SearchWin2000.com: This Week March 19, 2004 ___________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE __________________________________ -From the editor: MCP label holds its value -Featured Topic: Crash Course: Certification -Expert Technical Advice: Bernie Klinder: OS Troubleshooting -Site Exclusives: >>News from Microsoft Management Summit 2004 >>Does Microsoft make the grade? You decide! >>Ask the Expert: Exchange migration -Tip of the Week: BROWCON, the NetBIOS browsing console -Site Highlights: >>Vendor Webcast: Simplify your IT environment with iSeries Windows integration >>White Paper: Calculation management solutions >>White Paper: Addressing Exchange problems with e-mail spam filtering >From the Editor: __________________________________ by John Hogan, News Editor On its Web site, Microsoft sums up the benefits of becoming a Microsoft Certified Professional this way: "The information technology (IT) industry, your employer, clients, and peers will recognize your MCP credential as a symbol of the skills and knowledge you've gained through experience." While a pat on the back is always nice, most IT professionals would probably prefer that recognition come in the form of a higher wage. Recent research seems to indicate that employers understand that. Last summer, Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine reported in its annual salary survey that the average yearly wage for all Microsoft certifications was $61,700 -- the first increase in three years. Another sign that the program has some value is the continued rise in the number of people with some type of MCP certification. Recently, SearchWin2000.com certification guru Ed Tittel wrote a column about the MCP numbers. Ed noted that while MCP growth has slowed a bit since the boom days of 1999, the overall MCP ranks are still increasing. (As of December 2003, there were nearly 968,000. Compare that to the nearly 833,000 MCPs in October 2002.) Click here for the column: http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid1_gci950093,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 With the economy making a comeback, I'm guessing that MCPs will be in even greater demand this year, especially those getting certified on Windows Server 2003. But far more important than my opinion is what you, the IT pro, think. Is there value in a Microsoft certification? Are you planning to upgrade your skills? Share your opinions on this and other issues in our new Microsoft report card survey. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and we'll be sure to let you know the results when our report card comes out. Click here for the survey: http://www.insightexpress.com/ix/showSurvey.asp?id=69421&accessCode=5530245858&offer=m.16.04 Featured Topic: __________________________________ Crash Course: Certification Security and messaging credentials are the newest additions to Microsoft's ever-changing world of certifications. Here's a wrap-up of the latest in certification and career advancement. http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/featuredTopic/0,290042,sid1_gci955690,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 Expert Technical Advice: __________________________________ Featured Expert: Bernie Klinder Category: OS Troubleshooting Dear Bernie, We deploy Windows 2000 on 400 desktops in a secondary school. We would like to be able to quickly redeploy all applications if a student corrupts a workstation. We have lots of hardware configurations and are constantly adding new software apps. What product would you suggest? We've looked at Ghost, but every time we'd want to add an app we'd have to change all the images. Click here to Bernie's expert response: http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/ateQuestionNResponse/0,289625,sid1_cid577364_tax296065,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 This Week: Site Exclusives __________________________________ >> News from Microsoft Management Summit 2004 When it comes to managing Windows-based clients and servers from a single console, Microsoft is going to let sysadmins have it their way for a while longer. That's the big news from last week's Microsoft Management Summit 2004. For customer reaction to Microsoft's concept for unified client and server management and other stories on SUS, WUS, SMS and MOM, check out our MMS conference page. http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid1_gci954597,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694&offer=sb03221 >> Does Microsoft make the grade? You decide! Take part in SearchWin2000.com's third annual survey of IT professionals' attitudes about flagship Windows products and customer support issues. Did Redmond finally get trustworthy computing right with the release of Window Server 2003? Are you going to renew your Software Assurance agreement? What's up with the MCSE? Take this 10-minute survey. The editors will tally the results, compare your answers with last year, then publish the findings. http://www.insightexpress.com/s/MSRe69421 If you missed it the first time, you can still read the 2003 Microsoft Report Card: http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/featuredTopic/0,290042,sid1_gci900240,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 >> Ask the Expert: Exchange migration If you are planning to move off Exchange 5.5 this year, be sure to check out SearchExchange.com's answers to common migration questions from Lee Benjamin, head of the Boston Exchange Server User Group. Benjamin, who has more than 20 years in the messaging industry (including a six-year stint at Microsoft), fields queries ranging from moving mailboxes in Active Directory to renaming your Exchange server. http://searchexchange.techtarget.com/ateAnswers/0,289620,sid43_cid569409_tax295935,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 TIP OF THE WEEK: BROWCON, the NetBIOS browsing console __________________________________ A little-known tool called BROWCON is an extension of the BROWSTAT utility that allows an administrator to troubleshoot computers on a network that uses NetBIOS. Find out more about BROWCON and how it can help single out pesky problems. Click here for the full tip: http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid1_gci955291,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 SITE HIGHLIGHTS __________________________________ >> Simplify your IT environment with iSeries Windows integration Windows integration provides users with centralized server management, consolidated backups and more. Enable users to form server networks in a single platform with iSeries. Join in this webcast March 23! http://searchWin2000.com/r/0,,26054,00.htm?track=NL-119&ad=478694&Mainline >> White Paper: Calculation management solutions Read "Calculation Management Reducing Risk and Increasing Productivity for Engineering-based Enterprises" to capture, manage and share engineering knowledge and data easily. Download this white paper for more information. http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/whitepaperPage/0,293857,sid1_gci952850,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 >> White Paper: Addressing Exchange problems with e-mail spam filtering This paper discusses the issues in designing anti-spam products that meet the needs of users and administrators. Also, explore features of Sunbelt Software's iHateSpam Server and Gateway Editions, designed for spam filtering efficiency in Exchange environments. Find solutions to spam in this white paper. http://searchWin2000.com/r/0,,26505,00.htm?track=NL-119&ad=478694&sunbeltsoftware Career Center __________________________________ Start your job search and gain valuable career information at the SearchWin2000.com Career Center. http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/dice/0,294542,sid1,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694&Offer=w2kdicert322 Visual Basic .NET __________________________________ NEW! Free Visual Basic.NET Resource Kit. Download now to benefit from this comprehensive collection of technical information. http://ttarget.adbureau.net/adclick/CID=000032d00000000000000000 Info Center Experts __________________________________ Get the tips and advice you need for your desktop deployment issues from our knowledgeable and skilled Desktop Deployment Info Center experts. http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/infoCenter/meetTheExperts/0,294285,sid1,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694 Active Directory Administration Tip ________________________________ >From planning, design and deployment to user settings, group policies and security, this free weekly AD administration newsletter will give you the tips and advice you need to expertly maintain and troubleshoot your Active Directory. Click here to auto-activate your free subscription: http://searchWin2000.techtarget.com/OptIn/1,290894,sid1,00.html?track=NL-119&ad=478694&cid=&em=&tid=131&FE=1 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ABOUT THIS E-NEWSLETTER This e-newsletter is published by SearchWin2000.com, a targeted Web site from TechTarget, the most targeted IT media and events company. TechTarget offers magazines, Web sites, e-newsletters, Webcasts and conferences for enterprise IT professionals. Copyright 2004 TechTarget. All rights reserved. _____________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe from "Updates on new site content": Go to unsubscribe: http://SearchWin2000.com/u?cid=478694&lid=430730&track=NL-119&ad=478694 Please note, unsubscribe requests may take up to 24 hours to process; you may receive additional mailings during that time. A confirmation e-mail will be sent when your request has been successfully processed. Contact us: SearchWin2000 Member Services 117 Kendrick Street, Suite 800 Needham, MA 02494
