Toluu

The Filing Cabinet

<p> The Storage Team Blog about file services and storage features in Windows Server, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

IFS Plugfest registrations openDecember 11 2008

The 20th edition of IFS Plugfest is now open for registrations.

IFS Plugfest is an event for file system filter driver ISVs organized by the File System Filters team at Microsoft. All file system filter driver ISVs are invited to this event, which is held on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington. Benefits for participants include:

• The opportunity to test products extensively for interoperability with other vendors' products and with Microsoft products. This has traditionally been a great way to understand interoperability scenarios and flush out any interoperability-related bugs.
• Talks and informative sessions organized by the File System Filters team about topics that affect the filter driver community.
• Opportunities to meet with file system developers at Microsoft and get answers to questions about file systems.

When? Monday, February 2 – Friday, February 6
Where? Microsoft Redmond Campus, Building 122

To register, fill in the registration form until January 19.
More information at plugfest@microsoft.com.

Once you register, you will receive additional information about Plugfest, including schedule, hotels, etc.

SMB2, a complete redesign of the main remote file protocol for WindowsDecember 5 2008

SMB (Server Message Block) is a remote file protocol commonly used by Microsoft Windows clients and servers that dates back to 1980’s.

When it was first used, LANs speeds were typically 10Mbps or less, WAN use was very limited and there were no Wireless LANs. Network security concerns like preventing man-in-the-middle attacks were non-existent at that time.

Obviously, things have changed a lot since then. SMB did evolve over time, but it did so incrementally and with great care for keeping backward compatibility. It was only with SMB2 in 2007 that we had the first major redesign.

Jose Barreto has a new post that explains some of the history behind the protocol and outlines important improvements in SMB2, particularly in regards to reduced complexity, pipelining and compounding.

Check it out at http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2008/12/05/smb2-a-complete-redesign-of-the-main-remote-file-protocol-for-windows.aspx

File Server performance improvements with the SMB2 protocol in Windows Server 2008December 3 2008

Jose Barreto covered details on SMB2 during his TechEd 2008 ITForum presentation. SMB (Server Message Block) is the main protocol used in Windows for file sharing and it has been significantly improved from SMB 1 in Windows Server 2003/Windows XP to SMB 2 in Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista.

See more on the demo results here:

File Server performance improvements with the SMB2 protocol in Windows Server 2008

System state restore recommendationsNovember 17 2008

This post is intended to clarify Microsoft's support position on system state backups and restores and comes in response to a recent question from a partner.

We recommend the following best practices for implementing system state restores:

· The restore should be performed offline – that is, when the computer is booted into the Windows Recovery Environment or Windows PE and not the operating system being restored. This is because online restores are inherently fragile due to the need to move large numbers of binaries while the operating system is running.

· The boot and system volumes should be backed up and restored in addition to any files reported by system state VSS writers.

Microsoft does not provide developer or IT professional technical support for implementing online system state restores on Windows (all releases). Nor do we provide guidance or support for restoring a subset of system state. (See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb968830(VS.85).aspx ) ISVs can choose to implement these scenarios, but they do so at their own risk.

-Dinesh

What is new in DPM 2007 Service Pack 1 - check out this EDGE videoNovember 11 2008

At IT Forum last week, the general public got a chance to see DPM 2007 Service Pack 1.

It isn't quite released yet, but still tracking really well for December.  So, to give everyone else a taste of what is in SP1 -- check out this video on EDGE.TECHNET.COM.   And look for a weekly podcast on Edge, each showing one new SP1 feature between now and the end of the year.

http://edge.technet.com/Media/Data-Protection-Manager-with-Jason-Buffington/

Podcast links will be available from the DPM Product Blog at blogs.technet.com/DPM and my blog, as well.

-- Jason