From:                     ITG Outage Notification

Sent:                      Thursday, April 27, 2000 9:22 PM

To:                         ITG Outage Notification

Cc:                         M?crosöft Corporate Campus: All Staff; M?crosöft Domestic Offices: All Staff

Subject:                 Changes to \\Products Servers Notification #3

Changes to \\Products Servers Notification #3

M?crosöft Confidential

 

Starting Friday, April 28, direct links to <\\products2> will no longer be operational.  Please make sure that any links, web pointers and shortcuts are replaced with <\\products\public\products>. 

 

With Windows 2000 installed on your machine, you do not need to remember the product server directory structure.  Instead, you can simply use the Windows 2000 Application Publishing feature described below to install the applications you need.  So if you haven't installed the RTM version of Windows 2000, upgrade today at http://itgweb/windows2000!  

 

Starting May 5:

·          All Redmond-based Windows 2000 users should install products through Windows 2000 Application Publishing following these easy steps:  Clicking Start menu > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add New Programs. This functionality is available for you to try now since many applications are published in the Windows 2000 Active Directory.

·          For Redmond-based, non-Windows 2000 users, the only way to access and download products will be through the DFS tree located at <\\products\public\products>.

·          International deployment of Application Publishing is currently in process and will be communicated as each site comes online.

 

Background:

Two major changes will be made to the Redmond Products Servers on <\\products1>, <\\products2>, <\\products3>, <\\products4>. between now and May 5.  Please make sure that any links, web pointers and shortcuts you use reflect the following changes:

 

·          Products Directory Structure:   On the Redmond Products Servers, the old directories of \beta, \relapps, \rellang and \relsys will be replaced with the following directories: \Applications, \Betas, \Developers, \Hardware, \Internet, and \OS.   The old directory structure will be available during the transition period, but will no longer contain products after May 5.

 

·          Access of Products Servers:  Access to the Redmond Product servers will be provided via Distributed File Service (DFS) technology.  By May 5, the only way to access and download products will be through the following methods:

·          For Redmond-based Windows 2000 users:  Use Windows 2000 Application Publishing (click Start menu > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add New Programs) to leverage applications that have been published via the Windows 2000 Active Directory.   This functionality is available for you to try out now since many applications are now published in the Windows 2000 Active Directory.

·          For non-Windows 2000 users:  Use the DFS tree located at <\\products\public\products>.

 

The timeline for the restructuring of the Redmond Products servers is:

March 18:   Direct links to <\\products4> will no longer work, use <\\products\public\products> (Is Passed)

April 14:     Direct links to <\\products3> will no longer work, use <\\products\public\products> (Is Passed)

April 28:     Direct links to <\\products2> will no longer work, use <\\products\public\products>

May 5:       Direct links to <\\products1> will no longer work, use <\\products\public\products> for non-Windows 2000 users.  For                        Redmond-based Windows 2000 users, use Application Publishing.  International deployment of Application Publishing                     will be communicated as each site comes on line.  Old directory structure on <\\products\public\products> will only                                   contain read-me files.

June 5:       Final removal of old DFS tree (\relapps, \rellang, \relsys).

July 5:        Final removal of old directory structure (old folders will no longer exist on any Products server).

 

For more information:

·          Please see the FAQ at <http://itgweb/products_tools/prodfaq.htm> for additional information.

·          If you have any questions about the restructuring of the <\\Products> servers, contact your regional Helpdesk.

 

Thank you,

ITG

FYI.  Please do not reply as this email originates from an unmonitored alias.  For any urgent issues, please your regional Helpdesk.  For more information regarding this outage, please contact MS Replication (msrepl).  Thanks!