---

[Focus]

---

Windows XP SP2: Centralized Deployment and Defense
Use Group Policy to roll out the new Windows XP service pack to all your XP systems and centrally configure the pack's Windows Firewall feature.
 — Randy Franklin Smith

---

[Feature]

---

Dive into Network Monitor
Discover how to pinpoint network problems such as spam attacks, connectivity troubles, and performance bottlenecks.
 — Alan Sugano


Extending Group Policy
Create and use custom Administrative Templates to manage third-party applications.
 — Ed Roth


Mail Filtering with Fluffy the SMTPGuardDog
Install and use this open-source mail proxy server to filter spam and thwart viruses by blocking unwanted attachments.
 — Douglas Toombs


SMS 2003 Addresses Customers’ Wish List
SMS 2003’s CCM tools can help you lower cost of operations and increase productivity.
 — Ethan Wilansky , et al.

---

[Reader to Reader]

---

137GB Hard Disks in Windows 2000
Learn how to configure Windows 2000 for large hard disks.
 — Readers

Change DNS IP Address
Learn how to change a local or remote DNS client computer’s DNS server.
 — Readers

Prevent Active Directory Object Deletion
You can configure Active Directory objects as undeletable to prevent having to restore Active Directory.
 — Readers

Use AT to Kill Processes
Learn how to stop troublesome processes.
 — Readers

Windows Explorer Default Drive
You can force Windows Explorer to start at the drive you specify.
 — Readers

---

[Editorial]

---

Time for a Windows Antivirus Solution
Desktop security is too crucial a concern for antivirus software to remain an optional add-on.
 — Michael Otey

---

[Scripting Solutions]

---

Assigning Disk Quotas by Group Membership
Use this handy script to assign disk quotas for your users.
 — Christa Anderson

---

[TOP 10]

---

New Features in ISA Server 2004
Microsoft's improved firewall integrates RADIUS authentication, supports multiple network topologies, lets you import and export configuration settings, and offers better application-layer filtering.
 — Michael Otey

---

[Buyer's Guide]

---

Exchange Storage-Management Tools
Learn the most effective way to manage Exchange storage by comparing the storage-management products these 11 vendors offer.
 — Paul Robichaux

---

[Lab Feature]

---

Windows Server Provisioning
Two products—VERITAS OpForce 3.2 and Altiris Server Management Suite 6.0—let you quickly replace failed servers or deploy additional servers in your network.
 — David Chernicoff

---

[Letters to the Editor]

---

letters@winnetmag.com
Read comments and questions concerning Doug Spindler's "Start Clustering" article from the June 2004, Windows & .NET Magazine.
 — Readers , et al.

---

[Need to Know]

---

What You Need to Know About Microsoft System Center 2005
System Center 2005 is Microsoft's new management server suite that bundles MOM 2005, SMS 2003, and a unique reporting tool.
 — Paul Thurrott


What You Need to Know About Office 2003 Service Pack 1
Office 2003 SP1 will include all the updates that Microsoft has shipped for the various Office System products, as well as new versions of InfoPath and OneNote.
 — Paul Thurrott


What You Need to Know About Windows Server 2003 Release 2
Windows 2003 R2 will incorporate all the features from Windows 2003 SP1, updated versions of many of the feature packs that Microsoft shipped after Windows 2003, and several new features.
 — Paul Thurrott

---

[What's Hot]

---

What's Hot
Readers highlight favorite products: Identify Software AppSight Black Box, Postini Perimeter Manager, IntelliReach Content Inspector, PROMODAG Reports for Microsoft Exchange Server
 — Carolyn Mader

---

[Storage Admin]

---

Fine-Tune Your Backup Strategy
If you haven't examined your strategy for a while, now's the time to take a fresh look at how your organization protects its data.
 — Jerry Cochran

---

[Ask the Experts]

---

Responding to a Message from a Recreated Mailbox
Learn how to overcome the problem of responding to a message sent from a recreated mailbox.
 — Paul Robichaux


Running the Microsoft Exchange IMF in non–Native-Mode Environments
You can use Exchange IMF in non–native-mode environments, but with some limitations.
 — Paul Robichaux


Tracking Kerberos Authentication Events to Workstations
Kerberos authentication events don't include workstation names, but they do provide enough information for you to determine which workstation generated the event.
 — Randy Franklin Smith

---

[Windows Power Tools]

---

Portqry: The Sequel
Microsoft updates its useful port-scanning tool with helpful features, including interactive capabilities.
 — Mark Minasi

---

[New & Improved]

---

New & Improved
Check out the latest prouducts to hit the marketplace.
 — Carolyn Mader

---

[Industry Briefings]

---

HIS 2004 Includes .NET Extensions
Find out several of Host Integration Server 2004’s key new features.
 — Editors

Linux on End-User Desktops?
Although moving from UNIX on high-cost hardware to Linux on a Wintel server platform represents a cost savings, you can't assume that the scenario will repeat on the desktop.
 — Editors

Uptime Trending from Stratus Technologies
The Stratus Uptime Meter consistently reports that Stratus ftServer systems surpass five nines of uptime.
 — Editors

You Can Never Have Too Much Virus Protection
A white paper and free vulnerability testing tool from GFI Software show that there's no such thing as too much virus protection.
 — Editors