MSR Consulting TechnoBlog

Internet Explorer Is Out. But Should I Install It?

 

Microsoft has released version 7 of its popular web browser, and is pushing it out via its Automatic Update service. Should you install it, or decline? At least for now? We take a look at the question.

Why is installing IE7 any different than installing earlier versions?

First things first.  I personally love Internet Explorer 7, but since this isn’t a review of the product (you can see one here) I won’t go into all of its features.  Suffice it to say there are many, and some that will completely change the way you browse the web.

That said, I have some real problems with the way that Microsoft released this product to the masses.  In a normal release cycle (at least all prior release cycles anyway) there wouldn’t have been much need for this article.  Most articles dealing with ‘should I install it?’ were only focused on what you would gain from the features, i.e. was it a better product, what would it allow web developers to do now that they couldn’t before, etc., etc.  Unfortunately that is not the case this time.  Yes, there are great new features.  But there are also some issues that are going to cause users, and especially owners of existing websites, some problems.  There are such drastic changes in feature sets, and the product rollout is being done so quickly that most owners and developers of websites are left holding the bag.  There simply wasn’t enough time between the final release candidate of IE7 and the actual release of the product to consumers for them to have fully tested their websites.  One of the major reasons for this is that Microsoft is including the new web browser in its “Automatic Updates” feature as a ‘Critical Update’.  Which means that virtually everyone will be offered the installation pro-actively.  So you need to know what you’re getting into before you say “yes”.

Never before have we had a situation when a newly released product will become so widely used in such a short period of time.  It should be noted that none of this is specifically Microsoft’s fault.  They provided early versions of the product for testing, and all web developers and site owners could have easily done so.  But that’s not really the way the world works, especially in the SMB marketplace.  I’m pretty sure that the owner of “Joe’s Window Cleaners” never thought that when he had that website built last year by the small firm down the street that he would need to stay on top of the latest trend in web browsers, much less need to revise his site and spend more money just because a new web browser came out that doesn’t work well with his website.  Still, there are areas of ‘backwards compatibility’ that one expects to be covered….and in some instances, particularly the handling of certain scripting languages, that compatibility took a back seat to insuring better security.  So wherever you decide to place the blame, from a users perspective you should just know that for a while at least some of your favorite websites may act a little funny.

Quit your jabbering, just tell me if I should I install it or not?

If you are a home computer user, and reading this, you can stop now.  Go ahead and install IE7 (instructions on how to do so are at the end of the article). 

This article is targeted at business users, particularly small and medium business users.  Why is there a difference in the size of the business?  Because the types of websites you use for business are typically different than the home user, the environment in which the software runs is usually different, and it is likely that you have your own websites externally and internally that you have to include in your decision process.  But the biggest reason is that most small and many medium business users have the ability to install IE7 if they want, in a large organization that choice would be mandated.

So if you are a business user, particularly those in a small or medium business, you will want to follow the following few steps to insure your experience with IE7 is a positive one:

The 12 6-Step Program

• First, if you have multiple computers you should only install it on one of your business computers.  And then use that computer for testing the following steps.  I recommend not installing on the rest of the machines for a couple of months to insure that there has been enough opportunity to find any issues on the machine running IE7.  Once you have confirmed that IE7 is ok for your environment then you can move on to installing it on the rest of the machines.
• Do you have your own websites?  Whether a public site or an internal intranet you will want to go through every page, function, and feature of your existing website(s).  You need to verify that you receive no errors when using IE7 (at least no errors that you weren’t already receiving with IE6 anyway).  If you have errors you need to inform your web developer so that the error can be resolved, providing them with the specific location of the error would be helpful and save time.  If you have an eCommerce website you should go through the complete checkout process, especially any parts of the website which use a secure certificate (e.g. https://).  IE7 handles security errors very differently, and more diligently, than prior versions but this can cause a problem for you if not handled.
• Do you use Quickbooks in your business?  You should know that only Quickbooks 2006 Release 8, and Quickbooks 2007 are currently working correctly with IE7.  If you have any other version you should hold off on installing IE7 (at least on the computer(s) that use Quickbooks) until you have upgraded your Quickbooks, or Intuit has provided a fix.  You can find info and links for IE7 and Quickbooks here.
• Do you use Microsoft’s Small Business Server (SBS) on your company network?  You should keep in mind that while everything ‘works’ just fine, there is an issue when using the Remote Web Workplace (RWW) and Outlook Web Access (OWA) due to the way that IE7 handles security certificates differently than its predecessor.  You can find instructions for dealing with the error page, and any other issues specific to SBS and IE7 after you’ve upgraded here .
• If you are a prolific user of creating shortcuts/icons on your desktop that link to various websites (or some of your applications have created them for you) be aware that they may not work the way you are used to.  In particular you may find that the icons have changed, that the links won’t open IE7, etc.  There have been various related bugs since the Beta releases that are still around in the final release unfortunately.  But in many cases the issues can be worked around.
• If you use web based applications as a critical part of your business be sure and test every one of them on IE7 prior to upgrading every computer in the company.  Many companies don’t think they use websites that much, but the reality may be different.  In particular you might use a banking site for checking your account balances, a brokerage site for your stocks, a support site like this one for submitting help requests, web based email sites, etc., etc.  You should pay particular attention to web based CRM applications, they seem to have been hit the hardest.  In general, the more complex the website is the more likely there will be issues as many of the changes took place in the realms of security and the handling of JavaScript.  The good news is that you can roll back the installation if you find that something you really need just doesn’t work, and website owners will eventually make their sites compatible with IE7.

Additional Information and Sources

How to install IE7:

• If you have Automatic Updates turned on, and most of us do, one way is to not do anything and just wait for it to eventually come to you.  And don’t worry, it will ask for your approval once it’s ready to install 
• To manually install it you can download directly from Microsoft here
• Note that the IE7 setup will preserve your current toolbars, home page, search settings, and favorites and will not change your choice of default browser.

How to block the automatic installation of IE7

• Microsoft has provided a Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 7 

Information about IE7

• Quick Tour of the product
• IE7 Features
• Handy Quick Reference Sheet that you can print out that includes shortcut keys, ‘how to do…’, etc.
• System Requirements:  Internet Explorer 7 will run on Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1).  Any machine with the recommended amount of memory for Windows (for example, 128 MB for Windows XP and 256 MB for Windows XP Professional x64) will meet the memory requirements for Internet Explorer 7

Cheers,

Matt Ridings – MSR Consulting

 

Add comment November 30th, 2006

Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0 Released - Whitepaper Available

Microsoft has released Windows Sharepoint Services v3.0 to the web for download.  

More importantly for those of us in SBS-land, the SBS team have released a whitepaper on how to install WSS v3.0 side by side with the existing Companyweb intranet.  I highly recommend following the whitepaper explicitly if you desire to actually get this working right.

WSS v3.0 Whitepaper- Link

WSS v3.0 General Information – Link

WSS v3.0 download link – Link

 

Cheers,

Matt Ridings – MSR Consulting

 

 

Add comment November 18th, 2006

Ultimate SBS Configuration List

There is of course, no true one size fits all when it comes to a business server infrastructure.  Besides the typical constraints such as budgets, existing equipment, etc. you also have to contend with items such as legacy applications in the backoffice, multi-office scenarios, and much more.  However we are constantly being asked questions regarding ‘what’s the best…” when it comes to equipment, software, and management tools for deploying Microsoft’s Small Business Server.  To that end we have gathered up our favorites and evaluated discussions on the forums and newsgroups on these various topics  to come up with our Ultimate SBS Configuration List.  This list of hardware and software components is known to work well together since we have deployed it in dozens and dozens of our own client installations and is validated through the hundreds of other deployments by others.

• Server:  Dell PowerEdge 2800.  We really like this product for its solid lineup of internal components, but mainly because it is by far the most flexible server we have ever come across.   With multi-processor options of varying speeds and huge expandability you can configure this server for a small baseline business for less than $1500 all the way up to a mid-size firm fully decked out for over $10k.  From a reliability perspective the thing just runs.  The only server that has ever come close to  having as solid a performance record as these have so far was  the fantastic PowerEdge 2650.   It’s a true monster in size but you can buy this in a minimal configuration today for your nascent business without worrying about having to replace it in a couple of years as it can expand right along with your organization.  If purchasing SBS as a preinstalled OEM package with your server you should know that Dell is doing a much better job these days of insuring that there is adequate space on the system disk.  Most vendors in the past (including Dell) tended to shortchange the system drive when it came to the partition size and really make it a pain to manage.
  
• Backup Software: Veritas Backup Exec For SBS. Sure you could use the built in backup tool with Small Business Server if you want…..but I sure wouldn’t.  This robust suite features backup, restore, disaster recovery, single
  drive library support, Exchange Server, SQL Server, and SharePoint
  Services protection and recovery. A select family of powerful agents
  and options deliver robust storage management tools to meet diverse
  application needs for growing and upgrading storage management
  capabilities. Now includes continuous disk-based data protection
  helping eliminate backup windows, improve reliability, and deliver the
  first web-based file retrieval functionality.  In addition, the Desktop and Laptop Option (DLO) has turned out to be one of the best benefits of this package when it comes to backing up your individual company computers.  Note that it now comes in two flavors, one for Standard Edition and one for Premium.  The only real difference is that the one for Premium edition comes with the SQL Server backup option, so please order accordingly.
• E-mail Tools/Management: GFI MailEssentials.  It seems odd to me that one of the tools that we now consider indispensable with any SBS installation is for functionality that you typically don’t think of when putting together your initial procurement list.  But without question this is the one product that we simply insist on.  Its main function is that of an anti-spam product for MS Exchange, but in addition it also adds functionality such as disclaimers for your e-mail messages, simple email list management, a more advanced POP-To-Exchange tool, etc.  We could easily write an entire article on why doing anti-spam at the server level is so much better, and so much more important, than doing it at the email client level but this is one of those items that we just say “Trust Us”.  Buy it.  We have never had anyone complain about that decision.  Besides, it’s cheaper than buying anti-spam software for each computer in your company anyway.
• AntiVirus (Server/Clients):  Sophos Anti-Virus SBE . This is by far the most contentious, most difficult question to answer…and probably the most asked.  The truth of the matter is that we like the Sophos solution mainly because the procurement, deployment, and management can be done across both servers, desktops, and laptops all within a single product and a minimum of fuss.  In addition we are not fans of “all inclusive” products that rollup firewall, spam, anti-virus, etc all into a single product within a corporate environment.  That narrows the field pretty massively with just those two requirements.  So, in our Ultimate Configuration this product makes the most sense.  But we also like Kaspersky, and NOD32 products with their lightweight footprints and high detection rates.  Management and deployment however will take up a lot more of your time to get everything configured correctly.  Regardless of which product you use in this category, please insure that any anti-virus product running on the SBS server has all of the exclusions necessary or else you could find yourself in a heap of trouble.
• Backup Mechanism: We have recently become huge fans of disaster proof hard drive systems.  In fact, we are working with a manufacturer as we speak to develop one built specifically for SBS installations.  In a nutshell, these are external hard drives encased in waterproof, fireproof enclosures.  Typically these are USB and/or firewire and sometimes a NAS configuration, however we will be offering SCSI and eSATA options on our own units.  Why is this such a big deal?  In small business environments using a tape drive rotation usually means that you have a policy but it’s often forgotten, tapes gets overwritten, etc.  And when you want to restore data you never seem to be able to actually put your hands on the tape you need.  Don’t get us wrong, we aren’t anti-tape, we order an inexpensive internal tape drive with every server we buy.  We just don’t like depending on human intervention in mission critical processes if they aren’t going to work.  And as hard drive prices have decreased, and storage usage increased, the cost of tape drives and media capable of backing up all of that data is still very costly.  We figured why not just use inexpensive disk-to-disk backup processes.  It’s faster, it’s automated, and no tapes to remember and catalog.  That’s great except for one thing….what if the building burns down, what about a flood, etc.  Enter the disaster ready drive.  Solves all of those issues.  We’ve never looked back.  We still use the inexpensive internal tape drive for periodic “archives”, but that’s it.

Future Items To Be Added (Additional)

• Remote Control
• Exchange Anti-Virus
• 3rd Party Firewall
• Router
• Wireless
• Desktop Software Config
• Laser Printer
• MultiFunction Printer
  

Add comment July 1st, 2006

Microsoft launches its Unified Communications strategy

Microsoft is taking on both the challenges and opportunities that
exist around the current unified communications platform and product
lineup.

To
do this, the Redmond software maker is introducing voice technologies
to its current lineup, developing new products and expanding the
unified communications features its current products provide, as well
as offering services itself and in association with its partners.

In a two-hour presentation at an event here in San Francisco on
June 26, Jeff Raikes, the president of the Microsoft Business Division,
presented his vision for Microsoft’s unified messaging strategy and product roadmap of the future.

“This new world of work has people at its core, and they are
assisted by the software we provide to simplify the way they work
together, especially across organizations and countries,” he said,
adding that communication choices have expanded, leading to
communications chaos.

“There are also just too many devices out there, and workers do
not have enough time to deal with the complexity associated with all of
this. This wealth of devices and connectivity is also putting strain on
IT administrators,” he said.

The PC environment had seen a lot more innovation from a
software perspective than the desktop phone, and PC innovation has
improved the richness of that experience, Raikes said, noting that
significant challenges and opportunities lie ahead in the unified
communications field.

The complexity of the user experience remains a big challenge,
with research showing that the average organization has 6.4 types of
different communication devices and 4.8 communications applications,
resulting in infrastructure islands, he said.

The real opportunities for unified communications lie on the
productivity front, around collaboration and better business results,
while meetings remain an area of great opportunity and challenge, he
said, noting that the virtual meeting experience “should and could” be
even better than actually being present at that meeting.

Raikes then gave a demonstration of the Microsoft Office
RoundTable, an audio-video collaboration device with a 360-degree
camera, expected to be released in the first half of 2007, that, when
combined with Office Communications Server 2007, delivers an immersive
conferencing experience that extends the meeting environment across
multiple locations.

The Power of Unified

Microsoft’s vision for Unified Communications enables a people-centric solution of rich, intuitive, and seamless communications across e-mail, IM, voice, data, video, and conferencing. Microsoft offers companies a complete software platform that unifies all communications with their business applications and processes, streamlining how people reach each other and communicate. Microsoft is delivering revolutionary economics and manageability, with a flexible, reliable, and secure infrastructure for Unified Communications.

Add comment June 27th, 2006

Knowledge Network For Microsoft Sharepoint Server 2007

Knowledge Network for Office SharePoint Server 2007 is powerful,
easy to use software that helps people make better decisions more
quickly. It automates the discovery and sharing of undocumented
knowledge and relationships, enabling you to quickly locate who knows
whom and who knows what within your constantly changing organization.

Knowledge
Network will make your organization more effective by providing one of
the quickest ways to connect with people who can successfully impact
your business.

Make Better Decisions Quickly

Knowledge
Network is a valuable add-on to Office SharePoint Server 2007 enhancing
enterprise search for people by automating the discovery of the
business relationships and subject matter expertise of everyone in the
network providing vital business insights enabling users to make better
decisions more quickly.

•	Discover who knows what and who knows whom within an organization. Quickly and easily locate people by subject expertise or social relationships with key contacts or companies.
•	Simplify creating automated user profiles for each member of the network. Knowledge Network automates the discovery and sharing of undocumented knowledge and relationships for each member in the network. The user-customizable automated profile is secure and requires member approval before it is shared.
•	Effectively search and pinpoint individuals. Knowledge Network provides the ability to connect with internal and external contacts, and calculates the shortest social distance between any two people in the network.

Streamline Collaboration

Connect with influential and knowledgeable people.
Knowledge Network improves collaboration by enabling people to quickly
identify internal and external key contacts: people who have specific
knowledge or strategic business relationships.

•	Use Knowledge Network to quickly identify people who have specific expertise or who can connect you to others based on the shortest social distance path to you.
•	Leverage the power of the collective relationship capital within your organization.
•	Empower your workers to make better decisions quickly by Knowledge Network to discover and locate who knows whom and who knows what within your organization.

Control Your Personal Information

Knowledge
Network enables members to easily create, update, and manage an
automated profile of their keywords and key internal and external
contacts, which they control and share with others in the Knowledge
Network.

•	Choose which information (e-mail folders and personal contacts) to include and exclude in the Knowledge Network analysis.
•	Select from five levels of who sees what (everyone, my colleagues, my workgroup, my manager, and only me) to apply to each item in your profile to control who can and who cannot associate your profile information with you.
•	Quickly and easily review your profile before it is published, selecting who sees what information.

Knowledge Network allows you to Control who can see information associated with you and your profile.
View a larger image.

1 comment June 16th, 2006