Host: Ruth Morton In this episode of the AlignIT IT Manager Podcast, I?ve taken a recent webcast that I hosted with guests Galen Schreck, a Principle Analyst from Forrester Research and Bruce Cowper, the Virtualization Lead from Microsoft Canada and have condensed it down to 20 minutes of goodness for your listening pleasure. During our conversation where we took questions from the live on-line audience, we cover topics such as how the Microsoft solution stacks up against the competition, the nuances of licensing and where virtualization technology research may be heading in the future. Comments by email: alignit@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Ruth Morton In this episode of the AlignIT IT Manager Podcast, I talk separately with Rob Geller, Microsoft?s Senior Product Manager for Windows Client, and Stephen Rose, Microsoft?s Senior Community Manager for Windows Client. I speak to each about our latest client operating system - what?s new and can add value for businesses along with what?s compelling for IT shops. We also talk about some of the lessons learned and changes made with the release of Windows 7 as compared to when Windows Vista launched. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus In this episode of the IT Manager Podcast - I talk with Ryan Storgaard, Chief Software + Services Officer at Microsoft Canada. When Ryan worked on my team, he was very passionate about ISVs and Internet based services. Because of his background and current role, I thought he would be perfect to explore a trend on everyone?s mind these days that goes by a couple of different names: Cloud Computing, SaaS - Software As A Service, Services Oriented Architecture, Private Clouds - all to name a few.. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus In this episode of the IT Manager Podcast - I talk with Anthony Bartolo, Applications Specialist with Rogers Business Solutions and Greg Miligan, Canadian Mobility Solutions Manager. Anthony and Greg share their view of the mobile marketplace and how mobile devices have become accessible to individuals and businesses of all sizes. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus I have a frank conversation with Microsoft Canada's Chief Security Advisor (Bruce Cowper) and the Vice President of Identity Management Services at Avaleris (Hugh Lindley) on the state of IT Security for the small to midsized business and how security has evolved to be part of everyone's role.. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus Randal Robinson, GM of BC Based hosting company RackForce discusses virtualization in such a way that it very approachable and goes beyond it being used as a simple catchphrase. He goes through their transition to using virtualization, identifies challenges they had managing multiple virtualization providers and how they resolved provisioning issues. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus Gabriel Vitus has taken his department through a strategic review and has transformed it into an equal partner with the other business units. Business leaders for all departments work together with the IT Department to create a synchronized business project plan. Gabriel shares insights and recommendations for how you can start your own transformation. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus From interviews recorded during the Montreal International Gaming Summit, we get an update on the use of HPC in the Gaming industry and talk about how it can be used to speed up the increasingly complex game development pipeline. This episode isn't just about technology - we also take the time to talk with Ubisoft Montreal about their approach to managing a team of developers and artists who created the long awaited FarCry 2 game title. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus A chat with the IT Manager from Gerrie Electric and how they came about deploying a Microsoft based Unified Communications solution to replace an end of life PBX system for 17 offices. At first they were only looking for a collaboration / presence solution, but they soon discovered that Office Communication Server 2007 met their needs without having to introduce more complexity to their IT environment by going with one of the typical VoIP PBX vendor solutions. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus Our previous episode focused on how organizations are finding the information they are looking for in the mountain of data they have amassed over the years. This episode focuses on tools used to manage data and one organization?s strategic decision to use SQL Server to standardize on a toolset in order to reduce complexity in their data environment. Listen in to hear Erin Elofson (SQL Server Product Manager for Microsoft Canada) Rekha Jethva (City of Mississauga) and Rob Shillinger (Systemgroup) talk about the benefits and journey of moving to a single data platform, as well as lessons learned along the way. Comments by email: itmgrpod@microsoft.com or tel: 1-800-693-3827

Listen Now:

Host: Rick Claus In this episode, I talk with Jeff Kent (Chief Technology Officer, Cineplex Entertainment LP), Riyaz Lalani (Corporate Account Executive, Wolfbridge TSS), Alireza Aliabadi (SharePoint Lead, Wolfbridge TSS) and Wanda Yu (SharePoint Product Manager, Microsoft Canada) about how Cineplex Entertainment brought internet styled search to their users by implementing enterprise search technologies in Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007. You?ll find out how search has been integrated into Cineplex Entertainment?s environment, how the project was championed and expanded to other areas and what sorts of data has been included in delegated search queries.

Listen Now:

For this episode, Ruth Morton interviewed speakers and industry experts on Green IT at the EnergizeIT conference held in Toronto. Aaron Hay, Garth Jones, Pierre Roman, Derek Serianni, Julius Sinkevicius, Stephen Giles and Kevin McCully discuss subjects ranging from ?The first steps towards developing a Green IT Environment? to ?Helping to reduce data centre usage and energy costs?

Listen Now:

This month, Kevin McCully (WebFeat), Loic Calvez (Lafarge North America) join our hosts Ruth Morton and Rick Claus to discuss the IT benefits of Windows Server 2008, keys to a successful deployment and migration best practices.

Listen Now:

The Microsoft IT Manager Podcast is a monthly in-depth look at issues relevant to IT managers and professionals across a range of Canadian industries. Topics are examined in detail by business and technology specialists from Microsoft Canada, leading research firms, and other experts from the business and IT community. Series host: Rick Claus, IT Pro Advisor, Microsoft Canada.

Listen Now:

Rod Kreutzfeld (Compugen), Alex Saltman (Bonnett's Energy), Derick Wong (Microsoft Canada) and our guest host, Rick Claus (Microsoft Canada), discuss three common management myths and the benefits of adopting management technology.

Listen Now:

Ruth Morton records interviews with Microsoft Product Managers, key employees and Microsoft customers, who discussed everything from virtualization to security to reliability at the 'Heroes Happen {Here}' Event in Toronto.

Listen Now:

Mark Lange (Great Northern Way Campus), Anthony Brown (Seven Group) and Nik Garkusha (Microsoft Canada) join Ruth Morton to discuss the affordability of high performance computing technology and how Digital Media students are using it to fuel their creative work.

Listen Now:

Special guest host Rick Claus (Microsoft Canada) speaks with Darin Travis (Microsoft Canada) and Wilson Chan (Durham District School Board) about using the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack to accelerate and simplify desktop deployments, and create a dynamic infrastructure by turning software into centrally managed services.

Listen Now:

Ruth Morton, Rick Omar Kazi (Compugen) and Bruce Cowper (Microsoft Canada) discuss new Canadian IT security survey results and how innovations in the soon-to-be launched server technology from Microsoft will help make it easier for businesses to manage security.

Listen Now:

Ed Raffin (National Money Mart), Paul Barter (T4G), and Ryan Dochuk (Microsoft Canada) discuss common pitfalls of using BI for performance management and how organizations can strengthen BI adoption across their businesses.

Listen Now:

Vicki Mains (CNIB), Tony Rybczynski (Nortel) and Erin Elofson (Microsoft Canada) talk about the new role of the IT Pro and opportunities for software-powered telecom solutions.

Listen Now:

Rob Geller, Windows Client Product Manager (Microsoft Canada), and Warren Shiau, Senior Associate (The Strategic Council) talk about deployment myths of Windows Vista, various available tools and the best practices to ensure smooth deployment.

Listen Now:

Bruce Cowper and Dale Hall (Microsoft Canada), Bob Roudebush (Double-Take Software), and Melvin Goodyear (Newfoundland Power) discuss how virtualization can be used for advanced disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and managing remote offices.

Listen Now:

Ruth Morton (Microsoft Canada) talks to Danny Riddell (EVP, Creative, Metaliq Inc.) and Paul Laberge, a partner development evangelist with Microsoft Canada talk about the importance of the user experience in the next generation of compelling and engaging software applications.

Listen Now:

Ruth Morton (Senior Technology Advisor, Microsoft Canada) discusses commercial uses of High Performance Computing technology with Glenn Bontje (Business Development Manager for High Performance Computing, HP Canada) and Nik Garkusha (Platform Strategy Manager, Microsoft Canada).

Listen Now:

A panel of experts including Bruce Cowper (Microsoft Canada), Rob Labbe (Microsoft Canada) and Brian Bourne (CMS Consulting) discuss the top reasons security policies fail, and how Defense in Depth security planning can help avoid IT security pitfalls.

Listen Now:

Warren Shiau, analyst with the Strategic Counsel, along with Jeffrey Neven (Homestead Christian Care) and John Krikke (Krikke Computer Services) discuss the evolution of IT reliability and the comparative reliability of various IT platforms, with highlights from a Homestead Christian Care case study.

Listen Now:

Derick Wong (Microsoft Canada) and Jeff Kent (Cineplex Entertainment) will discuss the evolution of network management and the potential of centralized network management, with highlights from a Cineplex Entertainment case study.

Listen Now:

Stephen Ibaraki (CIPS) and Bruce Cowper (Microsoft Canada) discuss the top security trends/threats that IT professionals need to anticipate in 2007 and offer tips on how to develop strategies to meet them.

Listen Now:

Bill Buxton (Microsoft Research), Bryan Rusche (Microsoft Canada) and Evan Zaleschuk (MTS Allstream) will discuss how the convergence of communications contributes to the evolution of Canadians' work styles.

Listen Now:

Rodney Buike (Microsoft Canada) and Greg Mathieu (Business Information Group) discuss the role virtualization can play in making IT systems more dynamic, with highlights from a Business Information Group case study.

Listen Now: