News & Views for Australian SBSCs : Training

SBS user group tour with Wayne Small

rupcroft — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:15:25 GMT

As part of our continuing channel readiness efforts please see below details of our upcoming SBS user group tour (unfortunately the Sydney meeting has been & gone - next one on Tuesday, Dec 9th).

Entry is free & details on the good work that these groups do can be found here: www.sbsgroups.com.au I'm really happy to be working so closely with the SBS partner community in Australia as it means that we're reaching the people who are most passionate about the product, and through them, the small business customers.

As Wayne says on his blog, we'll also be joined in most cities by HP, Citrix & Kaseya, thus showcasing just a few of the hardware, software & services vendors who are support the launch of SBS 2008 & EBS 2008.

Food & refreshments will be provided & all meetings will start at 5pm & run through to around 8.30 - 9pm, depending on how many questions Wayne has to answer about SBS & EBS. :-)

Cheers & we hope to see you there,

Robbie

City	Date	Location
Sydney	Tuesday, Nov 11th	Microsoft offices, North Ryde
Perth	Monday, Nov 17th	Microsoft offices - in the QV1 conference facility Level 2, 250 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Melbourne	Wednesday, Nov 19th	Microsoft offices Level 5, 4 Freshwater Place, Southbank
Adelaide	Monday, Nov 24th	Ingram Micro offices 208 Greenhill Rd, Eastwood
Brisbane	Tuesday, Nov 25th	Microsoft offices Level 9, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane

Live webcast to celebrate the launch of the new Windows Essential Server solutions range

rupcroft — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:25:15 GMT

Join our webcast and see our new SMB Server products that can take your business forward. The Wayne & I will do some live demos & answer as many of your questions as we can.

Wednesday November 12th
11am - 12pm
Register for the webcast

Here is your opportunity to experience the new Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 – integrated server solutions designed and priced for small and midsize businesses. Take a look inside the solutions that will redefine the way your SMB customers deploy and migrate, manage, connect and secure their networks.

Before you start selling, get trained up on what is possible with this technology by joining Microsoft’s live one hour webcast on the 12th November with a Q & A chat with our panel of experts. You’ll hear from our Australian SMB Server Team on the new solutions that will redefine the SMB server landscape.

Cheers & hope to see you there,

Robbie

PS - it will be recorded & available for download if you can't make it.

Windows Small Business Server 2008

Could your small business customers benefit from an all-in-one server solution? If they’re running fewer than 75 PCs, then addressing their needs could be easier than you think. Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 runs multiple technologies, which are integrated and configured specifically for small business needs. Here’s what you’re customers can expect:

Access to e-mail contacts, calendar and files from anywhere
Increased reliability of hardware and software
Internal Web sites for rich collaboration
Lower costs through easier installation and management
Better protection with automatic backups and file restoration

Windows Essential Business Server 2008

Imagine the difference an integrated multi-server solution could make to your customers business. If your customers are lacking this essential technology, then their bottom line could be suffering, and that affects yours. Windows Essential Business Server 2008 is part of the Windows Essential Server Solutions family, and is specifically for mid-sized businesses. Here’s how it can work for your customers:

Secure remote access to e-mail, files, and applications
Streamlined administration console for all included technologies
Preconfigured platform to Microsoft Best Practices
Simple, wizard-based setup of key workloads
Centralised, easy-to-use license management tools

With this essential business software, you’ll be able to offer your customers technology solutions that meet the top priorities of decision makers within small and mid-sized businesses. So what are you waiting for? Build new and ongoing revenue streams and advise your customers on the solution that’s right for their business.

Don’t miss it – register to watch the webcast here

Don’t stop with the webcast. Expand your knowledge even further and get further training here for Small Business Server 2008 and here for Essential Business Server 2008

Register now for Microsoft Innovation Days

rupcroft — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:20:15 GMT

With thanks to Christian Long from our ISV team:

This is your opportunity to 'get your feet on the ground, head in the clouds' and connect with top IT architects, developers and partners for a day of technical sessions and compelling discussions about the future of the Microsoft platform.

The day will concentrate on important announcements released at October’s Professional Developer's Conference, and will focus on our Software plus Services platform. This is Microsoft's vision for the next generation of computing that brings together the best of cloud-based services and traditional client computing software to deliver a richer experience to your customers.

When? 8.30am breakfast until 4pm

Canberra: 18 Nov
Sydney: 19 Nov
Brisbane: 21 Nov
Melbourne: 24 Nov
Perth: 27 Nov
Adelaide: 28 Nov

Who? Business/Technical Decision Makers in the morning… to become a little more detailed in the afternoon.

Cheers & enjoy,

Robbie

PS - a copy of SBS 2008 Premium to be given away in every city!

SBS & EBS in the next Action Pack

rupcroft — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:26:56 GMT

Given that Small Business Server 2008 & Essential Business Server 2008 have now been released to manufacturing, I'm happy to report that both will be included in the next release of the Microsoft Action Pack. Check out the full listing of contents here.

This is due for shipment on October 24th meaning you should start to receive your kits in the weeks following - hopefully ahead of the WW customer launch on November 12th.

If you're not currently subscribed, then now's your chance to sign-up to receive loads of software, content & training that can help you spot, sell & close deals.

Enjoy,

Robbie

Volume licensing training just like Mama used to make

rupcroft — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:28:24 GMT

One of the consistent pieces of feedback we receive is that there's not enough training around Volume Licensing. So in conjunction with Ingram Micro, here you go: register your attendance.

Cheers,

Robbie

Volume Licensing Boot Camps

Want to build your licensing capabilities and strengthen your understanding of new technologies?

Ingram Micro and Microsoft would like to invite you to attend the first in a new series of Volume Licensing Boot Camps. This series of Boot Camps scheduled for September/October will help build your licensing capabilities in the areas of Open License, Open Value, and strengthen your understanding of Software Assurance, Software Asset Management and Virtualisation. Boot Camps will be run on a quarterly basis with new sessions available each time, and fantastic prizes to be won.

The first sessions are:

SYDNEY
24 Sept 2008 | 8:30AM to 11:00AM AEST
BRISBANE
9 Oct 2008 | 8:30AM to 11:00AM AEST

MELBOURNE
8 Oct 2008 | 8:30AM to 11:00AM AEST

PERTH
7 Oct 2008 | 8:30AM to 11:00AM AWST

Be sure to pass this invitation to other interested parties and peers.

For more Microsoft training, click here

Are you working with the SBS or EBS 2008 betas yet?

rupcroft — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:41:55 GMT

Both the Small Business Server 2008 & Essential Business Server 2008 betas are proving very popular in Australia & so if you haven't already, now's the time to get started with them.

We're currently ranking fourth worldwide & accounting for over 5% of downloads - not bad considering we've got only 0.3% of the world's population.

Download SBS 2008 beta here
Download EBS 2008 beta here
Or order DVDs of both by emailing me on rupcroft@microsoft.com

Thanks & would love to know your thoughts,

Robbie

Register now for the SMB Server Day at TechEd to get your free copy of Small Business Server 2008

rupcroft — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:08:02 GMT

We announced over on the SBS blog last night the long-awaited sign-up incentive for the SMB Servers TechEd 2008 pre-day - a free copy of Small Business Server 2008 Std for all attendees.

Whilst I firmly believe that there's enough goodness in the content & chance to network with your peers from around Australia to make it worth your while, we've opted to provide this giveaway for three reasons:

Help cover your costs of registration, flights, accommodation etc
Gets you started with your first sale on the new platform
Gives me a chance to play Santa Claus in September

We'll be taking this offer out to the wider partner community later this week & so I wanted to give the SBSC & SBS User Group folks a heads-up first. So please have a look at the agenda & sign-up today.

Cheers & see you there,

Robbie

PS - given the tight timelines between expected SBS RTM & the SMB Servers day on Sept 2nd, we may not have the actual stock to give out on the day. In this case, we will send it out to all attendees as soon as it arrives.

Keynote from the WPC SMB Partner forum

rupcroft — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:26:19 GMT

Microsoft's VP of SMB, Michael Risse, gave the keynote in yesterday's SMB Partner Forum at the WW Partner Conference in Houston - check here for details.

Whilst the deck is obviously designed to be presented live (ie there's space for a demo), I've kept most of the comments pages in so that you can get a good sense of what he & Andrea Russell (WW SBSC Program Lead) were talking about.

Highlights & key announcements:

The launch of SBS & EBS will be on November 12th
An update on the Software + Services strategy as it pertains to small business

More information on the just announced Microsoft Online partner model here

A major overhaul of the Solution Finder tool, called Microsoft Pinpoint
SBSCs now eligible for the Forefront SSA program (Security Software Advisor)
Free SBS 2008 exam vouchers

Limited to the first 5,000 applicants
Email "SBS Exam Voucher" to askcorp@microsoft.com

Cheers & let me know if you have any questions,

Robbie

Register now for SBS & EBS partner training

rupcroft — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:20:03 GMT

Get in quick as spots are limited - the first official public showing of Small Business Server 2008 & Essential Business Server 2008 in Australia.

With the public beta of EBS 2008 now available & SBS 2008 coming on May 29th (Aussie time), now's the time to take a look at what the solutions will offer. Led by Wayne Small & myself, the presentation will include live demonstrations and cover the following:

Overview of the new products
Pricing and launch plans
Set-up & deployment
Migration
Virtualisation
Differences from SBS 2003 in the RWW, reporting, security and the management console
How to get your head around the opportunity that the new products represent

Kicking off at 8am & finishing at 12pm, this is your opportunity to get your head around the new products. A light breakfast will be served & there’ll be time for extensive Q&A.

Cheers & see you there,

Robbie

Volume licensing training - still a few spots available

rupcroft — Fri, 23 May 2008 04:57:11 GMT

As per our earlier post, there are still a few spots available for the volume licensing training in Melbourne & Sydney next week.

We regularly receive feedback from SBSCs that there's not enough training in this area, and so here's your chance to find out more & ask that burning question. Details below.

Cheers,

Robbie

MELBOURNE
Wednesday, 28th May 2008
11:00am- 12:00pm
Microsoft Offices - Level 5, 4 Freshwater Place, Southbank (Melbourne Exhibition Room)

SYDNEY
Thursday, 29th May 2008
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Ingram Micro Offices - 61 Dunning Ave, Rosebery

Please RSVP to t-julia@microsoft.com and we will confirm your attendance.

For further Microsoft licensing information or pricing, contact Ingram Micro on 1300 363 318 or visit TechLink. For more Microsoft training, click here >

Free Volume Licensing Training for Partners - in partnership with Ingram Micro

nickmayhew — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:18:56 GMT

Want to maximise your revenue and build stronger customer relationships?

We have 1 hour training events scheduled in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Come and hear directly from our Microsoft Licensing specialist how you can sell Volume Licensing. Event details for Resellers are listed below. We look forward to seeing you there

SYDNEY
Thursday, 29th May 2008
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Ingram Micro Offices - 61 Dunning Ave, Rosebery

BRISBANE
Wednesday, 21st May 2008
10:00am - 11:00am
Microsoft Offices - 1 Eagle Street, 9th Floor, Waterfront Place (Theatre 2)

MELBOURNE
Wednesday, 28th May 2008
11:00am- 12:00pm
Microsoft Offices - Level 5, 4 Freshwater Place, Southbank (Melbourne Exhibition Room)

Please RSVP to t-julia@microsoft.com and we will confirm your attendance.

For further Microsoft licensing information or pricing, contact Ingram Micro on 1300 363 318 or visit TechLink. For more Microsoft training, click here >

WPC: 2008 SMALL & MIDSIZE BUSINESS PARTNER FORUM AND SMB TRACK

nickmayhew — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:23:45 GMT

WPC: 2008 SMALL & MIDSIZE BUSINESS PARTNER FORUM AND SMB TRACK

Register for the third annual Microsoft Small and Midsize Business Partner Forum (formerly known as the Small Business Symposium). This year, for the first time ever, the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference will include an end-to-end experience for partners focused on the small- and midsize-business market segment. We’ll feature a one-day interactive event on July 7, as well as a new small- and midsize-business track throughout the entire Worldwide Partner Conference, taking place July 7-10 in Houston.

SBSC partners can take advantage of special discount WPC pricing of USD$1395 (full conference fee is USD$1795) – details, special registration code and link to the registration tool can be found online. Partners using the special registration code will be automatically registered for the SMB Partner Forum on July 7^th.

The Small and Midsize Business Partner Forum, held on the first day of the conference, is a networking and learning event for Microsoft Small Business Specialists and other SMB-focused technology providers who want to strengthen their small-business practices. During the interactive one-day Small and Midsize Business Partner Forum—and through the first-ever small- and midsize-partner track held throughout the Worldwide Partner Conference--you’ll have the chance to gain insight on how to balance customer needs with your own growth objectives.

When you attend the Worldwide Partner Conference and the Small and Midsize Business Partner Forum, you can:

Learn strategies from industry experts to help you effectively focus your time, increase your business value, and grow your business.
Hear from Microsoft executives about the company’s direction in the small- and midsize-business marketplace.
Interact with your peers and learn successful best practices that you can implement in your business.
Prepare for the upcoming launch of Windows Small Business Server 2008.
Build core skills and strategies that align with the small- and midsize-business segment.

Nick Mayhew

Great training now available

sbscaustralia — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:03:56 GMT

We're starting to roll out our training schedule for our Small Business Partners, starting with the below 1-day course on SBS R2.

The full day training including lunch is only $163.90 and I'd say it was well worth your money.

See more details below and register now

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This technical training focuses on the Small Business Server 2003 Release 2 and will be delivered in two sessions, with each session focusing on a different aspect of SBS Server 2003 R2. The sessions will run for approximately three (3) hours with a lunch break in between the sessions. The session’s outlines are:

Session 1 - Microsoft SBS 2003 R2 – Exchange 2003 and Outlook 2003 SP2 Features

This session introduces the new features on SBS 2003 R2 in regards to Exchange 2003 SP2 and Outlook 2003 SP2. After completing this course, you will be able to:

· Describe the new flexible client licensing in SBS 2003 R2.

· Identify ways to increase mobile security and efficiency through new Windows Mobile 5.0 policies and Direct Push technology.

· Provide increased message hygiene by using the Open SPF standard as well as an improved Intelligent Message Filter.

· Show how to allow for more storage with an increased mailbox size limit of 75GB.

Session 2 - Microsoft SBS 2003 R2 – Windows SharePoint Services V2.0\V3.0 Features

This session will introduce WSS v2.0, however it will be mainly focused on WSS V3.0. Students will learn the advantages of using Windows SharePoint services in their SBS 2003 R2 environment. After completing this course, you will be able to:

· Describe the benefits of using SharePoint as an information sharing tool.

· Show the advantages of using WSS V3.0 in their environment.

· Preparing for and upgrading to WSS V3.0.

· Integrate WSS V3.0 into Microsoft SBS 2003 R2 environment.

· Utilizing advanced WSS V3.0 features to enhance the current environment.

REGISTER NOW : https://www.local.microsoft.com.au/australia/events/register/home.aspx?levent=400723&linvitation

Get $100 off your training days by giving me your feedback

sbscaustralia — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 03:04:15 GMT

It's that time of the year when I'm planning for the new financial year and I need your feedback to help me make sure we give you what you want :-)

I've got vouchers for $100 off each day of training if you book and complete a MOC technical course before September 30 2007 - so instead of just giving them away, I thought I'd get you to give me feedback and I'll send you the voucher.

So, what do you need to do?

1) Just email me at lornaf@microsoft.com with your answers to the questions below and your postal address and I will send you the voucher.

It's as simple as that!

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1) How satisfied are you with this Blog?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Very dissatisfied								Very satisfied

2) How relevant is the information on this blog?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Not at all relevant								Very relevant

3) How would you like to receive information from Microsoft? (include all that apply)

a) Newsletters

b) Website

c) Podcasts

d) Live meeting

4) Is there anything you'd like to see on this blog?

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5) Any additional feedback or comments you have?

Course - Key Marketing Concepts for Microsoft Partners - "Well worth it"

sbscaustralia — Thu, 31 May 2007 03:17:47 GMT

If you haven't had a chance to take advantage of the $200 off the Key Marketing Concepts and Techniques for Microsoft Partners course - you should definitely think about it.

The course run by external consultants Carpe-Diem is a great introduction to marketing and Partner fedback so far has been great. With a reduced price of only $295 for SBSCers, its a great way to start building your marketing knowledge.

If you don't believe me, see below a quote from a fellow SBSCer....

"This course is a marketing course for professional marketing people, wow did that scare me! As a small business owner I see myself in technical, sales, marketing and business management roles, so to walk into a session that was unashamedly focused on full time marketing folk was a concern. After the first hour I was totally convinced that this was the place to focus our efforts that day. Vicki presented energetic, relevant material that we used the very next day.

Highly recommended course, very happy with Carpe Diem.

I would recommend this course to anyone and would encourage members of the Small Business Specialist Community to take advantage of this course if offered again."

David Mackie

Infrastructure Architect – Director

Synergistic Network Solutions Pty Limited