We posted my SMB Nation Fall Conference video on our YouTube channel..
The slides for the presentation is here on the SlideShare site:
There may be a blank there. The link goes to the presentation deck though.
Please do take the time to have a listen. I believe it will be worth the time. Plus, I end with a real bang!
Thanks for reading. :)
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
I will be speaking at the upcoming SMB Nation Fall Conference.
For those that are planning on attending please note that the Early Bird discount ends tomorrow. So, save a few dollars for an evening event and pick up a conference ticket now.
We will have a good sit-down session together to discuss where we are going and what we are doing about the current state of IT in SMB.
My goal with this session is to get the brain juices flowing to inspire hope for the future of our SMB IT Business.
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.
It's official, I will be at SMB Nation's fall conference in Las Vegas.
The following blog posts are an outline of the planned discussion:
Believe me when I say that we have been going through a lot of soul searching in the last six to nine months. We MVPs were just as much in the dark about the goings on around SBS and the product group's directions as all y'all out there.
As of today we see a lot of opportunity for us in the current SMB IT environment for those that have honed their skillset and are continually working on them.
We see an even larger opportunity for the IT Support Shop that provides a consistent On-Premises IT Solution experience for their clients. Let's talk about that.
Let's talk about the real-world experience of Cloud, Hybrid, and On-Premises IT Solutions for our clients. While our client's preferences at this time are for On-Premises we do have a number of clients that are Hybrid and a few that are almost completely in the Cloud.
The goal for the session will be to have a fairly solid understanding of what our client's options are, what our options are as the IT Solution Provider, and to have a big to medium picture road map in place for us going forward.
With all of the angst over the changes, the Cloud being pushed really hard, and uncertainty all around we need some hope. And hope is what we intend to bring about in this session.
Thanks for reading! :)
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.
There are a number of little sponsorships that I have received in the last little bit.
One was the free Zero Downtime Deep Dive done by Karl and Manuel Palachuk in Las Vegas on the first. Now, in all fairness the complimentary attendance was offered to me because I wrote the Forward for their Zero Downtime book.
Karl and Manuel, thank you for the opportunity to write the Forward and to attend the seminar.
The second was the complimentary pass to the SMB Nation Fall Conference. This pass was given to me as a result of my MVP status with Microsoft.
Thanks to Harry Brelsford and his awesome crew for putting on such a great show!
The catch with both of the above though is the cost in time, flights, hotel, and living expenses. All of the folks that attended the Pre-Day event(s) as well as the SMB Conference itself sacrificed a huge chunk of their client focused time to be there.
As a rule Sundays are family days for us. So, the actual cost in time spanned Wednesday September 30th through Monday October 5th except Sunday.
If either event was not worth it, that is the content was a wash, the event itself was poorly run, and so on, then given the value of the time spent there, we would be sure to voice our opinions as such.
But that was not the case. Both events were very well done with the SMB Nation conference being one of the best conferences I have ever attended.
Finally, it is no secret as far as what we think of the products and services provided by Vlad’s company Own Web Now as well as his e-mail sanitation and continuity service called ExchangeDefender.
We think that OWN provides us with an excellent set of products and services. Along with that OWN gives us an awesome opportunity to build passive income for our business.
So, there have been many posts on this blog here (ExchangeDefender) and here (Own Web Now) to that fact.
While in Las Vegas, Vlad shipped a box out to both Susan Bradley (her disclosure post) and myself. In that box were a couple of 13” MacBook Pros one for Susan and one for me.
The gift was an unexpected but pleasant surprise! So, courtesy of Vlad and OWN we will begin to post Mac specific content again.
Thanks Vlad for the gift!
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.
The SMB Nation Fall Conference in Las Vegas was a really good event.
Now that I am back, there is a stack of things waiting for me to attend to.
Posting may be light for the next bit until I catch up.
Thanks for reading! :)
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
What a beautiful sunrise!
The strip sure has changed in the 20 years since I have been here!
A fellow consultant, Stephen Kennedy, met at the SMB Nation Spring 2008 event in Toronto last year picked me up at the airport and we drove the strip to the Riviera where I am staying.
Wow! The various theme hotels, the shops, and all of the people are a stunning site.
Karl’s Migration Deep Dive starts shortly in Capri 109 and 110 here at the Riviera. So, it is time to grab a bite and enjoy the huge cup of coffee the restaurant gives us . . . it’s not like they don’t want us guests to stay awake now do they? ;)
The coffee has a pretty good kick too . . . though I think they may learn something from Tims! :D
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
On the U.S. side of the airport there is no Tims. :(
This morning was such a rush getting things together before leaving that I did not have a chance to stop and pick up a morning coffee!
Check the right hand column of the blog or our Web site for links to the various events I will be attending.
Have questions on SBS 2003 to 2008 migrations? Then the SMB Nation conference would be a great place to ask them!
For those that are attending both events, or either one, I will see you there! :)
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
I am getting pretty excited about my visit to Las Vegas to attend the Zero Downtime Migration Deep Dive Seminar on October 1, and then the SMB Nation 2009 Fall Conference from October second through the 4th.
If you plan on being there, I hope we can meet and chat!
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
One of the first ever checklists we have produced was the SBS 2003 setup checklist.
The checklist is quite comprehensive and provides any new to SBS people a solid foundation to work from when it comes to learning SBS.
For those of us that have been around for a while, the checklist is a good thing to have to maintain consistency across all of the SBS OS installs that we do.
Setting up SBS, whether SBS 2003 as indicated above, or SBS 2008 (previous blog post), is a very complex task.
Doing the setup right the first time means a stable production environment for our clients for the two to three year period their servers will be in production. In some cases, such as our non-profit clients, those servers will be in production for four to six years!
When it comes to setting up SBS 2008, a lot of the thinking behind the way we set our SBS 2008 servers up can be found in my book:
Pick up a copy and bring it with you to SMB Nation Fall 2009 in Las Vegas and Harry and I will sign it!
There will also be a number of fellow SBS MVPs at the conference with Susan Bradley the SBS Diva being one of the key presenters!
The fall conference would also be a good time to bring your questions with you. Hopefully we will have time to get together and chat whether it be over coffee or perhaps lunch.
As always, please feel free to drop us a note if you have a quick question and we will do what we can to answer it when time permits.
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
Karl Palachuk has asked me to write the forward for his upcoming Network Migration Workbook which I have accepted to do.
Tied into the workbook is the upcoming Zero Downtime Migration Deep Dive Seminar on October 1st in Las Vegas.
Since I am in Las Vegas for the SMB Nation Fall Conference from the 2nd to the 4th of October, Karl offered a guest pass to the seminar for writing the forward!
I accepted his offer and am really excited about attending the seminar.
If you are new to SBS and/or the SMB market, then the SMB Nation conference and Karl’s Zero Migration Deep Dive Seminar would be two events to deepen and strengthen your SBS/SMB knowledge base.
The costs may seem quite high for both events, but one thing I have learned in my own I.T. career is that we need to spend money to make money. Money spent on deepening our technical knowledge and experience along with developing our business sense is money well spent.
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
While things are not 100% in place yet, it looks as though I will be attending the SMB Nation fall conference in Las Vegas!
It will be a good time to finally meet some of my fellow MVPs and hopefully get to know some of our regular blog readers!
If you plan on being there, please e-mail me!
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)
Our new SBS 2008 Blueprint book is receiving some very positive reviews:
A quote from the review:
The Small Business Server 2008 Blueprint, co-authored by Philip Elder and Harry Brelsford, offers real-world practical, tactical tips for upgrading and managing Windows SBS 2008, its applications including Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, SQL Server 2008, Windows SharePoint Services, Office Live as well as a wide variety of third party security solutions. It also delivers pro-active advice on how to centrally control and manage Windows Vista and Windows XP desktops.
Thank you to the WServerNews.com site for the positive review of the book!
And thank you to all of you that have been e-mailing us with your positive feedback too! It is great to hear from you, so keep the comments coming!
Thanks to for reading the blog. :)
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac!
Greetings to the folks in Johannesburg!
It is 0400hrs (4AM), and Harry and I just wrapped up a Webinar running through a Small Business Server 2008 setup routine as well as a few of the post OS install configuration steps using our SBS 2008 Setup Checklist.
We also went through some of the key new features in Group Policy, Exchange, SharePoint, and Terminal Services among others.
We have another big day ahead of us today too … though it will be shorter so as to catch up on some rest. :)
Thank you to all of those that participated in today’s Webinar. And, thanks for the questions and keen interest in SBS 2008!
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac!
One of the neat things about the niche we find ourselves working in is the awesome pool of knowledge we can tap into in the SBS MVP community as well as beyond.
I personally love to read. The library at home reflects the books gathered during Monique and my various University and College attendance over the years.
The office here holds all of the technical volumes that have been read and reread many times over. The Windows 3.x Resource Kit is about where things start.
Of course, our SBS 2008 Blueprint (SMB Nation link) book is definitely a part of our library! ;)
The library here just grew a little bigger as a very important package arrived with some key books we SBSers need to look into to augment our knowledge on SBS 2008.
The new additions are:
A number of chapters in the SBS 2008 Unleashed book have been authored by a variety of SBS MVPs so it is very much a knowledgeable effort by some great SBSers! At first glance, the book will be an awesome resource for picking up on SBS 2008’s underlying technologies.
The SharePoint Designer 2007 Bible is a part of this grouping so that we can get a handle on the fundamentals of the Companyweb SharePoint site. We need to understand a little more about how to manipulate the Companyweb site and its underlying templates without breaking things!
We all need the Windows Server 2008 Resource Kit. There is no question that the knowledge contained in the kit’s volumes are key for us getting a handle on the Windows Server 2008 OS that is SBS 2008’s foundation.
The kit contains (links to MS Press site):
One of the key new features in SBS 2008 is the ability to publish a Terminal Services RemoteApps (Ask the Performance Team Blog) via the Remote Web Workplace. The Terminal Services Resource Kit will be very helpful both in this task as well as how to properly configure the new Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services setup.
Harlan’s book on Windows Forensic Analysis came to us via a mention in his blog. Harlan’s blog came via Susan Bradley. His blog, and now the book, are a real eye opener when it comes to Windows Security. Both are well worth the time.
There will be more volumes forthcoming. There are a number of new SBS, Windows Server 2008, and more books that are coming up in the next six months or so that we are greatly anticipating!
Please support the authors by clicking on the book link that contains their Amazon ID. Every little bit helps! ;)
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac!
We just received our copy:
Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 Blueprint
Note the lack of product placement training! ;)
The book is shipping, and it should reach you pretty much anywhere in the world! You can order your copy, if you have not already done so, here: SMB Nation Press: Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 Blueprint.
Thanks to all who were a part of making this book happen!
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac!
