The Microsoft Velocity Reseller Cashback Program and other Promotions

Register your OPEN LICENCE opportunity and get 5% for Open L and/or 10% on Open L&SA/Open Value for your approved opportunity value back as CashBack when closed. For details, click here.

In addition to the Velocity Program, do not miss the chance to capitalise on Microsoft promotions (Office 2010, Windows Client, Windows Server, Office 365 & Exchange Server) for selected products for the May-June period. For promotion terms and conditions, click here.

Windows 8's Four Flavours: 10 Things You Should Know

On April 16, the software giant offered up a new piece of information: the many different versions of Windows 8 that will be launching later this year. As expected, Microsoft will be delivering two versions of Windows 8 for consumers and tech enthusiasts as well as an ARM-based option, called Windows 8 RT. An enterprise-only solution comes with the appropriate Windows 8 Enterprise moniker.

Microsoft Licensing in Five Easy Steps

Acquiring IT solutions for your organisation is no easy task. You’ve got to meet today’s demands whilst predicting tomorrow’s; all within a fixed purchasing strategy. And because you’ll be acquiring software – an intangible asset – your shareholders may not immediately see that what you’re purchasing is vital to the business.

Microsoft Licensing in Five Easy Steps

Nikon Uses Microsoft Communications Solution to Expedite Critical Business Decisions

Nikon Corporation is known worldwide for cameras and digital imaging products. To remain competitive in the fast-paced optics market, Nikon employees must communicate and collaborate easily with one another. Nikon had deployed an ad hoc solution that relied on different platforms for messaging, conferencing, and telephony.

Nikon believed a more comprehensive solution would increase employee responsiveness to customers, expedite business-critical decisions, and encourage collaboration between its member companies.

Don't get stuck in the IT past

Watch the “TAD Talk” and learn why the Microsoft private cloud is better than VMware’s product portfolio on costs, application insight and cross-platform compatibility.

Click to read more ...

Windows Server 8: built for the cloud, built for virtualisation

Windows Server 8 is an operating system built for the cloud. Not the Windows Azure public cloud; rather, it's built for "private clouds": on-premise, virtualised deployments with tens or hundreds of virtual machines. Fundamental to the "private cloud" concept is powerful virtualisation. Windows Server 8 will include Hyper-V 3, which is more scalable and more fully-featured than its predecessors.

This kind of large scale administration requires a new approach to system management.

That approach centers around PowerShell and Server Manager, the new Metro-style management console. Server Manager provides a convenient GUI, but behind the scenes, PowerShell commands are constructed and executed. The commands can also be copied, edited, and executed directly in PowerShell. This should sound familiar to many Windows administrators, as Exchange already uses this style of management, with the GUI being a mere layer over PowerShell.

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Virtual Labs Available To You Online

Please take advantage of all of the SQL Server 2012 information and resources that are available to you and share these with any of your peers or counterparts that you think could benefit from these as well.

Remember that you can always see all of the latest direct from the Microsoft SQL Server Team right on your phone through their feed in the Products section of the Microsoft Partner Info Mobile App, including the latest from their blogs, Twitter channels, and YouTube channels.

These SQL Server 2012 Virtual Labs will enable you to look at the latest features, as well as checking developer references and reading performance survival guides.

Reminder: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Christchurch New Zealand Launch event

Express Data wishes to remind you of the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 launch event tomorrow, Thursday 12th April 2012.

Session Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
(Registration & light lunch from 11:30am)
Venue: Ashley Hotel
(106 Mandeville Street, Riccarton)
 
All ATTENDEES will receive a 16GB USB drive which will contain the following:

• SQL Server 2012 Licensing Datasheet
• SQL Server 2012 Software Assurance Migration Paths
• SQL Server 2012 Editions & Licensing FAQ

Reminder: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Auckland New Zealand Launch

Express Data wishes to remind you of the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 launch event tomorrow, Thursday 5th April 2012.

Session Time: 9:00am - 10:00am
(Registration & light breakfast from 8:30am)
Venue: Microsoft New Zealand
(Level 5, 22 Viaduct Harbour Avenue )
 
All ATTENDEES will receive a 16GB USB drive which will contain the following:

• SQL Server 2012 Licensing Datasheet
• SQL Server 2012 Software Assurance Migration Paths
• SQL Server 2012 Editions & Licensing FAQ

Windows Server '8' Beta now available

Windows Server is the leading server operating system that powers many of the world’s largest datacenters, and provides business opportunities to organizations of all sizes from small businesses to large enterprises. Building on this legacy, Windows Server “8” Beta operating system delivers hundreds of new features and enhancements transforming virtualization and cloud computing to help your customers reduce IT costs and deliver more business value. Understand the business opportunity by:

• Familiarising yourself with the Technical datasheet and FAQ
• Downloading the Beta