The Amazon Relational Database Service for SQL Server now supports the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine Tuning Advisor. The Advisor will help you to select and create an optimal set of indexes, indexed views, and partitions even if you don't have an expert-level understanding of the structure of your database or the internals of SQL Server. Read more here - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173494%28v=sql.105%29.aspx To learn more about how to use the Tuning Advisor go here - http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/Appendix.SQLServer.CommonDBATasks.html
NirSoft web site provides a collection of small and useful freeware utilities for Windows, all developed by Nir Sofer. Nir is an experienced developer with extensive knowledge in C++, .NET Framework, Windows API, and codes all applications in his free time. Most of the utilities were developed in C++, and do not require any installation. You can run all tools from a USB drive using the command-line and most importantly, they do not write anything to the Registry and profile folder! You can download Password recovery, Network monitoring, Desktop, Disk, System and many more utilities for your Windows systems. Go here to read more and download these tools - http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/index.html
Cisco apologizes for the inconvenience caused after a new software platform for its Linksys Wi-Fi routers was released. It also explains the objectives of the platform and clarifies its Connect Cloud policies and terms of service after several days of complaints received by its customers. In a blog post, Brett Wingo states "We also wanted to clear up any confusion about Cisco's 'opt in' practices. Cisco Connect Cloud was delivered only to consumers who opted in to automatic updates. However, we apologize that the opt-out process for Cisco Connect Cloud and automatic updates was not more clear in this product release, and we are developing an updated version that will improve this process." Read more here - http://blogs.cisco.com/home/answering-our-customers-questions-about-cisco-connect-cloud/
A post by Terry Zink on MSDN blogs outlines how Android devices are being used to send spam. According to Terry, the spammers has control of a botnet that lives on Android devices and which is capable of logging to the user's Yahoo Mail account and send spam. Read the full blog post here - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/tzink/archive/2012/07/03/spam-from-an-android-botnet.aspx
Join Microsoft's summer competition and become the next Technical Expert. Learn for free and gain as many points as possible while completing a number of courses. The participant with the highest number of points gained within the selected tracks will be the winner of the month! The process to participate is very simply - Register on Microsoft Virtual Academy, learn and complete the Private Cloud, System Center and Virtualization course tracks, gain the highest number of points in your country and become your country's top tech guy. The winner takes home a wireless mouse :( but the real reward is to become the next tech expert in your country!!! Read more and participate here - http://summercampaign.zeema.org.ua/quiz.html