Windows HPC Server 2008 Launched By Microsoft

Microsoft India has recently introduced its latest offering in the High Performance Computing (HPC) segment with the Release to Manufacture (RTM) of Windows HPC Server 2008. The product aims to provide an easy-to-deploy, cost-effective and scalable high-performance computing solution combining its rich, out-of-the-box functionality with the capabilities of the Windows Server platform to help enhance productivity and reduce complexity of any given HPC environment.

“The success achieved by Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 in the last few years is a strong testament of our value proposition in the High Performance Computing market. We are confident that as the successor, Windows HPC Server 2008 will help us further build on this momentum by offering an easy to deploy, cost effective and scalable HPC solution for firms to leverage their existing resources and scale from workstation to cluster, all in a familiar Windows environment,” said Pallavi Kathuria, Director, Server Business Group, Microsoft India.

Based on Windows Server 2008, the solution is designed to deliver improved productivity of systems administration and cluster interoperability by dramatically simplifying the overall deployment, administration and management over the entire system lifetime while ensuring interoperability with existing systems infrastructure.

The product will enable rapid HPC application development through integration with Visual Studio 2008 with its parallel programming environment. In addition to supporting standard interfaces such as OpenMP, multiprocessor interconnect (MPI) and Web services, the solution will also support third-party numerical library providers, performance optimizers, compilers and debugging toolkits.

In India specifically, apart from the academic space, the company has experienced a great rise in the adoption curve of its HPC solutions in commercial scenarios such as Manufacturing, BFSI and Media & Entertainment.

The HPC solution will be available to Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and computer manufacturers for final distribution. Evaluation copies of Windows HPC Server 2008 are now available for download on the company’s website.

Via:networkcomputing.in/Server-018Nov008-Microsoft-Introduces-the-Windows-HPC-Server-008.aspx

Can Windows 7 overcome Vista driver woes?

Microsoft has revealed some staggering figures showing how often driver installations fail in Vista.

Microsoft is hoping for zero hardware install problems when Windows 7 finally hits the market, but is that really realistic when more than 10% of printer drivers for Vista are still failing to work properly?

However, Microsoft's own internal evidence shows that not everything is working that well in Vista. In a presentation on how to build drivers more effectively in collaboration with Microsoft, senior program manager lead Chris Matichuk disclosed rarely-seen figures from Microsoft's own internal systems that collect data on how Vista performs, principally its Online Crash Analysis and Customer Experience Improvement Program schemes. The data, which covers attempted driver installations for Vista SP1 users during September 2008, shows that in many categories, a significant number of users are still having problems even getting their hardware to work properly.



The biggest embarrassment category is printers, where more than 10% of installations failed. For Windows 7, Microsoft is hoping its new integrated approach in Windows 7 to device management will allow more successful installations of multi-function printers, which in Vista often show up as multiple devices. However, if a tenth of them don't show up at all, there's clearly some more fundamental work to be done.

Modems, though utilised by far fewer people, were also a major source of problems, with 8.64% failing to install. (I'd hazard a guess that 3G broadband modems, which are notoriously fickle under Vista, are a big part of the problem here.)

"Typically, anything above 3% is not good," Matichuk conceded. "If you look at printers for example, we've got some gaps we need to work through."

Another major challenge for Microsoft is getting more 64-bit drivers released. 64-bit versions of Vista now account for 25% of new system sales in the US, though the global figures are much lower. The performance improvements of the 64-bit version have been somewhat offset by a lack of drivers. Microsoft's own research suggests that while 92% of 32-bit Vista systems could find core drivers in the OS or online, for 64-bit systems the figure is just 83%.

Getting vendors to agree to make drivers available through Windows Update had also proved a time consuming process, and one that doesn't always succeed. Currently for Vista, there are more than 8,000 messages in place in Windows Update pointing users to third-party sources because the drivers can't be incorporated into Microsoft's own update technology. "We're continuing to add approximately 50 a week," Matichuk said.

Despite those challenges, Matichuk remains hopeful that driver nirvana can be reached. "Imagine that once the OS gets released right out of the box, devices just work. We need to nail this for Windows 7."

The most crucial moment for achieving that goal may have already passed, though. Matichuk suggested that drivers included as part of Microsoft's Inbox program, and thus in the core OS at installation, would already need to be present in the pre-beta in order to ensure widespread compatibility. "Ultimately, you need those drivers into the beta build." Other device manufacturers could ensure a successful installation by making their drivers online via Windows Update, he said.

Source: apcmag.com/can_windows_7_overcome_vista_driver_woes.htm

Ten Surprises in Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2003 felt like a refresh of Windows Server 2000. There were few radical changes, and most of the improvements were fairly under the surface.

Windows Server 2008, on the other hand, is a full-sized helping of 'new and improved'. While the overall package is good, there are a few surprises and hidden delights you may want to know about before deciding if you will be moving to Windows Server 2008 any time soon.

1. The 64-bit revolution is not complete:-

There have been 64-bit editions of Windows Server for years now, and Microsoft has made it quite clear that it wants all of its customers to move to 64-bit operating systems.

That does not mean that you can throw away your 32-bit Windows Server 2008 CD, however.

Over the last few months, I have been shocked, on more than one occasion, by the pieces of Microsoft software that not only do not have 64-bit versions but will not run under a 64-bit operating system (OS) at all. This list includes Team Foundation Server and ISA Server.

If you are planning on moving to 64-bit Windows Server 2008, be prepared to have a 32-bit server or two around, whether on physical hardware or in a virtual machine.

2. Who moved my cheese?

While the changes to the user interface in Windows Server 2008 are not nearly as sweeping as those implemented by the Aero interface in Vista, it has undergone a dramatic rearrangement and renaming of the various applets around the system.

In retrospect, the organisation of these items is much more sensible, but that hardly matters when you have years of experience going to a particular area to find something, only to find it has suddenly changed places. Expect to be a bit frustrated in the Control Panel until you get used to it.

3. Windows Workstation 2008 might catch on

Microsoft has provided the ability to bring the 'Vista desktop experience' into Windows Server 2008.

I doubt that many server administrators were asking for this, but the unusual result is that a number of people are modifying Windows Server 2008 to be as close to a desktop OS as possible.

There have always been a few people who use the server edition of Windows as a desktop, but this makes it much easier and friendlier. These home-brewed efforts are generally referred to as 'Windows Workstation 2008', in case you're interested in trying it out on your own.

4. Hyper-V is good, but…

Hyper-V was one of the most anticipated features of Windows Server 2008, and it's surprisingly good, particularly for a version-one release from Microsoft.

It is stable, easy to install and configure, and does not seem to have any major problems.

For those of us who have been beaten into the 'wait until the third version' or 'don't install until Service Pack 1' mentality, this is a refreshing surprise.

5. …Hyper-V is limited

Hyper-V, while high-quality, is sorely lacking in features.

Considering that it was billed as a real alternative to VMware and other existing solutions, it is a disappointment — to say the least — that it does not seem to include any utilities for importing virtual machines from products other than Virtual PC and Virtual Server. Even those imports are not workaround-free.

6. NT 4 domain migration — it's not happening

If you have been putting off the painful migration from your NT 4 domain until Windows Server 2008 was released, don't keep waiting.

The older version (3.0) Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) supports migrations from NT 4, but not to Windows Server 2008.

The latest version (3.1) supports migrations to Windows Server 2008, but not from NT 4.

Either migrate from NT 4 before changing your domain to be a Windows 2008 domain or get your NT 4 domain upgraded first.

7. The ashtrays are now optional

In prior versions of Windows Server, a lot of applications came installed by default.

No-one ever uninstalled them because they didn't cause any harm, even if you didn't use them or installed an alternative.

Now, even the 'throwaway' applications, like Windows Backup, are not installed by default.

After installation, you need to add features to get the full Windows Server suite of applications. This can be frustrating if you are in a hurry, but the reduced clutter and resource overhead are worth it.

8. Licensing is bewildering

Continuing a hallowed Microsoft tradition, trying to understand the licensing terms of Windows Server 2008 feels like hammering nails with your forehead.

The Standard Edition makes sense, but when you get into the issues around virtualisation in the Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition, things can get a bit confusing.

Depending upon your need for virtual machines and the number of physical CPUs (not CPU cores, thankfully) in your server, Enterprise Edition may be cheaper or it may be more expensive than Datacenter Edition.

9. There's no bloat

Maybe it's because Vista set expectations of pain, or because hardware has become so much cheaper, but Windows Server 2008 does not feel bloated or slow at all.

Microsoft has done a pretty good job at minimising the installed feature set to the bare minimum, and Server Core can take that even further.

Depending upon your needs, it can be quite possible to upgrade even older equipment to Windows Server 2008 without needing to beef up the hardware.

10. Quality beats expectations

Microsoft customers have developed low expectations of quality over the years.

While the company's track record for initial releases, in terms of security holes and bug counts, seems to be improving, customers are still howling about Vista.

As a result, it has come as a real surprise that the overall reaction to Windows Server 2008 has been muted, to say the least. The horror stories are not flying around like they were, and are, with Vista.

Maybe it's the extra year Microsoft spent working on the product, or different expectations on the part of people who work with servers, but Windows Server 2008 has had a pretty warm reception so far. That speaks a lot about its quality.

Source:resources.zdnet.co.uk/articles/features/0,1000002000,39486976-2,00.htm

what process is using a TCP port in Windows Server 2008

You may find yourself frequently going to network tools to determine traffic patterns from one server to another; Windows Server 2008 can allow you to get that information locally on its connections. You can combine the netstat and tasklist commands to determine what process is using a port on the Windows Server.

The following command will show what network traffic is in use at the port level:

Netstat -a -n -o

The -o parameter will display the associated process identifier (PID) using the port. This command will produce an output similar to what is in Figure A.



With the PIDs listed in the netstat output, you can follow up with the Windows Task Manager (taskmgr.exe) or run a script with a specific PID that is using a port from the previous step. You can then use the tasklist command with the specific PID that corresponds to a port in question. From the previous example, ports 5800 and 5900 are used by PID 1812, so using the tasklist command will show you the process using the ports. Figure B shows this query.



This identifies VNC as the culprit to using the port. While a quick Google search on ports could possibly obtain the same result, this procedure can be extremely helpful when you’re trying to identify a viral process that may be running on the Windows Server.

Source:blogs.techrepublic.com.com/datacenter/?p=453

Small Business Vista Support Deal Extended

Microsoft is extending an offer giving free support to small businesses that upgrade to Vista. The deal will now run to the end of the year, with support offered until 31 January.

The offer, marketed as Small Business Assurance, was originally set to expire at the end of September. It’s not clear why Microsoft is extending the deal; in the FAQ section on its website about the offer, it appears to have simply changed the date in the question about why there’s a time limit in the first place. The answer still doesn’t get particularly specific:

Windows Vista Small Business Assurance is designed to help our small business customers make the transition to Windows Vista today. As Windows XP availability begins to wind down, we want small businesses to know we’re behind them to provide special support during this transition period.

The scope of the deal remains unchanged: it’s still limited to US companies with a maximum of 25 PCs or 50 employees, and is still telephone support only.

Most significantly, the deal still only applies to the Business and Ultimate editions of Vista. As we reported last week, while three-quarters of home users have opted for the Premium edition, a surprising 57% of ‘low-end business PCs’ are now running the Home Basic edition.

From Microsoft’s perspective, these aren’t buyers who need to be talked into buying Vista; instead the key to increased revenue is making sure they opt for the more expensive flavors. Keeping the support deal exclusive to the upscale editions could theoretically sway the smallest of businesses.

The problem with this logic is that there’s a good chance businesses running Home Basic do so because they want to keep both hardware and software costs down, so simply don’t have the computing power to reap any benefits from the small business or Ultimate editions. And in any case, there’s still the risk that making free support seem such an important bonus simply draws attention to the problems buyers perceive they might get in running Vista.

Source:vista.blorge.com/2008/10/13/small-business-vista-support-deal-extended/

Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2: Powering Small Businesses

Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 (SBS 2003 R2) is an update release to the award-winning SBS 2003 product, providing new features to address the growing needs of small businesses.

• Benefits of SBS 2003 R2
• Get the "Green Check" of Software Health with SBS 2003 R2
• How Can You Get SBS 2003 R2?
• Learn More
  

Why Do You Need SBS 2003 R2?

Keep Your Business Up and Running: SBS 2003 R2 helps secure your network, keep it up and running, and protect your business information, allowing you to spend more time focusing on your business and less time and money on technology issues.

Do More with Less: SBS 2003 R2 offers the technology and tools to help you run your business more efficiently, improve employee productivity, and reduce costs.

Connect with Customers: SBS 2003 R2 helps you communicate in new ways and take better care of your customers by providing tools that help you stay more connected, look and interact more professionally, and manage your customer relationships more effectively.

Get the "Green Check" of Software Health with SBS 2003 R2

SBS 2003 R2 delivers all the current product benefits plus new features, including:

The "green check" of software health indicates that your computers running Microsoft software are up to date or the daily report details actions necessary for attaining "green check" status.

Simplified update management to keep your PCs and servers current with the latest updates, enhancing the security of your network, so you can have peace of mind.

Improved e-mail productivity: increased mailbox limits from 16 gigabytes (GB) to 75 GB, so you can get more from your e-mail communications.

Reduced costs and increased flexibility through expanded client access license (CAL) rights: SBS 2003 R2 entitles you to access additional servers in your network (Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup, Microsoft Windows Server), saving you money and offering you more flexibility in growth.

How Can You Get SBS 2003 R2?

SBS 2003 R2 is available through original equipment manufacturers (OEM), system builders, resellers and select retailers. Microsoft Partners, especially Microsoft Small Business Specialists, are trained to help.
For Existing Customers

Customers with SBS 2003 can take advantage of the following programs:

SBS customers with Software Assurance are able to obtain SBS 2003 R2 without purchasing a new server license1 for a nominal shipping and handling fee.

SBS customers without Software Assurance are able to purchase a version upgrade SKU via retail, which will enable them to cost-effectively upgrade from any previous version of SBS (4.0, 4.5, 2000, 2003) to SBS 2003 R2. Learn more.

Source:microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/r2/default.mspx

Trend Micro: Don’t buy antivirus software

Trend Micro’s consumer security product manager has recommend people not to buy antivirus products, including his own. But there is a method to his madness, he assures.

David Peterson, consumer segment director for Trend Micro’s ANZ business, said only a handful of the top 10 security threats these days are viruses, with downloaders, Trojans, keyloggers and phishing scams filling up the list.

As such, he believes standalone AV software is best suited for infrequent users of the internet such as dial up users, or those who want protection from nasties on USB keys.

He said standalone AV products are there because the market demands it. “I wish they wouldn’t. I don’t recommend buying antivirus products,” he said, referring to Trend Micro’s and its competitor’s products.

What is important is complete protection. “You are better off get Internet security suites,” he said.

Peterson has support.

“Trend is correct,” said Neil MacDonald, vice president and Gartner Fellow.

“Standalone AV is no longer sufficient for protecting endpoints; however, this does not mean that signature-based mechanisms don’t provide value. They just don’t provide the value they used to and the vendors haven’t adjusted pricing models to reflect the diminished effectiveness of standalone AV,” he said. “The ideal endpoint security product is an endpoint security platform that provides organizations with a variety of styles of protection for endpoints – firewalls, AV, anti-spyware, application control, device control, behavioral monitoring and so on. This enables organizations to pick and choose the styles of protection appropriate to the endpoint – which will likely be different combination for desktops, laptops and servers. Even among severs this will vary by role. “AV is just component of the endpoint security platform.”

Trend Micro joins a swag of security companies to release security suites this month. It’s claims Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security Pro 2009 is significantly faster than last year’s effort. Others released in September include BitDefender Total Security 2009 and BullGuard Internet Security 8.5.

Source:arnnet