Blog Entries

Windows 7 due by christmas 2009

tony.brown@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Microsoft targets Christmas 2009 for Windows 7!

Up until recently Microsoft has been very guarded in giving any specific timescales for the release of their latest incarnation of Vista, Windows 7.

Microsoft's current Vista Velocity program which includes work to improve current vista based machines has continued in to Windows 7. In a presentation last week Microsoft suggested that Windows 7 would ship in time for christmas.

Microsoft are working hard to avoid any repeat [...]

AVG Update breaks computers (again)

tony.brown@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Since Sunday the 9th of November 2008 certain AVG users have been left with unusable Windows systems. AVG Security Scanner software placed a Trojan threat on a core Windows component.

AVG tagged user32.dll as Trojan following a definition update which was issued on Sunday 9th of November 2008.

Users systems would either failed to boot or would go into a continuous re [...]

Windows essentials business Server 2008 (SBS)

tony.brown@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Microsoft introduces two new server products for small to medium sized businesses

Yesterday, 12th November 2008 Microsoft officially launched their two latest server compilations for aimed at smaller businesses. Windows Small Business Server 2008 (SBS) can be licensed for up to 75 users or PCs. Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (EBS) has a l [...]

WPA TKIP WiFi encryption has been cracked

tony.brown@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

An exploit in probably the most popular form of wireless network encryption - WPA tkip has been found by academic researchers in Germany.

They found the hole by modifying the existing exploit in WEP.

The exploit works by the attacker sniffing a network packet, modifying it so the checksum is incorrect and checking the result by sending it back to the access point.

Usually this would take a long time, but Martin Beck & Erik Tews have discovered a way to make the router se [...]

Happy Birthday Windows.. 25 Years old!

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

25 years ago Bill Gates and his little team at Microsoft gave the world the all new and 'revolutionary' Windows version 1.0. Nobody quite knew at the time what would become of this new 'Windows' but looking back it's astonsihing what it has become and how it has impacted almost every professional and home computer user today.

It was originally sold for $100 per copy (isn't still about that much?), and Bill Gates invited the press to its unveiling by sending [...]

Windows 3.11 slips quietly away in the night...

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Microsoft has finally withdrawn its ancient, but much loved operating system, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 from the embedded market. This was the very last market to which the system was available.

In July Microsoft told all of its vendors that the now 15 year old Operating System would be put out to pasture at the start of this month (1st November 2008). This was to allow the slower manufacturers still partying like it's 1993 enough time to realise its 2008 and recover fro [...]

Windows 7.. Top 10 new features..

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

We recently recieved our pre release copies of Windows 7 Ultimate edition (Due out in late 2009). Obviously being the power geek that I am, I immediatley got it installed on my PC (eek!). I'll give you a quick run through what I think are going to be the 10 most popular IT professional features inside the new 'Windows 7'.

Federated search & Enterprise search scopes

One of the big ideas in Windows 7 for the business user is allowing easier [...]

Is Cloud computing the first nail in the coffin of the systems engineer?

tony.brown@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Microsoft has recently announced that it's moving into the 'cloud' technology game with the release of Azure.

It's followed google desktop and amazon EC2 into the cloud market, and I've got to say it's a teeny weeny bit worrying for your under valued and over worked systems engineer.

A couple of years ago - Microsoft launched hosted exchange, which has meant that companys don't need to buy and service their own Exchange server, they effectiv [...]

New Windows Server coming soon...

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Windows Server 2008 R2 - coming soon!

Not got Windows Server 2008 yet? Get moving guys. Server 2008 was released as an SP1 product. Microsofts biggest and best platform to date is about to get even bigger and even better.

As Windows develops its hard to keep track of whats what and when it might affect you. Vista has been out for a while now and contrary to many reports is an excellent product (you just have to invest some time to learn it). Vista will, in 2009, be supercede [...]

VMware get a former Microsoft Executive as their new CEO

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

VMware get a former Microsoft Executive to be their new CEO - who said Microsoft were no good!

Diane Greene the lady partly responsible for founding VMware and also developing it as a successful (Probably the most successful) virtualisation company to date, is leaving her post as CEO in order to be replaced by former Microsoft executive Paul Maritz.

No reasons behind the change were given by VMware's board on the 8th when this was announced. It is however safe to as [...]

Microsoft release SQL Server 2008

ashley.starr@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Microsoft have released the first realease candidate of SQL Server 2008 which promises to improve life for database administrators. The latest version offers a variety of new features and functionality that will make administration a whole lot better.

To download Release Candidate 0 go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=35F53843-03F7-4ED5-8142-24A4C024CA05&displaylang=en

For a more on the new features visit: http://www.phillipstaylor [...]

ISA Server 2006 Service Pack 1 is out!

tony.brown@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

It's taken 2 years, but isa server 2006 sp1 is finally here.

Along with the usual bug fixes - there are quite a few really useful tools. Here are a list of what we think are going to be the most useful....

Configuration change tracking

Change control is paramount for mission critical services, and a corporate firewall is top of the list. With this new feature, you can track which users have made changes to any item in the array (essential for PCI compliance [...]

Windows Essential Business Server (Code name: Centro)

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:00:00 +0100

A New Server Solution for Small to medium sized companies is due to reach us soon.

Windows Essential Business Server (code name: Centro), is a new and fully integrated multiple server solution designed for the small to midsize company. It provides the essential technology needed for a much more secure and reliable business network.

running on top of Windows Server 2008, Windows Essential Business Server includes software for all areas of the typical business ne [...]

Revolutionary New Computer Interface from Microsoft

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Microsoft are working on revolutionary new multi touch surface computer powered by Windows Vista and Windows 7 (the next Windows client OS).

Microsoft has been trying to look beyond what we know as the desktop for sometime with little success. With the new surface projects they are showing the potential for what can only be described as revolutionary interfaces.

At its heart is a PC running Windows Vista (possibly windows 7 - we don't know until domestic release). [...]

Microsoft Enter the Sat Nav market

simon@phillipstaylorbrown.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Microsoft have finally started a push into the huge commercial and domestic Sat Nav market:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/products/navready/default.mspx

The primary focus is essentially a flavour of Windows embedded targeted at Satellite navigation hardware. Its caled NavReady and will Initially be focused on Portable Navigation Devices (PNDs). Never one to miss a trick Microsoft will of course include Live Search and MSN Direct to provide navigation serv [...]