Sessions will be presented in 3 tracks:
Track 1: Virtualization and Server Management
Virtualization as a technology has been making large inroads into IT in the last few years. Windows Server 2008 based virtualization provides significant benefits to IT organizations and companies as a whole in helping to improve hardware utilization, decrease operational costs, increase availability, and assist in many other areas. This track provides detailed knowledge of Windows Server 2008 based virtualization in terms of its architecture and key usage scenarios. In addition, this track provides a detailed discussion of Server Management technologies now part of Windows Server 2008 such as the new streamlined Server Core installation option, PowerShell for enhanced command line management, and Remote Management Scenarios for Windows Server 2008.
Speakers: Michael Otey and Alessandro Perilli
Session #1 - Understanding Virtualization in Windows Server 2008
This session provides a foundation for understanding the impact of virtualization technologies and an overview of the virtualization features in Windows Server 2008. It closes with a discussion of the various manageability tools that exist for managing a mixed virtual and physical environment.
This session covers topics such as:
- Key Virtualization concepts and architectures
- The role of a Hypervisor in a virtualized environment
- The impact of hardware assisted virtualization from companies such as Intel and AMD
- An architecture review of Windows Server 2008 virtualization
- The role that System Center will play in maintaining a virtualized environment
Session #2 - Server Management
This session dives deep into the new Server Management capabilities that are part of the Windows Server 2008 platform. These capabilities provide consolidated interfaces for management, powerful automation support via the command line, and strong remote management tools.
This session covers topics such as:
- A discussion of the primary management tools that ship with Windows Server 2008 such as Server Manager.
- Understanding what scenarios are best to utilize Server Core as a server role
- The use of PowerShell to automate common administrative tasks
- Enhanced ways to remotely administer Windows Server 2008
Session #3 – Virtualization and Server Management in Action
This session focuses on illustrating how Virtualization and Server Management can be utilized in a variety of scenario-based demonstrations.
Some of the scenarios covered are the following:
- Consolidating individual physical servers into a virtual environment
- Improving Test Coverage and Reducing Development Costs
- Ensuring Business Continuity through Virtualization
- Appropriate ways to manage from the command line with PowerShell on Windows Server 2008
- How to manage Windows Server 2008 through remote management tools
Track 2: Accessing Applications Remotely and
Securely with Windows Server 2008
This track provides you the essential knowledge you need to understand the new capabilities in Windows Server 2008 for accessing applications via Terminal Services. This track also provides you with an understanding of how you can increase the security of your network with Windows Server 2008.
Speakers: Allen Allison, Anthony "Andy" Jones, and Marc Mangus
Session #1 - Remote Applications in Windows Server 2008
With Windows Server 2008 users no longer need to have a separate application experience when utilizing Terminal Services. Windows Server 2008 provides an experience whereby users see applications as fully integrated into their computing experience.
This session covers topics such as:
- Terminal Services based programs that are merely accessible via a web site with a single click to access
- Terminal Services based programs running via a familiar experience with notifications and taskbar buttons all appearing as if the application was locally running
- How to get desktop composition support (Aero) with Vista clients
- Setup support for Terminal Services based applications without the need for a VPN connections
Session #2 - Securing the Network and Applications on Windows Server 2008
Administrators have a variety of new concerns with the proliferation of mobile platforms and home and remote office workers. One of these is the need to ensure that all machines connected to the network meet the security requirements of the company. This session illustrates the new features in Windows Server 2008 designed to provide secure access to network resources and applications.
This session covers topics such as:
- A consistent means of ensuring that remote machines meet the necessary requirements for network security through the use of Network Access Protection
- How to create customized health policies for machines accessing the network such as Windows Update settings, Anti-Virus signatures, open and closed ports, etc
- How to work with both Windows XP and Vista clients to ensure they meet necessary network requirements
- How to ensuring through Automatic Remediation that the necessary updates to make a computer compliant are provided
- How to leverage the Windows Server 2008 firewall as part of your security efforts
Session #3 - Accessing and Securing Applications in Action
This session focuses on illustrating how you can access applications remotely and securely with Windows Server 2008 via a variety of scenario-based demonstrations
Some of the scenarios covered are the following:
- Configuring Access Policies and Applications for use through Terminal Services
- Showing how to leverage Terminal Services and Network Access Protection in combination
- How to create a secure network environment with Windows Server 2008
Track 3: Maintaining Web Applications and Branch Offices with Windows Server 2008
This track first provides details on the changes made to IIS as part of Windows Server 2008 and how you can use IIS to provide a secure and easy to manage platform to host and provide applications and services over the web. The track then moves onto a discussion of how to leverage key new features in order to provide a secure and easy to maintain set of network services to branch offices.
Speakers: Michael Campbell, Derek Hatchard and Steve Schofield
Session #1 - IIS 7.0 Architecture, Configuration, and Management
IIS 7.0 has a fundamentally different architecture than its predecessors. The changes in architecture allow for greater flexibility in terms of configuration, extensibility, and configuration. This session provides a detailed discussion of the new architecture and configuration model found in IIS 7.0.
This session covers topics such as:
- The modular architecture of IIS 7.0 and what that means for security, maintainability, setup, and application development
- How to delegate administration tasks to remote non machine administrators
- Understanding how to utilize AppCMD.exe, PowerShell, etc to Administer the server
- How to utilize the Runtime Status and Control API (RCSA) to get deep runtime information about the server
- How to use Failed Request Tracing to quickly dig into the causes of various error conditions
Session #2 - Using Windows Server 2008 in a Branch Office
Many companies these days are extending their operations to remote branch offices that require an appropriate level of local IT support. Windows Server 2008 provides a variety of new features to support this scenario.
This session covers:
- Changes to support enhanced physical security such as BitLocker
- Enhancements to Active Directory such as support for Read Only Domain Controllers
- Changes to the underlying File System to support efficient communications such as SMB 2.0
Session #3 – Web and Branch Scenarios in Action
This session focuses on illustrating how you can support web applications and branch offices across a variety of scenario based demonstrations.
Some of the scenarios covered include:
- Creating and Configuring Web Sites with IIS 7.0
- Administration of IIS 7.0 via various command line tools and API’s
- Deploying Windows Server 2008 in a branch office securely with limited administrative overhead.
