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Download – Visio Stencils for Windows Azure

Buck WoodyBuck Woody (Microsoft employee) has created and shared some unofficial Visio Stencils for Windows Azure.

You can download the stencils for free from his SkyDrive.

Title: Windows Azure Visio Shapes
File size: 846 KB
File name: Azure.vss
Download: Click here to download

DESCRIPTION

Windows Azure Stencils for the following:

  1. Yahoo Identity
  2. Facebook Identity
  3. Google Identity
  4. LiveID Identity
  5. Cloud
  6. Datacenter
  7. Claim
  8. ID
  9. Security
  10. Persistent VM
  11. Web Role
  12. Worker Role
  13. Queue
  14. Table Storage
  15. BLOB Storage
  16. Cache
  17. Azure Services
  18. RDBMS Service
  19. Windows Workload
  20. Windows Process
  21. On Premises Server
  22. Application
  23. On Premises Data
  24. On Premises
  25. Person 1
  26. People
  27. Person 2

EXAMPLE

Visio Stencils for Windows Azure (unofficial)

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New Windows Azure Network Security Whitepaper

Title: Windows Azure Network Security Whitepaper
Author: Ashwin Palekar, Principal Program Manager, Windows Azure
Published: Nov 2013
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Pages: 14
Size: 579 KB
File name: Windows Azure Network Security Whitepaper – FINAL.docx
Download URL: Click here for download

Windows Azure Network Security Whitepaper

DESCRIPTION

This document provides guidance on securing network communication for applications deployed in Windows Azure, enabling customers to determine how best to protect their virtual infrastructure and data.

The intended audience for this whitepaper includes:

  • IT and Network administrators interested in deploying applications on Windows Azure
  • Developers interested in creating applications that run on Windows Azure
  • Technical decision makers (TDMs) considering Windows Azure to support new or existing services
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24 Free eBooks from Microsoft Press

Since we’re talking about eBooks, here are two dozen more free eBooks from Microsoft Press.

Note: The eBook web page was originally created on May 4, 2012, but was recently updated on December 29, 2013.

Free Microsoft eBooks

Titles:

  • Rethinking Enterprise storage – A Hybrid Cloud Model
  • Introducing Windows Azure for IT Professionals
  • Microsoft System Center – Designing Orchestrator Runbooks
  • Microsoft System Center – Configuration Manager Field Experience
  • Microsoft System Center – Cloud Management with App Controller
  • Microsoft System Center – Troubleshooting Configuration Manager
  • Microsoft System Center – Optimizing Service Manager
  • Introducing: Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 – Technical Overview
  • Introducing: Windows 8.1 for IT Professionals – Technical Overview
  • Introducing: Windows Server 2012 R2 – Technical Overview
  • Programming Windows Store Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • .NET Technology Guide for Business Applications
  • Introducing: Windows Server 2012 – RTM Edition
  • Introducing: Microsoft SQL Server 2012
  • Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS and JavaScript
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Security and Privacy for Microsoft Office 2010 Users
  • Introducing: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2
  • Introducing: Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Understanding Microsoft Virtualization Solutions – Second Edition
  • First Look: Microsoft Office 2010
  • Deploying Windows 7
  • Moving to Microsoft Visual Studio 2010
  • Programming Windows Phone 7

URL: Click here to download

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Free eBook – Hyper-V 2012 Hands-On Guide

eBook - Hands-on Guide: Understanding Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012Title: Hands-on Guide: Understanding Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012
Author: Brien Posey with additional chapters from Pete Zerger and Chris Henley
Published: 2013
Pages: 392
Price: FREE*
* Registration required for download
(email address & job description)

FORMATS

  • PDF: 23.5 MB
  • MOBI: 31.4 MB
  • EPUB: 15.4 MB

Download URL: Click here for download

File name: veeam_brien_posey_hands_on_guide_understanding_hyper_v_in
_windows_server_2012_wpp (.pdf, .mobi or .epub)

DESCRIPTION

If you’re just getting started with Hyper-V, you’ll really like this eBook because it shows screen-by-screen how to enable and work with Hyper-V features.

You will learn how to:

  • Build clustered Hyper-V deployment
  • Manage Hyper-V through PowerShell
  • Create virtual machine replicas
  • Transition from a legacy Hyper-V environment, and more

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. An Introduction to Hyper-V 3.0
  2. Failover Clustering
  3. Migrations
  4. Managing Virtual Machine Failover
  5. PowerShell Management
  6. Virtual Machine Management
  7. P2V Conversions
  8. Replication
  9. Hyper-V Management
  10. Networking
  11. Backing up Hyper-V
  12. Automation and Orchestration

Source: Veeam ‘Best of 2013’ blog post

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Download – Linux Integration Services for Hyper-V

Linux logoTitle: Linux Integration Services Version 3.5 for Hyper-V
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Published: 12/19/2013
Version: 3.5
File Name: LinuxICv35.iso
Size: 22.4 MB
Download URL: Click here for download

DESCRIPTION

LIS 3.5 supports the following guest operating systems:

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.5-5.8, 6.0-6.3 x86 and x64
  • CentOS 5.5-5.8, 6.0-6.3 x86 and x64

All of the above distributions are supported on the following Windows Server releases:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2
  • Windows 8 Pro
  • Windows 8.1 Pro
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2

For more information, see Ben Armstrong’s blog post about the announcement.

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Free eBook – Introducing System Center 2012 R2

Introducing Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 - Technical OverviewTitle: Introducing Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 – Technical Overview
Author: Mitch Tulloch with Symon Perriman and the System Center Team
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Published: Dec 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7356-8283-2
Pages: 180
Size: 12.4 MB
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here for download
File: Microsoft_Press_ebook_Introducing_System_Center_2012_PDF.pdf

DESCRIPTION

Microsoft System Center is one of the three pillars of Microsoft’s Cloud OS vision that will transform the traditional datacenter environment, help businesses unlock insights in data stored anywhere, enable the development of a wide range of modern business applications, and empower IT to support users who work anywhere while being able to manage any device in a secure and consistent way. The other two pillars of the Cloud OS are, of course, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Azure, and Microsoft Press has recently released free Introducing books on these platforms as well.

Whether you are new to System Center or are already using it in your business, this book has something that should interest you. The capabilities of each component of System Center 2012 R2 are first described and then demonstrated chapter by chapter. Real-world and under-the-hood insights are also provided by insiders at Microsoft who live and breathe System Center, and those of you who are experienced with the platform will benefit from the wisdom and experience of these experts. We also included a list of additional resources at the end of each chapter where you can learn more about each System Center component.

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Free eBook – Secrets of PowerShell Remoting

eBook - Secrets of PowerShell RemotingTitle: Secrets of PowerShell Remoting
Author: Don Jones with Tobias Weltner and Dave Wyatt
Publisher: PowerShell.org
Published: Nov 2013
Pages: 92
PDF: SecretsOfPowerShellRemoting.docx
Size: 6.58 MB
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here for download

DESCRIPTION

The authors set out to write this guide because they were getting a lot of questions about some of the trickier bits of PowerShell Remoting, and wanted to provide an authoritative resource for people seeking to configure Remoting properly for a variety of situations. The guide was started by Don Jones, and Tobias Weltner came aboard to provide a great deal of additional material and improvements. Along the way, numerous members of the PowerShell community contributed their expertise as technical reviewers, suggested additional content to include, and so forth – truly making this a collaborative, group effort.

This eBook is updated so check the download URL above from time-to-time to check for newer / updated versions.

Also, other free eBooks from PowerShell.org can be found here:
http://powershell.org/wp/newsletter/

  • Secrets of PowerShell Remoting
  • Creating HTML Reports in PowerShell
  • The Big Book of PowerShell Gotchas
  • Making Historical and Trend Reports in PowerShell
  • The Community Book of PowerShell Practices

If you really want to follow what’s going on in the PowerShell community, check out the PowerShell.org and following Don Jones on Twitter: @concentrateddon

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Download – ADMX Templates for 8.1 and 2012 R2

Yesterday Microsoft published the Administrative Templates (.ADMX) for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Now is a good time to download them and place them in your administrative templates central store.

Speaking of central store, here’s a good Ask Premier Field Engineering (PFE) article called “How to Implement the Central Store for Group Policy Admin Templates, Completely”

Also, see the Resources link below.

Title: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Published: 12/4/2013
Version: 1.0
File Name: Windows8.1-Server2012R2ADMX-RTM.msi
Size: 17.4 MB
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here for download

DESCRIPTION

Group Policy tools use Administrative template files to populate policy settings in the user interface. This allows administrators to manage registry-based policy settings. This download includes the Administrative templates released for Windows Server 2012 R2, in the multiple languages.

RESOURCES

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Download: Microsoft SQL Server 2014 CTP2 Guide

Title: Microsoft SQL Server 2014 CTP2 Product Guide
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Published: 10/14/2013
Version: 4.0
File Name: SQL_Server_2014_CTP2_Product_Guide.zip
Size: 29.7 MB
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here for download

DESCRIPTION

Download the datasheets, white papers and technical presentations that will help you evaluate Microsoft SQL Server 2014 CTP2.

This download includes multiple PDFs and other files:

Microsoft SQL Server 2014 CTP2 Product Guide - Content 1

Microsoft SQL Server 2014 CTP2 Product Guide - Content 2

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Must Read – Microsoft Partner Program Changes

Oct 2013 Microsoft Partner Network Disclosure of upcoming program changesTitle: Microsoft Partner Network Disclosure of upcoming program changes
Publisher: Microsoft
Published: 10/15/2013
Pages: 53
PDF: OCT Disclosure Guide_October2013_Final.pdf
Size: 1.12 MB
Price: FREE
Download URL: Click here for download

Description:
Microsoft is retiring some exams from competency qualification, changing around the Microsoft Action Pack, adjusting fees for some partners (due to exchange rates) and some other things. Some of the changes are good, some are not.

Advice:

  1. Grab a cup of coffee, a pad of paper, and a pen
  2. Close your office door
  3. Turn off the ringer on your phone
  4. Spend 15-20 minutes NOW reading through this document and make a list of any necessary action items for you, your staff, and your customers
  5. Delegate any action items you can, and schedule your remaining action items accordingly
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