Windows IT Pro UPDATE, March 13, 2007--Can We Talk?

In This Issue
* Can We Talk?
* From Windows IT Pro
* From the Community:

FAQ: Connecting to the Internet via Bluetooth
Featured Blog: Fun with Longhorn Server and Kudos for MS Learning
* Antivirus Support for 32- and 64-bit Versions of Windows Vista

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***Commentary: Can We Talk?
by Paul Thurrott, News Editor, [email protected]

TechWeb this week published an online survey for IT pros and came away with some interesting results: You're a mess. And no, I'm not talking about your ability to keep up with new technologies, security patches, and other technical matters, although all that does factor into the findings. No, TechWeb found that three out of four IT pros are overly stressed, with an alarming percentage suffering from physical side effects as well.

OK, I realize I sound like master of the obvious here, but consider some of these findings. Fully 75 percent of those surveyed say they suffer from "ongoing anxiety" about application-performance concerns. Two out of three say they spend sleepless nights worrying about work. And 25 percent report suffering from physical problems as a result of the stress. These physical effects run the gamut, too, and include nausea, headaches, migraines, panic attacks, heart arrhythmia, muscle twitches, and nightmares.

I'm not a doctor or a psychologist, but I find this all somewhat alarming. When I think of the world's most stressful jobs, my mind wanders to those poor guys on their third tour in Iraq, or perhaps firefighters, air traffic controllers, and law enforcement officials. But the reality is, any job can be stressful, and as you're all too aware, IT is the foundation on which today's businesses are built. If the IT infrastructure goes down, everyone is looking to you for the answer and a quick resolution. It's a thankless job at best (when things are working properly), and it just gets worse when things start to break. And it never ends, of course, as anyone who's been woken up in the middle of the night to fix a technical problem can attest. We've all been there, believe me.

What's interesting is how quickly the IT mindset can affect your personal life. Case in point: Years ago, I was driving around central Phoenix with my wife at dinnertime when I commented on the number of people on the road. "What are all these people doing driving around now?" I asked, incredulously. "They're driving home from work," she said (and somewhat condescendingly). I mulled over this for a second and in an unintentional "Seinfeld" moment said, "The nice thing about driving home from work ... is that you're driving home from work." The point is, for most of these people, work was over. They wouldn't have to worry about it again until 9:00 the next morning. It's a luxury many IT people don't understand.

Anyway, the only shocker in this study is that other 25 percent. Who the heck are those IT pros that are totally centered, unstressed, and unaffected by work problems while not at work? If you've got some secrets you'd like to share, I suspect others would be quite interested.

More Vista Tips Last month, I published a short collection of Windows Vista Tips for IT Pros and asked readers to respond with their own tips. And boy, did they. So much, in fact, that I've since published four follow-up articles of Vista tips to the SuperSite for Windows. You can find the original tips article, plus four more, online here: http://www.itprotoday.com/showcase/winvista_it_tips.asp

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***From Windows IT Pro

Windows Server "Longhorn" ChampFest Launches
IT pros can test their skills about the upcoming Windows Server "Longhorn" release and possibly win a trip to Mexico by entering the ChampFest contest launched this week by Windows IT Pro magazine. "Longhorn" ChampFest tests IT pros' knowledge about virtualization, Terminal Services, security, and IIS through a series of short online quizzes.

IT pros who succeed in the online contest will compete in another round of quizzes at the Windows Server "Longhorn" Roadshows visiting 16 cities this spring. Winners of the district finals will get an expenses-paid trip to compete in the ChampFest Finals at the Microsoft Windows Server "Longhorn" event later in 2007. The grand-prize winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Cancun for six days.

To take the online quizzes and learn more about the Windows Server "Longhorn" roadshows, go to: http://www.windowsitpro.com/longhorn/champfest/

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TechX Interoperability Web site and UPDATE email newsletter:
Do you work in a mixed environment? Visit TechX World (http://techxworld.com ) for information about Windows interoperability. The TechX World community gives you access to interoperability articles that aren't available anywhere else; news, tips, and tricks from interop experts and other users; and forums and blog posts by other community members.

Join the TechX World community and sign up for the TechX Interoperability UPDATE email newsletter:
http://techxworld.com/community/reg

***From the Community FAQ: Connecting to the Internet via Bluetooth
by John Savill, http://www.windowsitpro.com/windowsnt20002003faq

Q: With Windows Vista, how do I connect to the Internet via my Bluetooth phone?

Find the answer at http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/ArticleID/95358/95358.html

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Featured Blog: Fun with Longhorn Server and Kudos for MS Learning Karen Forster explains how you could be sitting on a beach in Cancun (and have fun getting there) in her recent post to the Hey Microsoft! Blog. She also has news about Microsoft's response to a criticism of its certification exams.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/95426/95426.html

------ Tell Us About the Products You Love! What products are you using that save you time or make your workload a little lighter? What hot product discoveries have you made that other IT pros need to know about? Let the world know about your experiences in Windows IT Pro's monthly What's Hot department. If we publish your story in What's Hot, we'll send you a Best Buy gift card! Send information about your favorite product and how it has helped you to [email protected].

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Tell us what you think in this month's Instant Poll: "Does your organization use or plan to use SharePoint document-sharing and collaboration technologies?"
http://www.windowsitpro.com/

~~~~ Hot Spot: ~~~~

Making Exchange DR More Affordable Exchange 2007 offers new DR and HA features, but you may have to trade these capabilities for other requirements. Join Paul Robichaux for an exploration of each level of granularity for Exchange DR, ranging from solutions that provide site resiliency to solutions that protect individual mailboxes, and determine how much DR capability you need. On-Demand Web Seminar. http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/seminars/cemaphore/exchangedr/?partnerref=ITPROHot0313

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***New and Improved
by Blake Eno, [email protected]

Antivirus Support for 32- and 64-bit Versions of Windows Vista
ESET announced that its NOD32 antivirus software supports 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista. NOD32 also features enhanced anti-stealth technology that proactively and transparently detects and removes active rootkits that are typically hidden from users. NOD32's expanded categorization of malware includes potentially unwanted applications such as adware that may not be malicious and the renaming of potentially unsafe applications such as keyloggers. For more information, contact ESET at 619-876-5400 or 866-343-3738 http://www.eset.com

==== Events and Resources ==== http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/researchit Devote your time, energy, and resources to serving your customers, not your servers. Want to focus on high-value activities instead of applying OS patches and updates, dealing with security vulnerabilities, and managing disk drives? Download this free white paper now and find out how you can have a business-class Web hosting solution with secure application pooling to protect your data.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/whitepaper/verio/apppool/?code=0212updatesfeatwp

Get Ready for the Windows Server Longhorn Roadshow! Seize control of your Windows infrastructure with Microsoft's biggest server release since Windows 2003. Get a live, under-the-hood look at Longhorn virtualization, deployment, Web services, and breakthroughs in core reliability. This one-day event is filled with demonstrations and in-depth discussions designed for IT pros who want a deep understanding of Windows Server Longhorn.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/longhorn/?code=epromo

SQL Server Magazine Connections March 25-28, 2007, Orlando World Center Marriott. Dive into SQL Server 2005 and train with Microsoft architects and world-renowned developers and DBAs. Choose from 40 in-depth, no-hype sessions. Register early to save $100 and attend sessions of the co-located Visual Studio Connections and Microsoft ASP.NET Connections for FREE. For details, call 800-438-6720 or 203-268-3204.
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Deploy Exchange Server 2007 Without a Hitch! This one-day technical training event teaches you how to preempt pitfalls and avoid corrupting your infrastructure. You'll learn how to effectively install, manage, and secure Exchange Server 2007 in a 64-bit environment. You'll also get a peek into the integration of Outlook, SharePoint Server 2007, and Exchange Server 2007. Register today!
http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/exchange2007usa/?code=epromo

==== Featured White Paper ==== SQL Reporting Services is an exciting way for organizations to gain access and insight into their important business data stored in SQL Server. Get an overview of how to increase your production server's performance by offloading Reporting Services to a secondary server. Download your free copy today!
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Grab Your Share of the Spotlight! Nominate yourself or a peer to become IT Pro of the Month. This is your chance to get the recognition you deserve! Winners will receive over $600 in IT resources and be featured in Windows IT Pro. It's easy to enter--we're accepting April nominations now, but only for a limited time! Submit your nomination today:
http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/itpromonth

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