Looking to simplify your cloud migration planning? If so, you will want to check out the newly released Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 6.5 Beta. This new version of the MAP Toolkit brings several new features to help you in your cloud migration planning, including:

• Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track Onboarding – Provides consolidation guidance and validated configurations with preconfigured Hyper-V Fast Track Infrastructures including computing power, network, and storage architectures. Get a quick analysis of server consolidation on Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track Infrastructures to help accelerate your planning of P2V migration to Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track. Each assessment also provides guidance on next steps using Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track.
• Discover Oracle instances on Itanium-based servers for migration to SQL Server - MAP 6.5 Beta adds to the heterogeneous database inventory and reporting capability with Oracle compete and the discovery of Oracle instances on Itanium-based servers with HP-UX to assist in the planning of migration to SQL Server. Reporting also provides an estimate of the complexity of migration and suggests candidates for migration to SQL Server. Use this information to determine total cost of ownership for maintaining Oracle and the potential return on investment (ROI) from switching to SQL Server.
• Assess your software usage and evaluate your licensing needs - The Software Usage Tracking feature in MAP 6.5 includes enhancements in terms of product coverage and the ability to track active Windows devices. The Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) scenario measures server and client usage for the FEP product, a recent addition to the Microsoft Core Client Access License (CAL) Suite. Active Devices is a new inventory scenario that allows organizations to report Windows devices that are active on the network. This information is useful in Enterprise Agreement scenarios.

Here are some additional resources for you to utilize regarding the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit:

• Ready to join the MAP 6.5 beta? Join HERE.
• Learn more about the business scenarios that MAP supports:
  • Windows Azure Platform Windows 7
    & Internet Explorer
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • SQL Server 2008 R2
  • Hyper-V Consolidation
  • Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track
  • Microsoft Office 2010 & Office 365
  • Software Licensing & Asset Management
• Download these resources to get you started with the MAP Toolkit:
  • Getting Started Guide
  • MAP Training Kit
  • Sample Reports
  • MAP Datasheet Software Usage Tracker
    User Guide
• Check out the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit page on TechNet
• Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit page on the Microsoft Partner Network portal
• Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit TechNet Forum
• Check out the other Microsoft Solution Accelerators

Did you find this information helpful? If so, you may want to make sure you are utilizing all of the areas I share information online, such as: my Facebook page, my Twitter account, my Linkedin account, and my blog. Plus, you can now get all of the latest Microsoft Partner Information right on your phone!

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman – Follow me on TWITTER, LinkedIn, and RSS and see “What I’m thinking”
Director, Worldwide Partner Experience
Microsoft Corporation
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights