February 2009 - Posts

Azure, a primer
25 February 09 11:55 AM | ronaldg

Kind of like I did with Virtualization some time ago, I’d like to introduce you to “Azure” with a primer (intro level) post.  You know Microsoft and the TS2 team have been trying to educate you on Software + Services for some time now; helping you understand how the S+S strategy is different (and much better in our opinion) than SaaS – hopefully, you are already up-to-speed at least somewhat on that.  What you’ll be hearing a LOT more about in the coming months is something called Azure, which is a part of our S+S story.  Cloud based computing is here to stay and will be an increasingly greater component (e.g. BPOS) of future computing solutions for you and your customers, so let me try and give you the essential info you need to understand what Azure is and how it fits into the overall cloud picture…

Let’s start by differentiating between Windows Azure and the Azure Services Platform (ASP).  Unfortunately, many will not be as informed as you are now and may not know the difference between the two, so when you see/hear the Azure term used, it’s important to ascertain if someone is talking about Windows Azure or ASP.  For that, I’ll show a quick graphic that should bring this differentiation to light rather quickly and also will serve as good foundation for understanding the entire Azure system or platform.

As you can see from the graphic, the overall system consists of three basic layers with the bottom layer being Windows Azure (you will also hear the terms “fabric” and “Foundation services” used in conjunction with this layer).  This is the basic “OS in the sky” that handles all the foundational computing needs of the services platform layer as well as the online services (end-user accessible) layer.  The ASP, the middle layer as you can see, which rides on top of the Windows Azure layer, essentially provides the additional services, over and above the base OS (you will also hear the term “Building block services” used in conjunction with this middle layer), that will be leveraged by the online apps. The key thing here is that this layer does not provide a UI.  That’s where the Online services layer (or “Finished services”) comes in.  From a conceptual point of view, this is not all that different from an “on-premises” solution where you’ll have things like SQL servers, running on Windows Server, and providing the key database services for end-user applications like Sharepoint, or CRM, or other solutions that require an underlying database system.  The main thing about these cloud based implementations is that you’re only ever paying for what you need and/or use, and there’s no on-premise infrastructure to have to purchase, build, and support.  It also provides for very robust on-demand scalability and very high reliability and availability. The other key thing to know is this services platform is an extension of the .NET programming model and developers will be able to use existing skills with .NET and Visual Studio to access and leverage it.  And, the services use industry standard SOAP, REST and XML protocols so using them won’t be a problem regardless of the operating system or programming language you’re using.  Finally, one of the most significant aspects for S+S and our Azure platform is it’s integration with your existing or future on-premise solutions, it’s not an “either/or” proposition, which we think is a very compelling advantage over many SaaS solutions.

Well, this was just a primer, so I’ll stop here, even though I’ve barely scraped the surface of this topic, but hopefully, I given you enough so that you’ll have a clue now when someone mentions Windows Azure or Azure Services Platform.  Here’s a link to some more info on Microsoft.com around the Azure platform and S+S: Azure Services Platform

And here’s an additional link to an interesting ComputerWorld article from last October (PDC) Ozzie details Azure, Microsoft's cloud version of Windows.  And here’s a couple of key quotes from the article: “Windows Azure is the foundation of a new Azure Services Platform that is designed to compete with Amazon.com Inc’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service as a scalable application-hosting environment…“ and “The key element of Windows Azure is a Fabric Controller tool that "manages the life cycle" of online services…“.

Btw, one last note, you’ll also start hearing about something called Red Dog (in fact, Mary-Jo Foley is already blogging about it Red Dog: Can you teach old Windows hounds new tricks?).  I would actually recommend her article, it’s a pretty interesting read about how Microsoft got going in the cloud computing game.  The short take on RedDog is that it is part of the fabric and is how Microsoft will provide computing, storage, and management in the cloud.

And I just saw a ComputerWorld article that indicates we are planning to release this by year end. 
Ballmer: Azure ready for release by end of year

SBSC Partners May Provide Services for Planned Microsoft Retail Stores
25 February 09 11:44 AM | ronaldg

I spotted this article on ChannelWeb and thought it might be of interest to my partner readers…

I think the excerpt below captures the main point of the article, but I’ve included the link if you want to read the whole thing.

http://www.crn.com/software/214502877
Microsoft Partners To Provide Retail Store Services
By Kevin McLaughlin, ChannelWeb  /   Feb. 24, 2009

“When Microsoft opens its planned line of branded retail stores, the company will look to its Small Business Specialist Community (SBSC) partners to handle retail service engagements, Channelweb.com has learned.

Microsoft's U.S. Small and Midmarket Solutions & Partners Group (SMS&P) has tapped OnForce, a Lexington, Mass.-based online services marketplace for IT professionals, to maintain lead distribution for services SKUs Microsoft will sell at its retail stores, sources said.

OnForce handles lead distribution for a current SMS&P program that connects SBSC partners with retail SKUs from the likes of Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, and Tiger Direct. That program now has about 200 SBSC partners, and Microsoft wants to expand that to 1,000 SBSC partners this year. SMS&P intends to connect this program to the Microsoft retail stores, sources said.

The program is similar to the one Microsoft launched with CompUSA in March 2007, in which Microsoft SBSC partners provided services to CompUSA's small business customers in conjunction with CompUSA's TechPro Business Providers program.”  <<use link to see rest of article>>

another “shout out” to a teammates blog…
24 February 09 10:09 AM | ronaldg

Wow, I’m on an awesome team at Microsoft, what a talented group of folks I’m privileged to work with. 

I called out Woody’s blog (around BPOS) just a bit back, and now I want to call out another one of my teammates blogs - Kevin Clarke's Left Coast Blog Recipe, specifically, his post yesterday (February 23, 2009) around Vista.  As you know I’ve been trying to help my readers, and my SB2 event attendees, re-focus on the value proposition of Windows Vista, especially in the wake of all the negative perception that many of you are having to deal with.  Well, Kevin has joined the fray as they say, and he is beginning a Vista series to also try and help you make the most of the Vista opportunity before the Windows 7 wave hits.

Although Kevin essentially shares my same perspective, that you should absolutely not be giving up on Vista, he adds some new information in this post that can potentially help you with the “customer conversation”.   And, he even includes a video that also shows some of the business value of Vista.  FYI, I’m hoping to also start adding video in my blog in the near future, as Kevin and others on my team have already started doing.

After you’ve done Kevin’s blog post above, I’m going to encourage you to check out some, if not all, of the other TS2 blogs – I think you’ll find useful and interesting stuff on all of them, but I especially wanted to highlight Kevin’s series around Vista and the business value it brings.

WSJ article on Windows 7, but wait, please read this whole post first…
24 February 09 02:49 AM | ronaldg

Well, this article is from the Wall Street Journal so the fact that it’s mostly positive is encouraging.  And I’ve put the link to it at the end because I’m really hoping you hang around and read this post before you head over to check out the WSJ article (if you even do, as this post is really not about recommending the WSJ article).

[article excerpt] “In general, I have found Windows 7 a pleasure to use. There are a few drawbacks, but my preliminary verdict on Windows 7 is positive…Compatibility with hardware and software, which was a problem in Vista, seems far better in Windows 7 -- even in the beta. I tried a wide variety of hardware, including printers, Web cams, external hard disks and cameras, and nearly all worked fine.”

I’m mainly doing this post not to try and promote Windows 7 (I think it’s still to early for that) or the WSJ article, but more to point out two things as food for thought (and possibly action on your part).  One is that Windows 7 is already getting positive press, even from publications like WSJ, that aren’t typically MS friendly in my opinion – hopefully you’ll agree that this bodes well for Windows 7 adoption.   The other has to do with the second part of the above pull-quote about better compatibility for hardware and software.  For those that may not know, there is a reason why the compatibility will seem much better for Win7 – it’s leveraging the same code base as Vista.  Thus the device driver model, which was completely redesigned for better security in Vista, although updated, is functionally the same.  By the same token, the app security model, which was also completely re-designed for better security in Vista (even admin accounts normally operate in a standard user security context and that’s why we have UAC), is also functionally the same.  So you’ll hear us (Microsoft) telling you that “if it works on Vista, it should work in Win7”, and, of course, Win7 will leverage all the device driver and software updating that has been going on for the last 2+ years.  But what I really want to point out here, and what I hope you take away from this, is that the investments you (and your customers) make in Vista now will pay off in several ways – not only will you have a more secure and reliable OS in the near (and intervening) term, but you will also have the easiest and best path to Win7 when you (and it) are ready.  So that’s the basis for the possible action on your part, namely – if you’re a partner please help your customers understand that skipping Vista, even now with Windows 7 coming possibly later this year (or early next), is not necessarily what they should do.  Of course, in all honesty, I can’t categorically state that moving to Vista now is the best plan either.  So what is the best plan is to help your customer realize that whatever investment that can make in deploying or at least moving toward (e.g. driver and software testing) Vista will pay dividends for them on several levels when the Windows 7 wave hits.  As you know, I’ve been doing the “Vista customer discussion” segments in the SB2 events, as well as some posts around that topic on the blog here, so hopefully that’ll give you some things to consult with your customer about and make sure they’re not waiting for Win7 for the wrong reasons (which is a good thing, right).

If you’re still curious about the WSJ article, here’s the link:

Even in Test Form, Windows 7 Leaves Vista in the Dust (WSJ)

an interesting piece from Paul Thurrott
24 February 09 02:12 AM | ronaldg

I’ve referred to Paul in previous posts, he’s been a long-time (and major) contributing  editor for WindowsITPro (and many of its previous incarnations).  Here’s the quick bio on him…

Paul Thurrott is the news editor for Windows IT Pro. He writes a weekly editorial for Windows IT Pro UPDATE (http://www.windowsitpro.com/email) and a daily Windows news and information newsletter called WinInfo Daily UPDATE (http://www.wininformant.com).  Additionally, he has a major Windows oriented website called “SuperSite for Windows”, and which I personally recommend as a resource for all things Windows – explore it sometime.

On top of the credits listed above, he also publishes a series thru Windows ITPro called “WinInfo Short Takes”.  In this weekly news series he covers a range of topics, but one piece in particular in a recent post (dated 2/13) stood out to me, and thus I thought I would share it with my readership.

The particular section of interest is down toward the bottom of the post so you’ll likely have to scroll to find it, but I think you’ll find it worth a read.  The section title is: “And you thought Windows Update was bad” (I’ve included an excerpt/leader below the link).   Many of you know my one of my favorite sayings about the Mac world is: “it’s easy to be bulletproof when no one’s shooting at you”.  Well, one of these days some folks may start figuring out that they aren’t as inherently secure as their fanboys would have you believe.  I would also suggest that Windows Update, though not perfect, is the best system any major OS has for insuring it’s protection against malware.  In fact, if everyone used the auto update feature in Windows update, the recent Conficker worm would have been a non-issue.

 

Paul Thurrott's WinInfo Short Takes: Week of February 16, 2009

[And you thought Windows Update was bad]  “This week, Apple released yet another astonishing series of security updates for its Mac OS X operating system and Safari Web browser, You'd think given the volume and frequency of these updates, that people would simply have gotten the message: Unlike Microsoft, Apple simply doesn't "get" security, and they have no concept at all of the effects these releases have on their users…They get away with it because Apple users put up with a level of baloney that Microsoft customers would never put up with.”

MAP update
24 February 09 01:24 AM | ronaldg

Some of you probably thought this was an Action Pack (MAPS) post, but it really is about MAP, the Microsoft Assessment and Planning toolkit.

I blogged sometime back (Nov 2008) about this great tool for partners (and IT pros for that matter, too).  The MAP toolkit makes it easy for you to assess your (or your customer’s) current IT infrastructure and determine the right Microsoft technologies for your IT needs.  Although it’s still in version 3.2, there have been some minor updates (it’s now 3.2.2xxx) and the download and TechNet pages have been recently updated, so I thought this would be a good time to do a  redux.

MAP is a powerful inventory, assessment, and reporting tool that can securely run in small or large IT environments without requiring the installation of agent software on any computers or devices. The data and analysis provided by this Solution Accelerator can significantly simplify the planning process for migrating to Windows Vista®, Microsoft Office 2007, Windows Server® 2008, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, Virtual Server 2005 R2, Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 (formerly SoftGrid), Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Online Services, as well as Forefront/NAP.

MAP expands upon the assessment features included in the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment Solution Accelerator, and for OS assessments it will include device driver availability and hardware upgrade recommendations that might be needed for deployment.  You can install it on XP Pro, Vista, or Server 2003 or later systems, and on either 32- or 64-bit platforms.  As with all Solution Accelerators, it’s free for the downloading. 

Download the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit

Security Rewards Program for SSA partners
24 February 09 12:42 AM | ronaldg

I blogged about the SSA deal for partners some time back, hopefully some of you have added that to your bag of skills.  If so, here’s some incentive to put a little more focus on it.

File a Security Software Advisor (SSA) claim and get something for you and something to show to your boss. The Security Rewards Program is designed for Individuals who file SSA claims on behalf of their partner orgs to earn credits and select from a variety of prizes all for you. Once you have filed your SSA claim, your partner org can receive up to 30% in SSA Influencer revenue.

Enroll in the Security Rewards Program today. Receive a free t-shirt if you are one of the first 300 Individuals who enroll in the Security Rewards. Hurry while supplies last….To enroll please visit www.forefrontsecurityrewards.com

If you have any questions please email memberservices@forefrontsecurityrewards.com

a little “shout out” to my teammate, and great info on BPOS
12 February 09 06:42 PM | ronaldg

All of my TS2 mates blog and they all have great blogs, I hope you’re reading them as well as mine, but I wanted to take this opportunity to give a special shout out about Woody Walton’s blog.  Woody is our team content lead and guru for Microsoft Online Services and BPOS in particular.  His blog is has a wealth, or veritable plethora if you prefer, of info on this important topic.   I’ve done some minor blogging about BPOS over the months, so if you’ve been with me for a while, or been to a TS2 event, you should know what BPOS is and I hope you’re looking into how you can leverage it for your business and your customers.  Well, Woody has taken this to the next level and is focusing on online stuff in his blog, so if you really want to get some great info check it out.   Here’s a list of some of the topics he’s blogged in the last couple of months:

Bandwidth Considerations for Online Services,
BPOS Internal Use Rights for Microsoft Partner – you should really check this out
BPOS Demo Simulator and BPOS demo accounts for partners

check it out at: Woody's Roundup

Helping partners help themselves…
12 February 09 05:51 PM | ronaldg

Wanted to inform you about two interesting things that may be of some help to you in these tough economic times.  The first is Skills Week which you can find out more about on the CertificationWeek site.  Essentially during this week, March 9 -13 in North America, there will be events at many CPLS (Certified Partner for Learning Solutions) locations around the country.  This would be a good time to “update” your existing certifications or look into getting some new certification “creds” if you don’t have them already.  Among other things the site has a link for 40% off exams which I’m sure should be of interest to you and doesn’t appear to be tied to any particular event (it’s not clear though when, and for how long, the discount is available).  BTW, there’s also prizes to be won and special discounts available.

The other item of interest is a new program called THRIVE, here’s a marketing blurb about it.

“How are you positioning yourself, your team, and your organization for success during this economic downturn?  Visit the Thrive site and learn how to enhance your skills, advance your career and elevate IT as the business leader.  Go ahead - find out how YOU can Thrive!”

It appears to be mostly oriented toward IT Pros, but I know you partners need IT Pro skills and can use the same kind of technical and business information, so give it a look.

Interesting Certification game just launched
12 February 09 12:49 PM | ronaldg

Here’s a new game that just went live! Some of you may have already gotten an email invite.

Description:
“Are You Certifiable” is basically a trivia game that promotes Microsoft Certifications, TechNet, and MSL training products.  It takes a humorous look at Microsoft pop culture and provides a interesting primer for technical professionals exploring Microsoft certification.   Featuring characters (remember Clippy?) and nearly a thousand questions at various levels of difficulty, and incorporating many of the products you work with, hopefully, it’ll create a fun environment to learn and get ready for certification and will have you scratching your head in a battle for tech superiority!

and here’s a couple of interesting points:
o 2^nd Shot Vouchers are used in game play give users the ability to take another crack at a question

o Links are included to related exam preps on microsoft.com/learning!

o Questions are pulled from over 30 different developer and ITPro exams on technologies ranging from Windows Server, Vista, SQL, Exchange, and .NET!

 

PLAY it!  Are YOU Certifiable???

So, apparently, “the Man” is a PC
12 February 09 12:06 PM | ronaldg

Just couldn’t resist posting this…

Uh Oh, Apple Fans: Looks Like Obama Uses a PC

if you read this, the writer makes an assumption, based on a comment by Intel CEO, Paul Otellini, that the president “sees the Intel logo every morning when he opens his laptop” and since MACs typically don’t have the Intel-inside logo on them, POTUS ergo must be using a Windows laptop machine.  Well, I guess we don’t know for sure, but I could take this opportunity to remind you that, as far as I know, Windows is the ONLY OS approved by the U.S. government for secured installations, so that would also support the assertion of the article’s author.  Oh well, thought this might be a fun post and a change of pace.  Cheers.

 

Btw, the article sports a big graphic of Obama with the title “I’m a PC”, but I didn’t copy it here since there may be some copyright attached.

MS Virtualization for your sales folks
11 February 09 09:15 AM | ronaldg

Hopefully many of you already know about Core IO University, but for those who are not, here’s a quick synopsis.

Core IO University ’09 is a sales workshop, available in instructor-led and online versions, for Microsoft partners.  In the first part of Core IO University, the attendees learn about the solution scenarios: Server Infrastructure (Datacenter Management, Identity and Secure Access and Secure Communication and Collaboration), Integrated Virtualization, Desktop Infrastructure, Branch Infrastructure, and the Server OS Platform. In the second part, the attendees learn how to apply these offerings in the “solution selling” cycle: Prospect, Qualify, Develop, Solution, Proof and Close. 

In the “Integrated Virtualization Online Training” segment of Core IO University, accessed through the Microsoft Partner Learning Center (use links below) you will be trained to identify opportunities, handle objections, articulate value, and increase sales around Microsoft’s virtualization solutions.  You will also gain access to sales resources like customer presentations, whitepapers, ROI calculators, and design tools.  This on-demand segment Is only an hour and I’ve heard these courses are getting great reviews, and hey, did I mention that this one is free!  
Sign up at: Integrated Virtualization Online Training

Here’s another Core IO University course, the Core IO Overview, that addresses Microsoft’s ‘Core Infrastructure’ solutions like server platform, management, security and virtualization. (Core Infrastructure Online Training).

Here’s the link to the main Core IO University page as well www.coreiouniversity.com.

Here’s a chart of the Core IO University offerings:

 

New! Free MS Press book on Virtualization
10 February 09 01:05 AM | ronaldg

Virtualization is top of mind for almost everyone these days and is a technology area you need to be familiar with even if you’re not currently implementing any of these solutions for your current customers.  And, with that in mind, I wanted you to know that…

Understanding Microsoft Virtualization Solutions from Microsoft Press is available as a FREE download. 

This 15MB E-Book is over 400 pages long and is pretty comprehensive. It covers all current Microsoft Virtualization technologies even the newer ones such as the Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) and VDI. Definitely a worthwhile addition to your library.

Here’s a synopsys from the download offer page (shown below):

This guide will teach you about the benefits of the latest virtualization technologies and how to plan, implement, and manage virtual infrastructure solutions. The technologies covered include: Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2009, Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization, and Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

The book also provides insight into the Core Infrastructure Optimization model, and how implementing virtualization technologies can help move a company further along toward the goal of building an efficient, reliable Dynamic IT infrastructure.

To get it go to: Free Virtualization Book Offer

NOTE: You’ll need to sign using your Passport/Live ID, then you should be able get the download. (and you may need to temporarily allow Pop-Ups for the download window).

Enjoy…

Simplify and Save offer from Microsoft
09 February 09 04:42 PM | ronaldg

Hey partners, here’s an new (actually updated) program from Microsoft to help you help your customers save money on qualifying volume license purchases.  Qualifying customers can receive a 15% discount when they renew and consolidate their multiple volume license agreements into an Open Value or Open Value Subscription agreement between February 1, 2009 and June 26, 2009.

Use the offer to increase customer satisfaction, achieve higher renewal rates, encourage cross-sell and up-sell and gain company-wide penetration.

Get more info at: Simplify & Save offer

Here’s some quick links to:

Simplify & Save T&C doc

Simplify & Save Partner messaging doc

Simplify & Save Sales Card

Simplfiy & Save Customer-Ready Flyer

MicrosoftIncentives.com (customer accessible site for Simplify & Save and other current deals and incentives)

Here’s a great offer if you’re thinking of a Microsoft certification
06 February 09 02:05 AM | ronaldg

Career Assist: Register for Second Shot today and get up to 90% price discount on a Microsoft Official E-Learning Collection.

Second Shot provides a free retake if you fail your Microsoft Certification exam. And from now, until June 30, 2009, if you register for Second Shot, you get any E-Learning Collection for just USD 35 (usually priced up to USD 349). That’s up to 90% off.

But hurry! Once you have activated a discounted E-learning collection it will only be available for 90 days.

Limit One Per Customer.

Register for Second Shot Today

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