Blog Box

Are you planning to pursue Microsoft certifications anytime soon? You better check this list out. As the exam you are planning to take might be retired.

Microsoft Learning will retire 12 exams on March 31, 2009. These exams focus on technologies that are no longer included in Microsoft mainstream support. The exams are currently required to achieve Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD), Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD), and Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) certifications.

Here is the list of Microsoft Developer exams that will be retired on March 31, 2009:

• Exam 70-300: Analyzing Requirements and Defining Microsoft .NET Solution Architectures
• Exam 70-301: Managing, Organizing, and Delivering IT Projects by Using Microsoft Solutions Framework 3.0 Exam 70-305: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
• Exam 70-306: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
• Exam 70-310: Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework
• Exam 70-315: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
• Exam 70-316: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
• Exam 70-320: Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft Visual C# and the Microsoft .NET Framework
• Exam 70-330: Implementing Security for Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET
• Exam 70-340: Implementing Security for Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET

Microsoft SQL Server exams that will retire on March 31, 2009:

• Exam 70-228: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition
• Exam 70-229: Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

Are You Ready for Windows Server 2008?

A White Paper presented by Global Knowledge

When you take your first look at Windows Server 2008, you’ll find that many of the traditional tools that graced Server 2003 are still present. Where things change is in the Server Manager console, which is really the “nerve center” of Server 2008. Parts of this console are simply convenient pointers to other administrative tools.

However, the “Roles” and “Features” nodes may be unfamiliar. This white paper introduces the Server Manager console and will help you find your way around it, so that you can get up to speed with Server 2008 more quickly!

Grab a copy of the Are You Ready for Windows Server 2008 whitepaper.

Have you ever experienced that an .exe file is being created with the same name as the folder itself in all drives but you  cannot delete them?

How about getting a message “Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator” when you try to run task manager?

Does your USB flash disk seem to be having the same problem and your system is running so terribly slow?

Then your system is most probably are infected with the Newfolder.exe virus.

What is Newfolder.exe?

The real name of this virus is Iddono. This threat copies its file(s) to your hard disk. Its typical file name is Iddono. Then it creates new startup key with name Iddono and value newfolder.exe. You can also find it in your processes list with name newfolder.exe or Iddono. This virus is very difficult to eliminate manually.

So how do you solve Newfolder..exe problem now?

There are actually two ways. There is the quick and easy way and there is the manual way where you dig in deep in to your system and fix files one by one.

The quick solution would be to download Iddono virus remover tool. Security Stronghold’s True Sword solve Newfolder error. True Sword will find and eliminate this problem and more than 280,000 other dangerous threats including trojans, spyware, adware, riskware, problemware, keyloggers, dialers and other kinds of malicious programs in several seconds.

Fast, easy, and handy, True Sword protects your computer against malicious programs that do harm to your computer and break your privacy. True Sword scans your hard disks and registry and destroys any manifestation of such malicious programs. Standard anti-virus software can do nothing against privacy breakers and malicious programs like that. Get rid of trojans, spyware, adware, trackware, dialers and keyloggers in one click now.

If you want to do it manually then check out the guide here.

VTC and FileMaker invite you to avail of their promotional offer to get FREE 30 days unlimited access to all IT trainings available in the VTC library.

A regular VTC subscription will set you back around US$30 a month, or US$250 for a year. But you can get avail of a whole month of free access simply by entering the promo code “fmfr33trial” (case sensitive without the quotes).

http://www.vtc.com/promos/filemaker/signup.php

Enjoy!

The Philippine SQL Server Users Group (PHISSUG) will be holding their first chat for this year:

Forget SQL, Meet ORM

Date:   June 7 2007, 08:00GMT
Target Audience: SQL Developers

Abstract: If you have been writing SQL via stored procedures all your life, this new approach could cost you your decades old investment. Are you ready to throw away your SPs and embrace ORM?

The chat will be based on threaded discussion format on the PHISSUG forum.

Join the chat at:

http://phissug.org/cs/forums/thread/1275.aspx

RMP Consultancy

brings you 

the Registered Financial Planner (RFP) Program Training and Certification

Benefits of the RFP Program:

• You can more easily communicate your Expertise and Credibility as a Financial Planner.
  Being a RFP® certifies that you have the education, examination, experience and ethics of a qualified, reliable professional financial planner.
• You can enhance your Career and Professional Growth Outlook. There is a trend among large financial services firms that make RFP® certification part of their hiring requirements for financial planning services while other companies reward achievement of the certification with salary increases. The RFP® certification gives you international appeal that enhances your career opportunities.
• You can become a financial adviser. As a RFP® practitioner, you will advise clients solve financial issues and achieve life goals. You will help your client discover their financial needs and plan their cash flow requirements at present and in the future.
• You can increase your Earnings Capacity.
  As in any of the recognized profession, a certain level of competence is expected and financially rewarded by your employers and clients. The RFP® qualification helps you establish your competence in financial planning.

This program leads to your designation as an internationally recognized Registered Financial Planner (RFP) of the RFP Institute of the USA. Conducted over a five Saturdays at the University of Asia and the Pacific, you will be covering the intricacies of Financial Planning,
Investment Planning, Insurance Planning and Tax and Retirement Planning. This is 6th offering of this very successful program in the Philippines. Join now and stand out from the crowd.
Become a Registered Financial Planner.

Program Title
Registered Financial Planner (RFP) Program. (7th Batch)

Program Dates
July 7 to August 25, 2007 

Venue
University of Asia and the Pacific.

Program Investment
Php 25,000 per person net of taxes

Please make you check payable to Financial Planning Practitioner Institute

Reserve your slot
Call Francis or Raffy at 396-5425 or 372-4563 or celfone 0918-937-3455. On seminar days (Wed and Thu, you may call 813-7824) You may also download the registration form athttp://www.rmpconsultancy.com/registration_forms/rfp_application_form    or Email . For more details please visit http://www.rmpconsultancy.com

Microsoft’s Longhorn technology has been around for quite some time now and many network planners are taking a closer look at some of the architectural changes that Microsoft has made to the Group Policy structure.

Grab a copy of Global Knowledge’s Changes in Longhorn and Group Policy Architecture Whitepaper to find out nine of the key structural changes that might soon change the way you do things with group policies.

You shouldn’t miss out on this amazing deal if you are a developer for the Microsoft platform or an administrator/engineer managing Microsoft-based systems.

Price indicated covers for the shipping charges only and it already covers for international shipping! This definitely is the next best thing to getting it for FREE

MSDN Magazine 2006 Archive on DVD

2000-2006 content archive — including all articles plus source code — all on one DVD for the price shipping & handling to any destination, worldwide!
PRICE: $9.95

TechNet Magazine 2006 Archive on CD

All 2005-2006 content, starting with the Premiere Issue, all on one CD, all for the price of shipping & handling alone!
PRICE: $9.95

Launch 2005 DVD: Best of Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005

Extensive multi-media collection including exclusive webcasts, updated articles and source code, links to the most useful online information, plus never-before-published John Robbins’ Team System article. Price includes worldwide delivery.
PRICE: $19.95

You have to hurry though as this offer expires July 31, 2007.

Purchase your Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise and Standard Open License by June 15, 2007 and to avail of a 15% discount and a PhP 25,000 Migration Package voucher from DBWizards.

For more information, please call the Microsoft Hotline at 632.672.7230 or e-mail: .

Microsoft releases Microsoft Office Isolated Conversion Environment, or MOICE, to help protect users from malware placed in Office files.

More info about MOICE at Information Security Philippines.

Free Windows and Linux Integration Training at TechX World Online

May 31, 2007

TechX World Online is a full day of four free IT training courses brought to you in an online format.

Sign up today for the TechX World Online event featuring four training sessions designed to give you the knowledge to make Windows and Linux work effectively together.

Learn the latest tips about Windows-Linux integration without having to travel away from your office. Get unbiased, reliable information about cross-platform IT solutions you can use today-whether you’re on the Windows side of the house or the UNIX/Linux side or somewhere in between trying to make it all work together.

Get hands-on management solutions from famed Linux and Windows expert Darren Mar-Elia for:

• How to monitor UNIX and Windows from a single console
• Tips to use Group Policy across platforms
• How to apply industry standards for heterogeneous management

Get the inside scoop on new directory services integration products and tools from independent expert Brian Komar.Everyone’s talking about virtualization, but they teach you to take it to the next level to solve your most common IT problems. Register today for two virtualization sessions featuring Michael Otey’s advice for creating the optimal virtual environment with little-known tips around the latest virtualization technologies. Michael will also compare VMware and Windows Server “Longhorn” virtualization technologies so you can make educated decisions for your infrastructure.

Learn from industry experts how to work more effectively in a mixed-platform IT environment.

TechX Virtual World Sessions

Session 1

Systems Management
Speaker: Darren Mar-Elia

Policy-Based Configuration Management
Windows comes with Group Policy, a robust, scaleable technology for managing configurations across servers and desktops. But, how about non-Windows systems? Now you can manage these Unix, Linux and even Mac systems’ configuration using Group Policy. We’ll look at this trend at the trend towards cross-platform configuration management including the use of Group Policy and other technologies for creating a unified view of configuration across your enterprise. And we’ll look at how CMDB trends are changing the notion of configuration management.

Session 2

Directory Services and Security Integration
Speaker: Brian Komar

Managing Multiple Directories
This session provides the basic understanding of today’s virtualization technologies. It begins by introducing the different types of virtualization including hardware virtualization, virtual machine virtualization and application virtualization. Then it provides a high level look at the major products in each of these areas. The session concludes by looking at future directions of virtualization with hardware virtualization and the role of the Windows Longhorn Server Hypervisor.

Session 3

Virtualization
Speaker: Michael Otey

Introduction to Virtualization
This session provides the basic understanding of today’s virtualization technologies. It begins by introducing the different types of virtualization including hardware virtualization, virtual machine virtualization and application virtualization. Then it provides a high level look at the major products in each of these areas. The session concludes by looking at future directions of virtualization with hardware virtualization and the role of the Windows Longhorn Server Hypervisor.

Session 4

Virtualization
Speaker: Michael Otey

Virtualization Strategies
The session covers the business benefits and uses of virtualization technology. It presents some of the major IT challenges today such as server sprawl, deployment, and testing and shows how virtualization can be used to address these problems. It also covers the business scenarios for using application virtualization and concludes by discussing the planning issues for future virtualization directions.

Register now!

Grab a copy of Diskeeper’s whitepaper on Reducing Downtime and Reactive Maintenance: The ROI of Defragmenting the Windows Enterprise.

This white paper covers the performance and potential reliability implications of file fragmentation as well as its associated costs and investigates defragmentation as a solution to unnecessary or premature hardware upgrades.

Yes. You are reading it correctly and no you are not dreaming

Microsoft embarked on this campaign to show that Windows Vista and Microsoft Office are great on their own, but with each other, it’s the Power of Together.

And this campaign aims to teach how to tap that power. All you have to do is complete three Webcasts in the Windows Vista series and receive: a free, fully-licensed copy of Windows Vista Business Edition or you could complete three webcasts or Virtual Labs in the Office 2007 series and be eligible to receive a free, fully-licensed Micorosoft Office Professional 2007.

Sounds good huh?

Well there is a catch though.

The Power Together Campaign consists of two (2) offers, the Windows Vista Business Offer and the Microsoft Office Professional 2007 Offer, and is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (includes District of Columbia) 18 years of age or older. You are not eligible to receive these offers if you or your employer is a participant in the Microsoft Partner Program or the Microsoft Developer Network. To be eligible to receive Windows Vista Business, you must register at www.powertogether.com and participate in at least three (3) qualifying web casts and/or virtual lab sessions within 30 days of registration. To be eligible to receive Microsoft Office Professional 2007, you must register at www.powertogether.com and participate in at least three (3) qualifying web casts and/or virtual lab sessions within 30 days of registration. In order to register at www.powertogether.com, you may be asked to provide personal information including name, telephone, and address. All personal information gathered during registration will be subject to Microsoft’s privacy policy. Limit one gift per person per Offer. These offers are non-transferable. These offers expire on February 28, 2007, or while supplies last, and are not redeemable for cash. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the recipient. If you are eligible for and register to receive both gifts, you must complete a W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) form prior to receipt of the second gift. Any gift returned as non-deliverable will not be re-sent. Please allow 6 - 8 weeks for shipment of your gift(s).

Other than that… this offer is really sweet!

Do check it out. Microsoft’s The Power Together

Well… Are you?

Ready for a new day is one of Microsoft’s newly launched websites.

The unveiling of the website coincides with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s Business Value launch keynote in NASDAQ.

Watch the keynote live from NASDAQ headquarters in New York. 7:30 a.m. Pacific/10:30 a.m. Eastern on November 30, 2006! The keynote will also be available for playback aproximately one hour after the end of the keynote and press conference.

Microsoft Philippines’ TechFest 2006 is devoted to the two flagship products about to be launched early next year. Take another look at key features of the upcoming Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System and have a glimpse of the new Exchange Server 2007, Office Sharepoint Portal Server 2007, Office Groove 2007, and a sneak peek at the upcoming Windows Server codename “Longhorn”.

The event will also tackle infrastructure security and explore the world of Windows Mobile and how it efficiently collaborates with Exchange Server, 2007 Office, and Windows Vista.

WHEN: December 5, 2006
TIME: 8:30am - 5:00pm
VENUE: Rizal Ballroom, The Makati Shangri-La

To register, please log into our Events Registration System, MS EVENTS at:
http://msevents.ph/Event.aspx?EventID=8C8D780823E1B6E
If you do not have an MS EVENTS account, you can easily create one on the site itself.

More details about the event:

(more…)