Robert L. Mitchel wrote an interesting article about the virtualization technology in Windows Server Longhorn. I’ve read several times that Longhorn will come with its own hypervisor, which always confused me. I didn’t understand how a typical guest operating system can have a hypervisor because I thought a hypervisor is just some kind of an OS.

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FLEXnet AdminStudio is a MSI packaging solution from Macrovision (formerly InstallShield). There is a Standard, Professional, and an Enterprise Edition. All three are commercial versions, but the limited SMS Edition is free. I believe it is sponsored by Microsoft, as they offer it on their Web site. However, even if you don’t have Systems Management Server, you can still work with the FLEXnet AdminStudio SMS Edition to create MSI packages. I tried it and was quite content with it.

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Update: Please, also check out my first impressions about VMware Converter 3.0 final.
Some weeks ago, I published an article where I explained how to expand a virtual VMware disk. The whole procedure is quite complicated and time consuming. However, with VMware Converter 3, it is now much easier to enlarge a virtual disk.

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Service Pack 1 for DPM 2006 is now available. It is interesting that SP1 was released after the beta for Version 2. I didn’t test yet DPM 2006 Version 2, but it is still on my to-do-list. The new features of DPM 2006 SP1 might be of interest for you, if you already work with Microsoft’s backup software:

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MSI (Microsoft Installer) is, meanwhile, the de-facto standard for installing Windows programs. It is advisable to only use this format in order to keep the Windows Installer database of installed products consistent. If your software deployment solution doesn’t allow you to create MSI files, you have to use a third party tool. Usually, these tools are called MSI packagers. Sometimes you’ll also find “MSI repackagers” since they are used to re-create the original installation package. This post lists several MSI packagers.

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If you tried Windows Vista, you’d probably know the Start Search box in the Start Menu. It shows all application names that contain the letters you entered in the search box. This is a very useful feature if you have many applications installed on your PC.

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Update: Please, also check out my first impressions about VMware Converter 3.0 final.
I wonder how long VMware Converter 3.0 Starter Edition beta is already available. I only became aware of it because it was mentioned in a comment of a recent post about VMware Converter. Of course, I couldn’t wait to try it. VMware Converter is a P2V solution. It enables you to convert physical machines running Windows to VMware virtual machines. The Starter Edition is for free, the Enterprise Edition will be licensed as part of support and subscription services with VirtualCenter Management.

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Windows XP SP3 will be delayed to 2008 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 to Q1 2007. So both service packs will be at least half a year late. There is much speculation in the blogosphere [1] [2] about Microsoft’s reasons. Some say that they want to force customers to move to Vista; others say the Windows team is concentrating on Vista and Longhorn Server. I think the latter view is closer to the truth. This might be an understatement, though.

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The final of IE7 is available for download now. Some days ago I already recommended disabling the IE7 installation with Windows Update. Today, I installed the final and now I am even more convinced of not deploying IE7 this year.

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Computerworld published some nice user stories of backups gone badly. This is my favorite:

While I was on vacation, a young IT staffer, new to the company, decided to run his own “updated” version of an Oracle backup — wiping out the live database. I had to fly back from Scotland to rebuild the database and restore from backup. Thankfully, only a half-day’s work had to be input — by 30 people!

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The final version of IE7 will probably be available this month. Microsoft plans to distribute IE7 as an automatic update in November or December. This cuts both ways. On the one hand, IE7 brings more security; on the other hand it could cause compatibility problems. Depending on the kind of users you have, it might be necessary to inform them first about the changes. If you need more time, you should consider disabling the automatic installation of IE7.

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Last week, I made a online backup of a virtual machine on Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 using the Advanced Open File Option of Symantec Backup Exec. Although, this is a questionable way to backup a virtual machine, I was curious if I could do the same with virtual machine under VMware Server.

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I just found this video on YouTube where “Steve Balmer” is praising Windows 1.0. I really had to laugh when I saw this. It is probably a fake, but the difference to the real Balmer is not so big. When I see one of his “shows”, I usually have to laugh, too. I am already looking forward to see his presentation of Windows 6.0.

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As a system administrator you probably know the term “DLL Hell“. Functions of a DLL (dynamic link library) can be invoked by different programs. If the setup of a new application exchanges the DLL with a newer version, other applications might fail. I didn’t experience many DLL related problems recently, but it is certainly good news for system administrators that with .NET and its Global Assembly Cache (GAC) the times in DLL hell are finally over. If you’re a heavy .Netal fan you might enjoy the DLL Hell song which is a song of praise for a new era to come.

Update: Review of Virtual PC 2007 RTM
You’ve probably heard already that the beta version of Virtual PC 2007 is available at Microsoft Connect. Today, I tested Microsoft’s latest virtualization tool. The good news: The test was quite fast. The bad news is… well, read my review…

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