Amazon AWS Cloud now supports the launch of Microsoft SQL Server on m1.small (1 ECU, 1.7 GB RAM) and m1.medium (2 ECU, 3.75 GB RAM) instance types. Amazon is introducing support for Microsoft SQL Server Web Edition, which brings together affordability, scalability, and manageability in a single offering. SQL Server Web will be supported across all Amazon EC2 instance types, all AWS regions, and on-Demand and Reserved Instance offerings. Finally, as the title of this post suggests, now Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is supported on Amazon EC2. Read more here - http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2012/05/updated-microsoft-sql-server-offerings.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmazonWebServicesBlog+%28Amazon+Web+Services+Blog%29
Try Microsoft cloud services with Windows Intune. Windows Intune helps you manage and secure personal computers and with the 30-day free trial you can use up to 25 computers. Windows Intune includes both the cloud service for PC management and security and upgrade rights to Windows 7 Enterprise and future versions of Windows. You can remotely perform a number of security and management tasks including manage updates, endpoint protection to help safeguard PCs from malware threats, and inventory management so IT and end-users can remain productive from virtually anywhere. Read more and get started with a 30-day free trial - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windowsintune/try-and-buy.aspx?optify_r=display&optify_rd=mscom&WT.mc_id=MSCOM_EN_US_DLC_FEATURE_124GMUS017656
The U.S. Constitution prevents the government from performing searches without a valid reason; the government generally can't snoop through your laptop for no reason. Electronic data stored on personal devices is a reflection of our lives - family photos, medical documents, banking information, details about what websites we visit, and so much more. But those privacy protections don't safeguard travelers at the U.S. border, where the U.S. government can take an electronic device, search through all the files, and keep it for a while for further scrutiny – without any suspicion of wrongdoing whatsoever. A guide worth reading if you're a frequent traveler is called - Defending Privacy at the U.S. Border: A Guide for Travelers Carrying Digital Devices. Read the guide by Seth Schoen, Marcia Hofmann and Rowan Reynolds here - https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/EFF-border-search_2.pdf Or https://www.eff.org/wp/defending-privacy-us-border-guide-travelers-carrying-digital-devices
Passwords were and remain an important aspect of security in the financial sector, however, when you reflect on the whole scenario of financial mechanisms you might be surprised to find out that the impact of stolen passwords or compromised credentials is quite low in terms of financial losses. In fact, two researchers from Microsoft published a stimulating paper about this and explain how mules and not victims of a fraud lose money! Read Cormac Herley and Dinei Florêncio paper called 'Is everything we know about password stealing wrong?' here - http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/161829/EverythingWeKnow.pdf
Windows Server 8 new remote Access Server role combines the previous DirectAccess and RRAS roles into one unified service role. The new role allows for centralized administration, configuration, and monitoring of both DirectAccess and VPN-based remote access services. Apart, from the various articles and tech tips available at windowsnetworking.com and virtualizationadmin.com you can learn more about Remote Access in Windows Server 8 beta, by downloading the draft version of Microsoft's Understand and Troubleshoot Guide (UTG). The guide enables you to learn about technical concepts, functionality, and general troubleshooting methods for new Windows features and enhancements. Download the Understand and Troubleshooting Guide from here - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29004