.Net Services: key to cloud security; Oracle/Sun deal is bad news for Microsoft

Why the Oracle/Sun deal is bad news for Microsoft and SQL Server Microsoft Alert NetworkWorld.com | Software Research Center | Update Your Profile Sponsored by Dell Simplifying the Data Center Dell provides a fully engineered, end-to-end, holistic virtualization solution that includes hardware, services and support for Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V. Read this white paper to find out how the Dell virtualization solution is both cost-effective and easy to manage, and it ensures high availability with enterprise performance and stability. Spotlight Story This is Network World's Microsoft Subnet news alert in which we focus on the top items from Microsoft Subnet, your daily source for Microsoft news, blogs, discussion items, security alerts, giveaways and more. Top pick of the week .Net Services: Microsoft's key to cloud security and Java interoperability On April 1 Microsoft released what it dubbed the “M5” (Milestone 5) CTP (Community Technology Preview) beta of .Net Services. .Net Services are a set of Microsoft-hosted developer tools for creating cloud-based and/or cloud-aware applications. Microsoft asserts that its cloud operating system, Azure, will be fully open, able to support any app built on any platform, via these .Net Services. Indeed, as part of Microsoft Subnet's "10 Questions For" series of Q&A interviews, Burley Kawasaki, director of developer platform product management, has gone one step further, with a special message for Java Web developers. "We want Java developers to feel comfortable accessing our technology, without having to learn anything new - they can continue to leverage their existing skills and extend their existing Java apps," he said during the interview conducted on Friday. Related News: More top picks from the week: Why the Oracle/Sun deal is bad news for Microsoft and SQL Server Microsoft earnings are expected to be down but, perhaps, not dismal Microsoft Patch Tuesday whopper: Eight bulletins fix 23 holes in Windows, Office, IE and more MS Exchange 2010 beta arrives and it's not all about the cloud Terminator 4 Show in Odaiba - Tokyo Database Mirroring and FILESTREAM data not allowed – or is it? From our bloggers: Mitchell Ashley: Converging on Microsoft iPhone 3.0 OS Upgrade Could Be A Rough One Apparently Apple is holding back compatibility with iPhone OS 2.x apps until a later update during the 3.0 OS update, or maybe not at all. Tyson Kopczynski: Hidden Microsoft SSH support in PowerShell. A couple weeks ago, I quietly posted the beginnings of a SharpSSH module on PoshCode. Brian Egler: SQL Server Strategies Boston Marathon - SQL Server text alerts from Heartbreak Hill! On Monday, Patriot’s Day, I will be running in the 113th running of the Boston Marathon along with around 25,000 other runners in New England. My number is 22128 and the live tracking database is hosted by Microsoft SQL Server running on HP ProLiant Servers. Glenn Weadock: Windows Server 2008 Shadow Copies, I Command You! While the VSSADMIN tool is fine for administering shadow copies, you may want more capabilities, especially if you want to automate some shadow copy activities in a script. The VSHADOW tool might be of interest. Joe Schurman: Microsoft Voice and UC Are Instant Messaging Emoticons the New Age's Hieroglyphics? Emoticons or images are used in way that is similar to short-hand via text messaging, to express feelings through responses via Instant Messaging (IM). Susan Hanley: Essential SharePoint SharePoint 2010 ... no more MOSS (well, no more awful acronym at least!) Very happy news for those of us who really never liked the "MOSS" acronym for SharePoint -- Microsoft has announced that the next release of SharePoint won't use it. Randy Muller: All About Microsoft Certifications Windows 7 - 71-680 Beta Exam The first Windows 7 Beta exam - 71-680: TS Windows 7, Configuring will be available in a week for Beta testing. Kerrie Meyler: Managing Microsoft Configuration Manager will be "Unleashed" I am very happy to announce that my latest book System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed is on its way. Hot discussions among Microsoft Subnet readers BlackBerry Storm Needs Bailout And Stimulus Package Fear and Loathing in Windows 7: Testing Branch Cache using Linux What's going on with on H-1B visas SMB IP-PBX Review Shadow Copies of... Everything? Fear and Loathing in Windows 7: Some of my Branch Cache Testing Results Giveaways and goodies: 1) A Microsoft training course from Global Knowledge worth up to $2,995. 2) Fifteen copies of Microsoft Voice Unified Communications by Joe Schurman (a $39.99 value). 3) Fifteen copies of Microsoft Office 2007 On Demand by Steve Johnson (a $39.99 value). 4) Check out Microsoft Subnet’s library of chapter excerpts on all the hot Microsoft technologies. Deadline is April 30. Entry forms can be found on the Microsoft Subnet home page. Eye-catching gadgets at CTIA From WiMAX hotspots to $2,000 cell phones, a look at what caught our attention at CTIA Wireless. Are you an IT geezer? Sure, the new generation knows Facebook, Android and Twitter. But what about ISDN, SNA and X.25? Take the quiz! Sponsored by Dell Simplifying the Data Center Dell provides a fully engineered, end-to-end, holistic virtualization solution that includes hardware, services and support for Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V. Read this white paper to find out how the Dell virtualization solution is both cost-effective and easy to manage, and it ensures high availability with enterprise performance and stability. Cut Campus Network TCO by 50%. Learn how to reduce your campus networks' TCO by up to 50% without compromising high performance, security or reliability. Juniper Networks shows you how to achieve unparalleled consistency, flexibility and efficiency for the lowest possible TCO. Click here to register for this Live April 30 Webcast. EMA: Refining privilege access security. Close the security gaps in high-privilege access control and authentication by selecting the right security products for the job. This whitepaper, "Resolving the Privilege Management Paradox," details how. EMA outlines how to find products that offer strong shared access management, better control and clear visibility and multifactor authentication. Click to download.   04/21/09 Today's most-read stories: Oracle agrees to buy Sun for $7.4B Buzzblog: Oracle acquires Sun in $7.4B stunner Adobe's new Flash can stream Internet content to TVs Microsoft discloses ambitious security strategy Palm's webOS lives up to hype, early developers say RSA Conference kicks off on somber note Cisco reveals aggressive pricing for blade server system The Incredible International Submarine Cable Systems PBX killer, Voice CAL coming to OCS in 2010 802.11n complications are imminent Honda demos motion-assistance devices Network World on Twitter: Get our tweets and stay plugged in to networking news Metzler: 2009 Handbook of Application Delivery Successful IT organizations must know how to make the right application delivery decisions in these tough economic times. This handbook authored by WAN expert Jim Metzler will help guide you. Download now Compare products, get advice, and check out tests and reviews from the experts at Network World. 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