Historically I’ve been pretty bad about announcing the CWUG here on PKGuild – Today is no exception!

Tonight is the CWUG in Chicago! 77W Wacker and all that goodness.
We’ll actually be kicking off with a tour of the MTC (Microsoft Technology Center) and all of the goodness which surrounds that. – Here is the information, which is also posted on our Portal

July Meeting
Monday, July 21st Microsoft Office, 77 West Wacker, downtown Chicago
Register Now!

4:30 p.m. MTC (Microsoft Technology Center) Tour!
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Dinner/Networking
Windows Vista Gadget Contest Submission Deadline
5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Room Introductions/Meeting Kick Off
6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. First sessions
Session 1: Automating Windows Desktop Deployments with OSD360 – presented by CyniOS Technologies
Session 2: Windows Live – production software and a look at some of the betas
7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Windows Home Server – PC backup and restore (Live demo!)

Hope to see you folks tonight!

So, I know I rarely mention anything NetApp specific (I’m too busy discussing other things, sure!)

But I thought I would make a specific mention of this!
Data ONTAP 7.2.5.1 is released! This is great news for a number of reasons!

But in other news, the NetApp Disaster Recovery Adapter for VMware Site Recovery Manager for Windows is released – Which is totally cool!

So, you’re planning to take the beta exams, but you want to have a LITTLE more hands-on to prepare yourself!

Well, look no further! (Well, do look further, but check this out as well)

Books! Read Read Read away!

SQL Server 2008 Books Online Release Candidate (RC0)

Virtual Labs – These are a wealth of information, labs and “live” systems to play with!
TechNet Virtual Labs: SQL Server 2008
TechNet Virtual Labs: Business Intelligence

Hopefully this gives you that headstart you’re looking for, outside of what you already know!

Fairly straight to the point – SQL 2008 Beta exams until July 31st!
These beta exams are for 71-432 (70-432) and 71-448 (70-448)

TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Implementation and Maintenance
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-432.mspx

TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-448.mspx

71-432 – Promotion code: 943F6
71-448 – Promotion Code: B6543

Beta available until July 31st

Thanks GerryO!

So, as seen here NetApp Expands Storage and Data Management Solutions Supporting Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Physical and Virtual Environments this can mean a lot for environments which want high resiliency, modern systems (Server 2008, Hyper-V) and helping to further consolidate Server sprawl as well as Storage sprawl.

But what does this mean for you or I?

Oh, this is where the fun gets started!

It’s one thing to have supported SnapManager products on the latest Apps:

• Windows Server 2008
• SQL Server 2008
• Exchange Server 2007

But to also be able to support them instanced within Hyper-V, I have to add ‘coolerific’ to the equation.    What this means is that even I in my lab/sandbox/testbed/Laptop ;) will be able to actually simulate any of these environments as well!

My testbed happens to be a Lenovo T61P, 4gb of ram, running Server 2008 (Enterprise), Hyper-V enabled, Also running the NetApp Data ONTAP Simulator for local-side simulated (yet real) storage!

I’ll be able to run rig with all scenarios of apps, dependencies and then replicated it back to my actual real filers, along with the older apps (while not mentioned, but not less important) such as MOSS, Exchange 2003, SQL 2005, and beyond!

Yea, I think it’s pretty damn cool that the support is there, and gives me something even *I* can take advantage of, let alone large scale enterprises!