In The Know - Charles Van Heusen's Weblog

Microsoft Online Services and the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) Overview

2008-11-19T20:53:51Z

Are you trying to figure out what the move to hosted solutions means for your practice? Take a gander at the screencast that Woody Walton recorded and see if this helps fill the gaps. Its a great opportunity to expand your services and create new revenue opportunties for your business while enabling your customers to get the most out of their IT expenditures during these difficult times.

Technorati Tags: BPOS,Microsoft Online Services,Woody Walton

What is Microsoft Response Point?

2008-11-18T07:57:48Z

I was asked if I could record a basic presentation on Microsoft Response Point to provide a simple overview of it for Partners that were unable to attend a live TS2 event. This was my first shot at using the recording tools so, its a little choppy, but you'll get the jist of it. Now that I have the format down, I'll smooth out the delivery in my next set of recordings that I will publish in the next few days.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft Response Point,Screencast

Windows Mobile Offers to Support your Windows Essential Server Solutions Deployments

2008-11-12T16:08:28Z

Get rewarded for working smarter

Buy Windows Essential Server Solutions with Treo Pro™ smartphones to better run your business and receive a free Treo Pro via mail in redemption.

Between November 12, 2008 and April 30, 2009, purchase Windows Small Business Server 2008 or Windows Essential Business Server 2008 with five Client Access Licenses and Four Treo Pro smartphones and receive a Free Treo Pro smartphone.

See the Palm Treo Pro Redemption form for more information.

Mobilize your e-Mail

For a limited time, with the purchase of a Windows Small Business Server 2008 or Windows Essential Business Server 2008 solutions block from HP (supporting either Standard or Premium), you can qualify for the purchase of HP iPAQ 910s at discounted prices:

Get 5 iPAQs 910s at US $1,975 (total)
Get 10 iPAQs 910s at US $3,500 (total)

See the HP Offer flyer for more information.
Take advantage of Microsoft Financing for your HP iPAQ 910 purchases.
Offer good in the United States only.

Technorati Tags: Treo Pro,HP iPAQ 910,Windows Mobile,Windows Essentials Server Solutions

Multiply the Power with Windows Mobile and Windows Essential Server Solutions - November 12th

2008-11-06T18:25:27Z

On November 12th, Microsoft and its premier partners are launching Windows Essential Server Solutions, a new family of integrated server solutions that address the unique needs of small and midsize businesses (SMBs). During times of stationary or shrinking budgets and economic uncertainty, minimizing the redundancies and optimizing parts in your IT infrastructure can help control costs and raise productivity. With the unique challenges firms face upgrading and maintaining their IT infrastructure, smart organizations are re-evaluating their plans and expenditures and investing wisely.

This one-day event is the official launch for Windows Essential Server Solutions, which includes Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and other Microsoft executives will introduce these new products and will be joined by Mark Minasi, an independent expert and best-selling author.

Mr. Minasi, along with Microsoft executives and partners, will review the new features, functions and strategies which will help you get the most value from your existing and future technology investments. Major announcements, plus the ability to interact with Microsoft and its partners, make this a must-attend event for SMB technology and business managers as well as IT consultants and partners.

Register now!

A number of cross-segment offers have been created with Mobile Operators and OEMs, such as HP, Palm and AT&T. These offers will be available starting November 12th, and will be posted in the Windows Mobile Virtual Booth, as well as on participating Mobile Operator and OEM websites. Additional offers will be available online very soon.

Click here for more great offers!

HP: Purchase a Windows SBS 2008 or Windows EBS 2008 solution block and qualify for purchase discounts on HP iPAQ 910s! – US only

Palm: Purchase a Windows SBS 2008 or Windows EBS 2008, Five-Client Access Licenses and Four-Treo Pro smartphones, and receive Fifth Treo Pro for FREE! – available in multiple countries

AT&T: Purchase a Windows Mobile-powered Smartphone with a qualified voice and data plan and receive a $50 gift card! – US Only

VIEW THE OFFERS!

Windows Mobile is one of the major launch sponsors for the Windows Essential Server Solutions Virtual Launch Event on November 12th, giving us the opportunity to leverage all the eyeballs that this launch will get and obtain a good attach to the SBS/EBS that will sell as a result of the launch spike. The Windows Mobile virtual booth will contain deployment guides, datasheets, case studies, offers, brochures, links to useful websites, and even the opportunity chat live with booth representatives.

VISIT THE BOOTH!

The deliverables for this program can be viewed in the MCB SMB SharePoint folder titled “SBS – EBS 2008 Integration” as well as in the Windows Mobile virtual booth on Launch Day. Program deliverables include:

• Deployment Guide: Deploying Windows Mobile 6 with Windows SBS 2008

• Deployment Guide: Deploying Windows Mobile 6 with Windows EBS 2008

• Datasheet: Windows Essential Server Solutions with Windows Mobile

• Windows Mobile Case Studies

• Coming Soon - Microsoft Exchange Server Configuration Guide

DOWNLOAD THE DELIVERABLES!

Technorati Tags: Windows Mobile,SBS2008,Cougar,EBS2008,Steve Ballmer,Mark Minasi,Palm,Treo Pro

Obama Presidency: Good News or Bad News for Microsoft and Yahoo..?

2008-11-05T17:58:28Z

One of the first articles I read this morning following the announcement of Senator Obama becoming our President-elect was by CNet regarding Technology. "An Obama Presidency, Good, bad news for Technology", What caught my eye was the mention of the first Chief Technology Officer (CTO), position in the US History as a cabinet position and that Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, as a top candidate for that position. On one side of the coin, I see this as a great step for the "Change" we've heard so much about in the campaigning over the last 12+ months, by providing the Legislative branch with some leadership that fully grasps the possibilities technology and innovation can bring to the U.S. economy. On the other side of the coin, as a Microsoft employee, I have to wonder how impartial Erick will be as a long time competitor and rival of Microsoft, can Eric be impartial in such a role or will this lead to turmoil for Microsoft and Yahoo for the next four years?

Well, only time will tell and we have to wait until January to learn more about it.

Technorati Tags: Obama,Google,Yahoo,Microsoft,Eric Schmidt

Are you Ready to get Virtualized?

2008-10-10T17:16:09Z

Join Microsoft for the upcoming Virtualization Roadshow to learn about the latest ways to save your customers money. At these events, you won't just attend a lecture, you'll get the chance for hands on training with the latest in virtualization technology as well as be able to take home a copy of the software when you are done.

Here is what you walk away in addition to the knowledge and hands on experience:

A one-year evaluation copy of Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008
A copy of Understanding Microsoft Virtualization from the Desktop to the Data Center, by Mitch Tulloch**
Vouchers for Microsoft Server Virtualization Certification exam (70-652) and preparation course (a $316 value)

To learn more about the events near you, check out the city list below.

Date	City	Venue
October 10, 2008	Anaheim , CA	Hyatt Regency Orange County
October 13, 2008	Santa Clara , CA	Hyatt Regency Santa Clara
October 15, 2008	San Francisco , CA	San Francisco Marriott
October 21, 2008	Minneapolis , MN	Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
October 24, 2008	Dallas , TX	Dallas Sheraton
October 27, 2008	Chicago , IL	InterContinental Chicago
October 31, 2008	Boston , MA	Boston Sheraton
November 3, 2008	New York , NY	Sheraton Hotel & Towers
November 10, 2008	Washington , DC	Omni Shoreham Hotel
November 13, 2008	Philadelphia , PA	Sheraton Philadelphia City Center
November 17, 2008	Atlanta , GA	Marriott Atlanta Marquis

Technorati Tags: Virtualization

Microsoft TechDays 08 - Coming to Orange County, CA November 11th. Be there or be left behind.

2008-10-07T18:52:26Z

Orange County Partners - Register now for Microsoft TechDays ’08

If your business is fueled by technology, TechDays '08 is an event you won't want to miss. Loaded with exclusive product information presented by insider experts, TechDays '08 is designed to show developers, IT professionals, IT executives, and partners how Microsoft technology can take their business to the next level.

Whether you attend just one day or all three, you'll walk away with a greater understanding of the business value of Microsoft's technology solutions. Plus, you'll have the chance to take a closer look at Microsoft's latest development tools. Check out the tracks to the right and register for these exciting sessions today!

City	Day	Date	Event Name
Orange County	Tuesday	11/11/2008	TechDays '08: Microsoft Licensing and Solution Update - Partner Track
Orange County	Tuesday	11/11/2008	TechDays ’08: SQL Roadshow - IT Pro Track
Orange County	Tuesday	11/11/2008	TechDays '08: What's New for Developers - Developer Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: TechNet Event - Windows Vista, PowerShell and Group Policy - IT Pro Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: MSDN Event - Silverlight 2.0, SQL Server 2008, and VSTO - Developer Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: SB2 - Solution Building for System Builders - Partner Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: TS2 Partner Event - SBS/EBS 2008, Response Point, and S+S! - Partner Track
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays '08: TechDays ’08: Virtualization and Enterprise Search - IT Pro Track
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays ’08: A Solution Briefing and Lunch for IT and Business Executives
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays '08: The Role of the Architect: Today and in the Future - Developer Track
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays '08: Microsoft Dynamics ERP Briefing - Dynamics Partner Track

Technorati Tags: events

Maximize the value of your Microsoft Dynamics Solution

2008-09-26T16:26:51Z

The Microsoft Dynamics Customer Roadshow is coming to a location near you!

With today’s economic challenges, maximizing the capabilities of your Microsoft Dynamics business management solution is more important than ever. Join Microsoft Dynamics specialists for this exciting event and learn firsthand how you can best leverage and expand your current solution—to maximize

productivity and profitability.

To register and for more information, visit Microsoft Dynamics Customer Roadshow Live Space at http://dynamicsroadshow.spaces.live.com or contact your Microsoft partner. The event is free, but attendance at each event is limited, so be sure to register today!

For those of you who are not currently resellers of Dynamics products, did you know that the largest consumer of Microsoft stack solutions are Dynamics customers. It's worth your time to attend, learn about new opportunities for your business as well as identify other key partners in the area that you can affiliate with to cross sell solutions.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft CRM,Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Response Point receives praises from ZDNet at ITExpo Conference

2008-09-25T17:39:19Z

There is more positive feedback on the Microsoft Response Point solution at the recent ITExpo Conference by John Carroll of ZDNet.

You can read the full article by click Thoughts on Microsoft Response Point , here is the summary of his post.

"Generally, I found the Response Point product interesting in ways more complicated solutions on display at the conference did not. It does a good job of pulling legos out of the Microsoft software toolchest and putting them together in an interesting way, something at which I can’t say every department within the company is equally skilled. It’s also an interesting approach to telephony of a kind that we will see a lot more in the future. The hardest part of breaking the hold traditional telephony has on the average consumer is breaking through the “ease of use” barrier. Something like this helps to popularize an end-to-end digital solution, which is an important step in the evolution away from traditional phone service."

Technorati Tags: response Point

Security Advisory for your customers eCard invite and Greeting Card SPAM is on the rise

2008-09-19T17:00:08Z

I thought I should pass on this tidbit of information that was raised by the internal IT team at Microsoft regarding the issue and the fact that it is not a virus so it is not detected by traditional antivirus software. The bad news is that the only way to be certain to clear it off your system is to wipe and reimage your machines. At least that is the instructions they are giving us.

Here are more details:

Description
It’s on the rise again….the popular greeting card scam is being leveraged as a vehicle for seeding malware. Many will recognize it, as this social engineering angle certainly is not new and can be dated back to the mid to late 1990’s however please be advised that miscreants are running this sting again as we have received many reports lately.

Affected Users
Because there are no attachments included in the email, just URL’s to malicious sites, the email could successfully bypass security checkpoints and be delivered to your in box.
Impact
Looking closely at the URL’s you will typically see one pointing to an executable file which is malicious. As of late the files are containing Trojans or spyware designed as a back door to your system or to collect personal, corporate confidential information and data for monetary purposes. Another tall tale sign in these spamming efforts are misspelled words or improper English in the emails.

Information & Support
As this is not a virus, so traditional antivirus software will not detect it. Like with any suspicious email, simply don’t open it and delete it unread.

It isn’t a virus, but it does contain your typical host of mal/spy/adware, and opens your machine up to bot usage. There is no cure for it through official channels at this time. You should do a wipe and load if you are affected. Data is not compromised.

Technorati Tags: spam,malware,adware

The Big Easy Offer is Back!

2008-08-28T19:10:25Z

The Big Easy Offer 2.0

Partner feedback about the original “The Big Easy Offer” that ended in June 2008 was so positive that we are pleased to announce “The Big Easy Offer 2.0”. The Big Easy Offer 2.0 covers most of the core Microsoft products and solutions you sell to your small and midsize customers. When your customers make a qualifying purchase they will receive partner subsidy dollars to be used toward purchasing more products and services for a more complete solution.

Please read on for the details of The Big Easy Offer 2.0 for partners. When talking to your customers about this offer, please refer to the information on our Microsoft Incentives site at http://www.MicrosoftIncentives.com/bigeasy.

Promotion Dates:

August 25, 2008 through December 31, 2008

Target Customer Audiences:

Small and midsize organizations, both commercial and government

Products Included:

• Designer and Developer Tools (Microsoft Expression, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Visual Studio Team)
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• Microsoft Forefront Security Products (ISA Server, Forefront Security for Exchange, Forefront Security for SharePoint)
• Microsoft Office Communications Server
• Microsoft Office System (Small Business, Professional Plus, Enterprise)
• Microsoft Project and Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Systems Center (Configuration Manager, Essentials)
• Microsoft Windows Server System (Windows Server, Small Business Server)

Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs and License Agreement Types:

This promotion is available for the following Volume Licensing programs and license agreement types:

Open License: Corporate and Government (specific products)
Open Value: Corporate

Software Maintenance Options:

Software Assurance is required for this promotion.

Microsoft Software Assurance for Volume Licensing provides upgrades, new versions of software, and technical support to customers. Software Assurance benefits vary with each Volume Licensing program. In addition, server licenses come with benefits that are different from those for desktop licenses.

Customer Eligibility Requirements:

Customers must make a qualifying purchase as defined in the offer Terms and Conditions, which are available at http://www.microsoftincentives.com/bigeasy.

Technorati Tags: Big Easy,Licensing

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Released To Manufacturer Today!

2008-08-22T02:47:09Z

If you have heard the good news by now, well here it is! The Gold Code is on its way to Manufacturers to start burning to those precious DVDs and CDs!

On August 21^st, Windows® Small Business Server 2008 was released to manufacturing (RTM) so now is a great time to get ready to sell the newest release of this award-winning productivity suite for small businesses.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 is the first suite of the Windows Essential Server Solutions family to RTM and will be followed by Windows Essential Business Server 2008 in the near future. Designed and priced specifically for small and midsize businesses, Windows Essential Server Solutions are the right choice for customers that are growing out of their peer-to-peer networks, upgrading hardware and software, migrating from older, legacy platforms, or needing to unify disparate IT infrastructure.

With Windows Small Business Server 2008 the developers have listened to your feedback and made significant changes in the technology that not only enhances the customer experience (improved Remote Web Workplace, Exchange 2007, SharePoint Services 3.0), but also provide you more opportunities make more money (Terminal Services remote solutions, building websites with Office Live, deploying Mobility solutions, etc). This is the best version of SBS for customers, and this release is Partner-Ready too!
The official product launch is November 12, 2008 so don't wait. Your first opportunity to learn more will be at the upcoming free SBS Partner Group Tour. During September we’re taking the developers on the road to fifteen cities to show you the new product and answer your questions. You don’t want to miss this one!

So get ready to take advantage of the new sales and service opportunities Windows Small Business Server 2008 will provide. For more information on:

· 30+ Technical Webcasts (virtualization, migration, terminal services, etc)

· Demos highlighting key enhancements

· Sales & marketing resources

Simply visit the Windows Small Business Server 2008 Partner Portal to get started today.

Designed for small businesses with up to 50 employees, Windows Small Business Server 2008 is an affordable, integrated server solution that helps protect business data and increase productivity. With features like e-mail, Internet connectivity, internal Web sites, remote access, support for mobile devices, file and printer sharing, backup, and restore, Small Business Server 2008 gives customers the tools they need to help grow their businesses. Learn more

Designed for midsize businesses with 50 to 250 employees, Windows Essential Business Server 2008 combines software for management, messaging, and security features into one integrated affordable server solution designed to dramatically reduce IT complexity and improve efficiency across the business, putting IT in control. It’s the perfect combination for midsize businesses wanting to run an enterprise-class network without the complexities associated with an enterprise-class network. Learn more

Help protect your PC from viruses, spyware, and future threats at www.microsoft.com/protect

Technorati Tags: Cougar,Windows Small Business Server 2008

SBS2008 Licensing change! Premium Edition will contain a full version of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition!

2008-08-12T19:27:53Z

This is some great news coming out of the product team that is worth sharing.

Today, we closed on a change to the POR for Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition:

Instead of including Windows Server 2008 “Small Business” Edition, SBS Premium now includes Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition.

We will be shipping the exact ISOs that Windows Server RTM’ed. The only noticeable difference to the end customer will be the label that’s printed on the disc itself as part of packaging. Additionally, Standard Edition does not contain technical enforcement that requires the 2^nd server to be joined to the SBS domain; However, the customer will still legally be required to join the server to the domain as part of the EULA.

This is a great thing for the SBS ecosystem: it makes our end customers scenarios around virtualization and app compat stronger, and it’s also a big win from a long-term engineering strategy.

This change is driving the following changes into the product -- all are in progress and will not affect our RTM date.

- The core EULA displayed in SBS Server #1 is changing (that’s going into tonight’s build)

- We will be adding a paper copy of the EULA into Premium box (that happens during manufacturing)

- The Product Use Rights (PUR) agreement is changing (kicked off this morning; will be complete before the PUR goes live).

As more news filters down, I'll make sure I pass it along....

Charles

Technorati Tags: Windows Small Business Server 2008,Cougar

TS2 August Event Line up!

2008-08-12T15:21:50Z

TS2 is excited to launch a new series of events in August that are focused on getting Partners prepared to sell Microsoft solutions. Overall, we will be hosting 40 of our “traditional” events as well as 4 “Technology Week” pilot events (Dates an locations to be announced shortly). For those coming up in August, see below to register and attend the event!

Date	City	State	Click here to register!
8/19/2008	Jacksonville	FL	TS2
8/19/2008	Chicago	IL	TS2
8/21/2008	Columbia	SC	TS2
8/21/2008	St. Louis	MO	TS2
8/26/2008	New York	NY	TS2
8/26/2008	Des Moines	IA	TS2
8/28/2008	Edison	NJ	TS2
8/28/2008	Kansas City	MO	TS2

Partners – Attend a TS2 event!

Join us at the next TS2 event in your area, where we will focus on exciting Microsoft technologies that will broaden your portfolio of customer offerings and boost your ongoing revenues.

Our TS2 team will discuss solutions to help you promote the following products:

· Windows Server 2008

· Small Business Server 2008 & Essential Business Server 2008

· Response Point VoIP Phone System

· Software + Services

Register now! Make sure you www.MicrosoftTS2.com to meet the team, view educational webcasts, and more!

Technorati Tags: Microsoft TS2,TS2

Watch the Olympics on MSN, your Zune, Media Center PC, or Xbox!

2008-08-08T15:46:34Z

On the eve of 08.08.08 and the excitement around the XXIX Olympiad, Microsoft and NBC Sports have teamed to deliver event coverage on a scale never seen before on the Internet, let alone on TV. NBC and Microsoft will be streaming more than 3,500 hours of Olympics video to millions of online viewers in the United States, including LIVE coverage of every minute of competition from 25 sports. This is the largest media event ever done on the web, an unprecedented moment in the history of the Internet. MSN is providing distribution of NBC Olympics video content -- which lives exclusively on the MSN network -- to all of our US visitors. The site itself is designed to handle more than 2.3 terabytes/second of traffic and will provide a flawless viewing experience for customers. Silverlight 2 is the core technology behind the Olympics video player and provides the high-quality, interactive experience. The combination of this unprecedented amount of video coverage from NBC and Microsoft technology will change the way people experience live sports.

Here are all the ways you can experience the 2008 Summer Olympics from Microsoft and NBC:

· Click http://www.nbcolympics.com/video to jump right in and experience high-quality, interactive video using Silverlight. This could even be better than being in Beijing! Get amazing, crisp HD video quality on the web that’s always optimized for your connection using Silverlight’s new adaptive streaming capability, watch up to four live streams simultaneously in the same player, and get expert commentary (hot-linked so you can go back right to the exact moment that Michael Phelps touches the wall for gold) all within a rich Silverlight application running within the browser.

· Beginning tomorrow and throughout the Games, the MSN homepage will prominently feature a dynamic Olympics module which will enable people to see results (or hide them if you don’t want any spoilers), get the latest news and see exclusive video coverage. Our partnership with NBC and the world-class editorial team in MSN will make MSN the best portal for up-to-the-minute Olympics coverage.

· Get the latest medal counts by sport or by country, or find out about all 10,000 of the athletes competing in the 2008 Summer Games using the Live Search Olympics Instant Answer

· Install the new MSN Toolbar that gives you one click access to the medal tally and many other highlights.

· Beginning August 9th, Zune Marketplace will kick off a series of daily 2008 Olympic Games videos from NBC Sports, giving viewers special on-the-go access to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. For approximately 99 cents–$1.99 per episode (with post-Games content TBD), footage will include memorable highlights from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, “best of” compilations, “best match” replays and a post-Games wrap-up feature. Users will be able to download each episode onto their Zune device for viewing whenever and wherever they go.

Additionally, XBOX users will be able to purchase and download a daily wrap-up of the day’s events from NBC Sports, with a complete wrap-up at the end of the Games. And as you saw earlier today, from Windows Media Center, head for NBC Olympics On the Go service in the Online Media strip.

This was a strong cross-company effort, with many people and teams working together to make Microsoft’s and NBC’s coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games a reality. For a behind-the-scenes look at what was involved, check out the Olympics channel on onTen and CNET’s take here, along with press coverage of Microsoft’s participation in the Games, including yesterday’s Seattle Times and today’s Seattle P-I.

Check it out, tell your friends & enjoy.

Technorati Tags: 2008 Olympics,Zune,Xbox 360,MSN