“Windows Azure” Now Becomes “Microsoft Azure”

Microsoft has recently announced public statements renaming its Cloud operating system “Windows Azure” to “Microsoft Azure”. The announcement was held on March 25, and the changes have been effective since April 3, 2014, which coincides with the second day of Microsoft's Build conference in San Francisco. Unnamed tipsters were the first to reveal this development, long before Microsoft officially announced the plan.

The rebranding of the cloud operating system seems like a strategy to distract customers from its rivals. The Marketing team wants to move away from the old Windows Branding and focus on making Microsoft a “Devices and Services” company. Facing stiff competition from other cloud service providers like Amazon and Google, these new strategies seem to be the need of the hour.

This rebranding makes sense because, unlike Windows products, Azure users can run on Oracle databases and middleware. Azure customers can even use non-Windows-specific development tools like Python, PHP, Oracle, Ruby and Java without any issues. Since the share of Microsoft products in the market has reduced, the company has also started to focus on running multiple-platforms.

Steve Martin, General Manager of Microsoft Azure, issued a statement on the occasion, promising its customers a platform which can support their needs, whatever they may be. The move seems appropriate since people are shifting their focus on to Cloud Services sooner than most Tech-Moguls had predicted.

The announcement of this news was followed by a huge traffic to the Microsoft Support Services team from users who wished to know if there would be any disruption of services. No changes to the services were brought about and the entire renaming process was just a marketing ploy.

In 2008, before Azure was officially released, the product was still known by the code name “Red dog”. It was even rumored to be a cloud version of Windows Server. Even though it only happened in late 2009, the merging of Server and Cloud teams worked well for providing seamless private/public/hybrid cloud messaging.

As on date, even when Windows is still crucial to Microsoft, the company continues to emphasize it is not “Windows-only”. Microsoft's Office on iPad Suite is another example of the shift in corporate positioning to fit the new image. The move is part of a broader shift under the new CEO Satya Nadella, tying other Microsoft products away from its Operating System, Microsoft Windows.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the same, feel free to contact the Microsoft Support Services team.

Fixing Outlook Issues

Although Microsoft Outlook appears to be an advanced email application for the users, sometimes it may cause issues. According to the Outlook tech support center, several users contact them complaining about the various Outlook problems they encounter while using the application. One of the most common problems cited by the users is when they are not able to access the email program.

In such cases, you can use the following instructions provided by the Outlook tech support team to troubleshoot and fix the issue.

Issues related to browser

• If such Outlook problems arise due to browser related issues, you need to first refresh the site. For this, press CTRL + F5 keys at the same time on your browser i.e. Firefox, Explorer, Chrome etc. 
• You can also try using alternative urls such as m.outook.com to open the Microsoft Outlook application. 
• You can also try deleting the temporary cache and cookies on your browser. This is advised in order to make sure that you are using the most recent version of the web page. At any point of time, you can also contact the Outlook tech support team to get more information on clearing the cache files. 

DNS problems

• DNS or a Domain Name System enables the identification of a site IP address (192.168.x.x) with words (*.com) so that it can be remembered easily by the users. The DNS services are usually provided by the Internet Service Providers.
• So, if the issue in Outlook is related to Outlook, you can first clear your local DNS cache and enable the most recent cache that your ISP has. If you are using Windows OS, you can click on Start, Command Prompt and then type "ipconfig /flushdns". Now, press Enter.
• Sometimes, you may be able to access a specific website at office or from a 3G network, but it may not work on your computer. In such cases, it is always recommended to use an alternative DNS service different from that provided by your ISPs. You can consider using OpenDNS or Google Public DNS as both these are excellent and free public DNS services.
• But before changing the DNS, make sure the Outlook issue is caused due to it.

These steps can help in troubleshooting and fixing the Outlook issues, where you cannot access the application. To get more information on the Outlook features, feel free to dial our 24/7 technical support number.

Why You Should Upgrade To Windows 7?

Since Microsoft has ended the support for Windows XP, it is better to upgrade to the more advanced versions of the OS i.e. Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. But if you find the Windows 8 and 8.1 features to be complicated, switching over to Windows 7 is the only viable option. This is because Windows 7 ranks among the simpler yet advanced versions of the OS along with Windows XP.

If you are using SolidWorks to design products, using Windows 7 can be a great option. SolidWorks is a 3D computer aided design program, which enables users to easily transform new ideas into great products. This advanced design program is compatible to run on a Microsoft Windows platform, and used by many engineers and designers around the world. Now, the latest update of the program is ready to get launched and the users who run Windows 7 in their systems will find it much easier to operate. According to Windows 7 help, it is recommended to upgrade the computer hardware to 64 bit technology and use the Windows 7 64-bit OS to enjoy a convenient computing experience. Thus, upgrading from XP and Vista to Windows 7 will definitely help the designers in their work.

As stated by the Windows 7 help, some of the benefits of using Windows 7 computers with the latest update of SolidWorks include:

• The first and foremost thing you will experience is an increase in the performance of your computer as compared to the earlier cases when Vista and XP used to run in your system.
• You will also be able to notice improved stability of your system with higher memory limits and minimal storage issues.
• The functionality of the computer would have been increased to suit the 64-bit environment.
• The best aspect is that now you will be able to customize your computer more easily. This includes arranging programs and files at a mouse click with revised task bars, jump lists, file previews, and even setting up alert notifications.
• As mentioned earlier, Microsoft Windows 7 is much simpler to use and more responsive when compared to the earlier versions such as XP and Vista.

So, instead of still relying on Vista or XP operating system in your computer, upgrade your computer to Windows 7. This way, you will be able to enjoy a more sophisticated experience with complete cyber security protection from Microsoft.

Making A Call Using Windows Live Messenger

Windows Live Messenger is an application released by Microsoft, which helps the users to be in touch with friends and relatives no matter in which part of the world they live. It is easy to make calls using this Windows Live messenger application. Well, given below are some easy instructions given by the Windows online support team to make a call using the program.

Instructions

• Start the process by opening the Windows Live Messenger application in your system by accessing the Start menu.
• Then, you need to click the button named Menu from the Windows Live Messenger window. 
• Then, click the option called Actions followed by selecting Call.
• If you need to make a call to a person who is in the contact list of your computer, then click the option called Call a Computer. Now a dialog box named Select a Contact will open in your desktop screen. Select the name of the contact that you want to call followed by clicking the button called OK. Now, you will be sending an invitation to the contact you have dialed and his computer will start ringing. This step is to call a person who is there in the contact list of your computer.
• However, if you need to call any person who is in the contact list of your phone, you need to click the option named Call a Contact’s Phone. Next step is choosing the contact that you need to make a call. This is done by selecting the name of the contact that you want to call from the dialog box named Select a Contact. Now, the phone of the person whom you have dialed will start ringing. This step is to call a person who is in the contact list of your mobile phone.
• There is an option to make calls to all people who are not in your contact list including both computer and phone. For this purpose, you need to click the option called Call a Phone.
• Now a Windows Live Dialer will be seen on your screen. Now, just enter the phone number that you want to call followed by clicking the option called Call. This step will help you to make a call to a contact that is not in your contact list.

The above said instructions will help you to make a call using the Windows Live Messenger. To know more about, contact the Windows online support center.

How To Configure Outlook To Use SkyDrive For Attachments

When it comes to sending files and attachments through email messages, users have quite a few options at their disposal. Most of the email service providers limit the maximum size of the attachment per email message. Usually this is in the 20MB size range but in some cases, it may rarely go above 30 MB or more. The users always have the option to send multiple email messages if they need to transfer files larger than this size to the recipients, but they can also use much more comfortable options.

When it comes to the Outlook.com service from Microsoft, users have two options at their disposal for sending file and email attachments. The Files to be sent can be attached directly to the email message or can be uploaded to the file hosting service SkyDrive of Microsoft. It is always better to use SkyDrive as it enables the user to bypass the attachment size per email message. The users can upload the files that they wish to share with the recipients to SkyDrive, outlook.com adds a link in the email message, and the recipient can click on this link to download the file that is uploaded in SkyDrive.

Outlook.com is set to decide whether to make use of SkyDrive to host the attachments or not. It usually does this for Office documents and attachments that are large. The user will be able to change that behavior so that SkyDrive can be used every time the user is sending attachments. The Outlook setting steps to be done to make Outlook use SkyDrive for sending attachments are explained below.

Instructions

• Turn on your PC, navigate to Outlook.com and sign into your Outlook account. 
• At the top right corner, you will be able to see the Settings button. Click on it and then select More Mail Settings from the context menu. 
• Find out Writing email and then click on the attachments there. 

To configure attachments, follow the below discussed steps.

• Always send the files using SkyDrive. 
• Send the files as attachments only. 
• Allow the Outlook program to make the selection. 

These are the Outlook setting steps to make the Outlook program use SkyDrive for sending attachments. If you have any doubts in any of the steps, you may contact our tech support team. They will help you to finish the steps successfully.

New Bug Exploit For Windows XP

Windows XP’s ndproxy.sys driver is in deep trouble as a new zero-day exploit that has been causing issues for the driver was reported by Microsoft. The Telephony API from Microsoft, whose operation involves the driver, is what Sophos, a security vendor says.

What Sophos' Paul Ducklin Says?
In a blog post, Sophos' Paul Ducklin commented, "Even though EoP (Elevation of Privilege) holes aren't directly exploitable by remote attackers, cybercriminals can combine an EoP with a conventional exploit, such as a drive-by malware attack against your browser or other content-rendering software".

No patch release

Currently there has been no patch release for the counteraction against the bug exploit. Windows 2003 and Windows XP are the main two versions of the Windows operating system that have succumbed to the bug exploits.

Tweaking the registry

For availing protection against the bug, Ducklin says that a "simple registry tweak" is all that is enough. Ducklin also says that the bug exploit that is used to full effect by the hacker could "run arbitrary code in kernel mode." He also says, "An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full administrative rights,”. He also mentioned that the kernel mode "is like being an administrator's administrator".

Upgrade from Windows XP

Therefore, to get away from all problems that a user may encounter, the best option Ducklin suggests is to use Windows versions that have had recent releases like Windows 7. With support for Windows XP already over, Microsoft urges its Windows XP customers to move forward to their latest operating systems. Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 have all been released post the arrival of Windows XP and the Windows 7 has turned out to be a runaway success with most number of users around the world.

'Interim workaround' from Microsoft

Microsoft has currently come up with an 'interim workaround' so that the problematic NDPROXY.SYS driver does not load and instead, loading of an empty driver file takes place. He also says, ”Simply deleting the file won't do, as the Windows driver cache will helpfully restore it for you. (Anyway, deleting the file is permanent and thus a hassle to reverse if it doesn't work out)".

Bug exploits can be a huge concern for customers and for them to get assurance regarding the working of their OS from Microsoft, they may contact the Windows tech support center. Windows tech support center is the premier tech support service providing Windows customers with the best solutions and assistance.

How To Setup Secure Email In Outlook

If you are an Outlook email client user, you may have to set up secure email messages in the Outlook program. If you do not know the steps to setup email in Outlook, you need not worry. This article discusses in detail the steps to setup email in Outlook program. You can follow the steps discussed below in this article to complete the setup easily and efficiently.

Instructions

• Turn on your PC and wait until it boots completely. After the computer has loaded completely, open the Microsoft Outlook program. This can be done by double clicking on the Outlook icon or selecting Outlook from the All Programs list. 
• In the Outlook window, select Tools and then go to Email Accounts. 
• You may then select the Add new email account radio button. 
• Click on the Next button. 
• As the next step, select POP3 radio button and then click on the Next button. 
• Type in the following account information, 

Your Name: your name as you need it to appear in the From field of the email messages that you send.

Email Address: youraddress@stanford.edu

Account Type: POP3

Incoming mail server: null

Outgoing mail server: smtp-secure.stanford.edu

User Name: your SUNet ID

Password: leave this field blank

Uncheck Require Secure Password Authentication (SPA)

• Click on More Settings. Doing this will open the Internet E-mail Settings window. 
• In the General tab, type in a Mail Account name that you will be able to identify easily, like Stanford Secure Email. 
• In the Outgoing Server tab, type in the following account information, 

Select the My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication checkbox.

Select the Log on radio button.

User Name: your SUNet ID

Password: leave this field blank

Uncheck the Remember password box.

Uncheck Require Secure Password Authentication (SPA) checkbox.
In the Advanced tab,

Set the Outgoing server (SMTP) to 465

Set the Use the following type of encrypted connection to SSL

• Click on the OK button. Doing this will close the Internet E-mail Settings window.
• You may now click on the Next button.
• Click on the Finish button. Your new account will be created.
• The Outlook program will automatically check all the accounts for new email messages at specific intervals. You can set the Outlook program to exclude your secure email account. In the Outlook window, select Tools> Send/Receive> Send/Receive Settings> Define Send/Receive Groups. 
• Click on the Edit button and choose your secure account.
• Uncheck the Include the selected account in this group checkbox and press the OK button. Click on the Close button.

These are the steps to setup secure email messages in the Outlook program. For further help, contact our tech support desk.