Monday 20 July 2009

Office 2008 for Mac Sp2 & Document Connection for SharePoint

Microsoft's MacBU today released Office 2008 for Mac SP2. Try it by downloading from here, http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx. It's listed in the right hand pane titled 'Newest' as of today (20 July 2009).

Along with the usual performance boosts Microsoft have added much requested features, one being Document Connection to improve working with SharePoint and Live WorkSpace.

The press release is here, http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/jul09/07-20MacOfficeSP2PR.mspx?rss_fdn=Press%20Releases.
The Register have a piece on it here, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/20/mac_office_service_pack_two/

Oh, don't touch this if you are doing anything with Entourage EWS Beta or you’ll have to use OWA.

Daniel Noakes

 

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Friday 17 July 2009

Exchange 2010 Installation Tips

If you have installed Exchange 2010, then you have no doubt come across a few hurdles. Here are my top tips.

Open the command prompt (best to “Run as Administrator”) and use the syntax ServerManagerCMD –ip Exchange-ROLE.xml to install the the roles and features required for each server.

(Right click Save Target As / Save Link As on above files.)

You may need to set the NetTcpPortSharing service to Automatic and start it.

Install the pre-requisites applications on all Exchange 2010 servers.

Now go ahead and run the GUI installer (best to “Run as Administrator”).

Once the first Exchange 2010 CAS is installed hop over to your Exchange 2007 CAS and MBX servers and add the group Exchange Trusted Subsystem to the local administrators group.

Leave the Windows Firewall On, during the installation this should be configured correctly.

I hope this information helps.

Daniel

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Wednesday 15 July 2009

Nokia N97 review - ActiveSync, Applications and you can make calls too.

So everyone is drinking the iPhone koolaid, I even have an Apple iPod - but traditionally i've always gone for Nokia phones. Notably I love the Symbian OS and the fact you can install Apps on your mobile from any Developer.

Choosing my new phone has been no different, except I have read wildy varied reviews on the Nokia N97 - but I still decided to take the plunge.

After using it for 24 hours I am seriously impressed. Activesync works like a charm - and Administrator enforced Mobile policies are enforced - for example I had to agree to put a 5 digit lock code with 15 minute timeout on my N97 (forced from policy) before I could sync. Sync'ing in the latest release of Mail for Exchange is great and all bugs from previous versions appear to have been ironed out. You still cannot see other folders than your inbox but hopefully this will be resolved in a future update.

I haven't got a Symbian S60 emulator so if you need detailed instructions on setting up your N97 check:

http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/setting-mail-exchange-nokia-n97


I should also note that the N97 version of Activesync supports Autodiscover so it can grab all your Activesync details and you just need to enter your username and password.

There are some other useful default Apps too.

Qik - this allows you to stream video from your mobile in real time over the Internet, very very cool.

BBC iPlayer - again very cool, catch up on missed TV on this App designed for the N97.

Facebook - again honed for the Nokia phone. I found it particularly interested you can snap a pic when in the Applications and immediately tag, name and then upload into a photo album of your choice. Great feature.

Nokia appears to be countering the iTunes store with Ovi.

Ovi has a great intuitive 'App bar' across the top of the screen that allows you to swipe your finger and move through Recommened, Games, Audio and Video and Personal.

It obviously hasn't got the pace or support of iTunes yet but it appears to be trying hard to do just that.

The ultimate feature is that the N97 can be used as a VOIP phone, with full SIP connectivity support, you could use it as an OCS phone and really work from anywhere!


Oliver Moazzezi

MVP - Exchange Server

Steve Ballmer talks up SaaS

Read it here:


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/14/balmer_tough_love/


My thoughts:

The cloud is the future in some respects, and Microsoft has to compete against the 'cloud' competitors such as Google. I firmly believe Microsoft can offer a better cloud portfolio than any other provider to boot.

Where does that leave SaaS Providers - the intermedias, USA.Nets and Cobwebs of this sector?

Well we simply all have to offer what Microsoft does - and more. This isn't as hard to do as one might initially predict. Offering tight integration with non Microsoft products to Customers is a real win, something Microsoft aren't tradtiononally doing. Offering more personal bespoke solutions, Account Managers to a Customer that Microsoft wouldn't, and fine tuning what a Customer wants all the way to personalizing their Backup routines and custom integration into their on-premise AD's - this is where we will all excel.



Oliver Moazzezi

MVP - Exchange Server