Microsoft security versus open source; 15 free copies of SQL Server book

NetworkWorld.com | Software Research Center | Update Your Profile This is Network World's Microsoft Subnet news alert in which we focus on the top items from Microsoft Subnet, your source for Microsoft news, blogs, discussion items, security alerts, giveaways and more. * TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Microsoft security versus open source security From Mitchell Ashley's blog: "Let me be the first to say that open source isn't perfect. Unix was once called the 'kitchen sink' of operating systems and the open source nature of Linux has resulted in much of the same today. But from a security perspective, I believe open source has proven to be a very effective way to create secure software. ... But it's not realistic to expect a big software manufacture like Microsoft to behave like open source projects." SPONSORED BY MICROSOFT Download and Join the Windows Server(r) 2008 Release Candidate community. The Windows Server(r) 2008 Release Candidate operating system is ready. See how built-in Web technologies make Windows Server 2008 a robust, security-enhanced, and reliable foundation on which you can develop, deliver, and manage rich user applications and experiences. Join the growing global community. Download the Release Candidate today! RELATED NEWS: Enter to win one of 15 free copies of a best-selling SQL Server book - deadline Nov. 30 "Vista Capable" lawsuit progresses Microsoft and Intel: threatened by the XO laptop? Low-cost Asus Eee PC will offer Windows versions by December * FROM OUR BLOGGERS: Mitchell Ashley: Converging on Microsoft What Google can learn from the iPhone Despite the Apple iPhone's significant shortcomings, the iPhone has captured the fancy of the mobile device market. ... I believe the most significant advancement of the iPhone is the Safari mobile web browser, which delivers a far superior web interface experience than Internet Explorer in Windows Mobile 6 or the BlackBerry web browser. Patrick Regan: Microsoft Exam Cram Understanding group policies (Part IV: Configuring security settings with GPOs) Group policies can be used to define many security settings including Password and Account Lockout policies. ... For a secure network, try setting Enforce Password History to 5 or more, set the maximum password age to between 30 and 45 days, and set the minimum password length to 8 characters. NOTE: Join certification guru Patrick Regan for a LIVE Network World Chat: Microsoft Certifications: Everything you need to know with Patrick Regan 2 p.m.- 3 p.m., December 11. No registration required. Tyson Kopczynski: Hidden Microsoft gems To use a Windows offline root or not… This was a statement that I got from someone the other day:  I wouldn't use Windows as my offline root CA because it isn't secure. Err... blanket statements like that really irk me sometimes.  While I can agree that Windows as an operating system tends to have some security problems ...  I would also have to state that all other operating systems also have their own form of security issues. Chris Dalby: The essential Microsoft toolkit De-unifying Unified Communications "Unified. Simplified." This tagline headed a PowerPoint slide with a Visio diagram to die for. I wish I had taken a photo, because there must have been 20 servers on the diagram -- each server requiring various certificates and roles configured. It might well be unified, but simplified with that many servers? I think not. Alex Lewis: Windows into Silicon Valley Microsoft announces High Performance Computing Cluster 2008 Earlier this month Microsoft announced HPC 2008, a high performance computing cluster and the successor to Microsoft's niche product, Compute Cluster server. I think this has been a highly overlooked product. Given the right software support, HPC has a lot of real world uses. Code compilation seems the most obvious to me. Sue Hanley: Essential SharePoint Can online collaboration help with employee retention? Jim Kochanski, senior vice president at human resources consulting firm Sibson Consulting is quoted [in a Wall Street Journal article] as saying that creating loyalty is often about “making sure everyone’s connected with the mission of the business.”  My experience has shown that this is true, but it’s also important that employees are connected with each other – and that’s where online collaboration spaces and an interactive intranet portal can help. * HOT DISCUSSIONS AMONG MICROSOFT SUBNET READERS: Office 2007 Ribbon Menu Touches a Nerve Managing VMware Infrastructure with Windows PowerShell (in the future) Vista sales hit 88 million, up 47% since July Microsoft consent decree, phase X * FREEBIES, GIVEAWAYS AND OTHER NOTABLES: The deadline to enter to win your free training course worth up to $2,500 from New Horizons Computer Learning Centers is November 30. Enter today to win any kind of training you want: classroom, online, mentoring and more. Win one of 15 copies of SQL Server 2005 Management and Administration. Giveaway ends November 30. Join certification guru Patrick Regan for a LIVE Network World Chat: Microsoft certifications: Everything you need to know with Patrick Regan 2 p.m.- 3 p.m., December 11. No registration required. Check out Microsoft Subnet’s library for free chapters and special discounts on best-selling books.  Visit the Microsoft Subnet page for daily news, opinions, hot topics, giveaways. BIG THREATS IN '08 Top 5 security-menace predictions for next year. ALL-IN-ONE FIREWALL TEST Juniper, Check Point, Cisco lead way in test of 13 UTM devices. SPONSORED BY MICROSOFT Download and Join the Windows Server(r) 2008 Release Candidate community. The Windows Server(r) 2008 Release Candidate operating system is ready. See how built-in Web technologies make Windows Server 2008 a robust, security-enhanced, and reliable foundation on which you can develop, deliver, and manage rich user applications and experiences. Join the growing global community. Download the Release Candidate today! Join Network World's Technology Opinion Panel Here is your chance to help shape the future of IT. You know what products and enhancements are needed, you have the insight and foresight to be out front and provide direction to Network Word and the network industry. To join the panel, complete a brief registration survey. The panel is strictly for technology professionals to share their vision. Featured reader resource 90% of IT Managers are leaving their company at risk for a DNS ATTACK. Get the tools and resources you need to keep your DNS healthy and secure. Run a DNSreport on your domain today - 56 critical tests run in 8 seconds. Visit www.dnsreport.com to learn more. (apply coupon NWW2007NLA for a 25% membership discount)   11/27/07 TODAY'S MOST-READ STORIES: BSA, software giants target little guys 2007 Cool Yule Tools Gift Guide Teleworkers called back to cubicle life '07 Enterprise all-stars Testing all-in-one firewalls Security concerns cloud virtualization Hackers jack Monster.com Google building 10G Ethernet switches Cutting-edge spam research projects Verizon tests 100Gbps network MOST-READ TEST: Testing all-in-one firewalls Compare Network Monitoring and Management Products Get side-by-side product comparisons, buying tips, market trend information, case studies and more with Network World's newly enhanced Network Monitoring and Management Buyer's Guide. Visit now. IT Buyer's Guides Compare products, get advice, and check out tests and reviews from the experts at Network World. Over 70 categories. Visit now.   To continue receiving NetworkWorld's Microsoft Alert newsletter, please add @nwfnews.com to your white list. 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