Alexander’s Blog

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2008 unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. The fourth generation deployment accelerator adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and automated installation. MDT’s tools and end-to-end guidance reduce deployment time, standardize desktop and server images, limit service disruptions, reduce post-deployment help desk costs, and improve security and ongoing configuration management.

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit technologies eliminate interaction time required to install desktop and server operating systems. Interaction at the targeted computer may take a few moments using the Lite Touch Installation (LTI) method or it can be completely automated using Zero Touch Installation (ZTI). Zero Touch Installation utilizes Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 or Systems Management Server 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack. Lite Touch Installation can be used when software distribution tools are not in place.
Microsoft Deployment Tookit 2008 also uses Configuration Manager 2007’s stand-alone media-initiated operating system deployment feature. This release offers project management guidance for all deployment roles and separates technical documentation for the products and technologies to facilitate automation tasks.

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008 enables deployment of the following Microsoft products:

Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate (32 and 64 bit) RTM and SP1
Office Professional, Professional Plus, Enterprise, and Ultimate 2007
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2003 R2 (32 and 64 bit)
Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 (32 and 64 bit) or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

To download the toolkit click here.

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Solution Accelerator is an agentless tool that will find computers on a network and perform a detailed inventory of the computers using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), the Remote Registry Service, or the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Using the inventory data, the tool will assess and report whether computers can run Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Application Virtualization (SoftGrid), and Windows Server 2008. This includes assessment of device driver availability and recommendations for hardware upgrades that may be required.

System Requirements
Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista; Windows Vista Service Pack 1; Windows XP Professional Edition

Hardware Requirements:

• 1.6-GHz or faster processor minimum
• 1.5 GB of RAM minimum (2.0GB for Windows Vista)
• 1 GB of available hard-disk space required
• 10/100 Mbps network adapter required

Software Requirements:

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition for storing inventory and assessment data. Microsoft Word 2003 SP2 or Microsoft Word 2007 and Microsoft Excel 2003 SP2 or Microsoft Excel 2007 for generating reports.

CPU Architecture:

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator can only be installed on 32-Bit versions of any of the supported operating systems.

Click here to download this free tool.

Here’s a nice little tool that will speed up your system by getting rid of the junk files, such as temporary files, memory dump files, cookies, etc. This is an impressive tool with lots of features. It’s easy to use, fast and it’s FREE.

I like to configure the option to Minimize to System Tray under Options, Advanced. You can download the tool here.

Microsoft offers a tool called Password Checker. The purpose of the tool is to test the strength of your password as you type. Is Password Checker a reliable tool to test the strength of your password? The answer in my opinion is NO. Microsoft correctly states “It is for personal reference only. Password Checker does not guarantee the security of the password itself. “Microsoft also says about the password that “It should be 14 characters or longer, (eight characters or longer at a minimum). It should include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.”

Password Checker tests the strength of your password as you type and rates it as one of the following:

1. Weak
2. Medium
3. Strong
4. Best

I performed several tests and discovered that the tool is programmed to look for certain number of characters and certain combinations. It pretty much ignores the length of the password unless you add special characters or mixed-case to the password. Your pass phrase can be over hundred characters long and Microsoft’s Password Checker considers it a weak password unless you add at least one special character, which the tool considers Medium. You can use a pasword cracking tool and easily prove that Password Checker tool is incorrect in determining the actual strength of your password and therefore should not be used.

In the document Strong passwords: How to create and use them Microsoft acknowledges that “Each character that you add to your password increases the protection that it provides many times over.” Yet, the Password Checker completely ignores this fact. You can keep adding characters by the dozen and the tool will report that your password is weak. In fact, even if you type a 127-character password (the maximum allowed in Windows) in all lowercase the tool will report it as a weak password because you didn’t include an uppercase character, which makes no sense. According to the tool, adding one uppercase character to a 126-character password makes the password’s strength Medium. So the built-in logic in the tool is questionable. There are lots of other tools available that are more reliable to test your password strength.

Microsoft suggests the password should be 14 characters or longer. I suggest you use a pass phrase that is 15 characters or longer, as I explain in this article How Secure Is Your Password?. According to Microsoft security experts that I have talked to, if your password is 15 characters or longer it is not necessary to have a combination of alphanumeric, uppercase, lowercase and special characters in your password. I explain why in my article I just mentioned How Secure Is Your Password?. Of course, if you add any special characters or numbers you only strengthen your password.

Microsoft Standard User Analyzer (SUA) tool enables you to test your applications and to monitor API calls to detect potential compatibility issues due to the User Account Control (UAC) feature in the Windows Vista. The tool is part of the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit. It requires Application Verifier but if Application Verifier is not installed on your computer you will receive a prompt to download it.

For more information on how to use this tool, check out this TechNet article.