Work from home survey – please assist

Hey – can you please take a few minutes to complete the work from home survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=V2tDilv0AY1dO4a2Mp6rRw_3d_3d

Thanks!

Issue 2-17: SMB Advisory Newsletter

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SMB Advisory Newsletter 1-888-SMB-NAT1         www.smbnation.com GeekSpeak Edition  Over 15,000 Global Readers! July 22, 2008 Issue 2-17 Sponsors                              Dear Harry, You are receiving this e-mail newsletter as a customer of SMB Nation. Thank you for your good business!    In both North America and Europe, the summer vacation season has arrived. Folks have one foot in the business realm and a second foot in the relaxation realm. It seems like a great time to reflect, catch-up on the little things (like organizing your photos) and spend sometime with the family (not necessarily in that order).   In this work and pleasure issue, I take a decidedly light-hearted view of things and show how I used technology to stay in touch and productive over the past three weeks of travel that included the Fourth of July Holiday weekend,  nearly a full week at WPC Houston and a week of working vacation in the Park City, UT area for my son’s ski camp (dryland training this time of year). harrybbbbb Harry Brelsford CEO  |  SMB Nation, Inc. |  Bainbridge Island, WA USA   PS – Read my new blog! SMB Dude PS – Calyptix giveawa: wanna try to WIN a free pass to the SMB Nation 2008 fall conference? Click HERE GEEKS GONE WILD!  SBS 2008 RC1 Ships to Beta Testers Sean Daniles, Windows SuperSite and others are reporting that SBS 2008 RC1 has shipped to BETA TESTERS! That is a good thing as it keeps a loose schedule for the RTM\Gold Code in early October and the public-facing launch date (when Joe Six Pack could buy SBS 2008 as November 12th). Read more HERE and watch the funny development team celebration video: GEEKS GONE WILD! BEST PRACTICE: Download SBS 2008 today and start to play with it. Check out www.multiplyyourpower.com. MP3ing, 3Ging, GPSing, GSMing and Road Tripping! Goodness vacations have changed.  The white collar vacation of sneaking and peeking at e-mail (“Honey – I have to run to the store” remains the same). What’s changed is how we sneak our peeks at e-mail, Web and do our work on vacation. These past few weeks, myself and family drove as far south as Southwest Colorado (to Crested Butte, which is the GRAND PRIZE for some lucky attendee at the SMB Nation 2008 fall conference).   Our family loves road tripping and with my Verizon Wireless AirCard, I can work many as the passenger in the vehicular mode while my wife drives. This work is made possible with the new 3G mobile telephone\Internet data technology (discussed HERE).  I recommend you consider taking this 3G solution on a test drive for your benefit and perhaps it is some you can implement at your customer site. That is, perhaps your working vacation is indeed a solution you can market to your SMB customers.     Three bars in the mountains!   Then there is the reality of family peace. My two boys and wife like books on tape while motoring. I find the character actor voices and the up-and-down sound mixing to affect my business concentration while trying to work. The solution? My MP3 player with Bose on-top-of-the-ear noise reduction headphones! My playlist if top heavy with bouncy Punjabi music from northern India , some that energizes me and allows me to focus.   What about getting there? For that, we religiously use a Garmin GPS device that maps our path. Best find this trip? Typing in keywords like COFFEE into the GPS touch-screen and getting my quad espresso java jolt! It almost a pedestrian footnote but worth mentioning I was further connected to reality with a GSM-based Windows Mobile telephone for near constant contact with the office, stakeholders and beloved customers (who did not know that I was on vacation). Lear more about the GSM standard HERE.       All together now: MP3ing, 3Ging, GPSing, GSMing and Road Tripping!   So what does it all mean? Hopefully your hard work results in a like that is better for your children. Hopefully I am coming close to passing that test. As seen below, little geek nine year-old Harry Brelsford Jr. is shown at the Olympic training facility practicing his jumping discipline.     Dry land training where the kids jump into a pool and work on their technique under the guidance of US Olympic team members. SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference Enough said. SBS 208 and EBS on the way. Attend to learn more!    Overall Conference Information   Content   Speakers   Sponsors  Spouses Tour    BEST PRACTICE: Lock in NOW and save. Time to think about fall and the Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server releases! I will hold bi-weekly webcasts, starting in mid-July, on the SMB Nation conference to prepare folks to GET YOUR GEEK ON!   WPC follow-up – Software as a Service Now that everyone has returned home from the Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Houston in early July, there is that reflection which only the passing of time can provide. So what was the technical takeway from WPC? Admittedly – the conference is more focused on partner program side, but there were a few technical nuggets. For example – the Software As A Service (SaaS) debate a  geek game changer. Ready or not, that (%!#%!@$# supply curve is shifting again. Microsoft is responding to free market forces so it can continue to report record revenues and heavily messaged SaaS at WPC. I had a private meeting with The Planet at its Houston headquarters and saw a company that not only has SaaS as its core business model but is enabling channel partners in a unique win-win kinda way. The Planet announced its managed hosting services on July 8th.     Meeting with The Planet CEO, Douglas Erwin. Learn more about the hosted managed services HERE.   So click over to my SMB dude blog and answer me this. Is Saas that beginning or the end of manged services? Visit harrybrelsford.wordpress.com and post up your comments!   Quick Hitters! Geekalisous – Feed Me SBS 2003 bookage – Daily Posts! Speaking of bookage and bloggage, did you know that I am putting the purple book out in the wild. I am to report that this act of giving is making a difference. Stranger have become friends and heaps of computer consultants are well on their way to become SBSers and Small Business Specialists (SBSC). Hopefully it means a better life and standard of living for the truly technical geeks seeking to improve their SBS 2003 skills,     Book bloggage at HERE. Click over, read up and comment!   Kaseya Webinar, July 29, 2008 Tuesday AM Join us for “The Automation Revelation: A Webcast Designed for IT Service Providers” You have done your research on the benefits of managed services, and are well on your way to becoming a managed service provider (MSP) – but what is missing? It’s time to take a closer look what it takes to be a successful MSP – what services to deliver, how to price them and how to migrate customers to SLAs.   In this Webcast, IT service providers will discover the deeper benefits of moving into the MSP arena – benefits like becoming a part of your customers’ problem-solving team rather than just being an option for a quick remedy, plus the ultimate goal of ‘recurring revenue’. You will learn about market trends, including the tremendous ground swell within the channel of establishing MSP initiatives. Join SMB Nation, Jim Alves, EVP of Product Marketing for Kaseya, and Jay Tipton, CEO for Technology Specialists as they take your questions in real time.     Sign up for this and other Webinars HERE.   Community News! Hey – check out our updated NEWS page HERE     GeekSpeak and even BusinessSpeak news at SMB Nation on the new Community News page.   Work from Home Survey Complete our new survey about working from home as a geek. This is a way to show the big oil companies who da’ boss? Complete at www.smbnation.com under SMOKING HOT QUICK HITTERS! You can also click through direct HERE DOWNLOAD Magazine Techie Dean Paron, Group Program Manager on the Windows Small Business Server 2008 development team at Microsoft Redmond is our cover story boy. The technical story, written by SBSer Phil Elder, takes one of the first long looks at the SBS 2008 setup, deployment and administration areas. This magazine will be distributed at the SMB Partner Forum day at WPC Houston. Other articles include a Microsoft Financing survey that is optimistic about the economy and a first look at Hyper-V.    We have posted the digital edition of the magazine at www.smbnation.com. Let me know how you like the new three-column format.

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What interesting articles would you like to see us report on in the next issue?

I just received a lovely e-mail from my friend Anne Stuart at Redmond Channel Partner Magazine asking for feedbackon the Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Houston earlier this month. With all due respect – she probably has that story well-covered, so I thought I would post up a blog and ask YOU what you might like to read in the next issue, assuming I have a few extra pages in the magazine fold. This will be the show issue for the SMB Nation 2008 fall conference – so Iam very interrested in your opinion.
Thanks….harrybbbbb
Harry Brelsford, CEO at smbnation, www.smbnation.com

Heaps of Webinars in July and August

No rest for the wicked over the summer!

Sign up for our webinars at www.smbnation.com => events => webinars…

Here is a looksy:
Join us for these educational Webinars!

Webinars

July 17, 2008 7AM PDT (UTC-7): What’s new at SMB Nation 2008!

July 29, 2008 10AM PDT (UTC-7)The Automation Revelation: A Webcast Designed for IT Service Providers

July 31, 2008 4PM PDT (UTC-7)Get Your Geek On – SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference Technical Details!

August 14, 2008 9AM PDT (UTC-7) It Makes Sense To Attend SMB Nation 2008 – BusinessSpeak content EXPLORED!

August 28, 2008 2PM PDT (UTC-7) Last Call for SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference

Download the June\July Magazine NOW!

hey gang – I have confirmed the latest magazine is posted up….download it, read it and let me know what you think!

To download, goto www.smbnation.com and select Publications => Magazine.

cheers…harrybbbb
Harry Brelsford, ceo at smb nation, www.smbnation.com

Have u received your June\July magazines (SBS 2008 cover story)

It is in the mail….have u received it yet?
To be honest – we are receiving great feedback on the new look and feel…it is a good looking spread if I canbe so bold.

So let me know what think….did u receive and once u received – what do u think!
cheers…harrybbbb

If only the camera could talk at WPC Houston!

Wow – I am taking heaps of both serious and silly photos here at Microsoft WPC in Houston. Needless to say – we will have one hellva photo essay in the next magazine issue! Much goodness and big fun.
Looking forward!
harrybbbb
Harry Brelsford, ceo of smb nation, www.smbnation.com

SMB Advisory Newsletter (Issue 2-16)

 

SMB Advisory Newsletter 1-888-SMB-NAT1         www.smbnation.com   BusinessSpeak Issue \ Breaking News Microsoft WPC!  Over 15,000 Global Readers!   July 8, 2008 Issue 2-16   Sponsors                              Dear Harry, You are receiving this e-mail newsletter as a customer of SMB Nation. Thank you for your good business!    Howdy everyone from hot and humid Houston where I am attending the WPC conference. I have some amazing news to share reading the RTM and ship dates of SBS 2008 and EBS. I am also reporting on yesterday’s SMB Partner Forum event, including the education session that I hosted.  I will endeavor to  report again to you this week BUT you can also stay up to the minute with my continuous blog postings at harrybrelsford.wordpress.com.harrybbbbb Harry Brelsford CEO  |  SMB Nation, Inc. |  Bainbridge Island, WA USA   PS – Read my new blog! SMB Dude       SBS 2008 to RTM\Go GOLD in Late September\Early October It is officially gonna happen. After FIVE LONG YEARS – an upgrade to SBS is scheduled and the new Essential Business Server will hit the streets!  The real bits, aka gold code, will go to the manufacturing plant (a process known as release-to-manufacturing or RTM) for pressing in late September\early October.  That translates into street availability of November 12th. I spoke with Theresa Putizer (IT Practice Manager, Olsen Thielen Technologies Inc, Saint Paul, MN) at the SMB Partner Forum day at WPC (seen below) and she indicated that RTMing in early fall, availability before Thanksgiving in late November translates into significant customer opportunities in early 2009 when everyone returns to work from the holiday season. I totally agree! Here is the official press release for the SBS and EBS announcements: Partners Gear Up for Big Opportunities with Windows Essential Server Solutions HOUSTON – July 7, 2008 – Today at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), Microsoft detailed how IT consultants working with small and midsize businesses will benefit from Windows Essential Server Solutions: Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. PressPass spoke with Steven VanRoekel, senior director of the Windows Server Solutions group at Microsoft, to find out what partners and customers can expect from today’s announcements. PressPass: What are you announcing today? VanRoekel: We’re making several announcements that are especially important for partners as they prepare to use Windows Essential Server Solutions to help their small and midsize customers be more productive and grow. I am excited to announce that Nov. 12, 2008, is the official launch date for Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. We are also announcing that both solutions are reaching the Release Candidate 1 milestone, another step toward final release. Pre-release versions of Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 are available for download and evaluation now through www.multiplyyourpower.com. PressPass: What exactly are Windows Essential Server Solutions? VanRoekel: Windows Essential Server Solutions, which include Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008, are our family of integrated, all-in-one IT solutions designed and priced for small and midsize businesses. By combining Microsoft technologies such as Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, SQL Server 2008 and other Microsoft products and services, these solutions make the benefits of enterprise-class IT accessible, affordable and simpler for smaller organizations. PressPass: What business opportunities do the solutions present to Microsoft partners? VanRoekel: According to IDC, there are roughly 35 million small and midsize businesses (SMBs) worldwide, and many see IT as a way to prosper and grow their business. In fact, according to IDC, IT spending worldwide will grow by 5.2 percent annually through 2012, but worldwide SMB IT spending will grow by 7.0 percent during this same period. * Small and midsize organizations frequently rely on consultants to build and manage their IT. Accordingly, we designed the solutions with partners in mind. Specifically, Windows Essential Server Solutions give partners consistent platforms that help reduce deployment costs, grow managed service revenues, earn higher margins and support more customers more efficiently. And, perhaps most importantly, the solutions help partners develop stronger, mutually beneficial relationships with their clients. Some partners have told us they believe they will be able to increase their customer base by 25 percent to 50 percent with Small Business Server 2008. Other partners foresee 20 percent to 50 percent growth of their customer base with Essential Business Server 2008, which is a brand-new Microsoft product, because it allows them to more easily deliver products, consulting and deployment services for midsize clients. Partners have forecast cost savings of 10 percent to 20 percent with the solutions, because they provide a consistent infrastructure partners can easily deploy to more customers. This means cost savings they can pass on to the client that free up budget for new business applications and capabilities, such as collaboration and support for remote or mobile workers. These applications in turn generate higher margins for partners and help them deliver greater value to their customers. <snip> BEST PRACTICE: Download SBS 2008 today and start to play with it. Check out www.multiplyyourpower.com.   Response Point Service Pack #1 Released! Below you will find the official word on the RP SP1 release. But let me tell you a story. Over the holiday weekend, SMB Nation moved into new improved office space (I want to thank Cyndi, Van and Charles for pulling this one off!). Like so many moves, we upgrade our telephone system at the same time. We went to Aastra using NGT as our VoIP telco provider and hooked into FIBER in the new location (AMAZING!).  We are up and running and lovin’ life and you have a total green light from me to go RP SP1!   Da’ move-mobile!  Cyndi Moody and a couple buff Bainbridge High School boys enroute to Seattle on the ferry to buy some new furniture from a CraigsList advertisement. We are truly a small business!  And do not forget that office moves are your great RP sales opportunity!   Here is the scoop: Microsoft Response Point Service Pack 1 Available for Free Download HOUSTON – July 8, 2008 – Today Microsoft Corp. announced that Response Point Service Pack 1 (SP1) is now generally available. SP1 is a significant feature update to Microsoft Response Point, easy-to-use and -manage phone system software designed for small businesses with one to 50 employees. Current customers and partners in the U.S. and Canada can download SP1 for free at http://www.microsoft.com/responsepoint. Response Point SP1 builds on the overall ease of version 1, enabling small businesses to immediately take advantage of powerful new features: session initiation protocol (SIP) trunking for VoIP calling; click-to-call functionality for any contact using the Assistant software; a call history log; the ability to select music for parked calls and hold time, and more. Aastra Debuts Response Point Hardware Aastra Technologies Ltd. announced the release of its debut Response Point-based phone system, AastraLink RP™. AastraLink RP comes pre-loaded with SP1 and is available to customers in the U.S. and Canada starting today. Aastra offers a convenient starter package that includes a base unit, external analog telephony adapter and three phones (including one cordless model) for a suggested list price of $2,400. Additional desktop and cordless phones are available ranging in price from $139 to $399 MSRP for the cordless model; prices are estimated retail prices.   Xuedong Huang, general manager of Microsoft Response Point: “Small businesses want the same powerful, productive and cost-saving features that big businesses enjoy, but tailored to their needs. By aligning with industry-leading vendors, SP1 delivers improved performance with many new features like voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calling, in a complete phone system that can help small businesses and channel partners grow their businesses.”   Yves Laliberté, executive vice president at Aastra: “The telephone is a cornerstone of small-business operations and customer relations. We’re pleased to partner with Microsoft to deliver AastraLink RP, an easy-to-use, scalable phone system that will help small businesses achieve their business goals.”   SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference Enough said. SBS 208 and EBS on the way. Attend to learn more!    Overall Conference Information   Content   Speakers   Sponsors  Spouses Tour    BEST PRACTICE: Lock in NOW and save. Time to think about fall and the Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server releases! I will hold bi-weekly webcasts, starting in mid-July, on the SMB Nation conference to prepare folks to GET YOUR GEEK ON!     SMB Partner Forum Day at WPC! Realizing 20 percent growth, the SMB Partner Forum day delivered fresh, high-level thinking about the Microsoft partner ecosystem. Lots of new faces who quickly become new friends!  I really enjoyed meeting some “M” partners who checked out pre-day event to learn more about the SMB opportunity.  Here is a few photos to capture to moment.   Andrea Russell, WW SBSC manager, welcomes Michael Risse, Microsoft VP for Small and Midsize Business on stage at the Monday morning keynote. Risse painted the SMB partner picture and featured our own SMB Partner Community magazine (which the 800 attendees received).       Harry poses with the Public Sector panel after a Monday afternoon presentation featuring the SMB partner opportunities in education, health care and government. Special thanks to Walter Seemayer and Lorenzo Bergamishi from Microsoft Redmond for organizing. Harry told the SMB Nation Starter Kit story being tested in a Houston school district for high school seniors. From left to right: ·         Markus Vogt, Germany ·         Joe Fabrizio, USA ·         Harrybbbb, USA ·         Christian Schneider, USA\Canada ·         Jose Antonio Morales, Slovenia ·         Lorenzo Bergamishi, Italy    WPC Funny Hahas! Seen at WPC Houston   The hotel guest services system in my hotel room is broke. When you turn on the TV, you see that Windows 98 is trying to reboot. True story!   Tonight is the SBS 2008\Windows Essential Business Server celebration party. Here is a prized ticket to this concert. I will take heaps of photos and post up.   Harrybbb five years ago at the SBS 2003 launch party at WPC in New Orleans (early October 2003). Yes – it was 3AM at an afterhours club. We shall see what TONIGHT in Houston brings!     Magazine In The Mail This Week!   Techie Dean Paron, Group Program Manager on the Windows Small Business Server 2008 development team at Microsoft Redmond is our cover story boy. The technical story, written by SBSer Phil Elder, takes one of the first long looks at the SBS 2008 setup, deployment and administration areas. This magazine will be distributed at the SMB Partner Forum day at WPC Houston. Other articles include a Microsoft Financing survey that is optimistic about the economy and a first look at Hyper-V.    We will post the digital edition of the magazine later this week at www.smbnation.com. Look for me at WPC Houston as I would like to hear your stories and take your picture!.

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SBS 2008 to RTM in early October\ship on November 12th

Hello from WPC. MS finally revealed the dates today!!!!  Here is the press release (below)

cheers….harrybbbb

Harry Brelsford,CEO, SMB Nation, www.smbnation.com

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Partners Gear Up for Big Opportunities with Windows Essential Server Solutions

Q&A: Steven VanRoekel, senior director, Windows Server Solutions Group at Microsoft, announces launch date for Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Release Candidate 1 versions, plus new hardware partners and development kits for software vendors.

Related Links Videos: • SAM Interview Feature Stories: • Integrated IT Designed for Midsized Businesses – Nov. 7, 2007 Press Releases: • Windows Essential Server Solutions Simplify Big Business IT for Small and Midsize Companies– Feb. 20, 2008 • Microsoft Announces Public Preview and Pricing for Windows Essential Server Solutions – May 13, 2008 Virtual Pressrooms: • Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2008 Virtual Pressroom • Windows Essential Server Solutions Virtual Press Room Microsoft Resources: • Windows Essential Server Solutions Web Site

HOUSTON – July 7, 2008 – Today at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), Microsoft detailed how IT consultants working with small and midsize businesses will benefit from Windows Essential Server Solutions: Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008.

PressPass spoke with Steven VanRoekel, senior director of the Windows Server Solutions group at Microsoft, to find out what partners and customers can expect from today’s announcements.

PressPass: What are you announcing today?

Steven VanRoekel, senior director, Windows Server Solutions Group, Microsoft

Click for high-res version.

VanRoekel: We’re making several announcements that are especially important for partners as they prepare to use Windows Essential Server Solutions to help their small and midsize customers be more productive and grow.

I am excited to announce that Nov. 12, 2008, is the official launch date for Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. Activities that day will signal availability of both solutions and kick off launch efforts worldwide. In many ways, though, we consider WPC our launch for partners and we want to help them plan and prepare for the solutions.

We are also announcing that both solutions are reaching the Release Candidate 1 milestone, another step toward final release. Pre-release versions of Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 are available for download and evaluation now through www.multiplyyourpower.com.

I’m also pleased to announce that Dell and Wortmann AG in Europe are among the companies planning to deliver hardware systems powered by Essential Business Server 2008 and Small Business Server 2008. Software development kits and other resources will be available to software vendors, so their products can be truly integrated with and managed from within the Windows Essential Server Solutions.

PressPass: What exactly are Windows Essential Server Solutions?

VanRoekel: Windows Essential Server Solutions, which include Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008, are our family of integrated, all-in-one IT solutions designed and priced for small and midsize businesses. By combining Microsoft technologies such as Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, SQL Server 2008 and other Microsoft products and services, these solutions make the benefits of enterprise-class IT accessible, affordable and simpler for smaller organizations.

PressPass: What business opportunities do the solutions present to Microsoft partners?

VanRoekel: According to IDC, there are roughly 35 million small and midsize businesses (SMBs) worldwide, and many see IT as a way to prosper and grow their business. In fact, according to IDC, IT spending worldwide will grow by 5.2 percent annually through 2012, but worldwide SMB IT spending will grow by 7.0 percent during this same period. *

Small and midsize organizations frequently rely on consultants to build and manage their IT. Accordingly, we designed the solutions with partners in mind. Specifically, Windows Essential Server Solutions give partners consistent platforms that help reduce deployment costs, grow managed service revenues, earn higher margins and support more customers more efficiently. And, perhaps most importantly, the solutions help partners develop stronger, mutually beneficial relationships with their clients.

Some partners have told us they believe they will be able to increase their customer base by 25 percent to 50 percent with Small Business Server 2008. Other partners foresee 20 percent to 50 percent growth of their customer base with Essential Business Server 2008, which is a brand-new Microsoft product, because it allows them to more easily deliver products, consulting and deployment services for midsize clients.

Partners have forecast cost savings of 10 percent to 20 percent with the solutions, because they provide a consistent infrastructure partners can easily deploy to more customers. This means cost savings they can pass on to the client that free up budget for new business applications and capabilities, such as collaboration and support for remote or mobile workers. These applications in turn generate higher margins for partners and help them deliver greater value to their customers.

PressPass: How is Microsoft helping IT consultants take advantage of Windows Essential Server Solutions?

VanRoekel:Our partners were front and center as we built the Windows Essential Server Solutions. We collaborated with them throughout the whole product design, development and testing process. Our goal was to ensure they can implement and manage the solutions for customers in an easily repeatable manner. In addition, the Premium Editions of the solutions provide great platforms for the business applications that their customers want. The Remote Web Workplace feature helps partners easily support their customers’ mobile employees. And the solutions’ pricing provides partners with not only more upfront revenue, but also generous cost savings for clients.

We’re also making big investment in training, programs and offers to help partners take advantage of the solutions. In the next year we plan to train more than 25,000 partners through events and online tools, and at the Worldwide Partner Conference we expect to educate more than 2,000 partners. And, of course, Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 are an important part of the current and future Microsoft Partner Program offerings.

We are also introducing a new online tool, called Solutions Pathway. This tool will allow partners to easily assess customers’ current investments in Microsoft server technologies, and then receive savings of approximately 30 percent or more on upgrades or migrations to the solutions.

Beyond this, we are rolling out a number of special offers, such as rebates of up to $200 (U.S.) for solution provider partners configuring Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 for clients who acquire the software and purchase Software Assurance within a certain time period. Software Assurance will provide the upgrade to Small Business Server 2008 at no additional cost when it is available, with full access to support, tools and training.

PressPass: What opportunities do independent software vendors (ISVs) have with Windows Essential Server Solutions?

VanRoekel: Both Essential Server Solutions products are a great way for our software partners to meet the needs of SMB customers. The more than 160 applications certified to run on Windows Server 2008 will be compatible with Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008. Building on that, we are making software development kits available on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), so software partners will be able to easily integrate their applications with the solutions’ central administration consoles. We estimate this will allow IT consultants and their customers to perform as much as 80 percent of their typical IT management tasks through one console, saving significant time and resources. This week we are introducing the Essential Business Server development center to provide guidance about application compatibility and integration, including how-to’s, downloads, templates and code samples.

At WPC this week, several of our software partners including CA, Citrix Systems, Symantec Corp. and Trend Micro Inc. are demonstrating their applications’ integration with Essential Business Server, which some of our beta testers are already using. We’re also showcasing Essential Business Server’s integration with other Microsoft applications, including Microsoft Dynamics, System Center Data Protection Manager and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server. CA, Symantec and Trend Micro plan to integrate their applications with Small Business Server 2008 too.

PressPass: Who are your hardware partners?

VanRoekel: Our hardware partners are excited about the new opportunities presented by the Essential Server Solutions to help our joint customers. There will be a wide variety of systems running or optimized for both products by the end of the year. AMD, Dell, HP, IBM and Intel are all demonstrating systems at the Worldwide Partner Conference this week. Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Wortmann AG in Europe also plan to deliver products built on both of the solutions. HP, IBM and Intel are integrating their hardware management software with Essential Business Server.

PressPass: What is the one thing you would like partners to take away from this interview?

I hope our partners will download and evaluate the Windows Essential Server Solutions and take advantage of the wealth of training and guidance we are providing as we progress toward launch. We are investing in their success, and the success of their customers.

Hello from Microsoft WPC in Houston!

It is Monday mid-day and the SMB Partner Forum is well underway! I will post much more later regarding today’s event. I am pleased to report that over 900 magazines were distributed!

cheers…harrybbbb

Harry Brelsford, CEO at SMB Nation, www.smbnation.com