Microsoft Corp. released a public beta of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, part of Microsoft’s unified communications family (http://www.microsoft.com/uc).

Exchange 2010 is part of the next wave of Microsoft Office-related products and is the first server in a new generation of Microsoft server technology built from the ground up to work on-premises and as an online service. This release of Exchange 2010 introduces a new integrated e-mail archive and features to help reduce costs and improve the user experience. A public beta of the server is available for download starting today at http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/2010 

Exchange Server 2010 will become available in the second half of 2009. Microsoft Office 2010 and related products will enter technical preview in the third quarter of 2009 and become available in the first half of 2010.

Exchange 2010 ushers in the next generation of Microsoft unified communications software as the first server designed from inception to work both on-premises and as an online service,” said Rajesh Jha, corporate vice president of Exchange at Microsoft. “This release raises the bar with new archiving and end-user innovations that will help companies save money and employees save time.”

Exchange 2010 will help organizations reduce costs, protect communications and delight e-mail users with capabilities to do the following:

Lower costs with more flexible deployment and management options. Exchange 2010 provides organizations with the same enterprise-grade capabilities whether deployed on-premises or as a service from Microsoft or partners – or as a mix of both. Further, for customers deploying the server, the new release simplifies the way organizations provide always-on communications and disaster recovery, meaning administrators spend less time managing their e-mail system. Exchange 2010 further improves performance running on lower-cost direct-attached storage, enabling organizations to dramatically reduce storage costs by up to 85 percent without sacrificing performance or reliability.

Protect information and meet compliance requirements with the new e-mail archive. As e-mail volume grows, companies must address increasing compliance, legal and e-discovery concerns, but today, according to Osterman Research, only 28 percent of organizations currently archive their e-mail content (Osterman Research, 2008). Exchange 2010 introduces an integrated e-mail archive. The new solution makes it easier to store and query e-mail across the organization using the Exchange software that organizations already know and use.

Improve user productivity with the ultimate inbox experience. Basex Inc. recently estimated that the average number of corporate e-mail messages received per person per day is expected to reach more than 93 by 2010. In addition, businesses lose $650 billion annually in productivity due to unnecessary interruptions including those from e-mail (Basex, 2008). Exchange 2010, together with Microsoft Outlook 2010, will give people more control over their communications with features such as these:

• MailTips. Warn users before they commit an e-mail faux pas such as sending mail to large distribution groups, to recipients who are out of the office or to recipients outside the organization, helping protect against information leaks and reduce unnecessary e-mail messages.
•  Voice Mail Preview. See text previews of voice mail directly in Outlook.
•  Ignore Conversation. This e-mail “mute button” allows people to remove themselves from an irrelevant e-mail string, reducing unwanted e-mail and runaway reply-all threads.
•  Conversation View. Combine related e-mail messages in a single conversation to reduce inbox clutter.
•  Call Answering Rules. Create customized “Press 1 for …” call-routing menus with Exchange voice mail.
•  Consistent Experience. Use Outlook on the PC, a mobile phone or a browser for the same experience with enhancements in Outlook Mobile and Outlook Web Access.

 First in a Wave

 Exchange 2010 is the first product to be introduced as part of the next wave of Microsoft Office-related products. The next wave, which includes Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, Microsoft Visio 2010 and Microsoft Project 2010, is designed to give people a consistent experience across devices, making it easier to create and edit documents and collaborate from any location. In addition, to help businesses reduce costs, the next wave will introduce new delivery and licensing models, improve deployment and management options for IT professionals, and provide developers with an expanded platform on which to create applications.

The line between home and work has blurred, and people want more choice and flexibility in how, where and when they work,” said Chris Capossela, senior vice president of the Information Worker Product Management Group at Microsoft. “With the next wave of Microsoft Office-related products, people will be more productive across the PC, phone and browser, IT professionals can choose to deploy and manage servers on-premises or from the cloud, and developers get more opportunities to build innovative solutions and grow their business.”

 Availability

 Exchange Server 2010 will become available in the second half of 2009. Additional Office products including Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, Microsoft Visio 2010 and Microsoft Project 2010 are scheduled to enter technical preview in the third quarter of 2009 and release to manufacturing in the first half of 2010.

 The Beta has been released so start training today with content on the Microsoft E-learning website.

 1. Collection 6899: Exploring Features of Exchange Server 2010 https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/offerDetail.aspx?offerPriceId=249671

 Overview

 This two-hour collection provides you with an overview of the new features in Exchange Server 2010. It also describes the enhancements made over Exchange Server 2007.

 The clinics within this collection cover:

• New features in Exchange Server 2010
• Technology enhancements
• Management tools used in Exchange Server 2010
• Managing a Mailbox server
• Unified Messaging in Exchange Server 2010
• High availability features in Exchange Server 2010

 Users completing this collection should have three or more years of experience working with previous versions of Exchange Server, including the implementation of Exchange Server 2007. They should be familiar with Active Directory, Exchange messaging, and SharePoint and fundamentals of Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office 2007, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008. It is beneficial if they have experience with a Windows or command-line scripting.

 2. Clinic 6900: Introduction to Exchange Server 2010: https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/courseDetail.aspx?courseId=117247&tab=overview

 This one-hour clinic describes Exchange Server 2010 features, deployment scenarios, and development platform options. It also contains descriptions of tools used for managing Exchange Server 2010.

 This clinic covers the following topics:

• Exchange Server 2010 features
• Deployment scenarios
• Business-to-business support
• Storage, compliance, and development platform enhancements
• How RBAC works
• Management tools such as EMC, PowerShell, and ECP

Users completing this collection should have three or more years of experience working with previous versions of Exchange Server, including the implementation of Exchange Server 2007. They should be familiar with Active Directory, Exchange messaging, and SharePoint and fundamentals of Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office 2007, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008. It is beneficial if they have experience with a Windows or command-line scripting language.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain the operational flexibility features of Exchange Server 2010.
• Describe the technology enhancements in Exchange Server 2010.
• Explain features used for managing Exchange Server 2010.

 3. Clinic 6901 : Exchange Server 2010 in an Enterprise: https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/offerDetail.aspx?offerPriceId=249676

 This one-hour clinic describes Exchange Server 2010 features that are useful in an enterprise. It covers features such mailbox server configurations, unified messaging, and high availability.

 This clinic covers the following topics:

• Features of a Mailbox server
• How Unified Messaging works in 2010
• Mailbox Availability in Exchange Server 2010
• Data Protection in Exchange Server 2010

 Users completing this collection should have three or more years of experience working with previous versions of Exchange Server, including the implementation of Exchange Server 2007. They should be familiar with Active Directory, Exchange messaging, and SharePoint and fundamentals of Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office 2007, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008. It is beneficial if they have experience with a Windows or command-line scripting language.

Register for Beta Exam 71-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring  (Updated)

You are invited to take beta exam 71-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring. If you pass the beta exam, the exam credit will be added to your transcript and you will not need to take the exam in its released form. The 71-xxx identifier is used for registering for beta versions of MCP exams, when the exam is released in its final form the 70-xxx identifier is used for registration.

By participating in beta exams, you have the opportunity to provide the Microsoft Certification program with feedback about exam content, which is integral to development of exams in their released version. We depend on the contributions of experienced IT professionals and developers as we continually improve exam content and maintain the value of Microsoft certifications.

71-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring counts as credit towards the following certification(s): MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration

Availability

• Registration begins: April 27, 2009
• Beta exam period runs: May 5, 2009- May 18, 2009

Receiving this invitation does not guarantee you a seat in the beta; we recommend that you register immediately! Beta exams have limited availability and are operated under a first-come-first-served basis. Once all beta slots are filled, no additional seats will be offered.

Testing is held at Prometric testing centers worldwide, although this exam may not be available in all countries (see Regional Restrictions).  All testing centers will have the capability to offer this exam in its live version.

 Registration Information

• You must register at least 24 hours prior to taking the exam.
• Please use the following promotional code when registering for the exam: WIN7J
• Receiving this invitation does not guarantee you a seat in the beta; we recommend that you register immediately.

Full story here: http://blogs.technet.com/betaexams/archive/2009/04/15/register-for-beta-exam-71-680-ts-windows-7-configuring.aspx

More Windows 7 exams in development: http://blogs.technet.com/mslcommunity/archive/2009/03/25/sneak-peek-at-windows-7-exam-development.aspx

Prepare for the exam (updated 28th of April 2009)

Useful resources:

• Windows 7 Technet Library (Beta): http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349342.aspx
• Windows 7 Springboard: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd361745.aspx
• Windows 7 Engineering: http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/
• Windows 7 Team Blog: http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/default.aspx
• IT pro guides: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c14b8a69-db3b-4b7c-9203-689b7719b8b6&DisplayLang=en
• Windows Client video library: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cc983502.aspx
• Windows 7 learning portal: Windows 7 – Learning Portal
• Windows 7 exam Information: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Exams/70-680.aspx

Some Microsoft Clinics.

• First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/6289A.aspx
• First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals Hands-on Lab: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/6290A.aspx

Topics to know for the exam based on clinics:

• Discuss configuration of the UAC elevation prompt
• Explain BitLocker Data Encryption for removable storage devices
• Summarize how to create and enforce AppLocker rules
• Describe how Windows Defender helps to improve security on a computer
• Describe how DirectAccess helps improve the connectivity experience for remote users
• Explain how caching works to help make users in a branch office more productive
• Summarize how to use libraries and search to organize and find information
• Describe how taskbar and Control Panel improvements bring together common tasks and information to reduce clutter and improve navigation
• Explain how to perform a Windows Backup and Restore
• Describe troubleshooting enhancements including the Problem Steps Recorder, unified tracing concepts, Performance Monitor, and Windows PowerShell 2.0
• Configure User Account Control.
• Utilize the User Account Type and Elevation Prompt.
• Configure Local Security Policy.
• Configure Windows Firewall.
• Create AppLocker Rules and configure enforcement.
• Configure Windows Defender.
• Set indexing locations and modify advanced options.
• Execute searches form multiple locations.
• Create a library and set security permissions.
• Create and deploy a search connector.
• Use the built-in diagnostics tools to diagnose and resolve system problems.
• Use Performance Monitor to collect system performance information.
• Configure the Action Center and view messages.
• Examine events in Event Viewer and create a custom view.
• Configure Device Manager and control device installation.
• Run Windows PowerShell commands.
• Configure Backup and Restore option.
• Configure the Sync Center.

Enjoy learning!

The following exams can be done @ Prometric to achieve MCTS for Virtualization:

More info at this link: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/virtualization/default.mspx

You can download the Virtualization path flyer here: http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/2/6/b26a79f3-88eb-4418-85f9-45852dd1a24f/Virtualization_Cert_Path.pdf

Enjoy learning!