Reaching Out to Microsoft Partners in Australia : Virtualisation

Australian Partner Webcasts on Windows Server, Virtualisation and Windows 7

nickmayhew — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:33:43 GMT

Our local readiness team has prepared some webcasts for partners too busy to come to hands on training – learn all about these important technoligies by attending the following:

OVERVIEW OF WINDOWS SERVER 2008 R2

Wednesday, 27 May, 2009

12:00-1:00pm AEST

REGISTER NOW

Level: 200

Partner Role: Implementer, Architect, Developer, Exec/Owner, Marketing, Sales, Support

Microsoft is excited to launch Windows Server 2008 R2 the newest release from the Windows Server family. This one hour session provides a high level overview of product key features and benefits, the business value and differentiators. Keeping with our 2/4 year major/minor release cadence, Windows Server 2008 R2 will be an 'R2 Style' release to address important industry trends including multi-core/many-core, virtualization, power management, componentization, and the change to 64-bit only architecture. After attending this session you will be armed to engage customers in conversations about Windows Server 2008 R2 and saving money through an upgraded infrastructure.

BETTER TOGETHER – WINDOWS SERVER R2 and WINDOWS 7

Wednesday, 3 June, 2009

12:00-1:00pm AEST

REGISTER NOW

Level: 200

Partner Role: Architect, Developer, Exec/Owner, Implementer, Marketing, Sales, Support

We in the midst of a very exciting time for Microsoft and our customers. Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 stand to introduce ground breaking technology that will save our customers money while also increasing their efficiency. However, one of the most important considerations for our customers will be how they can achieve a larger ROI and efficiency by deploying Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 together. Come learn how these two releases work together. We will talk about BranchCache, DirectAccess and other solutions this platform will deliver.

MICROSOFT VIRTUALISATION

Wednesday, 10 June, 2009

12:00-1:00pm AEST

REGISTER NOW

Level: 200

Partner Role: Architect, Developer, Exec/Owner, Implementer, Marketing, Sales, Support

Microsoft provides a comprehensive set of virtualization products, tools, and services that span from the datacenter to the desktop. Our offerings cover server virtualization with Hyper-V, application virtualization with Terminal Services, presentation virtualization with Softgrid, and desktop virtualization with Virtual PC and VECD. This webcast will address how to present the virtualization story, create a buying and deployment vision for the Technology Decision Maker (TDM) using Core IO, and create momentum behind sales opportunities.

Get rebates for Windows Server sales

nickmayhew — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:50:50 GMT

From January 15 to June 30, 2009, partners can qualify for rebates that go from USD$100 for Windows Server 2008 Standard up to USD$500 for Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Premium. Click here for more information and terms & conditions.

https://www.serveroffer.com/

Refreshed Environment Site

nickmayhew — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:05:29 GMT

The US team at Microsoft has just refreshed the Environment site. Check it out : www.microsoft.com/environment and watch out for a local version very soon !

The site includes a new Green IT section which shows how we are marketing the power of the MS platform to customers to help them meet their environmental goals whilst saving money. MS partners can easily leverage that to tell their own story.

Tracey Fellows on Sky Business TV

nickmayhew — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:23:00 GMT

The Microsoft Australia MD, Tracey Fellows, was on Sky Business TV recently talking about the current economic environment and the IT industry.

Sustainable IT - by Microsoft IT

nickmayhew — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:59:27 GMT

Description (note: MSIT=Microsoft Internal IT)

MSIT shares its approach to Environmental Sustainability. This presentation will walk through how MSIT has organized for Environmental Sustainability and share MSIT current work in place to reduce its environmental impact.
The presentation will cover the following areas:
• MSIT approach and organization to environmental sustainability
• MSIT overall environmental sustainability goals
• MSIT current commitments in the environmental sustainability space. MSIT has identified key initiatives that it is committed to focusing on this year. The initiatives include: lab consolidation, virtualization, client power settings, collaboration services, MSIT data center efficiencies, and many more.

The timing is not good for Australian partners to attend live (8am Pacific time is 3am Sydney time for example) but you'll be able to see it on demand soon afterwards. Register at:

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=261066

New Local TechNet Site for Environmental and Sustainability Resources

nickmayhew — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:27:43 GMT

We've just launched this new site - it's a gateway to the main links and resources you need to understand how Microsoft technology (and of course partner solutions based on it !) can help customers improve their environmental footprint. We've be continuing to improve and develop this site over the coming weeks so please let me know what you think. In the top section is some high level talking points on how we think of the power of IT in this context.

http://www.microsoft.com.au/technet/environment

"Are you an IT professional or a software developer looking to enhance your eco-friendly resources?
Discover how Microsoft and its partners use innovative technologies and responsible business practices to address environmental challenges worldwide

Creating technology solutions. Microsoft believes that technology is foundational to solving today’s environmental challenges and enabling long term sustainability. We are working with partners, customers, governments and organisations to find new ways to:

Reduce Energy Consumed by Technology

Windows Vista is our most energy-efficient client operating system to date, with significant changes to power management – all working to significantly reduce energy consumption.
Tests for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 reveal power savings of up to 10 percent over Windows Server 2003 at comparable levels of throughput.

Rethink Business Practices

Reduce the number of physical machines without sacrificing performance using the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V feature.

Microsoft’s System Center software helps IT professionals proactively manage the energy consumption and environmental footprint of their physical and virtual IT environments. With its seamless integration to Microsoft’s operating systems, System Center optimizes resources and reduces energy consumption through:

Progressive Group Policy management
Virtualization for server consolidation
Centralized reporting and control

Microsoft provides a free Assessment and Planning Toolkit Solution Accelerator that will auto-generate desktop and server optimization strategies for:

Upgrading existing machines to Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows Server 2008
Performance recommendations and modelling for server consolidation using Hyper-V
Intelligent Placement of virtualized machines to balance workloads most effectively

Research New Solutions

Microsoft Virtual Earth platform allows customers insight into global trends and patterns through online maps and data. Geomatics, Sungevity, Infusion, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and others have developed innovative environmental solutions on the Virtual Earth Platform.

This site is intended to help IT Professionals get easy access to the numerous resources available to help you innovate inside your IT infrastructure in terms of environmental impact."

Introducing Hyper-green.com

nickmayhew — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:00:24 GMT

From the Software enabled Earth blog:

Today, Microsoft announced the new Hyper-Green site which shows how virtualization technologies can help you reduce your carbon footprint, reduce energy, reduce cooling, and of course save some money as well.

The site includes of a set of tools available designed to help you and your organization quantify the environmental and cost savings benefits available through some of Microsoft's virtualization technologies. At the site you will be able to build a simple environmental savings report for server virtualization projects you are considering and access a set of tools, including a deeper scenario-based ROI analysis and infrastructure assessment that can help you get started on realizing that value.

Check it out now: http://www.hyper-green.com/

More....

Inside The MS Quincy Data Center

nickmayhew — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:22:53 GMT

Saw this today - a fascinating peak with the BBC into the Microsoft Quincy data center in Washington - expect Windows Azure an MS Online to be running in those racks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7694471.stm

It's fully powered by hydro-electricity and built to be highly efficient in terms of energy usage and therefore showing leadership in environmental impact. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc546560.aspx (there is another video linked to in that article). And of course there is plenty more info on the 'green' side of data center design up on our Environmental and Sustainability website e.g. Green Grid

Partner Webcast from Allison Watson on the Economic Situation

nickmayhew — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:42:41 GMT

Allison has just released this new partner-aimed webcast with advice for partners on how to survive and prosper in the current climate:

Simply go to Digital WPC site and select Allison's link:

http://www.microsoft.com/digitalwpc/

Microsoft-Watch on Cloud Services and Visualisation

nickmayhew — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:25:31 GMT

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/web_services_browser/microsofts_services_platform_takes_shape.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Good article summarising the Bob Kelly keynote at our "Get Virtual Now" launch event. It nicely ties in virtualisation to the could services story.

New Local Partner Readiness Schedule Launched

nickmayhew — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:48:13 GMT

As most of you know we have three options for you to get skilled in Australia.

(1) Partner Learning Centre - PLC - free online training

(2) CPLS (Learning Partners) offers - official Microsoft training curriculum. Go here for the full list.

(3) New technologies and customised sales/marketing training via the Microsoft readiness team. Go here for the portal.

We have just launched the full schedule for option 3 above - see it on the portal or if you want to simply download it you can get it here. And please note we are running a special offer on a readiness package and the date to take this up (31st August) is fast approaching.

We have a very comprehensive schedule that I am really excited about - and new for this year includes:

Role based training
Ability to redeem the packaged offering in a multitude of ways - including customised to your business
Increased solution selling focus
Partner competency certification options
Option to use days for joint customer-partner technical readiness sessions

Environmental & Sustainability Updates

nickmayhew — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:58:05 GMT

Well I was delighted with the award process, quality and quantity of entries for the Environmental Solution Award last week and as pleased with the press coverage we had from CRN.

The worldwide environmental team has also made some big announcements and they sent me a useful list of the key ones:

Virtualisation momentum twice as strong in Australia

nickmayhew — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:39:29 GMT

One of our team internally pointed this article out - very interesting. Showing that Australian customer momentum for virtualisation is higher than the rest of the world average - by a factor 2 ! This means enormous opportunity for Microsoft partners embracing our virtualisation platform.

http://www.techworld.com.au/article/254414/aussies_outpacing_world_virtualisation_uptake

Our new virtualisation portal site is going live very soon to give you a one stop destination on resources and our Hyper-V technical training schedule will be launched just after partner conference.

For now, you can use the following resources: