Windows, Windows RT, iOS, OS X and Android.

The next major version of the company’s CRM solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Fall ’13 will be available later this month.

More information can be found here;

Windows 8.1 Enterprise TechNet and MSDN

Enterprise available now …

File Name: en-gb_windows_8_1_enterprise_x64_dvd_2791100.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 48C87A991A1B6E7C1CC51AAC6CCDCE548471810C

File Name: en-gb_windows_8_1_enterprise_x86_dvd_2791526.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: FF49F12633BA25742F5B98A426371A9419A3F806

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 on TechNet & MSDN

Available now …

File Name: en_windows_8_1_x86_dvd_2707392.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 802CFCD3A411D99C097EA7E747F0B6697F9BDAC4

File Name: en_windows_8_1_x64_dvd_2707217.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: BC2F7FF5C91C9F0F8676E39E703085C65072139B

File Name: en_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707946.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: B6F063436056510357CB19CB77DB781ED9C11DF3

File Name: en_windows_storage_server_2012_r2_and_windows_server_2012_r2_foundation_x64_dvd_2708426.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: E3F320EACACFC7F2B000D3E6B02872133BCA547C

File Name: en_microsoft_hyper-v_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2708236.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 1EEC2EE8DD77E8EB970B210C9B0E01986D7210DD

Outlook Web App delegated access.

The ability to delegate access to your inbox or calendar has historically been limited to the desktop version of Microsoft Outlook until today.  Office 365 users will soon have the ability to delegate folder permissions within Outlook Web App (OWA).

More information can be found here; there are a few limitations such as sending emails on behalf-of as this comes from the delegate email address.  Some nice touches around calendar access and notifications.

The Inside Story of Microsoft’s Nokia Deal

An interesting series of events are outlined in the following article from allthingsd.com about how the Microsoft Nokia deal was agreed.

Xbox One to Launch on November 22, 2013

The CPU from 1.6GHZ to 1.75GHZ, roughly a 10% increase in CPU performance.  This is on top of the 6% increase we previously announced for the GPU. 

More information can be found here;