Tech-Ed Take 2
Last week, I was in Orlando for Tech-Ed. So why am I flying back to Florida
today? To go to Tech-Ed! You see, this year Microsoft split Tech-Ed into two
weeks. Last week focused on developers, and because my company also runs
Visual
Studio Magazine,
Redmond
Developer News and
ADTmag.com
-- besides
Redmond magazine -- I had to be there.
Last week was the last
time (we believe) that Bill Gates will give a keynote presentation to developers.
Having followed the man for some years, I somehow suspect that Bill will miss
running Microsoft and will emerge in years to come with a far-less-than-retired
role.
This week, Tech-Ed focuses on IT, and the next four issues of this newsletter
will have a distinct Tech-Ed slant. So if you can't be sweltering in Disney,
you can stay up to speed through Redmond Report.
Microsoft Opens Gates/Ballmer Kimono
Microsoft has one of the best Web sites for journalists in PressPass.
In it are links to press releases, Q&As, photos and whatnot. It also links
to articles from outside publications.
I had just finished reading an article in the Wall Street Journal,
and was surprised to see Microsoft linking to the same thing. You see, this
article delved into a multiyear power struggle between Bill Gates and Steve
Ballmer that paralyzed many important Microsoft initiatives. Not an entirely
positive piece.
You have to be registered for the Journal, but here's
the article.
Microsoft Preps 7 Patches
Tomorrow is a relatively normal Patch Tuesday with seven
patches set for release.
As usual, the patches focus on remote code execution. What's not so usual is
that the patches address wireless networking and Bluetooth. Since wireless is
the way many (most?) of us connect, these patches are well worth installing.
VM Wary
Microsoft isn't the only vendor with security issues (but I'll argue that it's
the most upfront about them). VMware, which is as much an OS as it is a virtualization
layer, recently plugged two hypervisor holes.
Unlike Microsoft, these vulnerabilities were reported by an outside company.
The remote code injection flaws are in two VMware Linux tools, and the patches
are fortunately now available.
Get the deets here.
This Web Server Not So Sun-ny
If you run Sun Java System Active Server Pages, you best get to patching. Security
company iDefense (the same one that found the VMware problems) discovered a
slew of vulnerabilities
in the Sun Web server. Hackers can basically take over the whole deal, logging
on, messing with files and running their own code.
Sun has updated the software, which takes care of the problems.
About the Author
Doug Barney is editor in chief of Redmond magazine and the VP, editorial director of Redmond Media Group.