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The TechNet Subscription for MCTs
As you have probably heard, the TechNet Subscription service is going away. If you have your subscription because you are an MCT, or are hoping to get it because you are (or will soon be) an MCT, then there is a very important milestone coming up next week. August 31, 2013 will be the last…
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A Thumbs-Up for Windows 8
James Kendrick writes for ZDNet, and has been a tablet-fanatic for years. So when I read his article lauding Windows 8 on the right hardware platform I was happy… I happen to like my Surface Pro, but it took the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 for James to truly see the value of Windows 8 on…
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An Unexpected Consequence of Super-Stability
This would never have happened with Windows XP. As I always do after a long day of driving I woke up this morning and reached for my phone. I had driven 1,092kms the previous day, which meant that I spent my attention on the road and not on my phone – doubly so because it…
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Certification Questions from a reader
I often get questions from readers and followers about different aspects of the IT Pro world. If the answer is a simple one- or two-liner then I answer directly, but when the question is complex and the answer could benefit others I like to share that with the blogosphere. This week I received this question:…
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vSphere vs. Hyper-V: The Head to Head Battle!
On Thursday August 8th I participated in a webinar debate. Shawn MacArthur (CEO of VMTraining) and I had a friendly debate over which hypervisor and virtualization ecosystem was better. This was the third part in the series – The first had Shawn discussing vSphere, the second had me discussing Hyper-V and System Center. Who won? …
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The Kobayashi Maru of Desktop Deployment
A couple of years ago I was asked to write an article on desktop deployment. Back then Windows 7 was reasonably new, and there was a lot of chatter about the fact that you could not upgrade from a Windows XP machine directly to Windows 7. Recently a lot of people have asked me about…
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It’s On! VMware Versus Microsoft!
It is going down this week! August 8th (Thursday) at 2:00pm Eastern Time (11:00am Pacific)! In the Blue corner we have Shawn MacArthur, and in the Red corner we have Mitch Garvis! Two champions, both undefeated, and the winner will be… YOU! VERSUS As many of you know I used to (and occasionally still do)…
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Is Hyper-V the Best Hypervisor Out There?
Of course it is! Seriously… I have been talking about it for years, and while I think ESXi is still an excellent product, I feel that the complete management solution provided by Windows Server 2012 and System Center 2012, coupled with the price point which is as low as one sixth the cost of vCenter…
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PluralSignal
Over the last couple of years you have heard me talk about TrainSignal CBT training. It seems they have been acquired! Pluralsight today announced that they have acquired TrainSignal. More important, they say that many of the key players at TrainSignal are staying on. Read the entire announcement here. While I do not know the…
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How Do I Become an MCT?
Recently I wrote a piece on the Benefits of Being a MCT. I got an interesting comment from one reader that they keep moving the bar. I know that I have spoken with this reader before, and she lamented the extreme costs associated with becoming certified, especially in North America. She also asked if it…
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Benefits of Being a MCT
Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of talk about the benefits that MCTs receive from Microsoft. This conversation comes up every now and again, often because changes are being made or Microsoft Learning is reevaluating the benefits. The most recent flare in the discussion was caused by the July 1st announcement…
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The Wonders of Time Travel
I remember sitting in a nearly identical hotel room over eight years ago only a few miles down the road from where I am today and being amazed that I was on a business trip to Redmond, Washington. At the time I was a small-business IT consultant working for TradeLabs in Montreal, wondering what direction…
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Drivers Beware… Let’s communicate!
I been yelled at by several drivers this week. The Traffic Circle The first incident was my fault. I had a screaming child in the back seat and was trying to pay attention, but honestly I entered a traffic circle without watching as closely as I should have. There was no risk of collision (unless…
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Keeping Track of Versions
This week I find myself in the coastal city of Portland, Maine. I am teaching one of my favorite MOC (Microsoft Official Curriculum) course of all time, 10215A: Implementing and Managing Microsoft Server Virtualization. It is likely my favorite because it is the one I have taught most often, but also because it was my…
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Actual Reality: Desktop Virtualization Solutions from Microsoft
In July I presented my first webcast with BrightTalk. They were putting together a series on virtualization, and asked if I would be able to speak about VDI and Desktop Virtualization strategies. It was my pleasure! The webcast is now available on-line. I encourage you to download it, and let me know what you think!…
The World According to Mitch
The day to day ramblings of an IT Professional (and so much more…)
The World According to Mitch 