Daniel Nerenberg, Leading Authority in Microsoft Technologies, Microsoft Certified Trainer and Consultant/Advisor to Corporations, Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Award Recipient

This week, Stephen Ibaraki has an exclusive interview with Daniel Nerenberg.

Daniel Nerenberg is an MCT, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS, and an independent consultant based in Montreal. He is also the President of the Montreal IT pro user group (http://www.mitpro.ca).

Daniel is passionate about technology and the amazing problems that can be solved with its application. Driven by the desire to see cool technology bring people together in global and local communities, he is always driven to learning about the next big thing.

Daniel has written and consulted on the topics of Windows Deployment, Application virtualization, and Windows infrastructure.

Daniel Also writes regular updates for "The Lazy Admin" Tech guidance website. (http://www.thelazyadmin.com). Daniel has been recognized for his community and technical work with the prestigious Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

Go to www.microsoft.com/youshapeit/technet for a look at this interview and much more.

The latest blog on the interview can be found in the IT Managers Connection (IMC) forum where you can provide your comments in an interactive dialogue.
http://blogs.technet.com/cdnitmanagers/

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic
:00:42:		Daniel shares several stories involving Windows Client Operating Systems from his early experiences with computers.
:03:55:		What hard-to-find tips do you have for IT Pros who are supporting the major Windows Client Operating Systems? "....One of the interesting aspects of Microsoft's vast website is that there are tons of free tools and applications available on their website that I leverage everyday....If you've had the problem, somebody else has probably had the problem so there's a good chance that Microsoft has either documented it or possibly even made a tool so you can fix it. It's amazing what you can find just by searching the Microsoft website...."
:07:52:		What's cool about Windows Vista? "....The compelling feature is actually the Search tool....Microsoft with Vista has definitely gone a long way in making Search a much better tool....The other function is Aero Glass ....I think once we start seeing some of the applications that some companies are able to produce right now, for all kinds of applications like medical and 3D applications etc., we are really going to be wowed by what Vista has to offer. It will start to become more apparent why the new Aero Glass interface is a compelling piece of the Window's equation...."
:11:14:		What are the pain points and solutions for IT Pros when installing, managing, and working with Windows Vista? "....The biggest challenge for IT pros is finding the time to work on a good plan of how to get from an earlier version of Windows to Vista....That's when I'd like to get back to the great tools that Microsoft has...."
:15:50:		What do you consider to be the best resources for working with Vista and Windows Client Operating Systems? "....I think one of the main challenges is knowing what's there....One of my favorites are the podcasts [RunAs Radio and the .Net Rocks]....Blog sites [Springboard sites - blogs.technet.com/springboard and microsoft.com/springboard] .... thelazyadmin.com ....Windows Vista Resource Kit...."
:22:01:		What about the future with Client Operating Systems-what should IT Pros be preparing for? "....The future is going to be this convergence and integration.....We will have this physical connection but at the same time the idea of having our files live in a data center will become more and more accepted. In the medium term we are going to see these two platforms converging onto each other so that we can basically have a file live on our laptop but be synchronized to the cloud so if we desire we can move it off the cloud and put it on the laptop...."
:27:01:		The UN-founded International Federation for Information Processing or IFIP has their Professional Practice Partnership Program which received full ratification at the world general assembly in August 2007 with their first implementation meeting in Montreal hosted by CIPS in October. This marks an historical inflection point and speaks to IT as a recognized profession with global standards, profession-based code of ethics, and widely adopted professional certification-all happening in 2009. Can you provide your comments? "....As IT professionals go forward, what an IT professional does technically speaking will probably continue to evolve in the long run. But I think that certain pillars will remain the same and that is where I believe adhering to standards and ethically motivated rules is the way we can continue to evolve as a body of professionals in a responsible and progressive way...."
:31:04:		What are your views for services packs for Vista and also XP? "....Microsoft's commitment to releasing service packs for Vista and XP is that they are working on bringing these operating systems forward ....I think IT professionals who have held out on Vista really should be giving it a serious look. Most of the legitimate issues that people might have had when Vista was first launched have been resolved and with SP2 a lot of these issues are no longer there....I think looking at Vista is the first step at looking at Windows 7, because Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7 are going to be very close to each other. The commitment is that if it works with Vista SP2 it's going to work with Windows 7...."
:34:17:		If you were doing this interview, what would be 3 questions you would ask and what would be your answers? "....'Why Windows?'....'How do you think that Windows has changed the world?'....'What is your favorite Windows application?'....'"
:37:44:		What's your favorite new technology or device? "....The multi-touch devices that you can pick up now....You are able to interact with Windows with applications in ways that are almost the next step in science fiction. Before, we interacted with a graphical interface and now without using the keyboard or the mouse we are able to directly interact with the environment...."