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Well, this is my first post in a long time and I wanted to type something small just to get back into the groove. My most recent blogs have been about family and my personal life and I wanted to divert the attention back to my work and some of the problems I see while providing my consulting services. I am doing an Exchange 2007 implementation again and will be providing more information about my experiences. As always, there will not be any client sensitive information, but I'm sure it will be a good learning experience. Come back and check on it soon.

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May 30^th 2008 marked a momentous occasion for my family. It was the day my younger sister got married. It was probably the most hectic 3 days of my life (next to my own wedding), but everything turned out beautifully. It all started out on Thursday May 29^th, where we had the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It was rough from the start when 3 people in the wedding couldn't make it for the rehearsal. I was plagued with guilt as I was one of the individuals that didn't make the rehearsal on time. My wife (matron of honor) and my sister's friend Grace (part of the bridal party) had left with me and were also unfortunate enough to not make the rehearsal. I knew my sister was going through a lot at the time with all of the stress from the wedding and I truly felt guilty about piling more on.

The wedding day itself was great. We started off really early because we had to perform both an American and Chinese wedding ceremony. The morning of Friday May 30^th was a crazy start for us. The boys piled into a 16 passenger Escalade limo and made our way to my parent's home for the Chinese ceremony. It was there that we met up with the girls and picked up the bride. She wore a red Chinese dress and he wore a blue Chinese wedding jacket. Prayers, tea ceremonies, and celebration took up nearly 2 hours of the time as we performed a traditional Chinese ceremony.

By 11 am that morning the entire Chinese ceremony had been completed and it was time for all of us to pile into the limo and ride our way to the Eastern shore. We arrived there in under 2 hours and it was hectic from there on out. My sister and the girls got ready in the bridal suite. Alice was smart enough to have the hair and makeup people come to them and they got the star treatment in the suite. The guys relaxed in the groom's suite, which ended up being the room shared by the groom's parents and brother. The guys bought extra beer and played poker most of the afternoon. For some reason I was running around like a chicken with its head chopped off. Alice was nice enough to put my name down as one of the people to contact whenever there was a problem with wedding (THANKS ALICE!). Therefore, the 2 wedding planners were hounding me constantly. At some point they even got my cell phone number and just started calling me. The wedding planners wanted to check on the arbor, the placement of the arbor, the placement of seats, microphone checks, flower check, etc. It was crazy watching them work and having to be there as they needed things left me very little time to relax. Nothing really big happened that day except for the fact that they were one boutonniere short. I was going to do without one when the wedding planner screamed at the florist and insisted that they make one for me. Amazing what can happen when you get pressured into doing it…I ended up with a bout. Anyways, the wedding started at about 6:15 pm, and the weather was PERFECT. You couldn't ask for nicer weather. It was sunny, and I'd say somewhere in the 70's. The wedding by the water was beautiful and everything was planned to perfection. As I performed the wedding I was more nervous than I had ever been in my entire life…more so than at my own wedding. Chris and Alice wrote their own vows and I can't help by say that I was completely blown away by these two. I had warned them before hand the writing your own vows may be tough and can get a bit cliché…but they obviously had no fears of it. Chris was the most articulate I had ever seen him. He painted a vision with his words that I never knew he could do. It was moving. I honestly could not look at him or anyone in the crowd as he expressed his feelings for my sister. His vows were incredible. Alice's vows were nothing short of spectacular. I've always known that she could write, so I was not surprised by the level of passion she was able to express in her writing. By the end of it all there was not a dry eye in sight.

The wedding was followed by a cocktail hour with great food and drinks…and some of the best oysters I've ever had. Cocktail hour was followed by the dinner reception which obviously had the mother of groom/groom dance, father of bride/bride dance, first dance, garter toss, bouquet toss, and of course your speeches. The speeches were a bit different than your typical wedding speech because there were 4 of us talking. Bryce, Maya, Brinker, and myself all told our versions of a story we all saw happening before our eyes. The story we all knew would end up in this marriage. It was perfect. Of course, no party would be complete without an after party (well, I guess it would be complete since the after party is AFTER the party). The after party was at a place called Ram's Head. Not much happened there, just your usual rowdy wedding crowd looking for a few more shots of alcohol, a last glass of beer, and one more smoke. It was definitely good times.

The following day was a rough one. Most of us woke up early to take advantage of the bed and breakfast. After breakfast we helped the newlyweds pack everything into our cars. After packing up the cars with all the presents, we all had to check out early and started the long drive back home to VA. Most of us were hung over and trying to get a little normalcy back into our lives. Of course, normalcy would have to wait as we were about to embark on a second adventure…the Chinese wedding reception. I won't say much about it besides for the fact that it was damn hot. One of the A/C units was broken and the single working A/C unit was incapable of keeping the fully occupied restaurant cooled. It was a peculiar, but fun time. Mixing the Asian and American traditions was a bit strange but we made it happen. Start off with white and asian people, throw in some strange food, mix it with some alcohol, add a pinch of drunken karaoke, and you have a recipe for success.

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This past weekend I participated in the Bike MS 2008 event. I rode with Team Trust who consisted of Shannon Trust (Team Captain), Jason Trust, Tonya Beres, Suzanne Cervarich, Ann Ipsen, Peter Ipsen, Adrienne LeReche, Mark Lynde, Mark Pfeifer, Kara Stamper, Brennan Thompson, and myself. This was my first time ever participating in this event and I can honestly say that the experience was partly agonizing, very painful, and overall extremely fulfilling. I had a great team and I'm very glad I got to meet everyone and ride with everyone. I have never done anything like this before and I feel very proud and accomplished.

On the first day of the event Shannon spoke in the opening ceremonies of the 67 mile bike ride and had the honors of cutting the ribbon. Our team waited for her as the other teams started the ride. We were one of the last teams to leave the start line. About 2 miles into the ride Shannon inadvertently rode her bike into a bank at the side of the road, and crashed. It was a pretty hard crash that caused her to crack her helmet, bruise every single limb, and damage her bike. We waited as volunteers from the MS Society came to check on Shannon and everyone was worried about her well being. It was difficult to watch her crash so badly…but Shannon being Shannon would not let that get to her. Many of us had to hold her back and insisted that she get medical attention before continuing the ride. She insisted that the rest of us continue riding and that we finish the ride (I hate to get sentimental, but I definitely feel this blog heading that way). The first day of the event was definitely my toughest day. I rode about 30-40 miles of the ride by myself with almost no one around me. I was set on making good time and on not giving up and getting off my bike for any reason. I got lost 1 time and probably added another 5-7 miles onto my ride. I learned a lot about myself that day because it was the most difficult 67 miles I have ever rode. Hill upon hill I found myself alone and just talking to myself. I was in pain and exhausted. I learned a lot about the human will this weekend and realized that if I kept pushing through the pain, I could basically do anything. I know it may seem lame and even a bit cliché, but it's definitely true. I kept telling myself that the hills would not beat me and that I would not give up. Two things kept me biking…two things. The first thing was the kindness of each person at all of the rest stops. Having them cheer you on into the each rest stop gives you a jolt of adrenaline that encourages you to keep pushing on. On top of that, each of them were kind of enough to say "thanks for riding"…as if me riding my bike was actually making a difference in the world. The second thing was the constant voices in my head. I kept talking to myself and saying that I could get through each hill but at the same time I kept hearing Jason's voice saying "don't get off the bike, no matter what you do, don't walk your bike up the hill". At times I would even hear Shannon's voice saying to me "it's only a few more hours Bob, you can do anything for a few more hours". I arrived at the camp grounds after running into Peter at the last rest stop. I was cramping, in pain, and just plain tired. Peter was kind enough to let me draft him all the way to the camp grounds and our stopping point for the day. We arrived there shortly before 1:30 and Mark had already been there for about 20 minutes. My watch tells me I rode for about 5 hours. 5 hours of riding which included Shannon's accident, bathroom breaks, snack breaks, and a break for lunch. I wasn't completely satisfied with my time, but I guess it wasn't that bad. It was the most mentally and physically draining experience of my life, and I loved it. The rest of my team trickled in and I was very glad to see Shannon had made the ride despite the pain and drama of the accident. She is simply amazing.

I won't say too much about the camping situation except for the fact that it was a horrible experience, but something I'm very glad I did, and would gladly do again. The next day I decided I wanted to ride to the finish with Shannon and Jason since they were the main reason I was there. Day 2's ride was expected to be a much easier ride, but it was still very painful. There were no lack of hills on the second day and the pain from the first day of riding had not yet subsided. As Shannon best put it "each hill just feels like a continuation of the first day". The pivotal moment for me was the last 10 or so miles. I sat back in admiration as Shannon literallly willed her way to the finish line. It was obvious to me that she was in pain. Not only did she put in the same 67 miles as I did the first day, but she did it after a bad crash. The pain from her cuts and bruises had obviously set in but she was not going to give in. I watched her as she pushed herself through each hill and I was amazed by her will as she simply would not give up. She is a fighter. I watched in admiration as Jason simply would not let her quit and was literally by her side helping her up each hill. He says it's no big deal, but it's really all the small things people do that amazes me. It was moving. I admire these two greatly, and truly feel honored to have met them...they've brought a lot to my life. When we got to the finish line Jason and Shannon wanted to make sure we rode in together. Mai-An was there, cheering in a crowd of people as we passed the finish line. I was very relieved and excited to see her. I really needed her to see what we had accomplished. Shannon finally broke down and cried when we crossed the finish line. Whether it be from exhaustion or just plain happiness, I don't really know, but I felt like I needed to cry too (for all those wondering, I didn't cry, just felt like it). This may have been just another bike ride for many people, but it was so much more to me. It was a huge accomplishment. To top it all off, what made the entire event all worthwhile was watching the other riders cross the finish line. We ate under the tents as we watched and clapped as other rides rode in. I specifically remember looking out and seeing a father and son watching the riders come through the finish line. The son had MS and was in a wheelchair. The father was sitting down in a lawn chair next to him. It was pouring rain and they were both perfectly content with cheering and welcoming all the riders in. It was that moment that it dawned upon me why me riding my bike was so important.

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Well, Microsoft is at it again. Towards the end of February Microsoft will be hosting a launch event for Windows 2008 named "Heroes Happen Here". IT professionals and Microsoft partners are welcomed to attend. As with the typical Microsoft launch events, MS will be providing free software to all those who attend. The software will include Windows 2008, SQL 2008, and Visual Studio 2008. I'm expecting Windows 2008 to go RTM pretty soon. Microsoft typically goes RTM several weeks to the first launch event…so keep your eyes out for it. Don't forget to sign up early to reserve your space…and a free copy of your software:

http://www.microsoft.com/heroeshappenhere/register/default.mspx

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I know I haven't been posting much lately, but I do intend on adding more content pretty soon, but here is a quick post for all the readers. Thank you all for visiting and for being patient with me. Just to let you know, Microsoft has decided to extend their second shot exams. Originally, second shot exams were expected to end my January 2008. Microsoft has extended for all you lazy folks out there and have given all of us 6 more months to try and pass our exams. Here is the link:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/offers/secondshot/default.mspx

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It's been a while since I've written in my blog and I hope all of visitors have had a very happy holidays and a happy new year as well. I took a long hiatus from work and was able to get much needed rest and relaxation. I've always loved the holidays and just love catching up with good friends and my close family. I know I may be a bit late in wishing everyone a happy holiday so I thought I'd provide a little gift to all you techie geeks. I've always been a strong believe in the best way to learn about new technologies is to get hands on experience. For those of us fortunate enough to work in an up-to-date environment, getting hands on experience is easy. For the rest of us, there's always test labs and virtual labs. For those of you who are working on building your own lab at home and don't have direct access to the software you need, TechNet Plus Direct may be your best alternative. TechNet Plus Direct has always been a good way to get the type of MS software you'll need in order to learn about new technologies and to evaluate their new software. The initial subscription cost is $349 for the first year. Well, here's my gift to you all of you.

Use this code: TMSAM04 when purchasing your subscription and you get $100 off your initial subscription cost...this code is valid through 05/08 and for US only.

Here is a link to the site https://buynow.one.microsoft.com/rssc/homePage.aspx?tabid=0&storeid=7F763A47-2EF5-4013-89EF-A88E2D3E26CB&localeid=en-us.

I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get serious about IT and IT consulting.

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I recently got to spend some time with this new Service Pack and wanted to share one of the biggest improvements I have noticed with this service pack…SCR.

Standby Continuous Replication is a new feature of SP1. The original version of Exchange 2007 boasts high availability technologies including LCR (Local Continuous Replication) and CCR (Clustered Continuous Replication). While the both made strides to improve HA capabilities of Exchange, they both had their technological shortcomings. For example, while LCR allows for a local copy of the Exchange database and transaction logs, it is subject to problems that may occur internally within any given system…such as a motherboard failure, controller failure, corrupted BIOS, etc. LCR appears to have too many single point of failures to be solid HA alternative. CCR, while providing a good method having duplicate Exchange databases and shipping logs from one server to another, also has its shortcomings. While CCR is not as vulnerable to point of failures within a single system, CCR has its own problems. One huge concern for Exchange engineers included the use of a single subnet in order to perform CCR. Therefore, in order to do CCR between two boxes, both boxes had to exist within the same subnet or CCR would not work. In addition, contrary to its name, CCR could not operate if machines were physically clustered together.

Standby Continuous Replication has been designed to deal with most of the shortcomings that both LCR and CCR suffered. SCR can be viewed as a newer, more advanced version of CCR. Therefore, immediately one can understand that it does not suffer from the single point of failures that LCR is subject to. SCR operates much like CCR in that a copy of the production Exchange database is located in multiple locations and transaction logs are shipped from one Exchange server to another. However, servers in a SCR configuration are no longer limited to exist on a single subnet. This allows for greater HA capabilities and ease of use within any given network. In addition, SCR will provide support for clustered Exchange servers. One of the bigger improvements I've noticed within SCR is an automated failover process. SCR will be introduced with a script that can be ran against the existing and standby mail servers. This script will allow the Exchange database to automatically failover to the standby server. However, as far as I know right now, the script will be a generic script and will need manual intervention to edit server names within the script. I suspect that Exchange engineers will continue to use a combination of both LCR, and CCR in their environment while trying to understand how SCR will be best implemented in their environment. I would also suspect that the best way to provide HA capabilities will be to somehow combine all three technologies within your organization. While I do not have all the information on SCR at this moment, I am excited to see that the Exchange 2007 developers' team has made such great improvements to Exchange 2007 with SP1.

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