Summer is winding down and if you were able to get away for a vacation, consider yourself envied. We’ve been busy getting ready for a few noteworthy product launches. And since you already know what products I’m talking about, here’s some updates:

Windows Server 2008 R2 Trial Software
The Windows Server 2008 R2 trial bits are now available for download to start your 180-day evaluation of the new features, including new virtualization tools, Web resources, management enhancements, and Windows 7 integration. Tools such as Internet Information Services (IIS) version 7.5, updated Server Manager and Hyper-V platforms, and Windows PowerShell version 2.0 combine to give you greater control, increased efficiency, and the ability to react to front-line business needs faster than ever before. And the virtualization capabilities can help save time and reduce costs.

Speaking of virtualization, hear from a panel of experts how virtualization tools can help you with application compatibility concerns whether you’re migrating from Windows Vista or Windows XP. On September 24 at 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time, join the Springboard team’s webcast on Windows 7 Application Compatibility Part 2. They’ll cover the latest desktop virtualization technologies from Microsoft, including App-V, MED-V, and XP Mode for Windows 7.

Then check out the current issue of TechNet Magazine to find out how the R2 version of Virtual Machine Manager 2008 can help you manage your organization’s virtual machines more easily and efficiently. Paul Schnackenburg’s Overview of System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 RC explains how a key feature is the support for new functionality in Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor.

Exchange Server 2010 Release Candidate Ready to Download
The Exchange Server 2010 RC is now feature-complete and available for download. New in the RC release is support for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, co-existence with Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2003, and an in-place upgrade from Exchange Server 2010 RC to Exchange Server 2010 RTM, so you won’t need to reinstall your servers or reconfigure your Exchange settings once you have deployed the RC. Visit “What’s new in Exchange 2010” on TechNet for additional technical details.

Microsoft SQL Server StreamInsight and SQL Azure Database August CTPs
We’re excited to announce that SQL Server StreamInsight is officially shipping as a component of SQL Server 2008 R2, which is scheduled to be available in H1 2010. StreamInsight brings a low-latency complex event processing (CEP) platform to SQL Server, and will enable organizations to derive insights from streaming data in near real-time in scenarios such as Web analytics, algorithmic trading, and industrial process control. Get the free trial.

Also available today is the first community technology preview of SQL Azure Database, a cloud-based relational database service built on Microsoft SQL Server technologies. SQL Azure Database enables you to provision and deploy relational database solutions to the cloud, and take advantage of a globally distributed data center that provides enterprise-class availability, scalability, and security with the benefits of built-in data protection, self-healing, and disaster recovery. Register for the free trial.
Thanks for reading,
Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash

Got this in from TechNet today. Thought maybe some of you would find this of interesting. Am down loading at this time.

Edited: An oh by the way, the download size is 2.79 GB.

Posted By: Lee
28 Aug 2009