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Understanding the Fundamentals of Windows, SQL, and Exchange Server Licensing
As Microsoft phases out older versions of Exchange Server, IT leaders must navigate complex licensing changes to maintain compliance and control costs. Understanding the licensing landscape for Windows Server, SQL Server, and Exchange Server is essential for organizations seeking to avoid costly mistakes and even uncover opportunities for savings. Exchange Server Moves to Subscription Edition…
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Enabling or Disabling VBScript in Windows: A Guide Post-Deprecation
In 2024, Microsoft announced its intention to phase out support for VBScript, a scripting language previously favored for automation in Windows environments due to its simplicity and accessibility. VBScript garnered popularity because it included a built-in Windows runtime and access to a vast library of scripts. However, because of its legacy structure and associated vulnerabilities,…
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Microsoft Announces Major Upgrade Strategy for All Windows Users
It’s that time again for Windows users as Microsoft has confirmed a new upgrade decision. The company is addressing complaints and reports of issues with Windows, especially following the end of Windows 10. It’s been revealed that around 500 million eligible PCs have not upgraded to Windows 11, prompting Microsoft to give these users a…
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Troubleshooting an Unresponsive Start Menu on Windows Server RDS: A Comprehensive Guide
Occasionally, users encounter issues with the Start Menu or taskbar on RDS hosts utilizing Windows Server 2022 or 2019. Specifically, when a user clicks the Start button in a terminal session, the menu may fail to open, or the RDP session might freeze, rendering it unresponsive. The Start Menu and user interactions are driven by…
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Microsoft’s WINS Sunset: A Legacy Migration Challenge for Windows Administrators
Microsoft has set a deadline of 2034 for organizations to phase out the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS), a legacy name resolution technology that has been in use since the Windows NT era. While this deadline may seem generous, many organizations, particularly those reliant on operational technology (OT) systems, may find it difficult to comply…
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Microsoft’s WINS Sunset: A Legacy Migration Challenge for Windows Admins
Microsoft has announced that organizations have until 2034 to phase out the use of WINS (Windows Internet Name Service), a legacy name resolution technology that supports various outdated systems. While the deadline seems generous, many operational technology (OT) platforms still rely on WINS, making the transition challenging for them. Introduced with Windows NT in 1994,…
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ShadowPad Malware Exploits WSUS Vulnerability: A New Threat to Full System Access
A recently discovered security vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is being actively exploited by threat actors to distribute the ShadowPad malware. According to the AhnLab Security Intelligence Center (ASEC), attackers are leveraging CVE-2025-59287 to gain initial access to systems with WSUS enabled. The attack methodology involves using PowerCat, a PowerShell-based utility, to…
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Mastering AppLocker: How to Configure Application Restriction Policies in Windows
Using AppLocker security policies, system administrators can manage which applications run on Windows systems. This tool allows for specific application restrictions, enabling designated user groups to execute applications while blocking others, such as standard users. Initially limited to the Enterprise editions, AppLocker is now accessible in Windows 10 Pro (from version 2004) and all versions…
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Microsoft Unveils SQL Server 2025: Introducing Fabric Databases and the New Azure DocumentDB
At the Ignite 2025 event, Microsoft unveiled significant updates to its Azure data services, introducing the general availability of SQL Server 2025 after an extensive preview period throughout 2024 and early 2025. This latest version emphasizes AI-powered enhancements and includes features like native vector data types and approximate vector indexing for accelerated similarity searches, as…
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Urgent Warning: New Graphics-Component Security Flaw Affects Windows 11, Windows 10, and Microsoft Office
India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a warning about a serious security vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows systems. This flaw, identified as CVE-2025-60724, permits remote code execution in Microsoft Graphics Components (GDI+), impacting numerous Windows versions, including Windows 10, Windows 11, various Windows Server editions, and Microsoft Office for both Mac and Android platforms.…