CSTechcast.com has a great show available for subscription and download this week. We interview Ken Ledeen, author of Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion, about the current status of privacy in the digital domain and how you can steer your IT organization around these new privacy pitfalls. The news brings stats of Vista service pack 1 adoption, a new massive Microsoft data center, a lawsuit for Apple and their 3G iPhone, DNS continues to be exposed, and Apache Tomcat faces a new security vulnerability. ISPs who haven't patched their DNS servers get "The Worst Tech Move of the Week", we argue the confusion around SSL certificates in "Point/Counterpoint", and Active Directory logon problems give fodder for "The Weekly Tech Tip".

Links to stories and sites discussed during the show:
Vista users rush for SP1; XP owners dawdle on SP3 (ComputerWorld)
Microsoft's $500M Iowa data center to use shipping containers (ComputerWorld)
iPhone 3G owner sues Apple over dropped calls, slow speeds (ComputerWorld)
Security expert: DNS attacks are happening (CNet)
Exploit code published for Apache Tomcat flaw (ZDNet)

We have awarded our prize for feedback, but don't let that stop you. Submit feedback at our web site CSTechcast.com, at our blog ConsortioServices.com/blog, or at our Twitter.com/cstechcast and Friendfeed.com/cstechcast social networking locations. Let us know what you think and thanks for listening to CS Techcast.

Link to the episode: http://www.cstechcast.com/home.aspx?Episode=39

- Eric Beehler (consortioservices.com/blog)

We just signed on to write a new book about Microsoft's offering for medium-sized business, Essential Business Server 2008. The title is Microsoft Essential Business Server 2008 Unleashed and we are excited to get started. We have already put a blog up to help document our progress and various musings that wouldn't be appropriate for the text of this book. In addition, we hope to contribute to the overall tech community with our postings. Visit EBSUnleashed.com to keep up with the topic.

- Eric Beehler

CSTechcast.com brings you another episode of the podcast for IT professionals. Today, we talk about the future of IPv6 for business with Fred Wettling, author of Global IPv6 Strategies from Cisco Press. In the news, solid state drives are looking to replace spinning disks for enterprise applications, AMD is introducing new processors, a court ruling on model trains impacts free software, Windows 7 starts to get real, and iPhone gets Gartner's nod for use in business. VMWare's servers have fallen and they can't get up in "The Worst tech Move of the Week", greening servers gets "A Closer Look", and a quick FTP server setup is "The Weekly Tech Tip".

Links to stories and sites discussed during the show:
IT managers opting for solid-state drives over hard disks (ComputerWorld)
AMD targets business with new desktop chips (ComputerWorld)
Legal milestone for open source (BBC)
Engineering Windows 7 (MSDN Blogs)
Windows 7 Details In October, Microsoft Says (InformationWeek)
iPhone 3G Available Online For Business Customers (InformationWeek)
VMware bug causes worldwide disruption (ZDNet)

This is the last week to get your feedback in for a chance to win a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. Tell us what you think. Links to all the ways to give your opinion on the home page. Thanks for listening and, as always, get the latest podcasts at CSTechcast.com.

Link to the episode: http://www.cstechcast.com/home.aspx?Episode=38

- Eric Beehler (consortioservices.com/blog)

The Mind of Root podcast interviews Eric Johnson and Josh Jones of "CS Techcast" about our podcast for IT Professionals and the new book A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server.

Check it out here: http://www.mindofroot.com/2008/08/13/episode-62-steve-knows-too-much/

Let's do it again, another IT pro podcast posted at CSTechcast.com. This week we talk phishing threats and how to keep your users safe with Rohyt Belani, CEO of Intrepidus Group. See their new technology online at phishme.com. The news brings twelve new Microsoft updates for patch Tuesday, but Microsoft also tries harder with three new security programs, security concerns around the march towards virtualization, cloud entries from AT&T, others bring forth virtualization for small business, and economic woes hit IT jobs hard. Apple's iPhone kill switch gets "The Worst Tech Move of the Week", we take "A Closer Look" at the forthcoming Microsoft Essential Business Server 2008, and a strange hibernation feature in Windows Server 2008 brings us "The Weekly Tech Tip".

Links to stories discussed during the show:

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for August 2008: 12 bulletins (ArsTechnica)
Microsoft further commits to security, unveils 3 programs (Arstechnica)
Black Hat conference spotlights virtualization, DNS issues (InfoWorld)
AT&T Jumps Into Cloud Computing With Synaptic Hosting (InformationWeek)
Warily, Small Businesses Look To Cloud Computing (InformationWeek)
No Answers From Apple On iPhone 'Kill Switch' (InformationWeek)

We still want to give you a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. All you have to do is submit some feedback. Drop by our home page, CSTechcast.com, for multiple ways to drop us a line. Keep your podcatcher pointed at CSTechcast.com for the best independent podcast for IT professionals.  Thanks to everyone for listening.

Link to the episode: http://www.cstechcast.com/home.aspx?Episode=37

- Eric Beehler (consortioservices.com/blog)

Welcome to the podcast for IT pros at CSTechcast.com. This week we look at the coming trends for the SQL Server database platform with our friend Paul Nielsen, author of SQL Server 2005 Bible. Find Paul and his books at sqlserverbible.com. In the news; Apple's DNS patch fails to randomize ports plus other DNS patches show new flaws, IBM commits to the cloud with a heavy investment in data centers, Microsoft is set to deliver Small Business Server 2008 for mom and pops and Essential Business Server 2008 for the mid-market this year, the Storm worm pops back onto the radar with an FBI spoof, and Sun debuts JavaFX to compete with Adobe. Plus, Apple's culture of secrecy gets "The Worst Tech Move of the Week", and we put mobile security in our crosshairs for "A Closer Look".

Links to stories discussed during the show:
Apple's patch fails to fix DNS flaw, researchers claim (ComputerWorld)
DNS patches cause problems, developers admit (InfoWorld)
IBM Brings Cloud Computing To Earth With Massive New Data Centers (InformationWeek)
Windows Small/Essential Business Server RC1s arrive (Ars Technica)
FBI warns of new Storm worm attacks (ComputerWorld)
Jobs entrusts a NYT columnist with the truth about his health, even before he tells Apple shareholders (VentureBeat)
Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border (Washington Post)

We apologize for the late post of our podcast, but system problems prevented a timely post. This is the first time we have missed the release mark. Anyway, we hope everything is back on track hardware wise. The drawing for an Amazon.com gift certificate is just a few weeks away, so visit CSTechcast.com to submit your feedback to enter. We'd like to thank those who have submitted the wonderful, constructive feedback so far and look forward to more from our listeners. Please subscribe and write a review on iTunes or your favorite podcast site. Thanks for listening.

Link to the episode: http://www.cstechcast.com/home.aspx?Episode=36

- Eric Beehler (consortioservices.com/blog)

Sorry folks, but our studio workstation has gone to bed and won't wake up. It's unfortunate, since we have never missed a release and this one was nearly in the bag. We'll get back on it tomorrow, when we can go out and buy some things to help us work the problem. We're hoping all the data is still there and its just some other problem that's easily fixed. I'll keep Twitter updated at www.twitter.com/cstechcast. If we can get the issue resolved, you'll see it here with a new podcast. Thanks for understanding.

- Eric Beehler (consortioservices.com/blog)

Hello again from CSTechcast.com, the latest in our weekly podcast series for IT professionals is online. This week we discuss the unifying potential of Office Communication Server with Ron Barrett, author of How to Cheat at Administering Office Communications Server 2007. Find Ron at http://www.networkworld.com/community/barrett. The news brings us Intel launching the Centrino 2 laptop chipset with vPro features for enterprise management, an insider admin locked out the San Francisco network with a password change, a major spike in malware due mainly to SQL injection attacks, new terabyte tape backup capacity, and some users get locked out of validating their Office installations. Big media going after moms gets "The Worst Tech Move of the Week", IT managers strike a nerve in "The IT Pet Peeve", and "The Weekly Tech Tip" gets you straight when accessing JET with 64-bit SSIS.

Links to stories discussed during the show:
Intel vPro: What is New for IT (eWeek)
Insider threat looms large as San Francisco's network crisis plays out (Network World)
Huge rise in malware this year (InfoWorld)
IBM and Sun each claim to develop 'first' 1TB tape drive (Network World)
Users reporting failed Windows and Office validations (ArsTechnica)

Don't forget to submit feedback at CSTechcast.com to be entered to win an Amazon.com gift certificate. Allow us a little shine by blogging about us or writing a review at your favorite podcast directory and iTunes. Join us every week for a new episode of CS Techcast.

Link to the episode: http://www.cstechcast.com/home.aspx?Episode=34

- Eric Beehler (consortioservices.com/blog)

I just started working on a LiveLesson DVD for Addison-Wesley tentatively titled "SQL Server Fundamentals for the Accidental DBA". The DVD will focus on the essential skills required to work with SQL Server for people that are not full-time DBAs. I will keep you posted as I have more details. For more information about the LiveLesson videos, check out http://www.informit.com/promotions/promotion.aspx?promo=135366.

Eric
Co-Host CS Techcast
http://www.cstechcast.com

If you haven't already heard, Microsoft is upping the ante in the certification arena by introducing a new line of certs called the Microsoft Certified Master Program. The gist of it is that these are certifications (currently only for SQL Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, and Windows Server 2008) that represent the highest skill level in building solutions based on the specific product. A much more detailed blog post from the program owner HERE.It's a lengthy post, be sure you have a minute to digest all of that information.

Here's the rub: many people already feel that certifications, particularly MS certs, aren't all that valuable in the real world, because the certs can be obtained by anyone patient enough to read the study materials and take the test, without having any actual, useable, real world experience. And on top of that, with the changes in recent certifications from MS, many managers and HR reps don't even know what the certs represent. So, how can adding a higher level cert be helpful in any way?

Well, personally speaking, I think they've got a good deal with this one, with one caveat I'll speak to in a minute. This particular certification, much like the Microsoft Certified Architect, requires (as in MANDATORY) classroom training. For the SQL Server Masters Cert, they are going to require that you already hold the MCTS:2005 cert, as well as both the MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Pro) SQL Server certs for DBA and Developer. And, they will need an application, as well as a resume to see if they will accept you into the program in the first place. All of which seems to, in my opinion, make the cert a little more "weighty" than it's predecessors. Primarily because this will make it hard for the cert to become watered-down by literally hundreds of thousands of people holding it. Plus,once accepted to the program, you have to pass 3 written exams AND a lab based exam (similar to the Cisco CCIE).Again, I think that's a huge plus. The idea behind all of this is that if you encounter someone that holds the MCM for a given product, you should be able to reasonably assume that they know, very well, what they are talking about. This increases their value to a company, as well as value in their career.

 However.

The blog post says (and it may be an early report, but I don't imagine it's too far off), that the program fee, IF you are accepted, will be in the neighborhood of $18,500USD. This includes the mandatory 3 WEEK course and ONE round of exams. If you fail any exam, retakes are extra: $250 for written tests and $1500 for the lab exam. In other words, this is not likely to be a cert you can afford on your own. In fact, just to meet the pre-requisites, you or your company has already forked over at least $225-$250 in exam fees for the earlier exams, not to mention training. Not only would an individual find this expensive, even a small or medium business might find this to be too much to fork over. The argument, of course, is that a business that employs someone that holds a cert of this level has not only a strong technical resource, but a good marketing tool (particularly those companies that are MS Partners). So the question is not only "Am I good enough?", but "Who's going to pay for this?".

I would love to acheive this cert. I currently have the MCITP:DBA, but never pushed on for the Dev MCITP (or any others) because I felt like it was pointless. I really felt that if you've spent more than 6 months with SQL Server, you could probably pass the test(s). And if you've already built up a healthy resume of experience, the MCITP cert doesn't really impress anyone as much as your background and references will. However, I think the MCM would be a much more difficult certification to earn, not only requiring you to demonstrate expertise but probably deepen it during the training courses.

If nothing else, think of it this way: Many experts in our field (think Kalen Delaney, Kimberly Tripp, Itzik Ben-Gan) have made careers out of sharing their deep knowledge, and don't generally advertise or glorify certifications (I don't know if they do or don't hold any MS certs, but they certainly don't advertise it if they do). Their body of work shows what they know. But, for those of use somewhere in between "Senior DBA at XYZ Corp." and "SQL Server Community Guru", a cert like this might help us get that slightly higher paying job or even help us branch out on our own as consultants, authors, and trainers.

I'm curious to hear if anyone else out there has any thoughts. Please feel free to respond, thanks for stopping by!