Conrad Agramont's WebLog

Microsoft Announces the Microsoft Data Protection Server

Microsoft has announced a new product focused on backup and recovery.  The product name is the Microsoft Data Protection Server (DPS).  The most interesting part (besides them even getting into the game) is how Sun is actually a partner for this product.  Don’t believe me; check out the DPS Partner page (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/dps/partners/default.mspx)!

Some things to read:

• Microsoft Q&A: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2004/sep04/09-20DataProtectionServer.asp
• DPS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/dps/default.mspx
• DPS blurb on Continuity Central: http://www.continuitycentral.com/news01501.htm

This announcement was a week ago, so some of you already heard of this, but thought it was till worth the note.

I'm assuming this will be added to the Dynamic Systems Initative somehow. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/dsi/default.mspx 

Microsoft Port Reporter

Microsoft has release a handy utility, "Port Reporter",  to log which ports are being access on a given computer.  It runs as a service and the logs are in a comma delimited format text file.  I'm currently using this on my dev box and it's pretty interesting to see which applications are accessing network resources and on what port.  The most interesting part is to see how often a given application goes over the network for something. 

Here is a pointer the Microsoft KB Article that discusses how to download, install, and run the utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;837243

This utility can run on Windows XP, 2000, and 2003.

BTW, don't forget to install the Port Reporter Parsing utility (also found on the above URL).  It makes sifting through all of the port data a bit easier.  BTW, watch out for the log file to go crazy on front end production servers.  Don't know if it's an issue, but something to keep mindful of.

IIS 6.0 Migration Tool - Now Available for Download

The IIS 6.0 Migration Tool is now available:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2aefc3e4-ce97-4f25-ace6-127f933a6cd2&displaylang=en

Now this is handy for Service Providers who are currently hosting their customers on Windows NT 4.0 (yes there are still plenty of them out there) or Windows 2000 and want to upgrade to Windows 2003.  Why do the upgrade?  Well, you get a more stable product

So now Microsoft has made it easy to move your IIS sites to IIS 6, but what about your DSN's, local SQL or MSDE Databases, etc.?  Well that's a much tougher problem.  I doubt you'll see an all in one utility to do that since every hoster implements their customer environment a bit differently.  That's when you have to call up an SI, like myself (I know ... shameless plug) to take on that task.  :)

Conrad Agramont, Senior Architect, eQuest Technologies, conrada@eqinc.com

MSN Music Service

Today I downloaded Windows Media Player 10 and started to use the new MSN Music Store (beta) and I have had a pretty good experience so far.  I'll admit that I first tried out the store before I installed the new player and the MSN Radio service kept crashing on me.  Now that I updated the player, everything is working well.

I even purchased an album from the store and burned it to CD.  Here were my steps in "clicks"

1. Select song (this took the longest, but the most fun.  It's not a flaw in the store, but a "flaw" in me choosing a song ;)  )
2. Click (on the buy button)
3. Click (on the confirm button)
4. Put in blank CD.
5. Click (on Burn)
6. Click (Burn) .... DONE!!!

It's true that there the current library is short, but it's in beta and I'm sure they'll have a full set soon.

One last thing, when i used Napster in the past, it wasn't to "cheat" the artists and the record companies from their music (they worked for it and SHOULD get paid.  Just like software development!), but I enjoyed finding music I couldn't get at a traditional store.  There are many songs a DJ will have on wax, but that same song/record won't be available for regular purchase.  If any music store were to really have an impact, it has to have that level of commitment to bring ALL the music and not just the set playlist of Clear Channel, MTV, or whatever.  .....hope this wasn't too personal or "political", but I think it's important.

[Updated - Steps 5 & 6 changed from "Rip" to Burn....Thanks for the comments!]

ASP.NET smartNavigation

I've been doing quite a bit of ASP.NET development lately and couldn't believe I didn't notice smartNavigation setting on page directives/pages node in config.web earlier!  Ok, Ok, it's not a remarkable find, but nice tid bit of information.

http://www.dotnetmaniac.com/ASPX/0002.aspx