Microsoft project code named Velocity provides a highly scalable in-memory application cache for all kinds of data. By using cache, you can significantly improve application performance by avoiding unnecessary calls to the data source. Distributed cache enables your application to match increasing demand with increasing throughput by using a cache cluster that automatically manages the complexities of load balancing. When you use Velocity, you can retrieve data by using keys or other identifiers, named tags. Velocity supports optimistic and pessimistic concurrency models, high availability, and a variety of cache configurations. Velocity includes an ASP.NET session provider object that enables you to store ASP.NET session objects in the distributed cache without having to write to databases, which increases the performance and scalability of ASP.NET applications.

For community technology preview 3 (CTP3), Microsoft project code named Velocity offers several enhancements and a new API. The enhancements include a cache notifications feature, performance improvements, security enhancements, and new cluster management options. There are also updates to the installation program. Perhaps the most material change for the Velocity administrator is that your options for editing the cluster configuration settings have been decoupled from your options for storing the cluster configuration settings. For more information, see the What’s New for CTP3 topic in the product documentation.

As this is a CTP release, you should not install this release on your primary development computer. Also, be aware that the features that ultimately ship with the final release of v1.5 may be different than the features included in this CTP.

The features included in this CTP are:

• Row count
• Feed customization (aka “web-friendly feeds”)
• Data binding for WPF and Silverlight 2
• Enhanced blob support
• Server-driven paging
• A new “Data Service Provider” interface for custom providers
• Various bug fixes to V1.0 features

Install Notes:
This release is separate from the Project Codename “Astoria Offline” Alpha Preview released earlier this month. Installing this CTP on the same system as the Offline release will cause a conflict and is not supported. You should not install them together.

It is possible to use this CTP with the Windows 7 Beta; however, design time support integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1 or Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition will not be available on Windows 7 Beta. Using DataSvcUtil.exe for client-side code generation will also not be available on Windows 7 Beta. You will receive a warning if you use the setup on a system with Windows 7 Beta installed indicating a file is locked but the setup will not fail.

Model-driven development is often used to indicate a development process that revolves around building applications by using models of applications and data as specifications. Using a model-driven approach means a development process and platform that enables:

• Using abstraction to view structure at the important level of detail and hiding complexity until it is needed.
• Using models – or logical data types and relationships – as the core to the development experience.
• Implementing the model-aware components such that they follow the requirements of the modeled application or business process.
• Associating models and model instances at various development stages so that model-driven development can move back and forth in the development lifecycle and maintain those relationships.
• Automation of particular application environments and artifacts so that users can more easily make use of them in the preceding ways.

The preceding points describe a development approach in which the real feature is more robust support of efficient and manageable complex application development. It is this feature that the “Oslo” modeling platform aims at: The goal of code name “Oslo” is to reduce the gap between the intention of the developer and the software components that get developed, deployed, and executed inside of the complex, widely-distributed, database-driven applications. Modeling the application means moving more of the definition of an application into the world of data, where the platform (and you) can more easily make queries as to the developer’s original intent. Microsoft technologies have been moving in this direction for over a decade now; for example, things like COM type libraries, .NET metadata attributes, and XAML have all moved increasingly toward “writing things down” directly as data and away from encoding them into a lower-level form, such as x86 or .NET intermediate language (IL) instructions. The “Oslo” modeling platform continues this progression. In short, the “Oslo” modeling platform:

• Makes it easier for people to write things down in ways that make sense for the problem domain they are working in – a common term for this is modeling.
• Makes the things that people wrote down accessible to platform components during program execution.

The “Oslo” modeling platform makes this possible by providing:

• A visual design tool (Microsoft code name “Quadrant”) that enables people to:
  • Design business processes with well-understood, flowchart-like graphics.
  • Design applications and components that comply with the requirements of those processes
  • Flip from one view back and forth to observe the effect any changes either place have on the overall validity of the application or business process.
• A modeling language (Microsoft code name “M”) that makes it natural to extend system-provided models (such as Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) or Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) models) or create your own models for use on the “Oslo” modeling platform.

  “M”:

  The Microsoft code name “M” language is a declarative language for working with data and building domain models. “M” lets users write down how they want to structure and query their data using a textual syntax that is convenient to both author and reader. “M” does not mandate how data is stored or accessed, nor does it mandate a specific implementation technology. Rather, “M” is designed to allow users to write down what they want from their data without having to specify how those requirements are met by a specific technology or platform.

• A SQL Server database (the code name “Oslo” repository) that stores models as SQL Server schema objects and model instance data as rows in the tables that implement the schema. This data is available to “Quadrant” and any other tool or data-driven application that can make use of it (and that has the appropriate permissions to do so). Whether models or model instance data is created visually, using “M”, or using any SQL data access API (for example, ADO.NET, EDM, OLE-DB, and so on) creating models and storing them in the “Oslo” repository enables future applications to examine and manipulate not only data structures used by applications but – because applications are modeled – the applications themselves, as they run. If a data-driven application has enough detailed model information, applications can run without recourse to static compilation.

  “Oslo” Repository:

  The code name “Oslo” repository provides a robust, enterprise-hardened storage location for the data models. It takes advantage of the best features of SQL Server 2008 to deliver on critical areas such as scalability, security, and performance.

Whether you create or modify model data visually, textually, or using a SQL data access technology, all of the modeling information is available in a relational database (the code name “Oslo” repository) at runtime. Some platform components are part of the System-Provided Models, which enable you to write a service or an application by populating that database with the definition of that service or application. In addition, because that data is captured in the “Oslo” repository, it is available to all kinds of tools that specialize in structured data, whether these tools are design tools like “Quadrant” or third-party tools that can sift, search, and filter the information to make available information that is very difficult to understand using current tools.

This CTP has been refreshed on the 27th February. It changes three DLLs to resolve crashing problems with three-pane modes in Intellipad.

Microsoft made a Community Technology Preview (CTP) of the SQL Server 2008 SP1 available to the testers yesterday. There is not much to say about it, expect that it has been made available for general testing purposes only, so not deploy the CTP software in a production environment.

The final release of the Service Pack 1 is expected to be in early April 2009.

The final version of the Service Pack 1 for SQL Server 2008 has been released on the 7th April 2009. Please read this post for more information and download links.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 – December 2008 CTP, formerly known as Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave”, is the first feature complete pre-release of the next version of Commerce Server.

Commerce Server 2009 delivers the ability to increase your business reach by making it possible to sell via multiple channels using an out-of-the-box shopping site, SharePoint Commerce Services, and the Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation. The new out-of-the-box shopping site leverages SharePoint Commerce Services, which provides a gallery of ASP.NET 3.5 Web Parts, a comprehensive e-commerce shopping feature-set, and technology integration between Commerce Server and SharePoint technologies. The Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation provides a new unified, extensible run-time programming model for Commerce Server, including new run-time e-commerce capabilities.

The December CTP adds the following capabilities over previous Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” releases:

• Update package from Commerce Server 2007, allowing for seamless in-place upgrade of existing deployments.
• Complete out-of-the-box e-commerce shopping site in SharePoint with new search functionality, new shopping features, and what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) content management and design experiences. This helps to facilitate rapid assembly and maintenance of e-commerce Web sites by business users and creative professionals.

Important: Install this pre-release version of Commerce Server 2009 into a non-production environment, preferably on a clean machine, to learn more about the run-time Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation and the SharePoint Commerce Services. This release is for evaluation purposes only and is not intended to be used in a production environment.

You must uninstall all previous Commerce Server CTP versions. Leveraging a clean system that has never had a previous version of a Commerce Server CTP installed upon it is strongly recommended.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 on Connect

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Microsoft CAT.NET is a binary code analysis tool that helps identify common variants of certain prevailing vulnerabilities that can give rise to common attack vectors such as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection and XPath Injection.

CAT.NET is a snap-in to the Visual Studio IDE that helps you identify security flaws within a managed code (C#, Visual Basic .NET, J#) application you are developing. It does so by scanning the binary and/or assembly of the application, and tracing the data flow among its statements, methods, and assemblies. This includes indirect data types such as property assignments and instance tainting operations. The engine works by reading the target assembly and all reference assemblies used in the application – module-by-module – and then analyzing all of the methods contained within each. It finally displays the issues its finds in a list that you can use to jump directly to the places in your application’s source code where those issues were found.

The following rules are currently supported by this version of the tool:

• Cross Site Scripting
• SQL Injection
• Process Command Injection
• File Canonicalization
• Exception Information
• LDAP Injection
• XPATH Injection
• Redirection to User Controlled Site

Microsoft Commerce Server code name “Mojave” delivers the ability to increase your business reach by selling through multiple channels through a new default out-of-the-box shopping site based on ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts deployed in SharePoint and other SharePoint commerce services, and a compelling new multi-channel commerce foundation, with a new unified run-time calling model, new extensibility points, and new built-in features.

Specifically Commerce Server code name “Mojave” adds:

• New multi-channel commerce foundation, superseding the existing Commerce Server programming model, to rapidly build extensible e-commerce applications for the Web and beyond by using Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1+.
• SharePoint commerce services, including 29 out-of-the-box e-commerce Web parts plus integration between Commerce Server code name “Mojave” and SharePoint offering a new Default out-of-the-box site with new search functionality, new shopping features, and what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) content management and design experiences to facilitate rapid assembly and maintenance of e-commerce Web sites by business users and creative professionals.

The following lists what’s new for this CTP release:

• Renamed classes in contracts and message builders. Most core classes in Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” have been prefixed with the term Commerce (for example, Query becomes CommerceQuery, Relationship becomes CommerceRelationship, and so on). This also affects message handlers in the ChannelConfiguration.config file (for example, QueryOperation_Category becomes CommerceQueryOperation_Category).
• Renamed Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” pipeline components. The term “pipeline” has been replaced with “operation sequence”. This affects the naming of several components within the provider assembly (for example, PipelineComponent becomes OperationSequenceComponent).
• Method for returning object created/updated in an operation has changed. Related create and update operations no longer contain an Options member. This has been replaced with CommerceCreate.Options.ReturnModelQueries and CommerceUpdate.Options.ReturnModelQueries. This lets you populate the relationships of the item returned by a create or update operation in the same way you would by executing a query operation. The CommerceQueryRelatedItem operations are added to ReturnModelQueries, and then processed as if a query were being executed when building the response for a create or update operation.
• A new option was added to the Basket query operation to allow skipping execution of the Commerce Server 2007 basket pipelines.
• Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” multi-channel commerce foundation has been updated with removal of type.
• Inclusion of the core elements of the Default site.
• Compiled Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” Help File (CHM) Documentation has been updated.

To install this CTP, you need to have Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 with Service Pack 2 installed. Detailed setup instructions can be found in the ReadMe file. You must UNINSTALL all previous Commerce Server CTP versions before you install this November 2008 CTP. Leveraging a clean system that has never had a previous version of Commerce Server CTP installed upon it is strongly recommended.

Microsoft Commerce Server “Mojave” on Connect

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

About Microsoft Services Connector
Microsoft Services Connector is a server component that enables you to quickly and easily connect groups of users in your organization to Microsoft services and to services built on the Microsoft services infrastructure. With the connector, your users can seamlessly access Microsoft services by using the Active Directory® credentials that you control.

As a Community Technology Preview (CTP), this early release includes software and documentation that is in a preliminary state and is not intended for use in a production context.

Contents of the CTP Release
This release includes the following:

• Microsoft Services Connector CTP software package (MSCInstaller.exe)
• Microsoft Services Connector Administrator’s Guide (MSCAdminGuide.doc)
• Release notes (MSCRelNotes.rtf)

Microsoft Services Connector on Connect

This package contains a ZIP of the Mojave October CTP unit tests. While the Visual Studio project will not open, please feel free to use this source as guidance on how to invoke the Mojave API.

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Mojave October CTP Sample Sitelet

ASP.NET-Based Mojave Sample Sitelet Notes
This sample sitelet demonstrates a simple example of how to write code using Commerce Server “Mojave”. The sample will be updated with additional functionality. Please check back for new drops of this sample.

Installing the ASP.NET-Based Sample Sitelet
You unpack the Sample Site Sitelet using Commerce Server Site Packager.
Use the following procedure to install the ASP.NET-based Sample Sitelet on one computer using the Quick mode in Site Packager.
Unpacking the ASP.NET-based Sample Sitelet using the Custom unpack option and creating independent databases for each of the site resources is not recommended.

To unpack the ASP.NET-Based Sample Sitelet

1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the directory you download the package.
2. Click the SampleSite.pup icon.
3. In the Unpack screen, select Quick Unpack, and then click Next.
4. In the Quick Unpack screen, ensure that the SQL Server computer name is correct, enter the SQL Server login name and password, and then click Next.
5. In the Commerce Server Site Packager window recommending Windows Authentication, click OK.
6. In the Profiling System screen, accept the defaults, and then click Next.
7. In the second Profiling System screen, accept the defaults, and then click OK.
8. After the unpacking is complete, a dialog box appears with the message “Unpacking is complete!”. Click Finish.
9. In Internet Explorer, in the Address box, type HTTP: //<computer name>/SampleSite to open the sitelet.
10. In Visual Studio 2008, open the web site, HTTP: //<computer name>/SampleSite
11. Press F5 to build the web site.

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Since this is the very first public CTP, the release is not yet feature complete. This CTP is intended to provide you with a preview of the new commerce foundation API. Early next week, Microsoft will be posting a new download that contains a “hello world” sample and additional instructions for using this CTP.

The release also contains the latest SharePoint web parts available for preview, however it does not include the default SharePoint site that hosts the web parts. To use the web parts, you will need to manually configure the web parts in a SharePoint site.

What features are included in this CTP?

• “Mojave” API
• Updated with removal of type
• “Mojave” Catalog System Web Parts
• “Mojave” Orders System Web Parts
• “Mojave” Marketing System Web Parts
• “Mojave” Profiles System Web Parts
• Compiled “Mojave” Help File (CHM) Documentation

To install this CTP, you need to have Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 with Service Pack 2 installed. Detailed setup instructions can be found in the ReadMe file.

Microsoft Commerce Server “Mojave” on Connect

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

In addition, Microsoft also released a CTP of Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP Embedded. This is a rollup of hot fixes and security updates Microsoft has released since the RTM of Service Pack 2. SP3 also includes select out-of-band features and enhancements. SP3 provides a new baseline for customers deploying Windows XP Embedded.

Sign up for the Windows Embedded CTP here: https://connect.microsoft.com/windowsembedded