August 2008 - Posts
Partners, If you don't subscribe to this one your should. Great article worth re-posting and one you should read.
http://www.crn.com/small-business/210002207
Microsoft's SBS 2008 Shows Better, Faster, Stronger
By Mario Morejon, ChannelWeb
5:00 PM EDT Fri. Aug. 15, 2008
From the August 15, 2008 issue of VARBusiness
Unmistakably, Microsoft has done it again with Small Business Server 2008. In fact, Small Business Server 2008 might just shake up the managed service provider landscape—not only with market muscle but also with many great features all built into one product.
Almost from its inception, SBS has been about centralizing and simplifying server management, and that idea is still at the core of Microsoft's design. With SBS 2008, small VARs can take advantage of Windows Server 2008 features without having to deal with many of its advanced features. Microsoft's push for 64-bit in Windows Server 2008 shouldn't scare anyone either, because the new 64-bit OS won't affect any of the functionality of existing network devices or applications running on it.
SBS 2008 is offered in two versions, the main difference being that one comes with SQL Server. With SQL Server, VARs can develop or integrate line-of-business applications. Customers with applications that use SQL Server can benefit as well. Porting applications into an SBS box allows small businesses to consolidate servers and simplify management over time.
Installation is far simpler in this edition. Microsoft developers automated many settings during installation by using Windows Server 2008's method of providing easy-to-install roles, features and command scripts and tools. Test Center reviewers needed only to enter basic networking options to get up and running. The rest was done automatically.
The Windows 2008 Server Manager says it all. SBS installs with many out-of-the-box server roles like DNS server, Network Policy and Access, including a group policy management feature and many other server configurations. Without a doubt, SBS takes advantage of many great new features in Windows Server 2008.
The new SBS Console has lots more information and it's much more interactive than SBS 2003. But Microsoft has done more than revamp the UI. The console provides key actionable information that helps VARs identify many problems at customer sites in realtime.
For instance, VARs can receive security information from the Windows Server 2008 firewall. Microsoft offers Windows Live OneCare in SBS for detecting malware. With OneCare, VARs also can receive information about malware on a network.
A new reporting tool simplifies combing through logs and event messages, and SBS also generates reports on the fly. The information comes from the underlying technologies used by Windows Server 2008, and SBS combines the information into easy-to-read views.
Adding and configuring users is more intuitive than using the AD interface. All of the features are in a role as shown on a Task pane on the right side of the workspace. Just by looking at the tasks, even VARs new to SBS will be able to figure out what they can and cannot do with a feature.
Some of the more advanced network features have been automated as well. VARs can add self-issued Web server certificates, turn on VPNs and configure printers and other network devices from the console.
Backup is also a lot simpler to manage. There's no need to do long tape backups anymore. The entire backup process is completely automated. The new technology looks at all the disks and copies files block by block to an external drive much faster than its predecessor. In its default setting, the backup tool is scheduled to back up twice a day.
Setting up file services is straightforward and doesn't require any knowledge of Windows Server. What's more, SBS 2008 arrives with Exchange 2007 and Forefront Security for Exchange. However, the Exchange console is still the same. Configuring the e-mail server is just as complex.
Downsides? It's a good product, but we still wanted more.
Integrating tool and server UIs into SBS would make the product far superior and more competitive with MSP platforms. Vendors like Kaseya Corp., Level Platforms Inc. and N-able Technologies Inc. already integrate many enterprise features into a single UI. With SBS, VARs have to jump between the SBS Console and other server products to manage customers' infrastructures.
This is some great news coming out of the product team that is worth sharing.
Yesterday, 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 2nd 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).
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 21st, 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
https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40011133?campaign_type=blog&campaign=msaa_ts2_blog&landing_page=SolutionAcc_Virtualsuite_MSPP
Many Microsoft Partners are looking for guidance and best practices to help their customers move to Windows Server 2008. The Solution Accelerators team at Microsoft has recently released a new suite of free guides and toolkits that you can use to expertly help customers migrate to the new server OS.
Solution Accelerators for Windows Server 2008 give you the in-depth knowledge, best practices, and automated tools you need to build a new Windows Server 2008 business – ahead of your competitors.
Using these free guides and toolkits, you can help customers throughout the entire life cycle of Windows Server 2008: from assessing the readiness of their infrastructure -- all the way to securing, deploying, and operating Windows Server 2008.
Check out these free Solution Accelerators for Windows Vista and Office 2007!
https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40011132?campaign_type=blog&campaign=msaa_ts2_blog&landing_page=SolutionAcc_Virtualsuite_MSPP
You’ll get tested guidance, pre-configured security settings, and automated security deployment tools to keep your customers’ desktops virus-free.
Be the expert –and win customer trust in the process. The Virtualization Solution Accelerator suite of tools and guides can help you deliver an end-to-end virtualization strategy and create efficient, flexible, and cost-effective solutions for your customers.
What’s New
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator 3.1
Say goodbye to long and protracted presales phases that don’t yield closed deals. Use the newly released Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 to help accelerate presales assessments and planning for all kinds of projects, including Windows Vista, the 2007 Microsoft Office system, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, and Microsoft SQL Server. Find network-wide assessments and customer-ready proposals out of the box.
https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40011138?campaign_type=blog&campaign=msaa_ts2_blog&landing_page=SolutionAcc_Virtualsuite_MSPP
There are many other features out here for you to utilize like RSS feeds and Case Studies!
Small Business PC Campaign
Capitalize on new business opportunities with the Small Business PC Campaign. Offer your customer the complete small business PC featuring Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1, Microsoft Office Small Business 2007, Windows SBS 2003 R2, and Windows Live OneCare.
Take advantage of the opportunities made available by the recent launch of Microsoft software and strong growth in small business.
- Anticipate 400 million PCs sold in first 24 months after Windows Vista® launch
- Installed base of 220 million Windows Vista Capable PCs ready for upgrade
- 10% year-over-year growth of small business and consumer PC
Help make your customers get it done, easier, with the small business PC – includes Windows Vista® Ultimate with Service Pack 1, Office Small Business 2007, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 and Windows Live OneCare. The small business PC has essential business programs the customers need to:
- Work more efficiently. Save time by instantly finding and organizing their information and automating PC maintenance tasks.
- Back up and better protect customer data. Help protect valuable business data with scheduled data backup, plus virus and malware protection.
- Market and sell. Manage customer information in one place, and create professional documents and marketing materials in house.
- Stay connected. Easily connect, communicate, and network with people and information—whether they are in the office or on the road.
- Keep their network reliable and security-enhanced. Help protect the business and the network from unauthorized users, threats and data loss with the most security-enhanced and reliable technology.
Here is the link for our Partners! http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentPage.aspx?pageid=561756
Through December 26, Value Added Resellers can earn up to 30% in rebates on new Open Value purchases including Open Value licenses and Open Value subscriptions purchased through Microsoft Authorized Distribution Partners.
EARN UP TO 30% IN REBATES ON YOUR NEW OPEN VALUE SALES
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OFFER
Back by popular demand, the Open Value Rebate is back. The Open Value rebate program delivers great value for you to grow your business with Microsoft. This program pays on most products sold through the Microsoft Open Value and Open Value Subscription program. With this offer, each partner can earn up to 30% of Microsoft Estimated Retail Price (“ERP”) in rebates from Microsoft for qualifying purchases.
HURRY, THIS OFFER IS LIMITED AND EXCLUSIVE
This offer is exclusive to US Value Added Resellers (“VAR”) that purchase Open Value 2.0 through Microsoft Authorized Distribution Partners. To find a Microsoft Authorized Distributor, visit here.
Now through December 26, 2008 VAR’s can earn up to 30% in rebates on new Open Value purchases. Simply sign up for this promotion, purchase a qualifying Open Value agreement(s) and start earning your rebate dollars. For details and restrictions, see the Terms and Conditions.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE YOUR REBATE
Carefully review the complete program terms and conditions, and sign up for the rebate program before or after placing an order from the Open Value 2.0 Price List.
You will need a Windows Live ID (Microsoft Passport) to access the site. Provide your reseller name/address and select the email permission information check box. Microsoft will send you a confirmation email within 24 hours.
Click here to sign up now
PROGRAM LINKS AND DOCUMENTS
To download a copy of this program official terms and conditions, click here.
To download a list of Open Value SKU’s offered through this program, click here.
To download a list of Open Value Subscription SKU’s offered through this program, click here.
To sign up for this rebate program, click here.
LINKS AND RESOURCES
Find a Microsoft Authorized Distributor here.
Please review the Open Value quick reference sales card including customer talking points visit.
You can find ERP pricing and licensing program comparison tools under The Sales & Licensing Configurator.