If you have a TechNet subscription you are now able to download the ISO images of the Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview. Also available for download is System Center 2012 R2 Preview and SQL Server 2014 CTP1. What is still missing is Windows 8.1 which is expected to be released on 26th June (27th Australian time) sometime around the start…

Thanks to Orin Thomas blog about Windows Server 2012 R2 I have discovered that Microsoft has released a Windows Server 2012 R2 image on Azure. This has allowed me to run up a Windows 2012 R2 Active Directory so I can crack open and see what is new in Group Policy. Below is a summary of only a VERY quick…

That’s right… Microsoft has put the carriage in front of the horse and released the Windows 8.1 Remote Server Admin Tools before they release Windows 8.1 Beta. In case you are wondering what this has to do with Group Policy, RSAT is how you get the Group Policy Management Console installed on Client operating systems as by default it is…

At TechEd North America 2013 the Powershell team have showcased a new under the covers feature with Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2 call Desired State Configuration via Powershell. While you may recognise this feature name as something out of that is in System Center Configuration Manager the technology is somewhat different and has no SCCM requirements. Simply put DCS…

Microsoft has just announced bunch of new business related features for Windows 8.1 some of which really stand out. For the vast number of business related features being added to Windows 8.1 it would seem that the focus for this release of Windows is now firmly back on what Business also want. Below is a summary of the features that…

Microsoft has just announced that the next version of Windows will be called Windows 8.1 and confirmed that it will be available as a FREE upgrade for existing Windows 8 users that will be released this year. Notably that said that one of the changes in the operating system include an “options to boot into alternate screens”, hopefully this means…

So I know this is not strictly Group Policy news however I am from Australia and this news was just to good for us Aussies to not mention. Microsoft Australia has just announced on their blog that they would be expanding their Azure service to Australia. What this means for many organisation is of course they can now start to…

I have just come across an issue with the Group Policy Item Level Targeting feature in Windows 8 with relation to the IP Address Range filter option. Namely that computers in an IP Address range are evaluations are not passed even though they are within the IP Address range… Update: This is a confirmed bug with Windows 8 According the…