Events Blog

6th Annual IWUG Bash - Geek Blooded? No Problem!

2008-12-11T03:46:00Z

It's here. All the t's are crossed and i's dotted. We are excited to announce our 6th Annual IWUG Bash. The event you have been waiting for. This long awaited event comes packed with geeky goodness and lots of cool fun.

We know you have been holding out those PTO's for this and December 18th is the day to mark your calendars and use them. We promise this event is not going to disappoint. Be prepared to come early this year, the pre-event party is off the hook. Waiting to show off your guitar hero, rock band or halo skills, well this is the place to do it. Did we hear challenge? Maybe we take up CWUG on their halo challenge after all.

This year's topic is simply awesome. We are going to host Stephen Rose, former Microsoft MVP from the Springboard series team based in Redmond. He will talk to us on Windows Vista and the Road to Windows 7. You will be among the few who get to see Windows 7 in action. Demos? Check!!!

As you must have already figured out, this year we are supporting the Indiana Blood Center. Please join us in donating blood for a great cause and giving back to the community. The blood center will give everyone who attempts to donate a Colts Football. Awesome! Go here to read up on blood donation and schedule an appointment.

When:
Thursday, December 18th at 5:30PM at the Junior Achievement building on Keystone ave. The Blood Center will be there at 5PM.

Door Prizes & Giveaways:
Did we forget giveaways? Absolutely not! Everyone is going to walk away with something. We have 50 copies of Windows Vista Ultimate w/sp1 and 250 copies of Windows server 2008 Enterprise edition with 25 cals to giveaway. These are not eval or time-bombed copies, full products. So this is how it works. Click on the registration link below and select if you want to get the Vista of Server ticket type, show up and get it. Please only one per person and you have to be present to win. Also, please only register if you are definitely planning on attending. Don't hoard up tickets. Pretty please!

We have other great raffle items including Xbox, Zune’s, software, books etc. If you bring a friend along, you get a bonus raffle ticket. (Make your friend register though). Oh and if we sell out of tickets, show up anyways, we’ll hook you up.

Topic:
Springboard IT Pro Series Topic: Advancing desktop management - Windows Vista and the Road to Windows 7

Speaker:
Stephen Rose is the Sr Community Manager for Client IT Pros with Microsoft. Before joining Microsoft he spent over 10 years as a consultant in the field working with companies like ADP, 5th 3rd Bank Corp, Miller Brewing, McDonalds, UCLA Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Medical System, The Dept of Justice and many more. He has been a MCSE and MCT since NT 4.0 and was a 2 time Microsoft MVP in Setup and Deployment.

Directions:
The Junior Achievement building is located at 7435 N. Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46240. Here are the directions.

Parking:
Parking is available in the JA parking lot.

Agenda
5:10pm-6:45pm: Doors Open/Registration/Blood Center
5:45pm-6:30pm: Social Time, Food etc
6:30pm-6:45pm: IWUG Welcome and Sponsors
6:45pm-8:15pm: Speaker Topic "Windows Vista and Road to Windows 7"
8:15pm-8:30pm: Wrap-up, Giveaways

Admission:
Admission is no charge – but we’re asking everyone to donate blood to the Indiana Blood Center as part of the event!

REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE

IWUG November 2008 Event

2008-11-16T23:17:00Z

NOVEMBER EVENT DETAILS

Windows Essential Business Server 2008 is an enterprise-class server solution designed and priced for midsize businesses. Windows Essential Business Server 2008 provides a unified Administration Console to manage an integrated IT infrastructure with the latest versions of management, messaging, and security server technologies. By helping to improve IT manageability and reliability, Windows Essential Business Server 2008 turns a midsize IT infrastructure into a strategic asset, boosting productivity and growth. Grow your business with Windows Essential Business Server 2008.

Come join us to talk about Windows Essential Business Server and Small Business Server 2008. We’ll dive into the tools, migration and virtualization of these products, as well as talk about the broader technology advantages for SMB by using an integrated platform.

When: Thursday, November 20th at 6PM

Agenda:
6:00 – 6:30 Pizza / Social Time
6:30 – 6:45 Introduction/ IWUG Announcements/ CWUG Announcements/ Speaker Intro
6:45 – 8:30 Event Presentation: Nicholas King
8:30 – 8:45 Q&A / Door Prizes

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it’s 12 o’clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you’re coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well – on the first floor. It’s right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Speaker:

Nick is the Technical Product Manager for Windows Essential Business Server 2008 and Windows Small Business Server 2008. He has held roles in the Microsoft field as an Infrastructure Solution Specialist and Technical Specialist. Previously to working for Microsoft, Nick held roles in FMCG as an Infrastructure Architect, ran his own Small and Medium Business Partner company, and worked as a trainer on Microsoft technologies.

Registration URL:

iwugnov08.eventbrite.com (Please select what ticket type, either onsite or Virtual)

Virtual Meeting Info:
Join the meeting

Audio Information
Telephone Conferencing
Choose one of the following:

·     Start the Office Live Meeting client, and then in the Voice & Video pane, click Join Conference. The conferencing service will call you at the number you specify. (Recommended)

·     Dial the conferencing service directly, and enter the participant code shown below:
Toll-free:              +1-8665006738
Toll:                   +1-4257072000
Participant Code:               2552925

First-Time Users
Make sure the Office Live Meeting client is installed before the meeting:

·     I am connecting from inside the Microsoft network

·     I am connecting from outside the Microsoft network

Troubleshooting
Unable to join the meeting? Launch the Office Live Meeting client and join the meeting with the following information:
        Meeting ID:     a7c6ccb5914e4874b53985ae6d522ca3
        Entry Code:     kM3O238b28
        Location:         meet:sip:nking@microsoft.com;gruu;opaque=app:conf:focus:id:a7c6ccb5914e4874b53985ae6d522ca3%3Fconf-key=kM3O238b28

If you still cannot enter the meeting, contact support:

·     Inside the Microsoft network

·     Outside the Microsoft network

July 2008 Meeting - Considerations for building a modern day data center

2008-07-02T21:56:00Z

Topic: Whether you are considering building a new data center or upgrading your existing environment, a lot has changed in the past five years. As businesses have come to consider IT a mission critical asset, the physical security and stability of the data center are more important than ever. Computing power requirements have increased exponentially and have driven the demand for high density power and cooling solutions often running existing facilities completely out of capacity or causing prolonged outages. We will explore many of the existing requirements, illustrate how they are changing and explore some of the solutions that have been put in place to address all of these issues. The presentation will focus on the construction of the BlueLock Indianapolis Data Center that was completed in March 2007 and will address multiple topics including power capacity sizing, thermodynamics, high density computing(blade servers and multi-core processors), hardened facilities, audit standards and physical security.

When: Wednesday July 16th at 6PM

Agenda
• 6:00 – 6:30 Pizza / Social Time
• 6:30 – 6:45 Introduction / Breakout to Sessions
• 6:45 – 8:30 Event: Breakout #1, #2, #3
• 8:30 – 8:45 Q&A / Door Prizes

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it’s 12 o’clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you’re coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well – on the first floor. It’s right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Speaker: Pat O’Day, BlueLock’s chief technology officer, is responsible for engineering, commercializing and making the company’s “infrastructure-as-as-service” virtual cloud computing model a business reality. With more than 20 years of experience as an information technology professional, he defines BlueLock’s services, architects its unique hosted IT environments, spearheads its strategic vendor alliances and oversees service deployment and delivery. Starting his career in network management and systems integration and then transitioning into managed IT services, data center management and disaster recovery, Pat is uniquely qualified to develop and rollout BlueLock’s innovative capacity-on-demand value proposition.

TOMORROW 6/17 6PM:Last Minute Microsoft Deployment Webcast

2008-06-16T19:56:00Z

Folks,

Sorry for the really late notice. As we announced at our last meeting, we are joining CWUG (Chicago Windows User’s Group) to do a first joint Midwest Windows User Group Live Meeting. The topic will be Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator and will be presented by Baldwin Ng, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft. Below are details on how to join the meeting.

This is a live meeting so you can join this from anywhere. Please forward to your friends and/or colleagues as applicable.

TIME: 6PM - 7:30PM
DATE: Tuesday June 17th

Attendee URL:		https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join?id=RT7J6C&role=attend&pw=Jw%27%22%3DZ5wg
Meeting ID:		RT7J6C
Attendee Entry Code:		Jw'"=Z5wg
Location:		Live Meeting Broadcast
Audio:		Two way computer audio conferencing: Off
		One way computer audio broadcasting: On
		Telephone conferencing: On
		Audio conferencing provider: Verizon Business
		Toll free: +1 (866) 500-6738
		Toll: +1 (203) 480-8000
		Participant code: 9374099

Here is some more information on MAP(Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator)

Are your existing servers and desktops capable of running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista? Do you wish to determine quickly if your existing servers are good candidates for server virtualization using Hyper-V? Look no further.

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is just the right tool to help you get answers that you need.

Formerly known as Windows Vista Hardware Assessment (WVHA), the MAP Toolkit 3.1 now expands into new areas including server virtualization using Hyper-V, SQL server discovery and desktop security assessments, while retaining the original WVHA and MAP Toolkit 3.0 features:

1) Hyper-V server virtualization assessment (NEW!)
2) Desktop security assessment (NEW!)
3) SQL server discovery and inventory (NEW!)
4) 64-bit installation support for the MAP inventory machine (NEW!)
5) Windows Server 2008 hardware/device compatibility assessment
6) Windows Vista hardware/device compatibility assessment
7) 2007 Microsoft Office hardware compatibility assessment
8) Virtual Server 2005 R2 virtualization assessment
9) Microsoft Application Virtualization client and server assessment
10) Server Roles and Non-Windows Machine Inventory

In addition, this tool can generate localized desktop readiness reports in N. American English, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is based on the agent-less infrastructure scanning technology developed by the Microsoft Solution Accelerators Core Engineering Team.

MAP makes it easier for Microsoft customers and partners to conduct a network-wide inventory remotely and securely without installing any software agents on each machine being inventoried.

First, by connecting a computer with the MAP application to the network, the user with the correct local administrator credentials can inventory and assess the readiness of the servers, clients, devices and applications for various migration and virtualization scenarios. Since no agents are used, setup of this tool is very easy.

Upon successful inventory and/or performance gathering, MAP will generate the user-specified assessment reports and proposals in the form of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word documents.

The proposals are typically targeted for Business Decision Makers and Technical Decision Makers in an organization; while the detailed reports are tailored for IT implementers including desktop and infrastructure administrators and IT consultants.

May 2008 Event - A Triple Header! (Slides Now in Downloads. Direct Link Below)

2008-05-15T03:05:00Z

Folks, sorry for the late notice, we seem to be enjoying the nice weather recently too much. You have seen us do single headers and double headers before. Here’s something new, this month we are having a triple header topic lined up for IWUG. Triple your pleasure! Triple your fun! We’ve heard you, it’s no fun to have all work and no play so, we are doing presentations on Windows Home Server, Xbox XNA Game development and Microsoft Certifications (did we say all play, oh maybe a little work then). Join us this month on Wednesday the 21^st at the Microsoft Office our usual meeting place, to get a in-depth geeky talk and demo on these three topics. We have some of our finest presenting, and… making a guest appearance on the Home Server presentation will be the person who won a copy of Home Server at the last meeting (did I hear Felix). So what are you waiting for, go ahead and register for these sessions now. Oh and by the way, we did hear you wishing you were at 3 places at the same time.

Breakout #1 – Windows Home Server

Mommy, why is there a server in the house? Don’t miss this great opportunity to find out more about WHS. WHS has created a lot of media attention and excitement within the IT Community. It is projected that by 2012 4.5 million homes will have some form of home server and set to rise rapidly after that. The "Digital Home" is starting now. Come and see how and why WHS should be part of that. And if that is not incentive enough, think of all the things you can keep cold with the cool home server cup holder that everyone attending this session will get.

Breakout #2 – Xbox Hobbyist Game Development in XNA

XNA makes games programming very easy for the hobbyist game developer. No hardcore Direct X programming required. Have you thought about being a professional game developer? Who hasn't, but after a minute you realized you did not have the skills but thought it would be cool to create basic game for you, your friends or your family. This session will go over XNA and ultimately put a game on a Microsoft Xbox 360.

The following will be discussed:

Learn what is XNA

Learn about XNA Game Development Environment and Tools Learn specifically about XNA Game Studio Express and the XNA Starter Kits Take a walkthrough of a XNA Game Project Learn to put XNA Games on Windows and the Xbox 360 Learn what XNA resources are out there and create that next great game

Breakout #3 – Changes in Microsoft Certifications

Is there an MCSE on Windows Server 2008? The new generation of Microsoft certifications is more specific and targeted to reflect the detail of what you do and to prove your expertise to those who need to know. Consisting of three series and four credentials, the new generation of Microsoft certifications provides a simpler and more targeted framework for IT managers to validate core technical skills, professional skills, and architectural skills. It also provides professionals in the IT industry with a more relevant, flexible, and cost-effective way to showcase their skills.

Here's what we'll talk about, probably:

what a technical certification* can do for you--what is the goal?

if that sounds good, then how to choose a certification track that will help you meet your goal

how do you know when you're ready (expected experience level, time/money involved, etc)

preparation options (what you need to know, how to learn it)

the testing experience (registering, during the test, what happens when you're done)

Agenda
• 6:00 – 6:30 Pizza / Social Time
• 6:30 – 6:45 Introduction / Breakout to Sessions
• 6:45 – 8:30 Event: Breakout #1, #2, #3
• 8:30 – 8:45 Q&A / Door Prizes

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Speaker Bio
Ben Smith has been with Microsoft for 3 years working as an Account Technology/Infrastructure Specialist. With fifteen years of experience in the IT Field, his focus has been on designing and supporting enterprise server, storage, database, and management systems. Currently, his focus is helping customers realize benefits of adopting Microsoft’s vision for Infrastructure Optimization and Dynamic Systems Initiative by using Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, the Forefront Security Suite, and System Center Management Solutions.

Bryan Letcher currently works for Berbee and is based here in Indianapolis. He has many years worth of experience with Citrix implementations and is also an active member of the IWUG steering committee.

Jimmy May is a SQL Server Senior Performance Consultant for the Microsoft Application Consulting & Engineering (A.C.E.) team. He has recently been nominated for SQL Ranger training, is collaborating with the SQL Server Customer Advisory Team (SQL CAT) on a series of SQL I/O best practices papers, & has been selected for the Microsoft Oracle Center of Excellence. He is the Visionary-in-Chief of SQL Server Pros & was formerly the Senior Database Architect for a high throughput SQL Server OLTP VLDB. He is a founder & on the executive committees of both the Indiana Windows User Group ( www.iwug.net) & Indianapolis Professional Association for SQL Server ( www.indypass.org). Jimmy lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with his lovely bride, Phyllis, & Fannie May the Wonder Dog.

PRESENTATION SLIDES:

XNA SLIDES: http://iwug.net/files/folders/presentation_slides/entry455.aspx

HOME SERVER : http://iwug.net/files/folders/presentation_slides/entry457.aspx

CERTIFICATION: http://iwug.net/files/folders/presentation_slides/entry456.aspx

April 08 Special Event Desktop Deployment

2008-04-10T14:05:00Z

Meeting will be on Wednesday April 16th 2008.

Register Now: http://iwugapr08.eventbrite.com/

Learn about the latest technology innovations that make it easier than ever to deploy the Windows Vista operating system, applications, and drivers to business desktops. The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008 (MDT) combines recommended deployment practices and methodologies with the proper tools and technologies you need to achieve scalable, repeatable, and cost-effective desktop software deployments in your organization. This presentation provides an in-depth exploration of MDT 2008, including enhancements for efficient Lite Touch network-based deployment.

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda
• 6:00 – 6:30 Pizza / Social Time
• 6:30 – 6:45 Introduction
• 6:45 – 8:30 Event: Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008 – Mike Niehaus
• 8:30 – 8:45 Q&A / Door Prizes

Speaker Bio:
Michael Niehaus is a Systems Design Engineer with the Microsoft Core Infrastructure Solutions group, working on the Solution Accelerator for Business Desktop Deployment. He specializes in desktop deployment and related technologies, including SMS 2003, the OS Deployment Feature Pack, Windows XP, and Office 2003.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Michael spent 13 years with Marathon Oil Company working on mainframe, database, and LAN-based systems. He oversaw the implementation of Marathon's PC Standardization Project's web-based Software Delivery System.

CORRECTED 3/19/08 - Windows Server 2008 Demo Extravaganza

2008-02-25T16:39:00Z

Sorry About the mix-up but the March meeting will be on Wednesday March 19th 2008.

Register Now: http://iwugmar08.eventbrite.com/

Microsoft’s Jeff Gettis will be presenting on March 19th, 2007 and the topic will be Windows Server 2008. With the product now in Release Candidate mode, we thought IWUG geeks would want to know the latest and greatest about Microsoft’s new server operating system. To keep it interesting, though, Jeff will be delivering the content using what he calls his “Demo Extravaganza” format. What does that mean? Less PPT and more demo!

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it’s 12 o’clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you’re coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well – on the first floor. It’s right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda
• 5:30 – 6:30 Pizza / Social Time
• 6:30 – 8:30 Windows Server 2008 “Demo Extravaganza”
• 8:30 – 8:45 Q&A / Door Prizes

Speaker Bio
Jeffrey Gettis is a directory and identity technology solution professional for the midwest district, working out of the Microsoft office in Downers Grove, Illinois. Previously, Jeffrey spent a year with Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS). He specializes in infrastructure projects that are seeking to migrate their platforms. Jeffrey has been in IT for more than ten years, managing migrations of both messaging and directory services for Fortune 100 companies. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Illinois Institute of Technology.

1/17/07 - SQL 2008 Overview for IT Admins

2008-01-14T12:40:00Z

Register Now: http://iwugjan08.eventbrite.com/

Happy New Year, IWUGers! With all the time off around the holidays, the January meeting has crept up on us so apologies for the late notice! January's meeting is going to be a good one. In just a little while now, Microsoft will be releasing SQL Server 2008 - the latest and greatest edition of SQL Server. As IT Administrators, you probably don't need to know SQL Server inside and out, but you do manage the servers and IT infrastructure that support SQL so perhaps you ought to know a thing or two.

One important note about the location - we're back at Parkwood Four again after trying out the JA. Please make a note of it!

SQL 2008 Introduction

Joe Carver with Microsoft will be joining us this month for the presentation. Here's what he tells us he's planning to cover:

Overview

What's New for IT Admins

Upgrade Paths

Open Q&A

Date:

Thursday, January 17th, 2008

Location:
Duke Parkwood Four - 1st Floor Conference Room
500 E. 96th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

(This is the building where the local Microsoft office is located.)

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it's 12 o'clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you're coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well - on the first floor. It's right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda

6:00 - 6:30 Pizza
6:30 - 6:45 IWUG Update
6:45 - 8:00 SQL 2008 Presentation
8:00 - 8:15 Q&A
8:15 - 8:30 Door Prizes

Speaker Bio

Joe Carver is an Application Platform Specialist for Microsoft. Joe spends his time working with customers, partners, and technical communities on understanding, leveraging, and building IT solutions on the Microsoft Application Platform - SQL Server, BizTalk, .NET, and the Visual Studio Tools. Joe is in his third year with Microsoft and his 17th year in Information Technology serving in various roles including Sr. Manager of Systems Integration, Application Development Manager, Oracle Developer and DBA, Network Administrator, and Systems Administrator. Joe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Technology from Purdue University and several Microsoft Certifications including; MCSE, MCSD .NET, and MCITP for Database Administration, Database Development, and Business Intelligence Development. Joe resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Cheri, and their two daughters. When not in front of the computer, Joe enjoys golf, basketball, and coaching his daughter's softball teams.

10/15/07 - NTFS and AD Presentations

2007-10-23T16:50:00Z

Breakout 1 (Active Directory): http://iwugnov1.eventbrite.com/

Breakout 2 (Windows NTFS): http://iwugnov2.eventbrite.com/

It's that time again! November's IWUG meeting is right around the corner and we have another "Geek Double-Header" for you. We'll be discussing two interesting topics: Active Directory Management and Windows File System Internals and Performance. So once you've had your fill of the World Series and your favorite team has either emerged victorious or gone home a loser, join us for the next "can't miss" event. One important note about the location - we're back at Parkwood Four after trying out the JA for the last regular meeting. Please make a note of it!

Active Directory Monitoring and Management using NetPro

Tony Vaccariello will be joining us in November for a great discussion about Active Directory Security & Compliance, Identity & Access as well as Monitoring & Management. He'll be talking about important topics like policy enforcement and remediation, auditing, security reporting, user provisioning and AD troubleshooting and repair.

Windows File System Internals and Performance

Greg Hayes (Microsoft MVP) will be speaking on Windows File Systems and Performance - providing a glimpse into some of the internals of the NTFS file system and how to get the best performance possible.

Date:
Thursday, November 15th, 2007

Location:
Duke Parkwood Four - 1st Floor Conference Room
500 E. 96th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

(This is the building where the local Microsoft office is located.)

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it's 12 o'clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you're coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well - on the first floor. It's right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda

6:00 - 6:30 Pizza
6:30 - 6:45 IWUG Update
6:45 - 8:00 Breakout Sessions

#1 - Active Directory Monitoring and Management, Tony Vaccariello
#2 - Windows File Internals and Performance, Greg Hayes

8:00 - 8:15 Q&A
8:15 - 8:30 Door Prizes

Speaker Bios

Tony Vaccariello is based in the Chicago land Area and has over 14 years experience in the Information Technology industry Tony began as a Technical Instructor from there went to Product Support on both Micro and Open systems. MR Vaccariello then moved to Enterprise Management focusing on Event Correlation, User Security, Software Deployment and Asset Management. Mr. Vaccariello has been working for over 7 years focusing on Enterprise Security and Compliance Monitoring relating to networks, systems and applications, also with Healthcare and Financial security regulation review, and administration task automation. Lately Mr. Vaccariello has worked with various public and private organizations.

Greg Hayes has worked in the IT field since 1986, working first as a programmer and then as a Systems Manager for one of the first subscription based on-line services in the world. Greg remembers what it was like to dial up at 300baud with thermal teletype systems and when 2400baud modems were "fast"! Greg has worked for Raxco Software since 1996 - starting out as a systems engineer supporting Raxco's OpenVMS software products, eventually heading up Raxco's Windows Technical Support department. Today, he is the Technical Solutions Manager - which means he gets to do all sorts of fun things. Greg first became a Microsoft MVP in 2003 with an area of expertise in Windows File Systems. Greg is very active and known in the online community - helping to answer questions and solve problems for users of all levels.

5th Annual IWUG "September Bash"

2007-09-05T04:15:00Z

That's right, folks. We're locked in for September 20th - you didn't think we'd forgotten, did you!? It took awhile to work out the details, but this year's event is going to be held at the IMAX Theater at the Indiana State Museum. If you were lucky enough to join us at our event at the IMAX couple of years ago, we think you'll agree that the group is in for a unique night of festivities.

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION - We're using EventBrite to handle the registrations again this year but adding a little twist to it. To encourage people to register on this site to attend the event, the registration URL is "hidden" in a forum post which requires you to be signed into the site. Visit http://iwug.net/forums/407/ShowThread.aspx#407 to get the link to register for the event. If you aren't a member of the site, use the "Join" link at the top right of this page to do so!

Due to the awesome response and generosity in the last couple of years towards the fundraisers we’ve had for the Red Cross and Riley Hospital for Children, we're going to use this year's event as a fundraiser for the Diabetes Association of America. We're asking everyone that attends to consider making a $5 minimum donation when they check-in the night of the event. A representative from the Diabetes Association will be on-hand to address the group and collect the proceeds – be generous please!

We're limited by the venue to 320 people, so you MUST be sure that you're signed up properly to attend. Don't worry; we'll try to make it easy for you.

Agenda
5:30pm - 6:00pm : Check-in / Networking
6:00pm - 7:00pm : Food / Indiana Pacemates
7:00pm - 7:15pm : Welcome / Diabetes Association Update
7:15pm - 8:30pm : Windows Server 2008 – Jeff Gettis – Microsoft
8:45pm - 9:00pm : Prizes (lots of cool stuff!), Wrap-Up
9:00pm - 9:15pm : Break (Popcorn / Soda)
9:15pm - 10:00pm : IMAX Presentation of Cyberworld 3D

Where: IMAX Theatre at the Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46204. Here are directions.

Parking: Parking is *your* responsibility...You can park in the garage attached to the Indiana State Museum (a few $$$) or in any public parking near the IMAX Theatre.

When: September 20th, 2007 -- Check-in begins at 5:30pm

Who: You! Remember that ONLY registered members are permitted. The theatre will only hold 320 people...no exceptions. Thanks in advance for your cooperation...

Food: We are providing light snacks (hot dogs, chips) / soda only. Please make sure you eat dinner before you arrive.

Feature Presentation
Windows Server 2008 Preview - Jeff Gettis, Microsoft Corporation - Jeffrey Gettis is a directory and identity technology solution professional for the midwest district, working out of the Microsoft office in Downers Grove, Illinois. Previously, Jeffrey spent a year with Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS). He specializes in infrastructure projects that are seeking to migrate their platforms. Jeffrey has been in IT for more than ten years, managing migrations of both messaging and directory services for Fortune 100 companies. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Illinois Institute of Technology.

Giveaways
XBOX 360, Zune, Software, Books and a bunch of cool swag!

Door Prizes:

Windows Server 2008 Beta Kits

Windows Server 2008 Component Posters

Windows Server 2008 Stickers
There are enough to go around, so there's no rush -- enjoy the night! Thanks to Microsoft for the fabulous giveaway.

Also for the first 80 attendees that register and show up at the event, we have a full version of OFFICE 2007 PROFESSIONAL(limit 1 per registration).

07/19/2007 Event - Geek Fest Double Header!

2007-06-17T12:16:00Z

REGISTRATION OPEN AT: http://iwugjuly.eventbrite.com

What's geekier than attending a typical IWUG monthly meeting where we cover a cool new technology? How about attending an IWUG meeting where we cover TWO technologies! This month, we're trying out a new idea (and a new location!) which is to provide two topics from which you can choose the one that matters most to you. Double your pleasure, double your fun! Though unless you have figured out how to circumvent the laws of space and time, you will have to choose one - you won't be allowed to attend both!

And we'll be trying out a new location this month - the Gene B. Glick Junior Achievement Education center which is located near 75th and Keystone. This is a great, state-of-the-art facility with on-site catering and lots of seating and top-notch audio/video. We really think this new facility is going to give us an opportunity to provide a better location for you all to geek out every other month. Let us know what you think!

Breakout #1 - What's New in Windows Vista
You've seen all the magazine articles, read the reviews and perhaps you've even tried it out yourself by loading on your PC. But if you do happen to live under a rock and haven't had a chance to discover what's new and exciting in the latest version of Microsoft Windows, this session will provide that for you. Presented by Bryan Letcher, Berbee Information Systems, this breakout will provide an overview of some of the new features of Vista and how you to take advantage of them and get the most out of the upgrade.

Breakout #2 - System Center Operations Manager 2007
System Center Operations Manager 2007 is the end-to-end service management solution that is the best choice for Windows because it works seamlessly with Microsoft software and applications helping you increase efficiency while enabling greater control of your IT environment. The new version has tons of new features and capabilities. Presented by Lynn Lunik, IT Pro Secure Corporation (ITPS), this breakout will drill-down into System Center Operations Manager 2007 and help you understand what's been added and what's improved over previous versions.

Date:
Thursday, July 19th, 2007

Location:
Gene B. Glick Junior Achievement Education Center
7435 North Keystone Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-3247

Directions:
Click here for directions (via Google Maps) to the new location!

Parking:
The Junior Achievement Education Center has plenty of on-site parking. Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda:
6:00 - 6:30 PM - Networking/Pizza/Soda
6:30 - 6:45 PM - IWUG Update
6:45 - 8:15 PM - Microsoft Windows Vista / System Center Operations Manager 2007
8:15 - 8:30 PM - Wrap-Up, Door Prizes

Speakers:
Bryan currently works for Berbee and is based here in Indianapolis. He has many years worth of experience with Citrix implementations and is also an active member of the IWUG steering committee.

Mr. Lynn Lunik, Founder of IT Pro Secure Corporation (ITPS), has over 20 years of Information Technology experience. Prior to ITPS, Lynn worked as a Senior Consultant for Microsoft Consulting Services, and a Platform Strategy Advisor for Microsoft Corporation, as a Principal Consultant for a Microsoft Gold Certified Security Partner, and as an Executive Director of Information Technology for an International Medical Equipment and Services organization.

05/10/07 Event – Data Protection Manager V2

2007-04-30T20:23:00Z

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A WEEK EARLIER THAN USUAL!
REGISTRATION OPEN AT: http://iwugmay.eventbrite.com

Today’s business climate is more challenging than ever and businesses are under constant pressure to lower costs while improving overall operational efficiency. In short, businesses are being asked to “do more for less.” One way that enterprises of all sizes can reduce costs and improve business agility is by changing the way data protection is managed. Data Protection Manager (DPM) is the new standard for Windows backup and recovery -- delivering continuous data protection for Microsoft application and file servers using seamlessly integrated disk and tape media. DPM enables rapid and reliable recovery through advanced technology for enterprises of all sizes.

Our presenter for the topic is Joseph Kriegel, who is a Technical Specialist with Microsoft Corporation. He will be presenting on the new, improved and exciting features of Data Protection Manager V2. For those already using Data Protection Manager V1, you already know what an awesome product this is.

Date:
Thursday, May 10th, 2007

Location:
Duke Parkwood Four - 1st Floor Conference Room
500 E. 96th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

(This is the building where the local Microsoft office is located.)

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it’s 12 o’clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you’re coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well – on the first floor. It’s right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda:
6:00 - 6:30 PM - Networking/Pizza/Soda
6:30 - 6:45 PM - IWUG Update
6:45 - 8:15 PM - DPM v2 - Joseph Kriegel
8:15 - 8:30 PM - Wrap-Up, Door Prizes

Speaker:
Our presenter for the topic is Joseph Kriegel, who is a Technical Specialist with Microsoft Corporation.

03/15/07 Event - (Registration Open!) Citrix Presentation Server

2007-02-11T16:55:00Z

REGISTRATION OPEN AT : http://iwugmarch.eventbrite.com

You asked for a little variety in the topics this year - though we'll still be playing plenty of attention to Windows Server, Exchange Server and others we're going to also try to mix it up a bit. The first such "mix it up" topic is scheduled for the March meeting.

In March we'll have Bryan Letcher here to provide an overview on Citrix Presentation Server. Bryan currently works for Berbee and is based here in Indianapolis. He has many years worth of experience with Citrix implementations and is also an active member of the IWUG steering committee.

Citrix Presentation Server runs on Microsoft Windows Server extends the base Windows Terminal Services platform by enhancing the end-user experience as well as increasing manageability, compatibility, security and scalability to address business-critical environments. Presentation Server expands the range of supported applications to include legacy software and Web-based, UNIX and Java solutions. It also enables any device or operating system – including Macintosh and Linux – to access virtualized applications.

For those that aren't familiar with what Citrix provides over-and-above what is included with Windows Server 2003, this should be an informative event. And for those that are familiar it will be a great opportunity to ask some questions about issues you might be facing and perhaps get a glimpse of the upcoming Presentation Server 4.X release from Citrix. Bryan is doing his best to get permission from Citrix to talk about and demonstrate the upcoming version to our group.

Date:
Thursday, March 15th, 2007

Location:
Duke Parkwood Four - 1st Floor Conference Room
500 E. 96th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

(This is the building where the local Microsoft office is located.)

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it’s 12 o’clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you’re coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well – on the first floor. It’s right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda:
6:00 - 6:30 PM - Networking/Pizza/Soda
6:30 - 6:45 PM - IWUG Update
6:45 - 8:15 PM - Citrix Presentation Server Overview - Bryan Letcher
8:15 - 8:30 PM - Wrap-Up, Door Prizes

Speaker:
Bryan currently works for Berbee and is based here in Indianapolis. He has many years worth of experience with Citrix implementations and is also an active member of the IWUG steering committee.

Microsoft Launch Event 2007

2007-01-10T17:47:00Z

Apparently, Microsoft is launching some new products this month and they're very anxious to get the word out to geeks everywhere.

Below is some information on the Indianapolis launch for Office and Windows. You can register and get more information by visiting http://www.microsoft.com/business/launch2007/signup/default.mspx.

As your Account Manager, I wanted to let you know about the Microsoft Across America Launch Event.

Three breakthrough solutions. One great launch event.

The launch you’ve been waiting for is finally here: Windows Vista™ operating system, the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. We're coming to Indianapolis to give you in-depth insights into all three new releases and how they can help you simplify the challenges of today’s workplace.

IT Professional Track
The morning track, hosted by TechNet Events, offers great information that will help you deploy and manage these three releases and save money on IT operations. You’ll also learn about your options for upgrading to Exchange Server 2007, and the best tools for protecting your computing infrastructure against the latest threats. Register now to attend the IT Professional track.*

Developer Track
The afternoon track, hosted by MSDN Events, explores the capabilities of these releases that will let you create more powerful communication and information-sharing applications than ever before. Microsoft will also cover the broad tool set available across both the Windows Vista and Microsoft Office system platforms, which allows you to make more efficient use of your development time. Register now to attend the Developer track.*

Make a full day of it!
The Microsoft Across America Launch Event includes separate tracks* for partners, small businesses, and IT executives. For more information, visit the Launch Event home page, or download the full agenda.

1/18/2007 Event - Forefront Security Suite

2006-12-29T15:38:00Z

REGISTRATION OPEN AT : http://iwugjan.eventbrite.com

Update: Slides available here - http://www.iwug.net/downloads/IWUG-1-2007-Forefront.ppt.zip

When Microsoft acquired Sybari in 2005, many of us wondered what would become of the Sybari product lines and how they would be integrated into Microsoft's overall security strategy. Now, in just a little over a year, we have Microsoft Forefront. The Microsoft Forefront comprehensive line of business security products provides greater protection and control through integration with your existing IT infrastructure and through simplified deployment, management, and analysis. Forefront is a comprehensive solution that helps provide protection for the client operating system, application servers, and the network edge.

January's meeting will focus on Microsoft Forefront security solutions. Join us on Thursday, January 18, 2007 when we hear from Kelly Housman from Microsoft Corporation. Kelly works as a Security Technical Specialist in the Midwest District and will be presenting information about the Forefront Security Suite. The Forefront Security Suite is a comprehensive line of business security products from Microsoft that provide simplified deployment, management and analysis of Security Data within the Enterprise. The Forefront Suite represents Client, Server and Edge Security Services for the Windows Platform.

Date:
Thursday, January 18th, 2007

Location:
Duke Parkwood Four - 1st Floor Conference Room
500 E. 96th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

(This is the building where the local Microsoft office is located.)

Directions:
From wherever you are joining us, find Meridian St. (US 31) on the north side - it’s 12 o’clock on the I-465 dial. Go east on 96th St. Parkwood Four is the second entrance on the left if you’re coming from Meridian St. Turn Left into the entrance. At the 4-way stop, turn right. 500 E. 96th St. is the second building on the left. The 1st floor conference room is, well – on the first floor. It’s right next to the MBP Catering café to make it easy to find!

Parking:
Parkwood Four has both covered parking (garage behind the building) and outside parking (in front of the building). Parking is free.

Snacks and Refreshments:
Join us at 6:00PM for pizza and soda, courtesy of Microsoft! Get there on time to enjoy your fair share!

Agenda:
6:00 - 6:30 PM - Networking/Pizza/Soda
6:30 - 6:45 PM - IWUG Update
6:45 - 8:15 PM - Microsoft Forefront Overview - Kelly Housman, Microsoft
8:15 - 8:30 PM - Wrap-Up, Door Prizes

Speaker:
Kelly Housman, Microsoft Corporation - Kelly works as a Security Technical Specialist in the Midwest District. Kelly comes to Microsoft from the Sybari acquisition and promises to review the latest information on Microsoft’s strategy for Anti-Virus and Anti-Spam for the Enterprise.