Hey everyone, I have some great news! An RSS feed for the WindowsNetworking.com Admin Knowledgebase has been added to the site. Now all you admins out there will be able to get instant updates when new tips are added to the KB section. New content is added multiple times throughout the week and contains great tips and shortcuts that will help reduce the stress in any admin’s life! I really recommend you check it out.

A comprehensive list of our RSS feeds can be found here:

http://www.techgenix.com/content-rss.htm

The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Assessment Configuration Pack for Federal Information Security Management Act was developed in conjunction with Brabeion Software, and contains suggested system configurations that map best practices and standards to the requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act. This configuration pack defines recommended configurations based on a number of settings-based configuration items, and assesses your system against the desired configuration.

Once imported into SCCM 2007, this configuration pack and its included configuration items can be targeted to collections of systems which are then audited for compliance with the recommended configurations. When settings are detected to be out of compliance, events will be generated and sent to the Configuration Manager server where the data is available for reporting.

Please note that the configuration items, settings, and values included in this configuration pack do not necessarily represent every configuration required for Federal Information Security Management Act compliance. The administrator should verify that the rules being evaluated meet the unique requirements for their specific environment. If desired, the administrator can also modify the configuration pack by adding, modifying, and deleting configuration items, settings, and values through the Desired Configuration Management user interface within the SCCM 2007 console.

Feature Bullet Summary:
The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Assessment Configuration Pack for Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) includes configuration items for the following:

• Member Server
• Domain Controllers

To understand in detail what each configuration item will be evaluating please review the properties of that configuration item in the context of the server role being addressed.

Configuration Pack Release History:

11/12/2007 - Version 1.0 - Original release of the English version

Download URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=90...MA.msi

The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Assessment Configuration Pack for European Union Data Protection Directive was developed in conjunction with Brabeion Software, and contains suggested system configurations that map best practices and standards to the requirements of the European Union Data Protection Directive. This configuration pack defines recommended configurations based on a number of settings-based configuration items, and assesses your system against the desired configuration.

Once imported into SCCM 2007, this configuration pack and its included configuration items can be targeted to collections of systems which are then audited for compliance with the recommended configurations. When settings are detected to be out of compliance, events will be generated and sent to the Configuration Manager server where the data is available for reporting.

Please note that the configuration items, settings, and values included in this configuration pack do not necessarily represent every configuration required for European Union Data Protection Directive compliance. The administrator should verify that the rules being evaluated meet the unique requirements for their specific environment. If desired, the administrator can also modify the configuration pack by adding, modifying, and deleting configuration items, settings, and values through the Desired Configuration Management user interface within the SCCM 2007 console.

Feature Bullet Summary:
The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Assessment Configuration Pack for European Union Data Protection Directive (EUDPD) includes configuration items for the following:

• Member Server
• Domain Controllers

To understand in detail what each configuration item will be evaluating please review the properties of that configuration item in the context of the server role being addressed.

Configuration Pack Release History:

11/12/2007 - Version 1.0 - Original release of the English version

Download URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=90...PD.msi

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 23, 2008 - HP today announced two new energy-efficient business desktop PCs, including the industry’s first to feature a solid-state hard drive (SSD), which offers improved reliability.

Both the HP Compaq dc7800 Ultra-slim Desktop PC with SSD and the HP Compaq dc5800 Business PC provide the power and flexibility to meet the needs of most any business. In addition, they include a variety of environmental features that allow them to meet the most stringent environmental requirements of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT™) Gold registry.

The two PCs add to HP’s industry-topping number of Gold-listed products in the EPEAT registry. The registry helps businesses evaluate, compare and select technology products based on their environmental attributes, such as meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s latest ENERGY STAR™ energy-efficiency requirements.

While using more power-efficient PCs can help any business save on energy costs and reduce the environmental impact of their technology, the effect across an enterprise environment can be immense.

For example, the recent IDC Go Green PC Power Play Study found that the U.S. federal government could save more than $82.4 million in energy costs⁽¹⁾– the equivalent to conserving more than 1.3 million barrels of oil in just one year⁽²⁾– if its more than 10 million existing ENERGY STAR 3.0 PCs were updated to the new 4.0 standard.⁽³⁾ The research study was underwritten by HP to help quantify the savings opportunities energy-efficient PCs could provide the federal government.

“HP’s ongoing efforts to design for the environment have spanned decades,” said Alan Reed, vice president and general manager, Personal Systems Group, HP. “HP leverages this expertise to continually develop smart ideas for its PC product lines that not only help business customers be more productive, but also reduce operating costs and their effect on the environment.”

New desktops more efficiently power business

The HP Compaq dc7800 Ultra-slim Desktop PC’s solid-state hard drive provides many performance and durability improvements, including near instantaneous access to data and the elimination of moving parts, which are the main cause of electro-mechanical wear out. Additional benefits include a faster system start, better reliability, improved power efficiency, shock improvement and a smaller overall footprint.

The dc7800 Ultra Slim Desktop is one of the industry’s smallest, enterprise-ready desktops – 46 percent smaller than previous models – and also features HP’s lowest power consuming, 85 percent efficient power supply, without compromising performance.

It is loaded with energy-efficient features, including the latest Intel® Core™ 2 Duo⁽⁴⁾processors with optional Intel vPro™ technology and preloaded Verdiem SURVEYOR™ network power management software agent.⁽⁵⁾ SURVEYOR can help measure, manage and reduce power consumption on PCs and monitors, and, when paired with Intel vPro remote management technologies, can lower PC energy costs to as little as $10 per year per system.⁽⁶⁾

“As partners in a variety of environmental efforts, HP and Intel are seeking ways to improve our environmental impact,” said Robert Crooke, vice president and general manager, Intel Business Client Group.  “The dc7800 is a good example.  It takes advantage of the energy-efficient performance of the Intel Core microarchitecture and the manageability features of Intel vPro technology, which can help bring to an end the practice of leaving computers on all night for IT service and can help IT to verify power-conservation settings on PCs.”

The new HP Compaq dc5800 Business Desktop PC, available in redesigned small form factor and microtower PC designs, delivers reliable technology, productivity tools and security features that are designed to provide a worry-free foundation for businesses.

Proven industry-standard technologies, such as Intel’s next-generation chipset and processors and the SURVEYOR power management software agent, help dc5800 customers reduce processor heat and energy costs, as well as manage power and sleep settings more efficiently to increase the useful life of the PC.

The HP Compaq dc5800 Business PC also is equipped with additional manageability and security features to help better protect IT investments. Available features include access to a suite of client management tools from a single integrated console, minimum 12-month product lifecycle, a single software image designed for use across the entire platform, regardless of model or configuration, and worldwide configurations for consistent deployment for global corporations.

The dc5800 security options include embedded TPM 1.2 to help provide enhanced data protection and limit system access through hardware-based encryption. Optional HP ProtectTools security software further enhances an IT infrastructure’s first line of defense.

Pricing and availability

The HP Compaq dc7800 Ultra-slim Business Desktop with SSD is available now in North America at a starting U.S. list price of $1,258, while the HP Compaq dc5800 is expected to be available beginning Feb. 11 in configurations starting as low as $579.⁽⁷⁾ Additional global availability will vary by region.

More information about HP’s desktop offerings is available at www.hp.com/go/desktops.

HP and the environment

For decades HP has worked to manage its environmental impact by adopting environmentally responsible practices in product development, operations and supply chain. The company strives to be a global leader in reducing its carbon footprint, limiting waste and recycling responsibly. HP’s efforts earned it recognition as one of Fortune Magazine’s “Ten Green Giants” in April 2007. More information about the company’s work in relation to the environment is available at www.hp.com/environment.

Microsoft published a number of press releases which outline company’s strategy and vision in virtualization.

These press releases are available for download here:

http://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/strategy.mspx

Powerful combination allows PowerShell users to edit and debug scripts, then distribute these scripts to computers and servers in the network

TORONTO, CANADA – January 8, 2008 — Special Operations Software, www.specopssoft.com, a global leader of Group Policy and Windows PowerShell based Systems Management and Security software, today announced the integration of Quest PowerGUI(TM) from Quest Software with Specops Command(TM) from Special Operations Software. The integration makes it possible to use the powerful and free PowerShell script editor, Quest PowerGUI, directly from Specops Command and thus provide features like IntelliSense (to access descriptions of functions) and debugging capabilities when editing PowerShell scripts.

For more information and to download Specops Command, please visit: http://www.specopssoft.com/powershell/

LAS VEGAS-January 6, 2008-Extending its lead in providing solutions to protect business and personal data from loss or theft, Seagate Technology (NYSE: STX) today introduced at CES, the Maxtor® BlackArmor™ encrypting storage solution that provides AES government-grade encryption protection against unauthorized access to valuable and private information. The Maxtor BlackArmor solution is a 160GB portable storage device that delivers the confidence and reliability of robust security in a compact consumer-friendly design.

Designed for those who have valuable information they wish to keep secure and private, the new Maxtor BlackArmor product is an attractive, portable solution that provides unparalleled security for direct attached storage devices. Using Seagate Secure™ technology, Maxtor’s BlackArmor drive is designed to keep data locked up and protected in the event of loss or theft. Seagate Secure technology is a hardware-based encryption, making the encryption transparent to the user and free of complicated installation and use procedures required by software based security.

The Maxtor BlackArmor external storage solution uses a government-grade AES encryption certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to deliver the strongest commercially available data security available for external storage. The Maxtor BlackArmor product provides transparent, real-time encryption of all the data on the device, not just selected files; providing performance and ease of use advantages over manual software-based security controls. The BlackArmor product also puts all security keys and cryptographic operations within the device, delivering stronger protection against hacking and tampering than traditional software alternatives. The BlackArmor product’s key encryption technology can also securely wipe out the data for simple, cost-effective redeployment or disposal of the product – an important capability for organizations of all sizes.

The introduction of the Maxtor BlackArmor solution comes as growing reports of compromised computer information continue to alarm consumers, underscoring the growing need for storage solutions that provide security and privacy for personal information. Since January 2005, more than 215 million computer records have been compromised, many the direct result of a lost or stolen desktop or laptop system or hard drive, USB thumb drive, smart phone or CD, according to The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer information and advocacy organization.

“Government regulations on organizations that manage confidential and personal information continue to get more stringent, making security of sensitive information a mission-critical requirement. As of January 2006, twenty-three states have enacted identity theft laws,” said John Ostlik, senior analyst of Information Security at Enterprise Strategy Group. “Unfortunately, this is a monumental set of tasks that organizations are faced with, when confidential data is created, copied, and stored across the enterprise at an ever-increasing rate from data center systems to desktop and mobile devices.”

“Maxtor storage solutions are focused on security and back up of your valued digital assets,” said Jon van Bronkhorst, executive director of Product Line Management for Maxtor Branded Solutions. “BlackArmor is an innovative new product that delivers on the promise of providing our customers with a level of security that is both reliable and robust, for a plug-and-play, easy-to-manage portable storage device.”

Maxtor® BlackArmor™ Storage Solution
Built for those who are serious about data protection, the elegantly designed BlackArmor external storage solution is a compact package weighing only 208g with dimensions of 131mm in length, 84mm wide and 16.5 mm depth. The BlackArmor product interfaces with the computer over a USB 2.0 connection. The product is expected to be widely available in a 160GB capacity in Q2 2008. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is $149.99. Maxtor’s BlackArmor also includes the award-winning Maxtor Manager software suite from the popular OneTouch 4™ product family. The software includes capabilities such as automated back up and multiple computer synchronization.

World’s Highest Capacity 2.5-Inch Mobile Hard Drive to Usher in New Era of Consumer Notebooks, Desktops and Portable Gadgets

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Jan. 3, 2008 – On the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, at a time when most of the technology world is asking “what’s the next big thing?”, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) has answered that question quite literally by introducing the world’s highest capacity 2.5-inch mobile hard drive. Setting a new industry benchmark for capacity, the half-terabyte (500GB) Travelstar 5K500 is poised to usher in a new era of “slim” desktops, full-featured notebooks, gaming consoles and other advanced applications for consumers on-the-go.

With the Travelstar 5K500, Hitachi GST has effectively eliminated the “capacity compromise” by offering consumers all the storage capacity of a desktop with the portability and convenience of a notebook. Moreover, the new drives are well-suited for use in “slim” desktops, where users are seeking high-capacities in a space-saving, small form factor enclosure. These new sleek PC designs are highly desirable among today’s consumers who are often placing computers in multiple rooms throughout the home.

The Travelstar 5K500, available in either a 400GB or 500GB model, is the fourth-generation Hitachi mobile drive to use perpendicular magnetic recording technology to deliver breakthrough capacity and reliability. The half-terabyte drives can store up to 500 hours of digital video, 178 feature length movies, 250 games or 125,000 four-minute songs. Travelstar 5K500 drives are available with a 3.0Gb/s Serial ATA (SATA) interface for enhanced system performance.

Hitachi will also offer an enhanced-availability (EA) version, called the Travelstar E5K500 — also available in both 400GB and 500GB capacities — which is designed for applications requiring 24×7 operation in lower transaction environments, such as blade servers, network routers, point-of-sale terminals and video surveillance systems.

“The Travelstar 5K500 was designed to address some important trends taking place in today’s notebook computing market,” said Larry Swezey, director, Consumer and Commercial HDD, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. “Consumers tend to think of their notebooks as less of a pure technology tool and more of a mobile entertainment device for taking large libraries of movies, music, games and pictures on the go. As a result, notebooks are now starting to ship with wide, high definition screens and large, high quality speakers for playing digital audio and video. Hitachi’s new Travelstar 5K500 responds to these dynamics with the features, design innovations and technologies that enhance the overall entertainment experience.”

The Travelstar 5K500 is among Hitachi’s most technically advanced and robust family of drives and includes an array of innovative features, such Hitachi-patented Rotational Vibration Safeguard (RVS) technology. RVS is designed for today’s full-featured notebooks that commonly include premium speakers for enhancing the movie, music and gaming experience. These speakers however, can inadvertently cause vibrations within the system enclosure. To mitigate any adverse impact on system performance, the Travelstar 5K500 uses RVS as an “early warning” system for the drive, enabling it to sense a possible disturbance in advance and take the necessary steps to stabilize the drive head and avoid any disruptions. Additionally, the Travelstar 5K500 drives feature 400Gs of shock protection to further safeguard user data from falls, bumps and rough handling.

The Travelstar 5K500 drives also feature optional Bulk Data Encryption (BDE) for hard drive level data security. Previously, data on a hard drive could be protected either through software-based encryption or a system-level password. However, hard-drive level encryption provides improved performance and a higher level of security than any of the previously available options. BDE models ship exclusively with a 1.5Gb/s SATA interface.

Consumers have begun to demand environmentally responsible products in all aspects of their lives. Hitachi has designed the Travelstar 5K500 to address these requirements without compromising performance for power efficiency, or vice versa. While the Travelstar 5K500 uses a three-disk design to deliver up to 500GB of capacity, the new drives are extremely energy-efficient, with a power profile nearly identical to its two-disk predecessor, the Travelstar 5K250. The new drives feature a 1.9 watt read/write power draw and their 0.7 watt low power idle means longer battery life for more “unplugged” notebook time.

Since entering the 2.5-inch segment in 1991, Hitachi has led innovations in the form factor for every measurable category: areal density, performance, power management, acoustics, shock tolerance, reliability and breadth of product options. Hitachi Travelstar drives continue to be the most popular 2.5-inch hard drives on the market today.

“PC form factors are changing dramatically as PCs shift from productivity tools to lifestyle devices,” according to Richard Shim, Personal Computing Research Manager at IDC. “The most notable change is the emergence of notebooks as the dominant PC form factor over desktops. At the same time, desktops are slimming down without sacrificing, and in some cases improving, performance. One key component enabling this “less is more concept” in PCs is hard drives, which continue to increase in capacity, while maintaining their relatively diminutive sizes.”

Availability

The Travelstar 5K500 will be available worldwide in February. The Travelstar E5K500 will be available by the end of the second quarter, 2008.

Technical Specifications:

Travelstar 5K00

400/500 GB *
12.5 mm in height
5400 RPM
260 billion bits per square inch maximum areal density
3 glass disk platter (s)
6 TMR recording head(s)
1000 G/1ms non-operating shock
400 G/2ms operating shock
5.5 ms average latency
12 ms average read time
0.95 W active idle
0.7 W low-power idle
1.8 W idle power (EA version only)
Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s, 1.5Gb/s encrypted
148 grams in weight
2.2 Bels typical idle acoustics
2.4 Bels typical operational acoustics