Matevž Gačnik's Weblog

During exploration of high availability (HA) features of Windows Server AppFabric Distributed Cache I needed to generate enough load in a short timeframe. You know, to kill a couple of servers.

This is what came out of it.

It's a simple command line tool, allowing you to:

• Add millions of objects of arbitrary size to the cache cluster (using cache.Add())
• Put objects of arbitraty size to cache cluster
• Get objects back
• Remove objects from cache
• Has cluster support
• Has local cache support
• Will list configuration
• Will max out you local processors (using .NET 4 Parallel.For())
• Will perform graceously, even in times of trouble

I talked about this at a recent Users Group meeting, doing a live demo of cache clusters under load.

Typical usage scenario is:

1. Configure a HA cluster
   Remember, 3 nodes minimum, Windows Server 2008 (R2) Enterprise or DataCenter
2. Configure a HA cache
3. Edit App.config, list all available servers
4. Connect to cluster
5. Put a bunch of large objects (generate load)
   Since AppFabric currently supports only partitioned cache type, this will distribute load among all cluster hosts. Thus, all hosts will store 1/N percent of objects.
6. Stop one node
7. Get all objects back
   Since cache is in HA mode, you will get all your objects back, even though a host is down - cluster will redistribute all the missing cache regions to running nodes.

You can download the tool here.

On Monday, 05/18/2009 I'm speaking at Document Interop Initiative in London, England.

Title of the talk is: High Fidelity Programmatic Access to Document Content, which will cover the following topics:

• Importance of OOXML as a standards based format, especially in technical issues of long term storage for document content preservation
• Importance of legal long term storage for document formats
• Signature and timestamp benefits of long term XML formats
• Performance and actual cost analysis of using publicly-parsable formats
• Benefits of having a high fidelity programmatic access to document content, backed with standardization

The event is held at Microsoft Limited, Cardinal Place, 100 Victoria Street SW1E 5JL, London.

Update: Here's the presentation.

I'm sorry it took a week, but here we go.

This is my exit content from Bleeding Edge 2008. I'm also posting complete conference contents, just in case.

Thanks go out to Dušan, Dejan, Miha, Miha and Miha.

Downloads:

• Middle Tier Design Unleashed: PPT & Code
• Complete Conference: PPT & Code

Remark: PPT in Slovene only. Code international.

Thank you for attending. Hope to see you next year!

There is some serious pain going on when you need to add a simple custom document property into multiple Word 2007 text areas.

Say you have a version property that you would need to update using the document property mechanics. And say you use it in four different locations inside your document.

• There is no ribbon command for it. There was a menu option in Word 2003 days.
• There is no simple way of adding to The Ribbon. You have to customize the Quick Access Toolbar and stick with ugly, limited use icons forever or so.
• You need to choose All commands in Customize Quick Access Toolbar to find Insert Field option.
• This is not the only limiting option for a power user. The number of simplifications for the casual user is equal to the number of limitations for the power user. And yes, I know, casual users win the number battle.

So:

1. Right click The Ribbon and select Customize Quick Access Toolbar
2. Select All Commands and Insert Field
3. Add it to Custom Quick Access Toolbar
4. Click the new icon
5. In Field names select DocProperty
6. Select your value, in this example Version

Yes. Ease of use.

Please, give me an option to get my menus and keyboard shortcuts back.

Pretty please.

WS-RM 1.1 is finished. GoodTimes^tm.

OASIS published two specs:

• WS-ReliableMessaging 1.1
• WS-ReliableMessaging Policy Assertions 1.1

WCF, as it turns out, will have support for WS-RM 1.1 implementation in Orcas. On this note, there is a new CTP out this week.

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, $499.

Apple iPhone, $599.

Jobs and Gates sitting together. Priceless.

Well, it took me awhile to figure out, but here's a way to bring back the dialog which allows you to resize image attachments you send in Outlook 2007.

It's hidden the behind right arrow of the Include box. Right here:

I knew it must be there somewhere. And it is, it's just a click away.

It must be me, but I was looking for this option for a couple of months. It was one of my beloved features in Outlook 2003, since sending snapshots of something allowed me to get them down from 5MB to 100kb by just clicking an option.

There is a special checkbox called 'Show when attaching files' there.

Turn it on. Now.

Who decided it's a good thing to leave this thing off by default?

Microsoft is currently kicking Apple's ass.

Well, this was a bold statement. Let me rephrase.

Microsoft is winning the battle for the living room. It is well known, that whoever wins this battle is going to win the war for 'Complete Media Experience'. Microsoft's strategy is based on Xbox 360, Zune, Windows Media Center and Windows Vista.

On November 22^nd one will be able to watch a TV show, sync with Zune, play music/games and stream videos on an Xbox.

Apple should be doing this, but they are late in the game. A full screen iPod is lagging. So is iTV. There is still no product in the public pipeline that could compete with Media Center. It's video offering is, at this time, shameful.

It's going to be a fun 2007.

-- This post was written on my iMac. Just to balance out the subjectivity.