February 2006 - Posts
BizTalk Server 2006 White Papers
Read up on the features and improvements planned for BizTalk Server 2006.
•Understanding BizTalk Server 2006
Learn about key features and improvements in BizTalk Server 2006, such as significantly simpler installation; better support for deploying, monitoring, and managing applications; and improved capabilities for Business Activity Monitoring.
•BizTalk Server 2006 Adapter Enhancements
This white paper discusses both the new built-in adapters and enhancements to the existing built-in adapters that will ship with BizTalk Server 2006.
•BizTalk Server 2006 Application Deployment and Management
This white paper describes two new key features of BizTalk Server 2006—the capability to manage BizTalk artifacts as a single application, and the ability to monitor a group of artifacts through the use of the BizTalk Server Administration Console, which makes BizTalk Server less time-consuming to manage.
•BizTalk Server 2006 Business Activity Monitoring
This paper provides a detailed description of two new Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) features in BizTalk Sever 2006—the BizTalk Server BAM Portal, and Alerts and Notification Support—and it discusses enhancements to the BAM features in BizTalk Server 2004.
•BizTalk Server 2006 Developer Tools Improvements
This white paper describes some key product enhancements in BizTalk Server 2006 that are of interest to developers, in particular the Flat File Wizard.
•BizTalk Server 2006 Runtime Improvements
This white paper reviews the improvements that have been made to message processing as part of the core engine enhancements for BizTalk Server 2006.
•BizTalk Server 2006 Setup and Migration
Included in this white paper is a high-level overview of the BizTalk Sever 2006 setup process and how it differs with the BizTalk Server 2004 install process.
•Understanding the Hub and Spoke Deployment Model for BizTalk Server 2006
Read this article to understand how the BizTalk Server 2006 hub and spoke model supports administrators who want to install and deploy the associated bits of a BizTalk Server solution from one central server and multiple remote servers.
•The Business Value of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
This white paper examines the opportunities and benefits of RFID and how this technology will revolutionize supply chain management.
Microsoft BizTalk Server: BizTalk Server 2006 White Papers.
Reliable Messaging demystified
Recently I hear many questions about Reliable Messaging in WCF. In fact, I just had an IM chat with Clemens which resulted in this blog entry. I want to expand on his comments with a little more of the insight I got being a past owner for this feature.
The first thing we should clear out is terminology - Reliable Messaging means a lot of things to a lot of people so I like to use 2 separate terms when it comes to WCF features: Reliable Sessions and Queued Messaging.
Shy Cohen's WebLog : Reliable Messaging demystified.
Best Place to start learning about skinning Community Server are these 2 locations:
Community Server Wiki
Blog skin tutorial for Community Server: Part 0 - Introduction
/n software, who have been publishing communications / socket libraries since the COM days, has a bunch of nice integration components for things like:
OFX, QuickBooks, USPS, Paypal, and a few others.
Additionally, they have some BizTalk adapters for FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and SSH.
IBiz Integrator products provide small and medium-sized companies with enterprise-class software components for business integration. These components focus on the integration of Internet payment, accounting, management, and other common E-Business services.
/n software inc. - IBiz Integrator Tools for Internet Business.
/n software - BizTalk Adapters
Lenovo has released a new line of Desktops & Notebooks without the ThinkPad (IBM) heritage. From a look at the Notebooks all I can say is they didn’t really push any of the hardware capabilities. It’s a very Entry Level model, Value priced. But I’m sure Windows Vista will have trouble running in Aero mode as it uses the shared video option from Intel. So, if you need it for just about a year, then you’re ok.
Even the hard drive, while 80 gig, is only 5400 RPM – too slow for anything other than browsing or writing word docs. Slow FSB (533) relative to what’s leading edge today, Cheap components all around. Guess you get what you pay for and nothing earth shattering here. Need to question why given the bad rap Lenovo's been getting on their service.
General
Model name 076126U
Description Lenovo 3000 C100
Web Price* $999.00
Lenovo United States.
Breaking changes for the Feb CTP
The Feb CTP is now available! A number of changes have been made that break existing code. The details have been posted here on our community site. Raw API change reports are available here for reference.
Here are some of the most popular things that you'll run into when you port your apps.
Breaking changes for the Feb CTP.
They’ve posted a couple of labs on WCF up on MSDN Virtual Lab environments. One covers Reliable and Transacted messages.
An issue is the labs are built with the November ‘05 CTP. Mostly they work, but if you want the labs offline it takes some time. So, I’ve posted the labs here built with the January 2006 CTP. I haven’t moved them to the February 2006 CTP as there have been a couple of minor breaking changes that requires config file updates.
File Attachment: MSDN Lab WCF Reliable Transactions 200602.zip (466 KB) *
Windows Communication Foundation
They're here!
Try out 2 new Virtual Labs that will walk you through the latest functionality of the exciting new features of Windows Communication Foundation.
Windows Communication Foundation (previously codenamed "Indigo") is Microsoft's unified framework for rapidly building distributed applications. With WCF, you can build secure, reliable, transacted Web services applications that interoperate with applications built on other platforms and integrate with the applications you're building on today's .NET technologies.
These labs will guide you through the fundamentals of building powerful WCF services. You don’t even need to install the bits—just use the Virtual Labs to see what WCF can do for you.
Virtual Labs Home: Windows Communication Foundation.
* Note: this just contains the lab source code as built by walking through the Lab Manual – to get the lab manual you must still signup for the lab and download the PDF direct; the projects where “snapped” at completion of Ex 4, 5, & 6
If you’re a Windows Media Center user, this is the place for plugins.
Welcome to MoreMce.com
We hope this site will become the most complete list of plugins, utilities and websites available for Windows Media Center.
In difference to other websites, MoreMce.com allow users to add details of new applications themselves.
You will also be able to subscribe to alerts, so you can be notified of any updates.
MoreMce.com.
I have a Verizon Broadband access account. When updates to the software come out I need to go to a special site and download, but you need the VZ phone number. Frankly, I don’t recall the phone number. To get it you have to open up the device manager when it’s plugged in. I never wrote it down and really don’t care what it is.
It’s a Network device – NIC!!! What does a phone number provide. The way they implemented it troubles me as well. You basically access the VZ network via “dialup” calling *777 as the number. Why didn’t they make it look like a NIC device to the OS? Odd.
Note: The VZAccess Manager can be downloaded only by NationalAccess/BroadbandAccess users with existing qualifying software (Sierra Wireless Watcher, Mobile Connection Manager, Smith Micro QuickLink Mobile or VZAccess).
NationalAccess & BroadbandAccess.
These guys blow away Kinko’s in pricing. And real slick printer interface and online choices.
Vision
Mimeo's revolutionary online, on-demand document production solutions effortlessly replace the outdated manual print processes of local copy shops and on-site print centers. Through our innovative web technology, highly-automated production facility, and expert customer service, Mimeo offers busy professionals with the most cost-effective, convenient, and secure way to produce and distribute important business documents.
Overview
Save time and money while we produce the highest quality business documents. Mimeo’s comprehensive range of document production services includes:
Real-time online proofing: Preview a real-time proof of your document with Mimeo's EZViewer and ensure that your document appears exactly as you desire.
Secure document transmission: Simply click “Print” on any application running on your desktop and securely transmit your documents with our free Exact Print™ Software.
Flawless document production: Rely on our highly-automated production process and dedicated printing professionals to ensure that your final documents look perfect everytime.
Easy document reordering and sharing: Share your files and store them for future use in our enterprise online digital library known as DocCenter.
Guaranteed overnight delivery: Submit your order by 10pm ET for delivery as early as 8am the next morning.
World-class customer care: Email us or call us at 1.800.GoMimeo to speak with a document solution specialist, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’re here to serve you.
Comprehensive range of custom services: Ask us about our broad set of capabilities.
Mimeo.com - Your Online Print Center: Company Overview.
When installing Vista on VMWare it doesn’t work well if the virtual HD isn’t formatted already. So, when you launch the installation wizard you need to first format the drive, then reboot the machine and start the installation process over.
Once you’ve got a boot with a HD that’s already formatted the Vista installer recognizes that it can actually install onto that drive. Seems like a trivial thing that they missed in the installer.
I received from Microsoft newsletters today a link to some tips and pointers on time management, inbox management. So, it got me thinking.
What’s astonishing to me over the years is many people believe that email requires an immediate response; in fact, there’s that silly expectation that all recipients read every email sent to them. Well, sorry to inform you folks, but if you think that your email is the most important thing in the world, you’re sadly mistaken. There’s nothing in there about world peace and curing all forms of cancer.
So, generally, if you think your email is that important and you want to recipient to think so or even read it.
- Don’t use the “receipt confirmation” – this is easily defeated as I always turn it off. To me that’s just more junk traversing the wires.
- Say what you want in the first sentence or paragraph. Then, fill the rest of the email with background and justification
- Keep it short – most people are too busy to read dissertations unless they’ve been hooked early on in the message. So, all of your writing is probably going in the trash anyway. Might make you feel good that you wrote it, but in the end most people don’t care. Sorry if that’s a ding to your ego, but hey, that’s humanity.
- If it’s really that important – PICK UP THE PHONE!!! Again, email is an asynchronous process with no Service Level Agreements attached. I can, upon receipt, ignore it, delete it, read it, laugh at it, or maybe I’m too busy on something else to actually look at email right now. Have we all lost the ability to use the phone?
4 Ways to Take Control of Your E-mail Inbox.
5 Beliefs that Limit Productivity - And How to Overcome Them.
I was looking at doing a quick sample on how to implement compression in Windows Communication Foundation, but, turns out, they’ve already put together a sample:
http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/WCF_samples/html/57450b6c-89fe-4b8a-8376-3d794857bfd7.asp?frame=true
Microsoft has their own PE (Preinstallation environment) but Bart is the master. Not only on his site is a CD/DVD bootable with all sorts of configuration options, variations, etc., but good old DOS boot, Floppy boot disks HOWTO’s.
So, I have this Toshiba M3 which I’ve taken out the DVD drive and replaced with a second hard drive. Periodically I ghost the machine’s primary drive for backup needs. Well, can’t just write to the 2nd hard drive as both are at about 75% capacity. So, I need to boot from a Memory Card (SD to be exact). That’s the only way the M3 supports, no USB on this model.
Well, I need a virtual floppy driver file, and have some utilities for that. But, I need good customization for the boot contents. Bart’s got it call up there.
Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD
BartPE is Admin's best friend...
Version 3.1.10 (released on Feb 13, 2006)
This page is last updated on Feb 13, 2006
Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD.
Microsoft has gone to great lengths to create enormous amount of information on a baseline starting point for distributed applications based upon Microsoft Windows. Here they provide templates, guides, etc. that you can customize as needed.
This is a superset (mostly) and for any proposal, pick what you need, customize, and move on. But, it’s a good idea to get a reference view of what’s available. Frankly, having all this in one place helps for those of use who hate to remember things, just remember where to find the answer.
Windows Server System Reference Architecture
The Windows Server System Reference Architecture (WSSRA) describes a standardized infrastructure architecture for large organizations. Its goal is to serve as a foundation on which Microsoft and partner solutions can be built. To help achieve this goal, guidelines and blueprints provide organizations with access to the knowledge and resources needed to design and implement unique solutions with more speed and less risk and cost.
Windows Server System Reference Architecture.
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