Disabling SMB 1.0

So some of you might be curious about SMB 1.0 and weather you can turn off the protocol. The bad news is that if you are still running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 there is a need to still run that protocol. If you are running filers it would be important to double check the support and configuration of these devices. In some cases Unix devices using Samba may require this protocol as well.

Ideally from a security perspective this protocol is dated and on its death bed so it should be disabled. The performance and security is better with the newer implementations and this should be an incentive to make sure your environment is specifically configured to use SMB 2.0 or better. I've been surprised at how many environments still run SMB 1.0 on their filers just because they never got around to applying updates or changing the infrastructure configuration.

To perform a quick test you can use the following Powershell 3.0+ command line to disable SMB 1.0.
Set-SmbServerConfiguration –EnableSMB1Protocol $false 

If you are running Powershell 2.0 you can achieve the same result with the following Powershell command line.
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters" SMB1 -Type DWORD -Value 0 -Force

For more guidance you should also reference the following Microsoft KB for disabling SMB protocols.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2696547

And if you are up for some reading Microsoft has a wonderful 394 page document on the V2 and V3 specifications.
http://download.microsoft.com/download%2F9%2F5%2FE%2F95EF66AF-9026-4BB0-A41D-A4F81802D92C%2F%5BMS-SMB2%5D.pdf

April / May Windows Devices

Here is the latest list of devices:

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=D1376BA87A35887F%215462

A Note from the Author: Kalvin Falconar @ Microsoft

The attached Windows Device Choices – April 2014 spreadsheet contains many new mobile devices.  It has been reorganized with tabs for Device Choices (Commercial Tablets & Phones), Rugged + Specialized, Retail and Healthcare specific.  When I discover specific unique devices, or accessories, I will continue to update this spreadsheet.

Windows Phone 8.1 – Cool New Features

Last week Windows Phone 8.1 was announced – more personal and even smarter than Windows Phone is today. Some of the cool things showcased:

·         Cortana - your personal digital assistant. With a name inspired by the popular AI character from Halo, Cortana builds a relationship with you by learning about your interests and habits and then brings information to you as you need it. You can talk to Cortana through your voice or your keyboard, and when she replies you’ll notice she has a real personality!

·         An enhanced Start screen: Between the ability to customize your Start background with a photo and the option for a third row of tiles on all phones, Windows Phone 8.1 provides you with an even bolder canvas for expressing your individuality

·         Delighters such as Action Center, which lets you see notifications from any app, a new Calendar with week view and integrated weather like you get in Outlook, and the new Word Flow keyboard that lets you glide quickly over the keys to type and learns your writing style too

·         A new Skype app, split Music, Video and Podcast apps, and cool features that help you get the most your data allowance, battery life and storage: Data Sense, Wi-Fi-Sense, Storage Sense and Battery Saver

·         Amazing new ways that Windows and Windows Phone work together: Synced tabs and favourites with Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Phone, newer apps that let you purchase once and use on both your phone and PC, and theme colour changes that follow you across all your Windows devices!

And with Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft has made it easier to connect with business apps and services with suite of new features, such as VPN and S/MIME support and customizable Mobile Device Management (MDM) enrollment. With great new features for consumers and businesses, Windows Phone will become THE #1 phone choice for Enterprise.

Note that Windows Phone 8.1 availability for customers is dependent on the mobile operator or phone manufacturer, and will vary by country, region, and hardware capabilities. Cortana will launch shortly here in the US first as a “beta,” and then will launch in the US, the UK and China in the second half of 2014 with other countries to follow afterwards into 2015.

Developers can download Windows Phone 8.1 immediately here:

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/preview-for-developers/178ac8a1-6519-4a0b-960c-038393741e96?signin=true

Initial Reviews here:

http://www.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-81-review

http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/14/windows-phone-8-1/?utm_source=Iphone_Featured_Stories_RSS&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget

Windows 8.1 Update - Enhancements and Improvements

Windows 8.1 Update represents a great collection of improvements that give people even more familiar and convenient experiences. Microsoft has delivered easier access to your favourite apps and controls:

·         The ability to pin both desktop apps and apps from the Windows Store to your desktop taskbar

·         Power and search buttons in the upper-right hand corner so you can more quickly shut down and do a search right from the Start screen

Some of our biggest Windows fans are diehard keyboard and mouse users, so while we think touch is the future, for people using a PC without touch or folks who just prefer to mouse/keyboard we made Windows 8.1 Update easier with enhancements such as:

·         Right-click on an app tile to get a menu

·         Scrolling to the top of a Windows Store app to see the familiar Close and Minimize buttons

·         Moving the mouse to the bottom of the screen in a Windows Store app to make the taskbar appear

Apps continue to be a focus area from the standpoint of making even more apps available to customers as well as making them easier to find. With Windows 8.1 Update, we’ve made improvements in the discoverability of apps:

·         The Windows Store is now pinned on the taskbar for fast app discovery

·         Apps in the Windows Store show up in Bing Smart Search results.

One of the best new features for Windows 8.1 Update is Internet Explorer 11 Enterprise Mode that enables Internet Explorer 8 compatibility on Internet Explorer 11, allowing enterprises to run their existing web-based applications seamlessly on Windows 8.1 devices. If you find users are installing Chrome or Firefox for compatibility, you have to check this out immediately and test it in your environment.  Available now, for Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

Windows 8.1 Update is available for consumers on April 8th via Windows Update and Windows Store, for developers on MSDN/TechNet it was available , with full media published on April 8th, and for enterprise customers via VLSC on April 14th.  

New Windows Tablets for March (yes, I',m late)

Just a FYI here is another list of new Windows tablets being made available.
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=D1376BA87A35887F%214480


Also if you are curious about business cases I have a total economic impact report on using Windows tablets in retail.
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=D1376BA87A35887F%214481

New Windows Tablets for February 2014

Kalvin Falconar over at Microsoft Canada sends out some regular updates as to new devices coming out in the Windows tablet category. Since the information is free to share you can find February's update over here. http://sdrv.ms/1eslAk5

Calgary: Cloud OS MVP Roadshow

On February 25th the Calgary IT Pro, Calgary Systems Management User Group and the Calgary Virtualization user group are getting together for the Cloud OS MVP Roadshow event in Calgary. There will be lunch, refreshments and an Xbox One giveaway. Below is an overview of the event content.

There are more apps, more devices, and now, more data than ever — all driven by the rise of cloud computing and the use of cloud services. With these technologies playing an ever present role in businesses, how can IT drive more efficiency and deliver new forms of value? Microsoft’s answer is the Cloud OS. Microsoft’s approach allows IT to get all the benefits of scale, speed, and agility while still protecting existing investments. This means IT can now rapidly build and deploy apps, flexibly manage IT services, and support real-time analytics across all forms of data. 

Welcome Reception: Windows Device Showcase

Join Kalvin Falconar from Microsoft to explorre some of the newest offerings from Microsoft and its partner ecosystem for the latest release of Windows operating systems.

Session 1: Helping with Compliance Through Access and Information Protection  

Capturing the business opportunities while managing the IT challenges presented by the consumerization of IT remains top of the agenda for many businesses.  Our people-centric IT session shows how Microsoft's vision helps businesses to enable their end users to be productive across devices and locations, keep data and corporate assets protected and build on top of existing investments.

Session 2: Enable Modern Work Styles with Microsoft VDI  

Remote Desktop Services and Virtual Desktops can help enable users to work on the device and from the location they want to, while still allowing IT to secure access to data and applications. Learn about the Microsoft offering for Remote Desktop and Virtual Desktop Infrastructures in this session. With Windows Server 2012 R2, the Microsoft VDI solution is efficient to manage and easy to deploy. It delivers a low cost solution by leveraging the capabilities of Windows Server R2 virtualization and storage technologies. It does all this while delivering a rich user experience that delivers a high fidelity experience across a range of devices and network conditions.

Application is also a hot topic as organizations look to deploy large application sets in a RDS and VDI environment. As a result the latest release of App-V 5 continues to include more features to make virtual application behave as if they were natively installed. Also explore the integration options when working with App-V in a RDS or VDI environment.

Session 3: Extend Your Datacenter with Virtualization and Networking 

Virtualization and networking are at the foundation of a hybrid cloud strategy. Today, Microsoft’s enterprise-grade virtualization solutions let you increase flexibility in the on-premises datacenter and move virtual machines from the datacenter to the cloud. Learn how continuing advances in these areas can help you extend the datacenter and connect to the cloud. 

Speaker BIOS

Evan Zaleschuk

Evan is a Technology Executive with over 21 years of experience in technology and a proven track record in moving organizations from vision to strategy through delivery and operational management. Evan is a recognized expert in the technology industry and had developed organizations by building high performance teams to deliver unique cutting edge solutions that have garnered industry rewards. Areas of expertise include unified communications, telecommunications, data center and network operation center design and management on a global scale.

Kevin Kaminski

With over thirteen years of systems management experience, Kevin Kaminski is no stranger to the headaches enterprises can experience when managing large deployments of Windows systems. As an independent consultant Kevin uses the opportunity to visit many diverse environments and see the challenges they face first hand.

Marcos Nogueira

With more than 15 years’ experience in Datacentre Architectures, Marcos is currently working as an Senior Infrastructure Architect at NeoStream Technologies. Expert in Private and Hybrid Cloud, with a focus on Virtualization and System Center. Marcos's is an MVP in System Center Cloud and Datacenter Management and he has 10+ years has a Microsoft Certified, with more than 70+ certifications (MCT, MCSE, MCITP, MCSA, MCTS and MCDBA among others). He is certified in ITIL, CompTia and VMware as well.

He had large experience in enterprise environments in several industries, including Gas-Oil Company in different countries and continents. He had directly collaborated with Microsoft in the development of workshops and special events with products such as Private and Hybrid Cloud, System Center, Windows Server, Windows client among others, and as a speaker at several TechNet events and TechEd Events (NORAM and EMEA).

 Please register at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cloud-os-mvp-roadshow-tickets-10047192423

Briforum 2013 Application Packaging Smackdown is Available for Streaming

Over the summer Nicke Kallen and myself put on a presentation called the Application Packaging Smackdown in Chicago for Briforum 2013. Our goal was to help people understand some of the tooling available for packagers when making both traditional and virtual application packages. 

You can view the presentation over here at BrianMadden.com:

http://www.brianmadden.com/blogs/videos/archive/2013/08/13/briforum-2013-chicago-session-video-application-packaging-smackdown.aspx

If you are interested in the slide deck it can be found over on SlideShare:

http://www.slideshare.net/kkaminsk/briforum2013-applicationpackagingsmackdown-public

Feel free to send feedback to applicationpackagingsmackdown@bighatgroup.com.

HOW I GET IT DONE WITH OFFICE 365

I’ve been a skeptic about cloud and mostly writing it off as a fad but once in a while you see where different types of cloud infrastructure can come together to form a beautiful solution that empowers the end user. Keep in mind that Office 365 is more than just Office but a suite of applications running in a data center with most of the mundane administration taken out of the experience. This service is built on enterprise grade architecture and data centers so even the smallest user reaps the benefits of the backend design. This post isn’t to get deep into the details of cloud architecture but more to talk about what Office 365 means to me.

One of the most heavily used features for me is SkyDrive Pro because I am finding myself using the same device less throughout my day or I am test driving a new operating system but don’t want to be tied down to the details with migrating data. Think of this as your file server for your documents that can be accessed from a web browser or a native Windows application. If you are in a bind there are web based versions of several common Office applications so you can open and edit from a web browser. You can also share the data with co-workers inside the organization or people outside the organization if the security settings for the account are set to do so. Since I run a small business being able to share accounting data between my bookkeeper and accountant is critical. Rather than emailing out easy to sniff emails with attachments or forcing people to use cumbersome encryption tools I can use their Microsoft or Office365 accounts to give them access.

When I would be on Microsoft campus for MVP Summit one of the things I quickly picked up on was the religious use of OneNote by some of the product managers. I had gone through training from Franklin Covey years before and I thought this might be a helpful progression in my note taking. Hands down having indexed notebooks that can be pulled up on a laptop is great but being able to get at notes on your phone is even better. I’ve become a convert to the point that I even collect other people’s blog articles and papers into a special OneNote notebook. I would say the key isn’t to try to use OneNote exclusively overnight but try making task lists and notes first then if you feel comfortable try using it to take notes in real time.

Device support beyond Windows phone is necessary to survive in today’s mobile device market and I’m glad that Microsoft has made versions of Office 365 for iPhone and Android. It is common to see users using more than one mobile operating system and in some cases having more than one device that is a certain form factor such as a smart phone. I know you aren’t going to write a paper in Word on a phone but I’ve tweaked slide decks and done informal run-throughs of a presentation before a meeting. It comes down to agility when you are in a less than ideal situation.

If you have a business partner or classmate you need to share and edit documents with they can sign up for a Microsoft account online and use the touch friendly web based versions of Excel, PowerPoint, Word and more. And if they happen to be a home user I find the Office 365 Home licensing enticing as it can be installed on up to five Windows PC or Apple OS X devices. In addition the suite can be installed onto another five Android and iPhone devices. Office 365 home is a great way for families to stay legitimate with Microsoft licensing and not have to shell out big money when there is an upgrade or a need for extra licenses. I definitely think this will be the way of the future for Office in the home and small business, I believe the enterprise customer will eventually get on board but will be more conservative when it comes to embracing cloud services such as Office 365 but I definitely do not see this being any sort of fad that will be disappearing any time soon.

If you are a TechNet or MSDN subscriber check out the trail subscription included with your benefits. If you want to do a single user pilot it is less than ten dollars Canadian a month to do so. For more information and to sign up for Office 365 go to the following page and give it a test drive:  http://www.microsoft.com/MicrosoftOffice365