Leitura de fim-de-semana

• The Impact of Windows Server 2008 on Exchange Server Environments
• Exchange backups on Windows Server 2008
• Performance of Exchange Server 2007 in a Fault Tolerant Virtual Machine
• How to Install Exchange 2007 Service Pack 2 on Windows Essential Business Server 2008
• You cannot install Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 2 on a Windows Small Business Server 2008-based computer
• Now's the time to get serious about Exchange 2010
• Multiple Exchange Accounts in Outlook 2010
• Some Thoughts on FBA (part 2)
• Why Aren’t My Exchange Certificates Validating?
• Exchange 2010 RC: Quick Installation Guide
• Configuring Exchange 2007 to Accept Email for Additional Domain
• Exchange Details Templates
• Exchange 2007 SP2 New Feature - VSS Plug-in
• How I install Exchange 2010 RC on Windows 2008 R2
• Exchange 2007 SP2 Released, Adds PowerShell v2 and Exchange 2010 Support
• Archive Mailbox In Exchange 2010…
• Diagnostic Logging In Exchange 2007 SP2 EMC…
• Bulk Editing In 2010 EMC…
• Phone List AD GAL update utility – An alternate to bulk imports
• Setting the Out of Office (OOF) with powershell and the EWS Managed API
• Configuring and Managing Mailbox Database in Exchange server 2010-Part 1
• Back in Bla…er…Blog! And, a little Exchange Archiving too.
• White Paper: Configuration and Mailbox Access Auditing for Exchange 2007 Organizations
• Configuring Edge Transport Server Without Edge Synchronization (Part 4)
• Using Safelist Aggregation (PART 2)
• Name that Port, Powershell Style!
• How to Create Custom Error Notifications for IP Block List Providers in Exchange 2007
• Exchange 2010 and Exchange 2007 Reach Milestones
• Announcing the release of Service Pack 2 for Exchange Server 2007!
• Tell us what you think: Silverlight for Exchange management UI?

Algumas notas sobre o Exchange Server 2007 SP2

O tão aguardado Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 2 está finalmente disponível para download. São muitas as novidades, mas gostaria de destacar 2 delas:

• Suporte ao Exchange Server 2010: o SP2 é um pré-requisito à instalação do Exchange Server 2010 numa organização já existente de Exchange Server 2007.
• Suporte ao Windows Server 2008 Backup: finalmente é possível efectuar cópias de segurança (VSS) ao Exchange Server 2007, utilizando a ferramenta de backup que acompanha o Windows Server 2008.

Aqui fica uma lista com as principais novidades do Exchange Server 2007 SP2, retirada do blog You Had Me At EHLO:

• Enhanced Auditing - New Exchange auditing events and audit log repository enable Exchange administrators to more easily audit the activities occurring on their Exchange servers. It allows the right balance of granularity, performance, and easy access to audited events via a dedicated audit log repository. This simplifies the auditing process and makes review of audited events easier by segregating audited events in a dedicated location.
• Exchange Volume Snapshot Backup Functionality - A new backup plug-in has been added to the product that will enable customers to create Exchange backups when a backup is invoked through the Windows Server 2008 Backup tool. Exchange Server 2007 didn't have this capability on Windows Server 2008 and additional solutions were required to perform this task.
• Dynamic Active Directory Schema Update and Validation - The dynamic AD schema update and validation feature allows for future schema updates to be dynamic deployed as well as proactively preventing conflicts whenever a new property is added to the AD schema. Once this capability is deployed it will enable easier management of future schema updates and will prevent support issues when adding properties that don't exist in the AD schema.
• Public Folder Quota Management - SP2 enables a consistent way to manage quotas by improving the current PowerShell cmdlets to perform quota management tasks.
• Centralized Organizational Settings - SP2 introduces new PowerShell option that enable centralized management of many of the Exchange organization settings.
• Named Properties cmdlets - SP2 enables Exchange administrators to monitor their named property usage per database.
• New User Interface for Managing Diagnostic Logging- SP2 enables Exchange administrators to easily configure and manage diagnostic logging from within the Exchange Management Console.

Antes de instalar o Exchange Server 2007 SP2 aconselho vivamente a leitura das release notes.
Aqui ficam algumas notas pessoais resultantes da minha experiência de instalação:

• O Windows Installer version 4.5 é um pré-requisito para a instalação do Exchange 2007 SP2 (o Windows Server 2008 SP2 inclui o Windows Installer 4.5). Depois da instalação do Windows Installer 4.5, é necessário reiniciar o servidor.
  
• O Setup Wizard valida se o Windows Installer 4.5 está ou não instalado. Em caso negativo, o seguinte erro aparecerá: 
  
  
• Como ainda estava a utilizar o Windows 2008 SP1, decidi instalar o SP2. Depois do setup do Windows 2008 SP2 ter terminado, lancei a instalação do Exchange SP2. Foi com alguma surpresa que constatei que mais um reboot era necessário: 
  
  
• As “release notes” mencionam que o schema da AD deverá ser previamente preparado em 2 ocasiões:
      a) num in-place upgrade da versão beta do Exchange 2007 SP2
      b) na 1ª instalação do Exchange 2007 SP2 numa organização 
  No meu caso (cenário b), quando instalei o SP2 pela 1ª vez, o assistente de instalação fez todo o trabalho por mim, conforme se pode comprovar nas seguintes figuras: 
  
  
  
• Aqui fica um screenshot do meu servidor com o SP2, a versão é agora a 8.2 (Build 176.2). Atenção que eu não segui a ordem de instalação recomendada: CAS > UM > Hub > Edge > Mailbox!
  

Links Relacionados:

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) Release Notes
• What's New in Exchange Server 2007 SP2
• System requirements for Exchange Server 2007 SP2

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• As Exchange Grows Up, It Plays More Strategic Role
• Exchange Server 2007: Doing a cross-forest migration with your hands tied behind your back
• DL Management from Outlook
• Review of the Outlook 2010 Object Model
• Announcing the Release Candidate of Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server
• Meeting Requests with a Preview of your Calendar
• Yahoo! Revives Pay Per Email Model to Fight Spam
• OWA- Exchange Control Panel (ECP) – Part1 RBAC
• OWA- Exchange Control Panel (ECP) – Part2 features
• Tarpitting in Exchange 2007
• Released: Exchange 2010 Release Candidate
• OWA got a name change in Exchange 2010
• Exchange 2007 Memory usage and helpful troubleshooting tips
• Remove OWA Directories in Exchange 07 for re-creating them
• Exchange 2007 installed on Domain Controller
• The DSProxy dll is required but cannot be loaded, error 'c00700c
• Using Disclaimer in Exchange Server 2010
• Using Safelist Aggregation (PART 1)
• Name that Port!
• Exchange 2007 SP1 / Windows 2008 – How to recover a deleted VCO…
• Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate Available Today!
• Exchange 2010 Release Candidate - The technical details you need to know!
• Spotlight on Exchange 2010: Receiving faxes using Exchange 2010 Unified Messaging
• Hungry for More Info on Exchange 2010? Try some Learning Snacks!

Visio stencils for IT Pro posters

Como é que eu não reparei nisto mais cedo??? Há séculos que andava à procura deste stencil de Visio!!!!

Estão a ver aquelas figuras de Visio “simplificadas” que aparecem muito na documentação técnica da Microsoft? Pois bem, estão disponíveis para download, o conjunto chama-se Visio stencils for IT Pro posters.

Overview
Download this zip file of Microsoft Office Visio stencils to create your own diagrams for models of server deployments. For examples of how the IT pro content publishing team for Microsoft Office used these shapes, see these pages:

• Supplemental documentation for Office Project Server
• Technical diagrams and other supplemental documentation for Office SharePoint Server
• Supplemental documentation for Windows SharePoint Services

Instructions
Download and uncompress .zip file

1. Download the .zip file by clicking Download.
2. Find the downloaded file on your computer.
3. Decompress the .zip file to the folder C:\Users\User_Name\Documents\My Shapes, where User_Name is your Windows user name .

The .zip file contains the following files:

• UAflowcart.vss
• UAscripting.vss
• UAsymbols-callouts.vss
• UAsymbols-grayscale.vss
• UAsymbols-orangehighlight.vss
• UAsymbols-primary.vss

Open stencils in Visio

1. Open Visio.
2. Create a new drawing.
3. On the File menu, click Shapes, point to My Shapes, and then click one of the files listed above.
4. Repeat for all six files.
5. If you want these shape stencils to open whenever you create this kind of drawing, you can save the drawing as a template.

TechNet Magazine – Setembro 2009

A edição de Setembro da TechNet Magazine já está disponível para leitura online ou, se preferirem, podem fazer download em formato  HTML Help (ficheiro .chm) para consulta posterior.

O tema da capa deste número é o System Center e a orquestração do Datacenter. Claro que não podiam faltar algumas das habituais pérolas de Exchange Server, como é o caso da coluna Exchange Q&A: A Second Look at Exchange 2010 Features and Improvements.

Do que é que estão à espera? O Exchange Server 2010 RC já chegou!

Boas notícias para todos os fãs de Exchange! O Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate já está disponível para download desde ontem.

Overview
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate helps IT Professionals achieve new levels of reliability with greater flexibility, enhanced user experiences, and increased protection for business communications.

• Flexible and reliable - Exchange Server 2010 gives you the flexibility to tailor your deployment based on your company's unique needs and a simplified way to keep e-mail continuously available for your users.
• Anywhere access - Exchange Server 2010 helps your users get more done by giving them the freedom to securely access all their communications - e-mail, voice mail, instant messaging, and more - from virtually any platform, Web browser, or device.
• Protection and compliance - Exchange Server 2010 delivers integrated information loss prevention, and compliance tools aimed at helping you simplify the process of protecting your company's communications and meeting regulatory requirements.

This software is intended for evaluation purposes only. You must accept the license terms before you are authorized to use the software. There is no product support for this trial software. You are welcome to participate in the forums to share your trial experiences with others and to ask for advice.

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2008; Windows Server 2008 R2; Windows Vista

• Operating System for Installing Management Tools: The 64-bit editions of Windows Vista® SP2 or later, or Windows Server® 2008 SP2.
• PC: x64 architecture-based computer with Intel processor that supports Intel 64 architecture (formerly known as Intel EM64T) or AMD processor that supports the AMD64 platform.

Additional requirements to run Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate

• Memory - Minimum of 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM per server plus 5 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended for each mailbox
• Disk space
  • At least 1.2 GB on the drive used for installation
  • An additional 500 MB of available disk space for each Unified Messaging (UM) language pack that you plan to install
  • 200 MB of available disk space on the system drive
• Drive - DVD-ROM drive, local or network accessible
• File format - Disk partitions formatted as NTFS filing systems
• Monitor - Screen resolution 800 x 600 pixels or higher

Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate Prerequisites
If these required prerequisites are not already installed, the Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate setup process will prompt and provide links to the installation locations; Internet access will be required if the prerequisites are not already installed or available on a local network.

• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
• Windows PowerShell v2.0

Actual requirements will vary based on system configuration and specific features installed. For more detailed system requirements, please refer to the Exchange Server 2010 Technical Documentation Library. For a list of Windows Server 2008 requirements, visit http://technet.microsoft.com/windowsserver/2008.

Links Relacionados:

• Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate Available Today!
• Exchange 2010 Release Candidate - The technical details you need to know!
• Microsoft Exchange 2010 hits final beta
• Exchange 2010 RC download glitch fixed

Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server RC

A Microsoft disponibilizou recentemente o Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server Release Candidate.

Brief Description
Microsoft Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server provides fast and effective protection against malware and spam by including multiple scanning engines from industry-leading security partners. It also integrates with Forefront Online Security for Exchange to provide the defense-in-depth benefits of hosted and on-premise filtering in a single solution.

Overview
Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server provides fast and effective detection of viruses, worms, spyware, and spam by integrating multiple scanning engines from industry-leading security partners. Its comprehensive messaging protection also prevents out-of-policy content from entering or leaving your network using content filtering. Through integration with Exchange Server and core Microsoft infrastructure technologies, Forefront Security 2010 for Exchange Server provides high performance, easily customized antivirus and antispam optimized for Exchange environments. It also integrates with Forefront Online Security for Exchange to provide the defense-in-depth benefits of hosted and on-premise filtering in a single solution.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Microsoft Exchange 2010 beta 1: Review
• When OWA's default configurations aren't good enough
• Obtaining and verifying SSL certificates in Exchange Server
• Configuring and managing the Pickup Directory-Part 2
• Outlook 2007 Programming Bug – Adding Categories
• Mailbox Permissions: Pulling Back the Curtain...
• New update of the Forefront Server Security and Antigen documentation on TechNet
• Introducing MailTips
• Outlook for Mac to Ship With Next Version
• Understanding Blocklist Providers
• Configuring Message and Mailbox Limits in Exchange 2007
• Uncovering the new Exchange 2007 SP2 Volume Snapshot (VSS) Plug-in (Part 2)
• Moving from MDaemon to Exchange Server 2003/2007 (Part 6)
• Preventing Exchange Activesync Direct Push when roaming
• An additional consideration for Exchange log file drive sizing…
• Exchange 2007 SP1 - /recoverCMS and version errors.
• I accidentally deleted an Exchange 2007 clustered resource…what should I do?
• Exchange 2010: Changes to Fax Handling

Microsoft Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition

O Microsoft Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition saiu de Beta e já pode ser descarregado a partir do Microsoft Download Center.

Brief Description
To take advantage of the latest innovations that Exchange 2007 has to offer, Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition uses Exchange Web Services to communicate with Exchange Server. In this update, Entourage uses Exchange Web Services to provide several calendaring improvements. The update includes support for notes, tasks, and category synchronization with the Exchange Server.

Overview
Microsoft Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition uses Exchange Web Services as the primary protocol to communicate with Exchange Server. In addition to several calendaring improvements, this new version of Entourage synchronizes notes, tasks, and categories with Exchange Server. This update also enables logging that can be used for diagnostic purposes. For detailed information about this update, see the IT Pros section of the Microsoft Web site.
Applies to: Office 2008, Entourage 2008, Office 2008 Special Media Edition.

Instructions
To install this update
Caution If you want to go back to the earlier version of Entourage after you install Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition, you have to remove the complete Office 2008 application.

1. Print this page if you want to use it as a reference when you are offline.
2. Quit any applications that are running, including all Office applications, Microsoft Messenger, and Office Notifications, because they might interfere with installation.
3. Make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements.
4. Click Download, or click the link for the language version that you want.
5. Follow the instructions on the screen to save the file to your hard disk. If you are using Safari, the downloaded file is saved to the desktop unless you specified a different location in the Preferences dialog box of Safari. To check your preferences, on the Safari menu, click Preferences, and then click General.
6. Double-click the file that you downloaded in step 5 to put the Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition Update on your desktop, and then double-click the Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition Update to open it. This step might have been performed for you.
7. In the Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition Update window, follow the instructions on the screen to start the installation process.

Note You cannot run Entourage 2008 for Mac and Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition, on the same computer. Also, during the installation process, your Entourage 2008 identity is not imported or upgraded automatically for use with Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition. You must import from the existing identity. When you first launch the new version of Entourage, you will have the option to import your existing Entourage 2008 identity. For detailed information about this update, see the IT Pros section of the Microsoft Web site.

To remove this update
Quit all applications before you run Remove Office. Also, you must have administrative credentials on the computer to remove Office.

1. Open/username/Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Additional Tools/Remove Office/, and then double-click Remove Office.
2. Follow the instructions to remove Office.
3. On the Finder menu, click Empty Trash.

If you want to reinstall an earlier version of Office 2008 for Mac, you have to reinstall the complete Office 2008 suite from the Office 2008 for Mac disk. You will also have to import your Entourage 2008 identity from the archived Entourage 2008 database. You cannot use your Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition identity with the earlier version of Office 2008 for Mac.

Recursos Técnicos de certificados SAN

Embora os certificados SAN não sejam uma tecnologia propriamente recente, não posso deixar de pensar que os lançamentos do Exchange Server 2007 e do Office Communications Server 2007 trouxeram este tipo de certificados para as luzes da ribalta.

Como algumas pessoas ainda encaram os certificados SAN como bichos de sete cabeças, a comunidade técnica está permanentemente a publicar novos documentos e a desenvolver ferramentas bastante úteis que permitem simplificar as tarefas de criação e gestão deste tipo de certificados.

Recentemente, enquanto lia os blogs Pro-Exchange e TelnetPORT25, deparei-me com estes 2 fantásticos recursos técnicos sobre o tema que gostaria agora de partilhar com toda a gente:

• The Shortcut Guide to Subject Alternative Name Certificates - The Shortcut Guide to Subject Alternative Name Certificates provides information about SAN certificates to show how they can be used in a variety of technologies. These special certificates allow multiple hosts to use the same certificate, avoiding the costs of obtaining, deploying, and managing multiple nearly-identical certificates. This guide will explore what SAN certificates are, how they work, and how they can help you deploy server farms more efficiently. You may even discover that you already have SAN certificates available that can be put to good use with no additional expense!
  
• Exchange 2007 CSR Portable SAN Generation Tool - For many of us, we are just looking for a simple means to create an SSL certificate for our Client Access Servers which the DigiCert tool certainly offers, however – if like me you find (or found) yourself in the position where you have no direct access to the Internet from the Client Access Server (either for security reasons, or you are working on a machine with no web connection) you will have to remember the PS1 command syntax to generate the CSR. For situations like the above I decided to write the Exchange 2007 SAN CSR Generator which is a small Application based around the .NET 2.0 Framework which fits quite nicely on a USB pen or other media that you might use during the course of your Exchange endeavours.

ACTUALIZADO: Ferramentas de migração de Lotus Notes para Exchange 2003

A Microsoft actualizou algumas das suas ferramentas de migração de Lotus Notes para Exchange Server 2003.

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes v.06.05.8131 - The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes supports the migration of Lotus Domino R5 and R6 mailboxes and associated Domino directory information to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory. This tool replaces the Migration Wizard that ships with Exchange Server 2003 (including SP2), and includes improved retention of contents and Unicode characters during the migration from Domino to Exchange Server 2003.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector for Lotus Notes v.06.05.8131 - The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector for Lotus Notes supports messaging and calendaring interoperability between Lotus Domino R5/R6 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory. This tool replaces the Connector that ships with Exchange Server 2003 (including SP2), and includes several updates to support better message fidelity when routing email between Exchange and Domino, support of iNotes and Domino Web Access clients, enhanced Unicode support and reliability.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Calendar Connector for Lotus Notes v.06.05.8131 - The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Calendar Connector for Lotus Notes supports the sharing of calendar free/busy schedules between Lotus Domino R5 and R6 and Exchange Server 2003. This tool replaces the Calendar Connector that ships with Exchange Server 2003 (including SP2), and is designed to be used with the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector.

Actualização do filtro Junk Email do Outlook (Agosto 2009)

Está disponível uma nova actualização para o filtro Junk E-mail do Outlook 2003/2007.

"This update provides the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook with a more current definition of which e-mail messages should be considered junk e-mail."

O download está disponível para as versões Outlook 2003 e Outlook 2007, ou através do Microsoft Update. Como é habitual, está acompanhado pelo respectivo artigo da Knowledge Base:

• Description of the Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Junk Email Filter (KB972691)
• Description of the Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB972688)

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Updating Exchange and OCS part deux
• Exchange Server 2007 support ends at Windows Server 2008
• Microsoft Exchange 2007 SP2 installation is blocked on Windows SBS 2008
• Publishing Exchange 2007 Autodisover in ISA 2006 – Part 2
• Prepare now for an upcoming change in Kaspersky Antivirus Technology
• Downloading Antigen 9.0 with SP2
• Office Web Apps complement, not replace, Office
• Why is it Really So Hard to Tackle Spam?
• Exchange 2007: OWA Themes Selection
• Back Pressure Feature In Exchange 2007 Transport Servers…
• How Offline Address Book Works In Exchange 2007…
• Conversation View In OWA 2010…
• Twitter your Exchange Calendar reminders using Powershell and the EWS Managed API
• MSExchangeFBPublish 8207 Error
• CAC Enabled Login
• The Case of the Mysterious Exchange Server Hang
• Uncovering the new Exchange 2007 SP2 Volume Snapshot (VSS) Plug-in (Part 1)
• Configuring Edge Transport Server Without Edge Synchronization (Part 3)
• Mainstream support and Extended support, how about Exchange?
• Exchange 2007 CSR Portable SAN Generation Tool…
• Exchange Partners Share Their Enthusiasm for Exchange 2010
• Service Pack 2 Preview: Get-NamedProperty