Who you callin' WUS?

Windows Update Services (WUS) is the successor to Microsoft Software Update Services (SUS) and the application Microsoft previously referred to as SUS 2.0. WUS is essentially a free Windows Server add-on that lets small and midsized businesses easily handle patch management for servers and clients. It is due time, cause SUS with its flat architecture and lack of control should have been named SUK.

In addition to the new name, WUS sports a wide range of cool new features. Like earlier SUS versions, WUS provides you with a centralized patch-management infrastructure, which lets you approve then roll out patches to desktops and servers. WUS adds new content download types—including patches for Microsoft Office, SQL Server, and Exchange Server—to the previously supported Windows updates and service packs. WUS includes improved targeting capabilities that let administrators take advantage of organizational units (OUs) in Active Directory (AD) environments or manually created groups in workgroups to roll out patches to the most crucial systems first. The new service also includes bandwidth-management capabilities that let you control patch delivery during peak business hours so that you can ensure your networks won't be overloaded during crucial periods.

One feature that won't be changing is the price—none. Contrary to rumors, and despite all the powerful new features, WUS continues to be a free component of Windows Server. This definitely is something to check out if you do not have a solution already.

Ready or not, Here I come

The inevitable has arrived. If you haven’t deployed SP2 yet, you might want to make plans to or your clients will be sucking up all kinds of bandwidth downloading this one.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on April 12, 2005, the temporarily blocking mechanism that prevents the automatic download of SP2 will expire and PCs with Automatic Update enabled will begin receiving SP2.

Santa Monica Trip

I am out of town is sunny Santa Monica right now attending a conference put on by a potential new vendor of ours. Today, we had a session on outsourcing that was presented by Michael Corbett. Michael really had some good ideas on what companies need to do to capture the competitive advantage they seek through outsourcing as well as when and what to outsource. Here is just a taste.

Adopt a Repeatable Management Process for Deciding when to outsource

1. The Idea Stage

a. Question – Is this idea appropriate?

2. The Assessment Stage

a. Question – Is the assessment of need real?

3. Implementation Stage

a. Question – Is the Implementation the right deal?

4. Transition Stage

a. Question – How are we going to execute the transition?

5. Management Stage

a. Question – How do we change operationally after the transition?

The Perfect Valentine Song

I hope that you singing this to your sweetheart has the same impact on Valentines Day that it did me when I sang it to mine. I strongly urge you to sing and use the lyrics below.

Why do you love me?
Why do you need me?
Always and forever
We met in a chat room
Now our love can fully bloom
Sure, the World Wide Web is great
But you, you make me "salvivate"
Yes, I love technology
But not as much as you, you see
But I still love technology
Always and forever
Our love is like a flock of doves
Flying up to heaven above
Always and forever
Always and forever
Yes our love is truly great
Always and forever

From Napoleon Dynamite

Microsoft Beefs Up Free Infection-Removal Tool

Microsoft has released the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to help remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows 2000. The Malicious Software Removal Tool supersedes all virus-cleaner tools that were previously released by Microsoft. You can download the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Microsoft Download Center. You can also run an online version of the tool from the Malicious Software Removal Tool Web site on Microsoft.com. If you are running Windows XP, you can also run the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Windows Update Web site or by using Automatic Updates.

Fiorina steps down as HP CEO, chairman

Carly Fiorina has resigned as chairman and chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, effective immediately.

As an ex-employee I had to live thru the Fiorina era and am so glad she is stepping down. A company like HP with its storied reputaion and history really took a turn for the worse when she was at the helm. I hope that this sparks a return to the old HP we all knew.

Virtualization

Virtualization really seems like it is moving to the main stream. I see huge benefits for it in development environments, but am looking for other ways to effectively utilize it in the enterprise. If anyone has any thoughts or experience good or bad, I would love to hear from you.

Give Props

As a leader or a manager your success in whatever you do is largely determined on the team that you have working for you. For that reason I think it is very important to take care of those that are taking care of you. I feel that an employee that feels that he is appreciated and is recognized for the contribution they are making to the overall success of the team goes a long way. You will have healthier team, a stronger sense of loyalty, and will in the end make you more successful as well as your business. Write them a note, take them to a movie, send them to a hotel for the night, a lunch, recognize them in a team meeting, whatever it is just do something to show them props.