IT's Showtime

O IT’s Showtime é um dos principais recursos do Programa TechNet onde podem encontrar vídeos (em alta resolução) com apresentações feitas pelos melhores especialistas em TI.
Recentemente foram disponibilizadas 4 sessões do evento Techdays 2005 que decorreu em Novembro do ano passado, em Lisboa. Entre estas podemos encontrar 2 sobre Exchange:

• Exchange Server: Presente e Futuro: Scott Schnoll, Troy Zaboukos e Miguel Teixeira
• Acesso ao Exchange Server através do Seu Dispositivo Móvel: Scott Schnoll

Para quem não sabe, a última foi uma estreia a nível mundial. Boa Scott ;-)

WAVE 2007 - Hands-on Labs

A Microsoft Portugal tem o prazer de convidar a participar na primeira formação prática integrada sobre o Office system de 2007, Exchange Server 2007 e Windows Vista. Ao longo de três dias, os participantes terão a oportunidade de assistir e participar em apresentações e laboratórios técnicos, que permitirão um contacto directo com as futuras versões, assim como uma preparação intensiva para que possam rapidamente endereçar novas soluções de negócio.

Office system
O Office system de 2007 é um ecossistema abrangente, com possibilidade de implementação de um grande número de soluções em diferentes campos da produtividade pessoal e organizacional. Torna-se portanto necessário conhecer as tecnologias que o compõem e como interagem para a construção dessas soluções. Os laboratórios práticos do Office abordarão, ao longo de um dia, áreas como a gestão de conteúdos web, a gestão documental, os portais colaborativos e o acesso e pesquisa da informação, permitindo conhecer as possibilidades do Office system ao nível técnico.

Exchange Server 2007
O Exchange Server 2007 irá revolucionar a forma de gerir uma infra-estrutura de correio electrónico robusta e fiável, disponibilizando mecanismos anti-spam e anti-vírus integrados e oferecendo aos utilizadores uma infra-estrutura de comunicação unificada e um acesso em qualquer parte ao e-mail, voicemail, calendário e contactos a partir de uma variedade de dispositivos. Ao longo de um dia de laboratórios técnicos, conheça a nova arquitectura baseada em papéis de servidor, como implementar e gerir uma organização Exchange, as inovações de segurança, combate ao Spam e conformidade, o acesso de clientes e o papel de unified messaging do Exchange Server 2007 no mundo empresarial.

Windows Vista
Participe numa antevisão do Windows Vista, onde serão apresentadas as principais novidades ao nível da administração e segurança que simplificam a gestão de redes de computadores.

• 5 de Julho (14h00 – 18h00): Windows Vista
• 6 de Julho (8h30 – 18h00): Exchange Server 2007
• 7 de Julho (8h30 – 18h00): Office system

Novos videos no blog You Had Me At EHLO

Estão disponíveis no blog da equipa de Exchange da Microsoft, You Had Me At EHLO, alguns vídeos bastante interessantes. Um deles é uma conversa com Terry Myerson, General Manager do Exchange, durante o TechEd. Para os interessados em Exchange 2007 estão igualmente disponíveis montes de demos.
Aqui ficam os links:

• Video: A TechEd 2006 talk with Terry Myerson
• A load of Exchange 2007 Beta 2 demos now available!

Technorati : exchange 2007, teched, video
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Conteúdos do Tech.Ed 2006

É certo que nós Europeus deixámos de ter Tech.Ed, em sua substituição temos agora um IT Forum alargado.
Mas para quem quiser aceder a alguns dos conteúdos do Tech.Ed 2006 dos Estados Unidos, existem alguns bastante interessantes online.
Adicionalmente, o Scott Schnoll resolveu disponibilizar 2 das suas apresentações sobre Exchange:

• Exchange Server 2003 Clustering Best Practices
• Exchange Server 2003 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts

Technorati : cluster, exchange server, teched
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E eles não param...

Sabendo que o grupo de Exchange da Microsoft é um dos mais activos no que respeita à criação de literatura técnica, não é surpresa nenhuma ver um fluxo constante de documentos a serem actualizados.
Os últimos são:

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Disaster Recovery Operations Guide
• Optimizing Storage for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003

Technorati : disaster recovery, exchange server, operations guide, storage
Del.icio.us : disaster recovery, exchange server, operations guide, storage

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Em semana de Tech.Ed nos Estados Unidos, seria de esperar mais notícias... Suponho que já não exista muito mais a dizer sobre o Exchange 2007, agora que se aproxima a Beta 2.

• OAB Generation and the 9339 event id
• Exchange - going small or large?
• Active sync, Windows mobile and certificates
• Demystifying the Local Continuous Replication (LCR) feature
• Exchange Internals How the Exchange Core Components work together
• Language Selection in Exchange 2007 OWA
• PFDAVAdmin tool version 2.6 released - great new features!
• From crush to product documentation: The story of Squeaky Lobster
• Has Motorola made a BlackBerry killer

Documentos de PowerShell e Outlook Voice Access

Foram recentemente disponibilizados novos documentos sobre PowerShell (ex-Monad) e Outlook Voice Access:

• Introduction to the Exchange Management Shell: Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 introduces a new management platform called the Exchange Management Shell, based on Microsoft Windows® PowerShell, formerly codenamed "Monad". This document outlines the key benefits that the Exchange Management Shell provides to Exchange administrators and developers, and explains how cmdlets are structured, and how data is managed.
• Quick Reference for Exchange Management Shell: Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 introduces a new management platform called the Exchange Management Shell, based on Microsoft Windows® PowerShell, formerly codenamed "Monad". This topic provides a list of many frequently used cmdlets, important conventions, and useful tips. The information is presented by feature area, such as recipient, transport, and database administration.
• Quick Reference for Outlook Voice Access: Outlook Voice Access lets UM-enabled users to access their Exchange 2007 mailbox using analog, digital, or cellular telephones. By using the menu system found in Outlook Voice Access, UM-enabled users can read e-mail, listen to voice messages, and interact with their Outlook calendar. This quick reference sheet shows the navigational tree and the options that are available to UM-enabled users when they are using Outlook Voice Access.

Technorati : powershell, exchange 2007, monad, outlook voice access
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Actualização do filtro Junk Email do Outlook (Junho 2006)

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

"This update provides the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 with a more current definition of which e-mail messages should be considered junk e-mail."

O download está disponível aqui ou através do Microsoft Update. Como é habitual, está acompanhado pelo respectivo artigo da Knowledge Base:

• Description of the Update for Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB917149)

Technorati : outlook, junk email, spam
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Vulnerabilidade do Exchange/OWA

A Microsoft publicou o boletim de segurança MS06-029 que descreve uma nova vulnerabilidade que afecta o Exchange Server 2000 e 2003. Esta falha de segurança afecta mais concretamente o Outlook Web Acess e pode permitir execução remota de código. Mais informação nos seguintes links:

• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-029
• MS06-029: Vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server could allow script injection when Exchange Server runs Outlook Web Access

Estão disponíveis os patches correctivos para o Exchange 2000 SP3, Exchange 2003 SP1 e Exchange 2003 SP2, mas atenção, a aplicação destas actualizações de segurança poderá quebrar o serviço da BlackBerry ou da GoodLink.

Technorati : exchange server, owa, security
Del.icio.us : exchange server, owa, security

Leitura de fim-de-semana

As notícias e artigos da semana:

• Microsoft Releases Antigen E-Mail Security Products
• 'You've Got Mail' -- and Ads, Courtesy of Microsoft
• Spam King Settles With Texas, Microsoft
• Choosing Exchange Hardware for Reuse
• Troubleshooting RPC over HTTPS (Part 2)
• Using the Logparser Utility to Analyze Exchange/IIS Logs
• Mailbox Limits
• Out of the Office Messages to the Internet - Why Not?

Actualização de ferramentas de Exchange

A Microsoft actualizou recentemente algumas das ferramentas para o Exchange Server. Aqui fica a lista:

• Microsoft Exchange Server Profile Analyzer (v06.05.7830)
  Collect estimated statistical information from a single mailbox store or across an Exchange Server organization.
• Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool v2.7 (v2.7.7830.0)
  The Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool is designed for administrators who want to determine the overall health of their Exchange servers and topology. The tool scans Exchange servers and identifies items that do not conform to Microsoft best practices.
• Microsoft Exchange Server Quota Message Service (v06.05.7830)
  Generate custom quota messages that informs users that they have exceeded their message quotas.
• Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects 1.2.1 (v06.05.7830)
  Starting with Exchange 2007 Beta 2, neither the Messaging API (MAPI) client libraries nor CDO 1.2.1 will be provided as a part of the install of the product. As a result, there is functionality missing that many applications depend on. Microsoft Exchange MAPI and CDO 1.2.1 provide access to these APIs, which, in turn, provide access to the contents of MAPI stores.
• Microsoft Exchange Server Public Folder DAV-based Administration Tool (v06.05.7830)
  Use the Exchange Server Public Folder Distributed Authoring and Versioning (DAV)-based Administration tool (PFDAVAdmin) to perform various management tasks related to public folders and mailboxes.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector for Lotus Notes (v.06.05.7830)
  The Connector for Lotus Notes/Domino is a tool designed for organizations that need to coexist during a migration from Lotus Domino to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.
• Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Editor (v06.05.7830)
  The Messaging API (MAPI) Editor provides access to the contents of MAPI stores through a graphical user interface.
• Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress Tool (v06.05.7830)
  Simulate disk I/O load on a test server running Exchange to verify the performance and stability of your disk subsystem before putting your server into a production environment.

Technorati : exchange server, tools
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Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Operations Guide

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Operations Guide é a mais recente adição ao leque de documentos que a equipa de Exchange da Microsoft está a sincronizar com as versões disponíveis online.
Para ver a lista completa dos documentos actualizados até agora, podem consultar um post meu sobre o assunto noutro blog: Exchange documents in sync (espero não me ter esquecido de nenhum).

Technorati : exchange 2003, exchange server, operations
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Mobile Messaging at Microsoft

Incluído na série Microsoft IT Showcase - How Microsoft Does IT, a Microsoft disponibilizou um documento à volta do tema de mobile messaging: Mobile Messaging at Microsoft: Improving Security, Manageability, and User Experience.
É uma leitura interessantíssima, especialmente para os que ainda não implementaram as novas funcionalidades incluídas no Service Pack 2 para o Exchange Server 2003.

“Overview: Detailed discussion describing how Microsoft IT uses Exchange Server 2003 SP2 and Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Messaging and Security Feature Pack to improve how it does mobile messaging. By using these new technologies Microsoft IT was able to manage mobile devices more easily, better secure mobile devices, and enable end users to take advantage of a more richer mobile messaging experience.“

Technorati : exchange 2003, exchange server, operations
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Microsoft Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter v2 Operations Guide

A Microsoft disponibilizou recentemente o Microsoft Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter v2 Operations Guide.

Microsoft Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter v2 helps companies reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE), also known as spam, received by users. This guide provides overall operational information to help optimize the performance of Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter.
This guide provides overall operational information to help optimize the performance of Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter.

Para quem precisa de ajuda complementar para combater o malware, também estão disponíveis para download versões de trial da suite Antigen:

• Microsoft Antigen for SMTP Gateways Trial Software
• Microsoft Antigen Spam Manager Trial Software

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Aproveitando o mote da Feira do Livro de Lisboa que está a decorrer, aqui ficam mais algumas sugestões de leitura:

• Exchange Server 2003 -- Read All About It
• Microsoft to Offer Premium Server License
• Microsoft to charge more for high-end Exchange
• Why Message Hygiene is a Hygiene Factor
• New SP2 default behavior and OAB Generation PDN Changes
• Intelligent Message Filter configuration "typo"
• How to be an 31337 hax04 and send mail to a DL to which you don't have rights
• Transaction Logs, The Lifeblood of Exchange
• MOM 2005 SLA Scorecard for Exchange
• Migration Wizard Matching Algorithm
• Managing Personal Folders
• Digging In to Exchange UM, Part 2
• Security a Major Feature of Exchange Server 2007

Introdução ao Microsoft PowerShell

Por esta altura espero que o nome de Microsoft PowerShell, previamente conhecido por Monad, faça já parte do vosso vocabulário corrente.
Quem pretender aprofundar os conhecimentos sobre esta tecnologia de scripting que permite administrar totalmente o Exchange 2007, a Realtime Nexus está a disponibilizar um eBook grátis: An Introduction to Microsoft PowerShell (fonte: blog do Anderson Patrício).

Forget batch files and set your VBScripts aside: There’s a new scripting and automation kid on the block and its name is Microsoft® PowerShell™. Designed from the ground up to be powerful, flexible, consistent, and complete, PowerShell™ promises easier and more efficient Windows and Windows Server System administration. In this short Realtimepublishers eBooklet, An Introduction to Microsoft® PowerShell™, scripting guru Don Jones introduces you to PowerShell™, tells you a bit about how it works, and gives you a sneak peak of PowerShell™ in action. Now’s the chance to start learning what some are calling “the most significant technology for Windows administrators since the invention of remote control.”
Access to this expert publication is offered at no charge to readers. The complete eBook is currently available as an Adobe® Acrobat PDF file.

Exchange 2003 em Windows x64? Nem pensar!

Recentemente, estava eu num cliente a implementar uma infraestrutura de IT - AD, Exchange, SQL, etc. - quando me deparei com um problema inultrapassável. Os servidores eram recentes e suportavam Windows x64, por isso a decisão lógica foi a de instalar esta versão do Windows Server 2003.
Quando chegou a altura de instalar o Exchange Server 2003, começaram os problemas. A parte de Forestprep e Domainprep correram bem, mas quando lancei o setup do Exchange, fui confrontado com um aviso que o ASP.NET não estava instalado.
Após alguma pesquisa no Google, descobri finalmente que esta configuração não é suportada (bolas, já devia saber isto!).
De facto, o Exchange 2003 corre e é suportado em hardware de 64 bits, desde que o sistema operativo instalado seja de 32 bits! Foi a solução seguida.
Aqui ficam alguns links relacionados:

• x64 bit hardware will run Exchange 2003 on 32 bit Windows
• System Requirements for Exchange Server 2003
• Planning for a 64-bit Future
• Exchange 2003 Test Environments

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Uma lista pequena esta semana, assim podem ler com mais atenção o primeiro artigo ;-)

• Storage Design Have You Considered iSCSI?
• Troubleshooting RPC over HTTPS (Part 1)
• Windows 2003 Domain Rename and Exchange error
• Cheap SSL certs or running with the big dogs?
• Power-Shelling the Message Tracking logs on Exchange 2000/2003
• Outlook signature formatting problems
• Digging Into Exchange UM
• Sophos: Spam won't be gone in two years

Managing Exchange Messaging Services by Using Metrics

Grande, grande documento da equipa Microsoft IT: Managing Exchange Messaging Services by Using Metrics.

This white paper covers:

• The business value of monitoring and managing Exchange messaging services as an end-to-end business service.
• The team roles that Microsoft IT uses in monitoring and managing its Exchange messaging services.
• The meaning of Exchange messaging service management.
• The components of Exchange messaging service management.
• The metrics that Microsoft IT uses for monitoring and managing its Exchange messaging services.
• The processes that Microsoft IT uses for managing its Exchange messaging services.
• The products and technologies that Microsoft IT uses to monitor and manage Exchange messaging services (including the Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 SLA Scorecard for Exchange).
• The best practices that Microsoft IT uses in managing its Exchange messaging services.

E aqui fica o resumo das melhores práticas que a equipa Microsoft IT segue:

• Use MOM 2005 to monitor Exchange Server 2003
• Apply MOF best practices.
• Collect metrics by using an automated method.
• Clearly identify the business requirements for the service and map them to appropriate service levels.
• Use the service virtual team approach for service delivery.
• Adopt knowledge management processes that deliver consistent Exchange messaging services at a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
• Complete all the details of the service map to understand the dependencies and facilitate SLA and OLA discussions.
• Conduct service review meetings weekly and monthly.

Sender ID overview

A Microsoft actualizou o folheto de divulgação da tecnologia de Sender ID (versão 2.0). Aqui fica a lista das empresas que já adoptaram este método de combate ao correio não-solicitado:



E aqui ficam mais alguns links interessantes:

1. Sender ID: "Implementation Tips for the Sender ID Framework—Creating Your SPF Record"
2. Sender ID: "Sender ID Framework Deployment Overview"
3. "Sender ID: Authenticating E-Mail" Specification (Draft)
4. Sender ID: "Sender ID Framework Executive Overview"
5. Sender ID: "Sender Policy Framework: Authorizing Use of Domains in Mail From"

TCP/IP Fundamentals for Microsoft Windows

Quer se seja um Administrador de Exchange, um novato ou apenas um curioso tecnológico, os fundamentos de TCP/IP são absolutamente essenciais. A Microsoft publicou ontem o documento TCP/IP Fundamentals for Microsoft Windows. Definitivamente uma leitura obrigatória!

"This online book is a structured, introductory approach to the basic concepts and principles of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol suite, how the most important protocols function, and their basic configuration in the Microsoft® Windows Server® 2003 and Windows® XP operating systems. This book is primarily a discussion of concepts and principles to lay a conceptual foundation for the TCP/IP protocol suite and provides an integrated discussion of both Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)."

Exchange e Outlook dominam o mercado do correio electrónico

De acordo com um estudo efectuado pelo Radicati Group, o Microsoft Exchange Server e o Microsoft Outlook são os campeões do mercado do correio electrónico.

The Radicati Group, Inc.’s latest study, “Microsoft Exchange and Outlook Analysis, 2006-2010,” provides an in-depth analysis of current and forecasted MS Exchange installed base, with extensive breakouts by version, business size and region. According to the report, Microsoft Exchange currently commands a 31% installed base market share and a 52% revenue market share of the corporate insourced messaging software market. The next version of Exchange, called Exchange 2007, is expected to be released in early 2007. Microsoft is also currently beta testing a hosted e-mail service called Office Live.

Microsoft has aggressively expanded its reach into the hosted e-mail market since 2003, and we expect that Microsoft’s revenue in this market will grow at an average annual rate of 25% over the next four years.

Microsoft leads the e-mail client market with Outlook, Outlook Express and Outlook Web Access. Uptake for Outlook Mobile, the company’s e-mail client for mobile devices has also been strong, due to increased demand for smartphones.

Leiam a Press Release completa.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Aqui fica a compilação das últimas notícias e artigos sobre Exchange e messaging em geral:

• Experts: Exchange patch OK, despite glitches
• How to manually (and safely) purge Exchange Server transaction logs
• Tutorial: How to protect Exchange Server from spam blacklists
• Microsoft Windows Mobile AKUs
• Can You Prove Your E-Mail Isn't Spam?
• Regulatory Compliance with Exchange Server 2003 journaling
• Windows PowerShell: Managing services
• Use LDIFDE to look up the distribution lists a user is a member of
• Configuring ISA Server 2004 as an Exchange Frontend Server in the DMZ (Part 2)
• Exchange 2003 Mobile Messaging Part 4 Accessing the Corporate GAL from your Mobile Device Using GAL Lookup
• Microsoft Outlook Web Access 2007 - new features in Beta 1

Standalone Device Emulator 1.0

Finalmente! A Microsoft decidiu lançar uma versão standalone do emulador de dispositivos móveis (smartphone e pocketpc). Antes o emulador estava apenas disponível com a instalação do Visual Studio, embora houvesse uma solução/workaround que não requeria a suite de desenvolvimento da Microsoft (Standalone Emulator).
Bem, o que é certo é que agora já existe a versão oficial standalone. E vem acompanhada com imagens do Windows Mobile 5.0 com o Messaging and Security Feature Pack, o que quer dizer que podemos simular as últimas funcionalidades do Exchange Server SP2: DirectPush e Remote Wipe.
O emulador está disponível neste link e, já agora, aqui ficam umas imagens do seu aspecto.


P.S. À data deste post, a página onde se pode descarregar o emulador tem uma gralha no título ;-)

Webcasts de messaging em Junho

Fonte: Eileen Brown's WebLog

TechNet Webcast: Security Matters: Secure Messaging (Level 200)
Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Ryan McGee, Senior Product Manager, Security Product Market, Microsoft Corporation
This webcast outlines the Microsoft approach to securing a messaging infrastructure. Learn about the comprehensive, multi-layered Microsoft messaging solution comprised of on-premise software and hosted services that complement Microsoft Exchange Server. These products and technologies help prevent server outages, improve employee productivity, and enable secure remote access to Exchange Server. The customer's ability to choose how they want to deploy and manage their messaging infrastructure is given particular focus in this session.TechNet

Webcast: Integrating SharePoint Portal Server 2003, Outlook, and Exchange (Level 300)
Wednesday, June 07, 2006 - 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Scott Jamison, Information Worker Architect, Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook provide key integration points such as contacts and calendars. However, many users want additional integration. This webcast explains how to better integrate SharePoint Portal Server 2003, Outlook, and Microsoft Exchange Server using custom Web parts, Single Sign-On (SSO), search in SharePoint Portal Server, and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.

TechNet Webcast: Protecting Your Exchange Server 2007 Network from Viruses and Spam (Level 300)
Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Mihai Costea, Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Join this webcast to learn about the agent-based messaging hygiene features in the next version of Microsoft Exchange Server, code-named Exchange Server 2007. Out of the box, Exchange Server 2007 provides you with a competitive antispam solution that is composed of multiple filters with frequent updates and a built-in IP reputation system. Of interest to independent software vendors (ISVs) is antivirus technology such as store scanning and mechanisms for reliable and efficient transport scanning.

TechNet Webcast: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007: The Next Generation of Exchange (Level 200)
Monday, June 12, 2006 - 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Pacific Time
Terry Myerson, General Manager of Exchange, Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, the next major version of Exchange Server, represents a leap forward. Information workers can now access larger mailboxes, and e-mail administrators have a more manageable and secure e-mail infrastructure than in the past. In this webcast, we provide an overview of the Exchange Server product direction and look at some of the new features that are included in the product.

TechNet Webcast: Getting Started with Exchange Server 2007: Simple Installation, Setup, and Administration Scenarios (Level 200)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Alexander MacLeod, Software Development Engineer Test Lead, Microsoft Corporation, Charlie Chung, Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Built on a standard Microsoft installer so that you can take advantage of patching services such as the Software Update Service. New server roles so that you can flexibly deploy the topologies you require. The power to automate installation. These are just some of the new advancements in the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 setup experience. This is a must-see webcast if you are looking for an overview and walk-through of how to deploy Exchange Server 2007.

TechNet Webcast: Mail That Speaks to You: Unified Messaging in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 (Level 200)
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM Pacific Time
David Howell, Group Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Unified Messaging is being integrated into Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Attend this webcast to learn about the features and benefits of Exchange Unified Messaging. Exchange Unified Messaging supports speech recognition, so this demonstration is one you aren't going to want to miss! See how Exchange can take voice mail and fax messages and how you can call in over any phone to access your voice mail, e-mail, calendar, or contacts. Exchange Unified Messaging also supports a speech-enabled corporate directory service (an automated attendant) right out of the box, so that you can customize a highly professional telephone presence for your company.

Microsoft Office System Webcast: Tips and Tricks for More Secure Communication with Outlook 2003 (Level 100)
Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Pacific Technical Consulting (PTC)
Learn the fundamentals of security, auditing, privacy, and protection in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. Find out how to choose secure passwords, create profiles, limit exposure to viruses and junk e-mail, create more secure attachments, and incorporate encryption and digital signatures into your e-mail. This webcast on connected productivity shows how you can reduce vulnerabilities and enhance reliable communication inside and outside your organization by implementing Outlook 2003 with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. This webcast illustrates these techniques through demonstrations that represent typical interactions between team members.

Momentum Webcast: Increase E-Mail Security and Availability Using Active Directory (Level 100)
Thursday, June 01, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Tim Armstrong, Technology presenter, Microsoft Corporation
Maintaining the security and availability of e-mail is a daily responsibility for IT professionals. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 was developed with this challenge in mind. Exchange Server 2003 builds on the strengths of the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory directory service to provide your organization with a secure and powerful e-mail infrastructure. Attend this webcast to learn how Exchange and Active Directory work together to increase the security and availability of your e-mail system, while opening new ways for users to access their information.

TechNet Webcast: Using Microsoft Antigen 9.0 to Secure E-Mail Servers (Level 200)
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Peter Eicher, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Attend this webcast to learn about the latest versions of Microsoft Antigen for Exchange, Antigen for SMTP Gateways, and Antigen Spam Manager. Discover how these products can help protect your business from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content. Find out how Antigen manages multiple antivirus engines to help improve overall virus detection, integrates multiple anti-spam technologies for maximum protection against unsolicited e-mail, and prevents undesirable language or inappropriate content from entering or leaving your organization’s e-mail system. This session includes a live demonstration of Antigen for Exchange, in addition to a discussion of new features like integration of the new Microsoft antivirus engine, improved cluster support, and an enhanced signature update process.

A Internet Security Systems (ISS) acredita que nos tempos mais próximos poderá surgir um worm que explore a vulnerabilidade descrita no boletim de segurança MS06-019 e que afectará os sistemas baseados em Exchange Server em todo o Mundo. De acordo com a equipa X-Force da ISS:

"Testing done by X-Force confirms denial of service of the Exchange Server is easily achieved with no user interaction and is not mitigated by firewall best practices.
Further analysis of this issue reveals that code execution is possible, but difficult to obtain. However, with the high profile of Microsoft Exchange as a target and the nature in which it is typically deployed, we expect to see active exploitation of this issue in the wild with the possibility of a worm."

Aceitem este conselho, apliquem o patch o mais depressa possível.
Links relacionados:

• Microsoft Exchange Calendar Attachment Heap-based Overflow
• Internet Security Systems Warns Against Potential Microsoft Exchange Worm
• Hackers Expected To Target Exchange
• Exploit Out For Exchange Bug
• ISS warns against potential Microsoft Exchange worm
• Worm Could Wreck Exchange

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Conselho de fim-de-semana: apliquem o patch de segurança para o Exchange referente ao boletim MS06-019 ASAP!

• Setting up the fax service in Outlook
• Change the Journal Recipient for an Exchange Store with CDOEXM via a Script
• Why I love my spam
• Spam a lot: What kind of a trick gets someone to click
• Spam Rises to 71 percent, Says Radicati Group
• BlackBerry Coming to China
• Explaining the Exchange 2007 Toolbox
• Load Balancing Exchange Front-End Servers
• ISS Warns Against Potential Microsoft Exchange Worm
• Tutorial: How to protect Exchange Server from spam blacklists
• Save bandwidth by aggregating RSS feeds into an Exchange public folder
• Exchanging Exchange
• Build an Email-Discovery Plan

Mais 2...

... documentos de Exchange que foram recentemente actualizados e passaram para o novo formato (do qual eu não sou grande fã), encontrando-se agora sincronizados com a versão online.

• Exchange Server 2003 Deployment Guide v4.0
• Planning a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Messaging System v3.0

Actualização do filtro Junk Email do Outlook (Maio 2006)

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

"This update provides the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 with a more current definition of which e-mail messages should be considered junk e-mail."

O download está disponível aqui ou através do Microsoft Update. Como é habitual, está acompanhado pelo respectivo artigo da Knowledge Base:

• Description of the Update for Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB916521)

Administration Guide for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003

A Microsoft acaba de actualizar o documento Administration Guide for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, que está agora na versão 4.0.
São algumas centenas (!) de procedimentos que estão minuciosamente descritos, pelo que se recomenda a sua leitura atenta.

This guide explains how features work in the Exchange Server architecture, and how to configure and manage these features for optimal results. This content ranges from configuring global settings at an organizational level, to managing individual servers, to managing Exchange clusters. After reading this guide, you will have a solid understanding of what it takes to configure and manage your Exchange Server 2003 organization.

Actualizações de segurança para Exchange 2000 & 2003

A Microsoft disponibilizou uma actualização de segurança para o Exchange, incluída no boletim mensal de patches de vulnerabilidades.
A vulnerabilidade em causa, MS06-019, pode permitir execução remota de código e encontra-se descrita no artigo 916803 da Knowledge Base. A actualização está disponível nos seguintes links:

• Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2
• Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1
• Exchange Server 2000 with the Exchange 2000 Post-Service Pack 3 Update Rollup of August 2004

Novo blog@MSExchange.org

Desde o dia 5 de Maio que iniciei um novo blog no site MSExchange.org. O endereço é:

• Rui J.M. Silva Blog

O conteúdo deste blog será Inglês e o tema será, obviamente, o servidor Exchange e tudo o que o rodeia. Apesar de eu ser o autor de um outro blog em Inglês, http://msmvps.com/ehlo, tenciono manter os dois, sendo que os conteúdos serão exclusivos em cada um dos blogs.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Devido à não publicação desta rúbrica na semana passada, a lista de hoje será anormalmente extensa. Se não tiverem tempo de ler tudo, vejam ao menos o primeiro :-)

• JetStress Is Your Friend
• Exchange 2003 Mobile Messaging Part 3 Installing, Administering, and Using the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration
• Implementing Captcha Validation with OWA 2003 and Forms-Based Authentication
• Are 'ghosts' modifying distribution groups in your mixed-mode environment?
• Exchange is 10 years old!
• New Exchange fixes may disrupt Blackberry, Goodlink and other services
• Setting Folder Permissions in Outlook - what really happens?
• Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying Push email with MSFP enabled WM5 Devices - while working with existing Firewalls like Checkpoint, etc.
• Finding and Removing Empty Distribution Lists/Groups via a script
• BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express
• Script: How to start/resume Public folder Replication
• Tech Review: Windows Mobile 2005 AKU2
• At university, GroupWise on Linux beats out Exchange
• First Look at Exchange 12
• An administrator's guide to Exchange public folders
• Tutorial: How to set up a front-end Exchange Server cluster
• First impressions of Outlook 12
• Mass-enabling or disabling Outlook Mobile Access permissions
• Exchange 12: Unified Messaging Rules

Exchange & Office 2007 Roadshow

Andava eu pelos grupos de discussão técnicos da Microsoft, quando li um post do David Figueiredo muito interessante. A Windows IT Pro Magazine em colaboração com a Microsoft está a organizar uma conferência de 1 dia sobre Exchange & Office 2007.

"Get the facts about deploying Exchange & Office 2007 in one information-packed day. Independent Exchange and Office experts will present practical, real-world information in three tracks -- Exchange 12 for the IT Pro, Delivering Better Inbox Value, and The Business Value of Office 2007. Each presentation will end with a question-and-answer session. You'll come away from the Get Ready for Exchange & Office 2007 Roadshow with a clear understanding of how to implement a best-practices migration to Exchange Server 2007, how to use Exchange Server 2007's new capabilities to improve your messaging environment, and how you and your end users can get the most out of Office 2007."

Este roadshow ocorrerá no Centro de Congressos de Lisboa (antiga FIL) no próximo dia 30 de Maio. O registo é grátis e dá ainda direito a uma assinatura digital da revista Windows IT Pro durante 6 meses. Aqui fica o link para o site oficial do evento:

• Get Ready for Exchange & Office 2007 Roadshow

Actualização de ferramentas de Exchange

A Microsoft voltou a realizar pequenas actualizações nalgumas ferramentas de Exchange. Aqui fica a lista:

• Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress Tool (06.05.7821)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Profile Analyzer (06.05.7821)
• Microsoft Exchange Server SMTPDiag Tool (06.05.7821)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool v1.0 (06.05.7821)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool v2.6 (2.6.7812.3)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Performance Troubleshooting Analyzer Tool v1.1 (1.1.7812.3)

Documentos de Exchange

A Microsoft está a realizar um esforço no sentido de manter as versões online dos documentos sincronizadas com as versões disponíveis para download.
O último documento documento que passou por este processo foi Exchange Server 2003 RPC over HTTP Deployment Scenarios.
Foi também o caso dos documentos que eu referi num post anterior, Novos documentos de Exchange (?).

E o nome oficial do Exchange "12" é... Exchange 2007

De volta das minhas repousantes férias, deparei-me com esta notícia "bombástica". O nome oficial da próxima versão do Exchange será Exchange Server 2007.
Duh! Mas será que não poderia ser mais óbvio? Senão vejamos, o nome de código da versão presentemente em desenvolvimento é Exchange "12" e a razão para o "12" foi para alinhar com a versão do Office. Ora, dado que o nome oficial do Office há muito que é conhecido, Office 2007, não faria sentido que o Exchange tivesse agora um nome diferente.
Aqi ficam alguns links relacionados, incluindo um da KC Lemson com uma proposta para o novo logo:

• Exchange "12" has a new name!
• Exchange *also* has a new logo!

E por falar em nomes oficiais, também o Monad foi rebaptizado: PowerShell! Vejam também os links:

• PowerShell name announcement
• Download Windows PowerShell Release Candidate

Leitura de fim-de-semana

AVISO: Para a semana não haverá a tradicional rúbrica de "Leitura de fim-de-semana" por motivo de férias. Quero estar uma semana afastado de toda e qualquer tecnologia. Bem... Estou disposto a abrir uma execepção para a máquina de venda de cervejas ;-)
E agora, a lista:

• Windows Mobile: mobile e-mail for the masses
• My email exchange with Ed
• OAB changes in Exchange 2003 SP2
• Cross Site Moves and Profiles Afterwards
• Removing Disabled Users from Distribution lists via a script
• Show the count of all items in a folder in Outlook, not just unread
• Exchange 2003 Mobile Messaging Part 2 - Uncovering the Device Security Policies
• Knowing your limits
• Troubleshooting Version Store issues - JET_errVersionStoreOutOfMemory

Dispositivos móveis com MSFP

Por esta altura já todos devem saber que a funcionalidade de DirectPush do Exchange Server 2003 SP2 só funciona com dispositivos móveis com o Windows Mobile 5.0 e o Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP), certo?
OK, o problema é que o MSFP não pode ser simplesmente descarregado da Internet e instalado, é necessário que o fabricante o disponibilize como actualização.
Jason Langridge compilou recentemente a lista dos dispositivos móveis com MSFP:

Orange
SPV M5000
SPV C600
SPV M600

O2 XDA Mini S

Sprint PPC 6700

i-mate (updates via www.clubimate.com)
SP5 e SP5m
K-Jam
JasJar

QTEK (updates via www.myqtek.com)
9000
9100

Symbol MC70

Gigabye – G-Smart

[UPDATE]
Treo 700w (obrigado Alberto)

Webcasts de messaging em Maio

Está disponível no blog da Eileen Brown a lista de webcasts de messaging para Maio. Aqui fica um resumo:

TechNet Webcast: Recipient Management and Permissions in Exchange "12" (Level 300)
Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Pacific Time
Brad Clark, Program Manager Lead, Microsoft Corporation
Learn how to create and manage most types of recipients using the management console and management shell in the next version of Microsoft Exchange Server, code-named Exchange “12,” without Recipient Update Service (RUS) running in the background. See how a lower-level administrator can easily become a Recipient Manager without changing the access control list (ACL). This webcast also provides an overview of the Exchange “12” permissions model along with a primer on provisioning address lists.

TechNet Webcast: Policy Enforcement and Regulatory Compliance with Exchange "12" (Level 300)
Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Shawn M Thomas, Program Manager Lead, Microsoft Corporation
Many companies struggle to meet the changing interpretations of "compliance," while others have created new business opportunities by implementing tighter controls and increasing the transparency of their business processes. This webcast explains how the new features in the next version of Microsoft Exchange Server, code-named Exchange “12”, can help your company to enforce policies and comply with regulations. We also describe how the Exchange Server partner community can play an important, ongoing role in the dialog on compliance.

TechNet Webcast: Exchange “12” Management Shell and Scripting (Level 300)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Pacific Time
Vivek Sharma, Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
This webcast focuses on the command-line and scripting interface (based on Microsoft Windows "Monad") in the next version of Microsoft Exchange Server, code-named Exchange “12.” See how to convert your multiple-page Microsoft Visual Basic and component object model (COM) scripts to a single line in Exchange “12.” We cover the basics of the management shell along with the underlying design and key concepts. Learn tips and tricks for building larger scripts that you can use to automate small, medium, and enterprise business scenarios. The session includes demonstrations of several single-line scripts that you can use immediately, with little or no tweaking.

TechNet Webcast: Secure Collaboration with Antigen (Level 200)
Friday, May 12, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Matt Hester, TechNet Presenter, Microsoft Corporation
Find out how you can help protect your messaging and collaboration servers from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content with Antigen. This webcast explains what Antigen is and describes how it is tightly integrated with Microsoft Exchange Server, SharePoint Products and Technologies, and Live Communications Server to help ensure strong protection and centralized control without taxing server or network infrastructure performance. Learn how the content and file filtering technologies in Antigen can help ensure that your organization complies with corporate content policies, while eliminating inappropriate language and dangerous attachments from internal and external communications.

TechNet Webcast: Protecting Your Exchange “12” Network from Viruses and Spam (Level 300)
Monday, May 15, 2006 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Mihai Costea, Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Join this webcast to learn about the agent-based messaging hygiene features in the next version of Microsoft Exchange Server, code-named Exchange “12”. Out of the box, Exchange “12” provides you with a competitive antispam solution that is composed of multiple filters with frequent updates and a built-in IP reputation system. Of interest to independent software vendors (ISVs) is antivirus technology such as store scanning and mechanisms for reliable and efficient transport scanning.

TechNet Webcast: Scripting Secrets of Exchange Server 2003 (Level 300)
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Pacific Time
Paul Robichaux, , 3Sharp
You have probably heard about the Windows “Monad” Shell, the next-generation command-line and scripting environment coming in the next version of Microsoft Exchange Server, code-named Exchange “12.” But were you aware that Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 already includes a robust set of scripting capabilities? You can script many common, tedious operations in Exchange Server 2003, and you can easily write scripts to inspect or change many key configuration settings of your Exchange organization and servers. Join this webcast to learn how to create and manipulate Exchange objects, how to unlock the full power of unattended setup in Exchange, and how to optimize your backup processes using scripts.

TechNet Webcast: Introduction to the Exchange Server Best Practice Analyzer Tool (ExBPA) (Level 300)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Harold Wong, TechNet Presenter, Microsoft Corporation
The Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool (ExBPA) is an automated health check and troubleshooting tool. It collects configuration settings and performs network and protocol tests in an Exchange topology, and then sends the results to an XML output file. This webcast describes the benefits of this tool, and covers topics related to its implementation such as scheduling and baseline support. We also discuss how to use the tool with Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005.

Microsoft Office System Webcast: Tips and Tricks for More Secure Communication with Outlook 2003 (Level 100)
Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Pacific Technical Consulting (PTC)
Learn the fundamentals of security, auditing, privacy, and protection in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. Find out how to choose secure passwords, create profiles, limit exposure to viruses and junk e-mail, create more secure attachments, and incorporate encryption and digital signatures into your e-mail. This webcast on connected productivity shows how you can reduce vulnerabilities and enhance reliable communication inside and outside your organization by implementing Outlook 2003 with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. This webcast illustrates these techniques through demonstrations that represent typical interactions between team members.

TechNet Webcast: Mobility Features in Exchange Server 2003 SP2 (Level 300)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Pacific Time
Harold Wong, Senior TS, Microsoft Corporation
Is your organization’s mobile access solution secure, flexible, and affordable? This webcast demonstrates the advanced security features in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and discusses how the product provides affordable access to e-mail and personal information across a range of mobile devices. Join us as we explore the new mobility enhancements in Exchange Server 2003 SP2, including the new Always-up-to-date Notification feature. We also cover configuring personal identification number (PIN) lock settings, remotely wiping a device, configuring soft certificates to access Exchange Server 2003, and more.

TechNet Webcast: How Microsoft IT Does Mobile Messaging (Level 300)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
David Wilson, Microsoft IT Service Manager, Microsoft Corporation
This webcast describes how Microsoft IT used Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 and Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Messaging and Security Feature Pack to enhance its mobile messaging infrastructure. By implementing these new technologies, Microsoft IT was able to manage mobile devices more easily, better secure mobile devices, and enable end users to take advantage of a richer mobile messaging experience.

Microsoft promove tecnologia de autenticação de e-mail

Durante a realização do evento Email Authentication Summit que se realiza em Chicago, a Microsoft anunciou que está a desenvolver esforços em conjunto com outros fabricantes para promover a utilização de mecanismos de autenticação de e-mail, prevenindo assim a disseminação de spam e outros tipos de email não desejado.
Obviamente que, no caso particular do gigante informático de Redmond, é uma oportunidade para promover a tecnologia de Sender ID.
A Press Release Microsoft Furthers E-Mail Protection Efforts contém ainda alguns indicadores interessantes relativamente à taxa de crescimento de utilização de Sender ID e ao sucesso de aplicação desta tecnologia no sistema Hotmail/Windows Live Mail.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Devido à epoca festiva, a lista saiu mais uma vez atrasada, mas sejamos francos, aposto que ninguém teria tido tempo para a ler :)

• Synchronizing Multiple Exchange Calendars
• Beef Up Security for Your Mobile-Device Fleet
• Exchange 12 Server Roles and Disk IO
• Demystifying Exchange Server 2003 SP2 IMF Updates
• How do you know which mailboxes are registered with the Auto Accept Agent?
• Message fidelity between Outlook and Notes
• Explaining the order in which the Exchange 2003 (SP2) Connection Filters are applied
• Troubleshooting the Exchange Recipient Update Service (RUS)
• What is RPC/HTTP?

Apresentações da conferência Exchange Connections

O grande Paul Robichaux disponibilizou para download as apresentações que realizou na conferência Exchange Connections, que ocorreu de 9 a 12 de Abril em Orlando, USA.
Aqui fica o link:

• Exchange Connections session presentations online

Novos documentos de Exchange (?)

Estão disponíveis para download no site da Microsoft, alguns documentos sobre Exchange com a data de ontem (11-Abr-2006) e com a versão 1.0. Mas os nomes soam-me familiares, não tenho a certeza se são mesmo novos ou se foram apenas actualizados. Aqui ficam os links:

• Exchange Server 2003 Interoperability and Migration Guide
• Working with Store Permissions in Microsoft Exchange 2000 and 2003
• Offline Address Book Best Practices Guide
• Journaling with Exchange 2003
• Comparing the POP3 Service and Configuring Coexistence
• Server Consolidation Using Exchange Server 2003
• Using Exchange Server 2003 Recovery Storage Groups

Documentação de Sender ID

Foi recentemente disponibilizada nova documentação sobre Sender ID. Goste-se ou não, esta tecnologia veio para ficar.

• Sender ID: Sender ID Overview
• Sender ID: "The Sender ID Framework: An Overview and Implementation Update"
• Sender ID: "Implementation Tips for the Sender ID Framework—Creating Your SPF Record"

Leitura de fim-de-semana

A lista, desta vez a tempo e horas.

• Microsoft Exchange Server Profile Analyzer Web Release 2.5 Now Available
• Exchange Performance Troubleshooting Analyzer (ExPTA) 1.1 has shipped
• ExBPA 2.6 released - many great changes!
• Direct Push is just a heartbeat away
• System Center Capacity Planner 2006 Overview (Part 2)
• Understanding Exchange Access Control and Administrative Delegation
• KB.867624 replaced
• Exchange 12 and MMC 3.0
• i-Mate JAMin upgrade to AKU2
• Top 10 best practices for e-mail archiving
• Ease the pain of Exchange recovery with SLAs and RSGs

DirectPush passo-a-passo

Está disponível o guia de configuração passo-a-passo para a implementação das novas funcionalidades de mobile messaging com o Exchange Server 2003 SP2 e o Windows Mobile 5.o. Não se esqueçam que os dispositivos móveis precisam do Messaging and Security Feature Pack, já disponibilizado por alguns fabricantes.

Actualização de ferramentas de Exchange

A Microsoft voltou a disponibilizar uma actualização de algumas ferramentas para utilizar com o Exchange Server. Aqui fica a lista:

• Microsoft Exchange Server Performance Troubleshooting Analyzer Tool v1.1 (1.1.7812.0)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool v2.6 (2.6.7812.0)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Profile Analyzer (06.05.7812)
• Microsoft Exchange Server SMTPDiag Tool (06.05.7812)

Ah, e já agora, também relacionado com o Exchange 12, saiu a mais recente versão beta do Monad:

• Windows "Monad" Shell Beta 3.1 (for .NET Framework 2.0 RTM) x86
• Windows "Monad" Shell Beta 3.1 (for .NET Framework 2.0 RTM) AMD64

Exchange na Wikipedia

A Wikipedia é hoje uma fonte de informação incontornável. Está lá tudo, desde as artes à ciência e tudo à distância de um click (e à borla).
Descobri recentemente a entrada sobre Exchange Server. História, versões e o futuro, toda a informação sobre o servidor de correio electrónico da Microsoft.
Vale a pena consultar!

MVP mais 1 ano

Pois é, a mensagem de confirmação chegou finalmente, fui renomeado como Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) mais um ano.
Fazendo o balanço do meu primeiro ano, aqui ficam alguns apontamentos:

• De uma forma geral o balanço é positivo, o programa MVP contribui de forma positiva para o conhecimento global da comunidade técnica;
• Noto que ainda há muita gente em Portugal que não sabe o que são MVP's. Os MVP's não trabalham para a Microsoft e, apesar de pessoalmente ter muitas vezes uma opinião positiva sobre os produtos da empresa de Redmond, a verdade é que estes profissionais são, ou esforçam-se por ser, agnósticos;
• Penso que internacionalmente, o brand MVP confere alguma notoriedade;
• O Summit em Redmond foi excelente, só é pena só se realizar de 18 em 18 meses;
• Os benefícios e o acesso previlegiado a informação podia ser melhorado;
• A possibilidade de aprofundar o relacionamento com empregados da Microsoft é sem dúvida uma mais-valia;
• And last, but not the least, as pessoas: Espanhois, Holandeses, Noruegueses, Dinamarqueses, Americanos, Brasileiros, (etc.) e obviamente Portugueses. As pessoas que conheci são fabulosas. Utilizando uma expressão que aprecio particularmente, a todos eles um grande bem-haja!

P.S. Para quando MVP's PALOP? (esta do "para quando" tem muito que se lhe diga... Não liguem, é uma private joke)

Registo para versão Beta do Exchange 12... e outras

Está disponível no site TechNet Beta Central o pré-registo para as versões Beta públicas de variados produtos, entre eles o Exchange 12.

"Será o primeiro a ser notificado quando os lançamentos beta do Windows Vista, Microsoft® Office 2007 e Exchange "12" estiverem disponíveis para transferência ou para encomenda em DVD. Irá ainda receber actualizações e informações regulares através da newsletter Microsoft TechNet Flash, desde o momento em que se regista até ao lançamento do produto. Mais ainda? Ao registar-se terá acesso à Série de Vídeos Windows Vista onde poderá ver executivos da Microsoft a demonstrar as fantásticas funcionalidades do novo interface do produto, bem como os seus benefícios estratégicos de TI para a sua organização."

Exchange Hosted Services

Não foi propriamente uma surpresa o anúncio feito pela Microsoft sobre a sua mais recente oferta: Exchange Hosted Services.
De facto, estes novos serviços são o culminar da aquisição da FrontBridge em Julho do ano passado. A Microsoft vai dividir a sua oferta em 4 serviços distintos:

• Microsoft Exchange Hosted Filtering, available with a free 30-day trial, incorporates multiple filters to actively help protect businesses’ inbound and outbound e-mail from spam, viruses, phishing scams and e-mail policy violations.
• Microsoft Exchange Hosted Archive is an advanced message archiving system for e-mail and instant messages that helps enterprises meet a variety of regulatory and legal demands placed on their electronic communication systems.
• Microsoft Exchange Hosted Continuity is a security-enhanced Web interface that allows ongoing access to e-mail during and after unplanned outages of an on-premise e-mail environment.
• Microsoft Exchange Hosted Encryption helps preserve e-mail confidentiality by allowing users to send and receive encrypted e-mail directly from their desktops.

Aqui fica o link para a Press-Release.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Uff! Foram dias complicados, os que passaram. Trabalho, trabalho e mais trabalho! E o blog é que paga. Bem, vamos lá tentar retomar o ritmo de posts diários. Aqui fica a lista de fim-de-semana, que na semana passada fez greve.

• Exchange on NAS: Proved and Approved
• System Center Capacity Planner 2006 Overview (Part 1)
• Exchange 2003 Mobile Messaging Part 1 - A look at the Microsoft DirectPush technology
• Clearing the confusion around Exchange Server circular logging
• Exchange Admin 101: An introduction to DSAccess
• Troubleshooting Exchange Server error messages
• IBM Puts Up $20 per Seat to Drive Exchange-Lotus Migrations
• Throttling the OAB
• New Hotfix for those pesky 9548 Events...
• What value should I put in the MinUserDC registry key?
• Replicating an Exchange Folder using WebDAV Replication and CDO 1.2
• Displaying the Junk-Email setting of all users on a Server (Exchange 2003)
• Exchange SMTP Virtual Server Smart Host configuration
• Surprise your users with an April Fool's Day OWA 2003 theme
• Deploying Mobile Messaging with the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) and Exchange 2003 SP2 Whitepaper
• For all users that have an Exchange mailbox, write ALL their email addresses to a file
• Report of all users with a mailbox, mail server name & store name
• Troubleshooting Exchange 2003 Auto Accept Agent using scripts
• Fix available to alleviate event ID 9548
• Resolving MMC 3.0 errors when installing Exchange 12 CTP release
• The Recipient Update Service and Linked Value Replication
• Determining the OAB version being used by Outlook 2003 SP2
• Thinking of installing Exchange 12 CTP build into your production environment?

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Microsoft renames ActiveSync to Windows Mobile Device Center
• Life Without Exchange
• Microsoft's Exchange 12 should boost UM
• How Hackers and Virus Writers Attack E-mail Systems
• Addressing the challenges of email management
• Exchange mobility resources
• Managing mailboxes in ADUC without Exchange System Manager
• Exchange 2003 and Windows Storage Server
• Fixing a Damaged or Incorrectly Configured OWA 2003 Installation
• AD Exchange Mailbox Quota Report
• How to choose server hardware for Exchange 2003 that can be effectively re-utilized for Exchange 12?
• Troubleshooting Exchange 2003 Auto Accept Agent installation issues
• Exchange 2003 post SP2 DSProxy Referral Update

MSFP, finalmente!

A propósito de comparações entre BlackBerry e o Windows Mobile, actualizei recentemente a ROM do meu i-mate JASJAR, sendo que agora já inclui o famoso Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP).
Traduzindo isto por miudos, tenho uma série de funcionalidades novas entre as quais o direct push e-mail, ou se quiserem, e-mail "na hora" (aliás, no segundo).
A experiência tem sido bastante boa e recomenda-se. Tive até que desligar o direct push, ou arriscava-me a ter uma factura de telemóvel astronómica (não é que a funcionalidade consuma muito tráfego, eu é que recebo muitos mails).
Agora resta esperar que os outros fabricantes comecem a disponibilizar ROMs com o MSFP.

BlackBerry vs Windows Mobile

A WIPRO disponibilizou um documento comparativo entre as tecnologias RIM BlackBerry 4.0 e o Windows Mobile com o Messaging and Security Feature Pack (o tal que permite direct push e-mail). O estudo é patrocinado pela Microsoft, por isso não esperem grandes críticas negativas à tecnologia de Redmond ;-)
O documento pode ser consultado neste link.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Research In Motion and NTP Sign Definitive Settlement Agreement to End Litigation
• RIM Announces Availability of BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1
• Understanding Office 2003 SP2's Junk Mail Filter and Anti-Phishing Feature
• AOL To Pay Bulk E-Mail Fees for Nonprofits
• Using Monad to query an Exchange Mailbox via WebDAV to display Unread Emails
• Solving "e-mail address already exists in this organization" using LDAP query in ADUC
• Testing ActiveSync and SmartPhone features with Windows Mobile Emulator
• Exchange SP2 ActiveSync Direct Push and firewall HTTP connection timeouts
• Exchange 12: The Monad-based Exchange Management Shell
• The Good News Is... (a hotfix we have developed for shorter LDAP timeout)
• msExchESEParamLogBuffers Storage Group Attribute

Leitura de fim-de-semana

Gostava de poder dizer que estou num paraíso tropical a escrever esta lista, mas não, estou em casa a ouvir a chuva lá fora :-(

• Hands on with Hosted Exchange
• Step-by-Step Guide: How to repair Exchange-related IIS virtual directories
• How IT Works - IMAP4
• Displaying a Prompt Before Outlook Closes
• Exchange hotfix for kernel memory exhaustion issues is now released
• More on Exchange ActiveSync Reporting with Log Parser - COM object available
• Understanding and using the External Associated Account in Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003
• Sending Email without a Client
• Updating appointments that are 1 hour out because of the Commonwealth Games Timezone Changes
• Export the Dumpsters (Deleted Items) from all folders in a mailbox to a PST using RDO

Exchange 12 Beta 1 Community Technology Preview

A notícia já tem 2 dias, mas para quem ainda não sabe, a Microsoft vai disponibilizar a versão Beta 1 do Exchange 12 como Community Technology Preview (CTP). Isto na prática quer dizer que os assinantes TechNet e MSDN (cerca de 200.000) vão poder por as mãos na próxima versão do Exchange Server.
Notícias relacionadas:

• Exchange 12 Beta 1 Community Technology Preview
• Microsoft releases Exchange 12 beta 1 as CTP

Sem comentários

Actualização do JetStress

A Microsoft disponibilizou hoje uma versão actualizada da ferramenta JetStress. A nova versão, 06.05.7795, aparece cerca de 1 mês depois da última actualização (06.05.7775). Ainda estou a tentar perceber quais são as diferenças...

"Use Jetstress to verify the performance and stability of a disk subsystem prior to putting an Exchange server into production. Jetstress helps verify disk performance by simulating Exchange disk Input/Output (I/O) load. Specifically, Jetstress simulates the Exchange database and log file loads produced by a specific number of users. You use Performance Monitor, Event Viewer, and ESEUTIL in conjunction with Jetstress to verify that your disk subsystem meets or exceeds the performance criteria you establish."