The videos and Q&A transcript of the “Windows Intune for IT Professionals Jump Start” are available on Microsoft Virtual Academt (MVA):
https://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/tracks/windows-intune-for-it-professionals-jump-start
Windows Intune is a cloud-based solution to manage desktops and mobile devices (including tablets and phones). It’s not limited to just Windows based products. For more information, take a look at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windowsintune/pc-management.aspx
Tags: ICT, Intune, jump start, jumpstart, Microsoft, Microsoft Virtual Academy, MVA, q&a, Training, transcript, video, videos, Virtual Academy, Windows, Windows Intune
Beware: It seems there are different models of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 in different regions around the world, so pricing and specs may differ. This article covers the NT.L0EEH.002 model with an I3 processor as sold in the Netherlands.
Click the image for a slide show
First of all, for me it was obvious my type of use would require a Windows 8 tablet. An iPad, Android or Windows RT tablet would not meet my needs. For more information about differences, please read my previous post.
Since I was looking for a Windows 8 tablet, I’ve tried many different ones intended either for consumers or companies/professionals. My favorite among all these tablets was the new Samsung Series 7 slate with a i5 processor and a S-pen for digital note taking/writing.
Still I decided to order an Acer Iconia Tab W700 tablet (NT.L0EEH.002) because of the specifications, price and all the included extras:
+Full Windows 8 (not Windows RT).
+Good specs (i3 CPU with Intel HD Graphics 3000, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 11.6″ screen, 1920*1080 resolution).
+Dock, keyboard and proper brown cover are included.
+No other Windows 8 tablet with similar specs and peripherals comes even close to its price (599 euros at the time I bought it).
+Micro HDMI.
+Included adapter Micro HDMI to VGA-out.
+Charges quickly.
+No proprietary stuff.
There are however some compromises I accepted as well:
-CPU is not an i5 or i7 CPU.
-No GPS.
-No built-in 3G (can use USB dongle though).
-No memory card slot (can use USB flash drive / USB disk though).
-No digitizer in the screen / pen support.
-Keyboard is separate Bluetooth device (not a docking, and therefore also no additional battery life and more difficult to carry around).
-The tablet can become warm to the touch. Not noticeable when using the included cover.
-It is not fanless and if you listen very good, you can hear the fan sometimes.
-It might be a bit on the thick and heavy side for some.
-The plastic dock is a nice extra, but the build quality could’ve been better.
-Screen is reflective (as most devices nowadays)
-The power adapter is relatively big.
-Boot from USB flash drive doesn’t seem to be supported. Reinstall requires USB CD/DVD drive.
Even though I don’t need it yet, I would have really enjoyed to be able to expand the storage using a memory card slot. I would also have liked the digitizer/pen, because this would make life easier sometimes when I have to do some stuff in the regular Windows 8 interface.
Besides the specs, I can also say that it’s not just specs. The device feels solid, looks great, boots quickly, has a beautiful screen, has a responsive touch screen and the battery life is good as well (6-10 hours depending on the use). All in all it just works great and it’s a very complete package, so you don’t need to buy any additional stuff.
After using it for about 1,5 months I can honestly say that I don’t want to be without a Windows 8 tablet anymore, because it gives me much more freedom to do stuff when and where I want.
I personally use it mainly in tablet mode to:
- Browse the internet (mainly Facebook, Twitter, Tweakers.net but also other websites)
- Watch video learning online / live seminars (some require flash or Silverlight, which other tablets do not support).
- Watch 720p and 1080p movies and TV series (MKV x264).
- Check and send e-mails.
- Play games.
- Chat.
- RDP to other systems.
I also have a good desktop and laptop, but if you don’t have either … this tablet can be used as a replacement. You might however want to attach a bigger screen of course.
You might also want to check out other reviews of the Acer Iconia Tab W700. The only one of the same model I have is in Dutch: http://www.tabletguide.nl/review/acer-iconia-tab-w700-review/
You could also check these international reviews, but once again keep in mind that they review different models with another CPU, a different size SSD and also a different price:
If you still have any questions, please leave a comment and I will get back to you.
Tags: Acer, Acer Iconia Tab W700, Iconia Tab W700, NT.L0EEH.002, tablet, Windows, Windows 8, Windows 8 tablet
Today Microsoft has released its Surface Pro and despite the not overly positive reviews, the 128GB model has apparently sold out in many places.
I personally really like the Windows 8 tablets (I own an Acer W700), but I think the pricing for the Surface Pro is still too steep at the moment for the majority of people. Still it should be enough to get people to think about all the great possibilities with Windows 8 tablets.
So let’s wait and see what 3rd parties will do and what will happen to prices over time. I do expect businesses to adopt Windows 8 tablets quite quickly though. Especially since the sales of regular PC’s aren’t doing that well.
For now, I will leave you with links to a couple of reviews so you can see what other people think:
Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Surface Pro, Release, Released, review, Reviews, surface, Surface Pro, tablet, Windows, Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro
A friend of mine who is still a student has been building his own VMware lab environment for some time now. Yesterday he contacted me that he couldn’t get the “VMware VirtualCenter Server service” to start anymore.
The log showed: EventID 7021 “The VMware VirtualCenter Server service terminated with service-specific error 2 (0×2).”
A quick google search however showed that many things could be causing this error. Because it was a lab environment, I wanted to upgrade the virtual center to the latest version. Before doing so, I took a look at the VMware blog post covering the latest update 5.1.0B. In the readme it said:
“SSO service dependency on MS SQL
When SSO is installed with local Microsoft SQL Server, the services must start in a specific order.
SSO must start after SQL Server starts. If SSO starts before SQL Server starts, restart the SSO
server after SQL server starts.”
Doing so resolved the issue. To prevent the issue from re-occurring, I made the SSO service dependent on the SQL service.
I don’t understand why this is not part of the automated installation process though 😦
Tags: dependency, ICT, Microsoft, MS SQL, MSSQL, service, SQL Server, SSO, The VMware VirtualCenter Server service terminated with service-specific error 2 (0×2), virtual center, virtualcenter, virtualization, VMware, VMware Virtual Center, VMware virtualcenter, VMware VirtualCenter Server service, VMware vSphere, vSphere, Windows
Microsoft has released the Security Compliance Manager 3.0 (SCM). This version includes support for Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, and Internet Explorer 10.
SCM enables you to quickly configure and manage computers and your private cloud using Group Policy and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. It provides ready-to-deploy policies and DCM configuration packs based on Microsoft Security Guide recommendations and industry best practices, allowing you to easily manage configuration drift, and address compliance requirements for Windows operating systems and Microsoft applications.
Basically in SCM 3.0 you can use predefined baselines, customize them or create completely new ones. Then you can export it from SCM 3.0 and apply it using an Active Directory GPO. To do this, create a new GPO in Group Policy Management, right click the GPO, import settings and complete the wizard.
You can also export existing GPO and then import it into SCM 3.0 and compare the differences.
Tags: Active Directory, AD, best practice, ConfigMgr, DCM configuration, GPO, Internet Explorer 10, policies, policy, Private Cloud, SCCM, SCM, SCM 3.0, Security Compliance Manager, Security Compliance Manager 3.0, settings, System Center Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager 2007, System Center Configuration Manager 2012, Windows, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012
Tags: 070-410, 070-411, 070-412, 070-413, 070-414, 070-417, 70-410, 70-411, 70-412, 70-413, 70-414, 70-417, blog, blog post, Born To Learn, certification, Exam, forum, learn, Learning, Microsoft, microsoft learning, Microsoft Virtual Academy, MVA, preparation, preparation resources, resources, Server 2012 Virtual Labs, Tweakers, Tweakers.net, Virtual Academy, virtual lab, virtual labs, wiki, Windows, Windows Server, Windows Server 2012
As I already wrote in yesterday’s post Apple – Notes / summary for the “Mac Integration Basics 10.8 Exam”, I’ve mainly been working with Microsoft products all my life. Since recently however, I’m also trying to get more familiar with Apple, Mac products and OS X and am trying to become certified.
One of the reasons, I’d never used Apple products before was because I never really deemed it necessary. Nowadays the number of Mac users seem to be growing and there is more demand for people with Mac / OS X knowledge.
As such my quest for knowledge and certification began. For me personally this meant:
- Using Apple online resources
- Reading books (mainly the great book Apple Pro Training Series: OS X Support Essentials. Before purchasing, you might also want to look for coupon codes as it might save you 30% off or more.)
- Watching computer based training (CBT) videos
- Working with OS X (thanks go out to my employer Open Line for providing me with a MacBook Pro, books and most importantly … TIME)
- Personally I didn’t think it was necessary to take a course at a training center, but some people might prefer this.
- Asking colleagues for help (thanks guys !!!)
- Making sure that I understood everything and if it wasn’t the case, look it up.
- Taking notes / creating this summary blog post that can be used as a reference if needed
- Testing my knowledge using test questions from Revise IT
I’ve taken the exam last friday and passed with 92.5%. Even though I think it was a pretty good score, I still had to make some educated guesses. This made me realize that there’s still a lot to learn and that getting more experience is important as well.
I also want to mention that I took the exam at LAI the training institute for IT professionals in Schiedam (The Netherlands). They were really kind, helpful and service oriented. The waiting area and test room were great and they even provided a pastry and all kind of drinks at no charge. This has been my best test taking experience to date, so keep up the good work guys.
I’m looking forward to attending the OS X Server 10.8 course at LAI the training institute for IT professionals at the end of March. I’ll try to create another blog post about this as well.
But now back to the important stuff, here are my notes/summary. I hope it is useful. If you find any errors or have any suggestions, please leave a comment.
Notes / summary for the “OS X Support Essentials 10.8 Exam”
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: .mobileconfig, .Spotlight-v100, .spx, 32-bit, 64-bit, 802.1X, About this Mac, Access Control Entries, Access Control Lists, accessibility, ACE, ACL, ACSP, ACTC, Active Directory, Activity Monitor, AD, ad-hoc, ad-hoc network, Address Book, Address Resolution Protocol, address space layout randomization, Administrative user, advanced search, Advanced Technology Attachment, AES, AFP, AFP 2, AFP 3.1, Agents, AirDrop, Alias, alternative data stream, AoL, APIPA, APM, App Store, appfirewall.log, Apple, Apple Certified Associate, Apple Certified Associate - Mac Integration 10.8, Apple Certified Support Professional, Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) 10.8, Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC), Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) 10.8, Apple Filing Protocol, Apple Hardware Test, Apple ID, Apple Mac OS X, Apple menu, Apple online mail Setup Assistant, Apple Partition Map, Apple Remote Desktop, Apple Rmeote Desktop, AppleFileServer, AppleScript, AppleVNCServer, application, Application Resource Troubleshooting, Application Sandboxing, Application Support, Application Troubleshooting, Applications, ARD, ARDagent, ARP, assistive technologies, Associate certification for Mac Integration, audio conferencing, authentication, authorize, auto discover, Auto Resume, Auto Save, Automatic Resume, automatic updates, Automator, backlight, backup, Backups.backupdb, backwards compatible, bidirectional, binary encoded, Bluetooth, Bluetooth PAN, BlueTooth Preferences, Bluetooth shairng, Bonjour, Boot Camp, boot rom version, boot.efi, bootd, booter, bootpd, browser, BSSID, Build, bundles, cable, cabling, CalDAV, Calendars, Calendears, camera, Carbon, CardDAV, central software update server, certificate, Certificate assistant, certificates, certification, certify, chmod, chown, CIDR, CIFS, Cisco IPSec, Classic Compatibility environment, Classless Inter Domain Routing, Classless InterDomain Routing, CLI, client-server architecture, Cocoa, code signed, collaboration services, command, Command Line Interface, Commands, Common Unix Printing System, configuration, Configuration Profile, Connect To Server, Connection Doctor, Console, Contacts, Core Audio framework, corrupt, corruption, CPU, Cross Platform, CrytpoCard, CUPS, customization, Daemons, daisy-chained, dark-wake, dark-wakes, dark-waking, darkwake, darkwakes, Dashboard, data management, deactivate, delete, desktop, Device driver, DFS, DHCP, DHCP services, diagnose, diagnostic, digital camera, digital display, Directory, Directory utility, disconnect, Discoverable mode, disk images, Disk Utility, display, DisplayPort, Distributed File Service, DNS, DNS services, Dock, Document management, Document Versions, documents, Domain Naming System, downloads, drag-and-drop installation, Driver, Drop Box, dscacheutil -flushcache, Dual-Link DVI, duplex, Duplicate, DVD or CD sharing, DVI, dynamic disk repartition, dynamic disk repartitioning, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, Dynamic memory, Dynamic service discovery, e-mail, effective permissions, EFI, eject, Encrypted IMAP, Encrypted POP, Encrypted SMTP, encryption, Ethernet, Everyone, EWS, Exam, Exchange, Exchange Web Services, Execute, execute disable, ExFAT, expansion buses, export, ExpressCard 34, Extended File Allocation Table, eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, Extensions, Facebook, FAT, FAT32, Fibre Channel, File Allocation Table, file archives, File Quarantine, file server, File shairng, File share, File Sharing, file sharing protocols, File Sharing services, file system, File System shortcuts, file systems, fileserver, FileVault, FileVault 2, FileVault2, Find My iPhone, Find My Mac, Finder, Finger, Firewall, Firewire, firmware, Firmware Password Utility, flash disk, flash drive, Flash Storage, flickr, font, Fonts, force quit, forked file system, forward lookup, Framework plug-in, Framworks, Free Berkely Software Distribution, FreeBSD, fsck, FTP, FTPS, full disk encryption, full restore, Gatekeeper, Gbit, Get Info, Gigabit, Gmail, Go, Gopher, GPRS/3G, GPT, group, guest, guest user, gui, GUID, hard link, hardware, HDMI, hex, HID, hidden files, hidden folders, hidden items, home folder, Host Sharing Services, HP Jetdirect, HTTP, HTTPS, hub, Human Input Device, iChat, iCloud, iCloud iMessage, iClpid integration, IEEE-1394, IM, iMac, Image Capture App, Image Capture Framework, IMAP, iMessage, import, incorrect, index rebuild, Info, Inspector, installation method, installation package, InstallESD.dmg, Instant Messaging, internet, Internet Printing Protocol, Internet protocol, iOS, IP, IP address, iPad, iPhone, iPod, IPP, IPsec, IPv4, IPv6, iTunes, Jabber, Java applications, Java preferences, Java SE 6, Java SE 7, Journaled, Kerberos, kernel, Kernel Extension, kernel_task, KEXT, Keyboard, keychain, Keychains, Keynote, killall -HUP mDNSResponder, L2TP, L2TP over IPsec, LaunchAgents, launchd, LaunchDaemons, Launchpad, LDAP, Legacy AFP, Legacy Applications, Legacy FileVault, library, Library Randomization, Line Printer Daemon, link-local, listening key, local snapshot, location services, lock, lock screen, Login Keychain, login message, loginwindow, logout, Logs, Lookup, LPD, mac, MAC address, Mac App Store, Mac App Store and identified developers, Mac Integration Basics 10.8, Mac Integration Basics 10.8 Exam, Mac mini, Mac OS Extended, Mac OS X, Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, machine authentication, mail, malware, managed user, manual restore, MAPI, Master Boot Record, Master Password, MAx OS Extended (Journaled), Maximum Transmission Unit, MBR, MCS, MDM, memory, Messages, Messages Screen Sharing, Messaging services, metadata, Microsoft Exchange, Migration Assistant, mobile device management, modifier keys, Modulation and Coding Scheme, mount, Mountain Lion, Mouse, mouse keys, Movies, MS DOS, MTU, Music, named, NAT, natd, Native OS X applications, Netbios, NetBoot, Netstat, network, Network Address Translation, network configuration, Network Diagnostics, Network File System, Network folder, network servcies, Network Service, network service account settings, Network Utility, NFS, NIS, No Access, notes, notifications, Numbers, NVRAM, octet, Open Directory, Open in Low Resolution, Open Systems Interconnection Reference model, OpenType, Oracle, Organizationally unique identifier, OS X, OS X 10.8, OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, OS X internet recovery, OS X Launch Services, OS X Mountain Lion, OS X Recovery, OS X Server, OSI, OSI model, OUI, Outline fonts, Owner, packages, Pages, pair, parental controls, paring, partitioning, Password, password hint, passwords, PCI Express, PCIe, PDF, PDF tools, peer-to-peer, per-user authentication, peripheral buses, peripherals, Permissions, Personal Firewall, Photo Stream, PHY, Pictures, PID, Ping, plist, Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet, Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, policy banner, POP, port, Port Scan, Portable Document Format, ports, POSIX, POST, PostScript, PostScript Printer Description, Power Nap, Power On Self Test, PowerNap, PowerPC, PPD, PPoE, PPTP, preference file, PreferencePanes, Preferences, Preview, print, Print & Scan, print job, printer queue, Printer Sharing, printer spool, Printing, privacy, Process Features, Process ID, Process Security, Process Types, profile, Profile Manager, profiles, property list, Protected memory, protocols, Proxy, public, Quick Look, QuickTime, raid, Read, Read & Write, Read Only, Real Mem, Received Signal Strength Indication, reconnect, recovery, Recovery Disk Assistant, Recovery Key, referral, Remote Apple Events, Remote Disc, Remote Login, Remote Management, Reset permissions, resetpassword, restore, restore DVD, Retina, Retina display, Reverse lookup, Root, Root user, Rosetta, RSA SecurID, RSSI, RTSP, S-Video, Safari, safe boot, safe downloads list, Safe Sleep, sandbox, Sandboxing, SATA, Scanner sharing, Screen Sharing, SCSI, Secure Empty Trash, secure erase, Secure FTP, secure memory, security, Security & Privacy, self-assigned, Serial ATA, Serial Attached SCSI, Serial Number, Server Message Block, Services For Macintosh, Setup Assistant, SFM, SFTP, Shared, shared secret, sharing only user, shortcuts, Shutdown, side-by-side, Sidebar, Single Sign On, single user mode, Sites, sleep mode, Small Computer System Interface, SMB, smbd, SMTP, Socks, speakable items, speed, spoken commands, spool, Spotlight, Spotlight index, spotlight plug-ins, spotlight search, srm, SSD, SSH, SSH daemon, SSH File Transfer Protocol, sshd, SSO, standard user, Startup Items, startup keyboard shortcut, startup keyboard shortcuts, startup shortcuts, StartupItems, StdExclusions.plist, Stealth, Stealth mode, sticky keys, storage, storage buses, sudo, summary, Symbolic link, Symmetric multiprocessing, system, System Administrator, System information, system kernel, system launchd, System Memory, System Preferences, System Profiler, System resources, System Screen Sharing, System Security, System Security Settings, system sleep, system startup, SystemStarter, target disk mode, TCP, TCP/IP, Terminal, TextEdit, Thunderbolt, Time Capsule wireless base station, Time Machine, Time Machine local snapshot, TOSLINK, Traceroute, trackpad, Trash, troubleshooting, Troubleshooting Utility, TrueType, Twitter, UDP, UEFI, UFS, Universal Serial Bus, Universally Unique ID, UNIX, UNIX BSD, UNIX commands, Unix File System, UNIX permissions, unmount, update, updating applications, USB, USB cellular, user, user account, user account information, User authentication, User Datagram Protocol, user launchd, users, Users & Groups, UUID, vector fonts, verbose logging, Verbose mode, verification, VGA, video conferencing, vimeo, virtual interface, Virtual Private Network, VMware Fusion, VNC, VoiceOver, VPN, VPN on demand, web site, WebDAB, website, WEP, What's Keeping Me, Whois, wi-fi, Wi-Fi Diagnostics, Wide-Area Bonjour, Widget, Widgets, Windows, Windows Server, Windows Server 2008, WINS, WKM, workflow, WPA, WPA Enterprise, WPA2, WPA2 Enterprise, Write, Write Only, XML, XMPP, XProtect.plist, Xserve, Yahoo, Zero Configuration Networking, Zeroconf, zip, zoom
Last chance ….
At the 31st of January these special Windows 8 related offers are ending:
This means that the Windows 8 (Pro) upgrade will be much more expensive:
http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/01/18/update-on-windows-8-pricing.aspx
On the Microsoft Store it looks like it’s current upgrade price of 30 euros will become 280 euros.
So even if you don’t need/want Windows 8 yet, it might be worth considering to just buy it right now.
For more information, including how to perform a clean install when you’ve bough the upgrade, please check my previous post.
Tags: Free, Microsoft, Upgrade Offer, UpgradeOffer, Windows, Windows 8, Windows 8 Media Center Pack, Windows Media Center, Windows Media Center Pack
Summary of what Windows To Go (WTG) is
In short, Windows To Go is a Windows 8 Enterprise feature that allows you to boot and run Windows 8 from a USB flash drive (USB stick).
Potential reasons and scenarios for using Windows To Go
There are many potential reasons and scenarios for using Windows To Go, but here are some of them from the top of my head:
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Apple, BitLocker, boot, boot from usb, Bring Your Own Device, BYOD, dual boot, dualboot, encryption, Enterprise, flexible workspace, flexible workspace environment, Hyper-V, hyper-v server, mac, Microsoft, personalized desktop, removable, removable disk, SanDisk, SanDisk Extreme, Server 2012, test, USB, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, usb boot, USB Flash Drive, USB stick, Windows, Windows 8, Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows Server, Windows Server 2012, Windows To Go, WTG
In yesterday’s post I described that for my purposes it was still necessary to run VMware Workstation sometimes despite having Client Hyper-V installed on my Windows 8 machine.
What you have to keep in mind though, is that you’re already running a hypervisor when you have Client Hyper-V installed in Windows 8. Installing and running VMware Workstation might cause problems. So unfortunately you cannot run them at the same time. This is also true for other virtualization products like by example virtualbox.
As a workaround you can either uninstall or (temporarily) disable Hyper-V. When you want to switch between Hyper-V and VMware Workstation it is ofcourse best to just temporarily disable Hyper-V.
In this forum post, a couple of methods are described to (temporarily) disable Hyper-V. It includes creating a seperate boot menu entry to boot with Hyper-V disabled and modifying the setting either through registry or a command. All methods do require a reboot however.
PS:
- This kind of configuration is ofcourse not supported and should only be used for testing purposes in non production environments.
- Depending on both your hardware and what your planning to do, you might also want to consider:
- Running VMware ESXi from a USB stick
- Running Windows 8 from a USB stick with Windows To Go (WTG).
- It should also work on Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 and up, but I haven’t tested it.
Tags: Citrix, Citrix XenServer, Client Hyper-V, ESXi, home lab, Hyper-V, Hyper-V 3.0, hypervisor, Microsoft, multiple hypervisors, nested esxi, nested hypervisor, Server 2012, test lab, virtualbox, virtualization, VMware, VMware ESXi, VMware ESXi 5.1, VMware Fusion, VMware vSphere, VMware vSphere 5.1, VMware Workstation, VMware Workstation 9, Windows, Windows 2012 Server, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows To Go, workstation, WTG, XenServer
blog.bjornhouben.com 