December 2006 - Posts
Get Ready For Launch
We have four ways for you to get ready for the Windows Vista, 2007 Microsoft Office system and Exchange 2007 launches. Get the latest products, get trained, build and profile solutions, and creating customer demand.
Question: Where does the registry vitalization folder reside?
Answer: registry operations to the global store (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software) are redirected to a per-user location within the user's profile known as the virtual store (HKEY_USERS\<User SID>_Classes\VirtualStore\Machine\Software.
For more info, http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa965884.aspx
Get Involved in Launch: Participate in the 2007 Microsoft Office System Solution Drive
The Solution Drive represents an early opportunity for you to get involved and will help you become a 2007 Office System Solution Launch partner.
The 2007 Office System Solution Drive is a key launch initiative that will help you develop solution offerings and expose them to thousands of customers and the Microsoft field today. Specifically, the 2007 Office System Solution Drive will help you:
- Take advantage of resources that will help you plan, develop, and market your 2007 Microsoft Office system solutions (by product, solution category and specialization)
- Understand the key business scenarios that Microsoft will be targeting in our sales and marketing efforts around the release of the 2007 Office system so you can align your business strategy effectively
- Engage with Microsoft marketing vehicles that will gain early exposure for you and your solution offerings
2007 Office System and Exchange Server 2007 Partner Sales Tool
The releases of the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 present a significant opportunity for Microsoft partners. Capitalize on this opportunity by downloading the new Partner Sales Tool. In this interactive tool, you'll find the following information for all the client program and server products of 2007 Office system and Exchange Server.
- Packaging & licensing information
- Key product features & benefits
- Why upgrade and sales scenarios
- Microsoft Core CAL Suite and Enterprise CAL Suite information
Take advantage of the sales scenarios provided in the Partner Sales Tool to help you drive customers to upgrade their current products. Then you can use the how-to-order guides to get the right edition to your customers.
Download the Partner Sales Tool.
Microsoft forecasts bountiful Vista impact
By Benjamin J. Romano
Seattle Times technology reporter
As Microsoft revs up the Windows Vista marketing engine, it's touting the economic boon the software is expected to bring to the rest of the technology industry.
Microsoft commissioned an economic-impact study, released Sunday night, that suggests Vista will help generate $70 billion in revenue and 157,000 new information-technology jobs in 2007.
The 14-page study by IDC draws on the research firm's published data and forecasts covering all segments of the IT industry, including hardware producers, third-party software vendors and service providers.
IDC estimated the portion of the industry tied to Windows Vista to determine what amount of incremental growth it might produce.
"There is economic activity that's going to happen anyway, but we think Vista will have a bump effect in 2007," said John Gantz, IDC's chief research officer.
Vista, the first new version of Microsoft's flagship operating system in five years, was launched last month for business customers and will be available to consumers late next month.
The 157,000-job gain IDC attributes to Vista is in addition to normal employment growth in the industry. Gantz acknowledged that those workers may not work on Vista exclusively.
"It's the share of employment that's driven by Windows or that touches Windows," he said.
IDC forecasts that for every dollar of revenue Microsoft brings in directly from Vista in 2007, the rest of the industry will see $18 in revenue.
IDC expects Microsoft to ship 35 million copies of Vista in the United States, generating nearly $4 billion in revenue in 2007. (That works out to about $114 in revenue per copy of Vista sold.)
Using IDC's multiplier, Vista could be worth $70 billion in revenue to the IT industry in the U.S. next year.
Not all of that is net gain for the estimated 200,000 IT companies. Some revenue that is tied to Windows XP and earlier versions of the operating system will be replaced by Vista revenue, Gantz said.
David Gerhart, CEO of Seattle information systems and management consultancy Tyrnstone Systems, said he is not expecting Vista alone to expand his company's business in 2007 and isn't planning to increase his 10-person staff immediately.
"Vista, to us, is just another layer on the onion," he said, adding that his small- and medium-business customers are more interested in getting e-mail on their smart phones than moving to the new operating system right away.
Suresh Kotha, a business professor at University of Washington, said Microsoft benefits from funding and publicizing the IDC research because it highlights the company's position at the top of the industry and shows that it cares about more than just its own balance sheet.
"They see themselves as an important leader and contributor in the IT space, and not just focusing on the bottom line but on their overall impact on the economy and society," he said.
Benjamin J. Romano: 206-464-2149 or bromano@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
Microsoft, through New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, is offering a 3 hour Exam Cram session followed immediately by having students take the exam, Exam 70-282: Planning, Deploying, and Managing a Network Solution for the Small and Medium Business.
Find out more and Register today at: http://www.msreadiness.com/il_abstract.asp?eid=5014745
TS2 seminars visited Downers Grove, IL December 7th. We had a large group of Microsoft partners and had some great discussion around our new products, Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system. Below are a few question and answers from the seminar.
- Will the quick search feature find non-Microsoft applications and files.
- Yes, for the first time, Windows Vista integrates an Internet search feature throughout the operating system—in the Start Menu, in the Control Panel, and in document folders. This fundamental change profoundly impacts productivity because employees can easily find almost anything they need on their computers. Additionally, they can save searches and use them on demand—or scan first-page previews and scalable thumbnails to reach the information they need more quickly.
- Can a drive that has BitLocker enabled be reformatted?
- Yes, the Format command has been modified in Windows Vista so that it is BitLocker-aware. If a PC that is protected by BitLocker is formatted, then Format also specifically destroys the key data -- providing a much more secure data deletion method. you can find additional information at http://www.Microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/sectip/st1006.mspx
- Can I share the Microsoft Video, Sharing Customer Pain?
- Can you explain more about Windows Resource Protection and the temporary Virtual Registry folders that are created by non-Microsoft Certified apps?
Windows Vista Product Guide Preview IS Available!
The Windows Vista Product Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the innovative features and functions that make Microsoft® Windows Vista™ the next-generation Windows client operating system and successor to Windows XP. This guide also provides information the benefits Windows Vista offers diverse users as well as information about the different editions (SKUs) available. It’s about 300 pages, and contains a lot of really great information about Windows Vista. Definitely a must-read!
So, where’s the guide? It’s now freely available in Microsoft Word format!
If you want to learn more, attend a Microsoft Across America event. This quarter's TS2 events for Microsoft Partners will cover opportunities around Microsoft desktop, server, and office solutions for small businesses. Considering what Microsoft is doing with Windows Vista, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2, and the 2007 Office system, it should be very informative. We also offer TS2 Webcasts and this TS2 Community site, so there's plenty of Microsoft Partner information to go around!
Learn How One Microsoft Partner Tripled Revenue
Partners are leveraging customer assessments to increase revenue using the Infrastructure Assessment Framework: "Over the last three years, revenue from our infrastructure practice has increased by more than 300 percent," says Inetium President Keith Rachey. The framework combines free Microsoft assessment tools with partner best practices about how to successfully leverage the tools. Select tools based on your project requirements. And view tool ratings from peers.
General Resources
Get TS2 slides and register for future events:
www.ts2seminars.com
Partner membership, benefits, and re‑enrollment questions:
1-800-765-7768 or
mspp-na@microsoft.com
Presales & Partner Support:
1-800-426-9400
Pre-Sales Technical Support:
1-800-Microsoft (642-7676)
Enter Advertisement Code: 2211
Talk to a TPTS Engineer
Use TS2 Promo code: 4774
Business Critical Phone Support:
https://partner.microsoft.com/
global/40010469
Linux and Novel Competitive Opportunity Support:
1-877-244-9543
Free Virus Removal Support:
1-866-PC-SAFETY
Have your customers verify their Windows software is genuine and gain access to free software:
www.microsoft.com/genuine
Licensing Configurator, Sales Toolkit, & Sales Support Center
www.ms-gearup.com
I Need Education
Become a registered partner:
www.microsoft.com/partners
Keep abreast of security issues:
www.microsoft.com/security
Subscribe to the Partner and Security Newsletters to watch for free training, sales promotions and to be aware of security issues before they become a problem:
https://profile.microsoft.com
Subscribe to the Action Pack:
https://partners.microsoft.com/
actionpack
Attend two free partner webinars every month:
www.msreadiness.com
Find out about other Microsoft events in your area:
www.microsoft.com/events
Attend one free Technet webinar every month:
www.microsoft.com/technet/
community/webcasts/
default.mspx
Engage the customer community via local user groups:
www.microsoft.com/mindshare
Talk to peers via SBS user groups:
http://usa.culminis.com/
I Want More Business
Host a seminar w/Microsoft’s help:
www.microsoftpartnerevents.com
Join the Small Business Specialist Community:
1) Be a registered partner
2) Subscribe to the Action Pack (for IT pros) or Empower (for developers)
3) Take the Small Business Sales and Marketing Assessment
4) Pass exam
70-282 or 74-134
5) Register at:
https://partner.microsoft.com/40021525
Get more information on 2007 Office, Technology Assessment Toolkit, Windows Vista:
www.microsoft.com/windowsvista www.microsoft.com/office/preview
https://www.mssboffers.com
Partner opportunities with CA:
ca.com/channel/smb
Join ASCII or CompTIA to find other businesses with complementary skills:
www.ascii.com
www.comptia.org