In The Know - Charles Van Heusen's Weblog

Are you Ready to get Virtualized?

2008-10-10T17:16:09Z

Join Microsoft for the upcoming Virtualization Roadshow to learn about the latest ways to save your customers money. At these events, you won't just attend a lecture, you'll get the chance for hands on training with the latest in virtualization technology as well as be able to take home a copy of the software when you are done.

Here is what you walk away in addition to the knowledge and hands on experience:

A one-year evaluation copy of Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008
A copy of Understanding Microsoft Virtualization from the Desktop to the Data Center, by Mitch Tulloch**
Vouchers for Microsoft Server Virtualization Certification exam (70-652) and preparation course (a $316 value)

To learn more about the events near you, check out the city list below.

Date	City	Venue
October 10, 2008	Anaheim , CA	Hyatt Regency Orange County
October 13, 2008	Santa Clara , CA	Hyatt Regency Santa Clara
October 15, 2008	San Francisco , CA	San Francisco Marriott
October 21, 2008	Minneapolis , MN	Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
October 24, 2008	Dallas , TX	Dallas Sheraton
October 27, 2008	Chicago , IL	InterContinental Chicago
October 31, 2008	Boston , MA	Boston Sheraton
November 3, 2008	New York , NY	Sheraton Hotel & Towers
November 10, 2008	Washington , DC	Omni Shoreham Hotel
November 13, 2008	Philadelphia , PA	Sheraton Philadelphia City Center
November 17, 2008	Atlanta , GA	Marriott Atlanta Marquis

Technorati Tags: Virtualization

Microsoft TechDays 08 - Coming to Orange County, CA November 11th. Be there or be left behind.

2008-10-07T18:52:26Z

Orange County Partners - Register now for Microsoft TechDays ’08

If your business is fueled by technology, TechDays '08 is an event you won't want to miss. Loaded with exclusive product information presented by insider experts, TechDays '08 is designed to show developers, IT professionals, IT executives, and partners how Microsoft technology can take their business to the next level.

Whether you attend just one day or all three, you'll walk away with a greater understanding of the business value of Microsoft's technology solutions. Plus, you'll have the chance to take a closer look at Microsoft's latest development tools. Check out the tracks to the right and register for these exciting sessions today!

City	Day	Date	Event Name
Orange County	Tuesday	11/11/2008	TechDays '08: Microsoft Licensing and Solution Update - Partner Track
Orange County	Tuesday	11/11/2008	TechDays ’08: SQL Roadshow - IT Pro Track
Orange County	Tuesday	11/11/2008	TechDays '08: What's New for Developers - Developer Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: TechNet Event - Windows Vista, PowerShell and Group Policy - IT Pro Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: MSDN Event - Silverlight 2.0, SQL Server 2008, and VSTO - Developer Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: SB2 - Solution Building for System Builders - Partner Track
Orange County	Wednesday	11/12/2008	TechDays '08: TS2 Partner Event - SBS/EBS 2008, Response Point, and S+S! - Partner Track
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays '08: TechDays ’08: Virtualization and Enterprise Search - IT Pro Track
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays ’08: A Solution Briefing and Lunch for IT and Business Executives
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays '08: The Role of the Architect: Today and in the Future - Developer Track
Orange County	Thursday	11/13/2008	TechDays '08: Microsoft Dynamics ERP Briefing - Dynamics Partner Track

Technorati Tags: events

Maximize the value of your Microsoft Dynamics Solution

2008-09-26T16:26:51Z

The Microsoft Dynamics Customer Roadshow is coming to a location near you!

With today’s economic challenges, maximizing the capabilities of your Microsoft Dynamics business management solution is more important than ever. Join Microsoft Dynamics specialists for this exciting event and learn firsthand how you can best leverage and expand your current solution—to maximize

productivity and profitability.

To register and for more information, visit Microsoft Dynamics Customer Roadshow Live Space at http://dynamicsroadshow.spaces.live.com or contact your Microsoft partner. The event is free, but attendance at each event is limited, so be sure to register today!

For those of you who are not currently resellers of Dynamics products, did you know that the largest consumer of Microsoft stack solutions are Dynamics customers. It's worth your time to attend, learn about new opportunities for your business as well as identify other key partners in the area that you can affiliate with to cross sell solutions.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft CRM,Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Response Point receives praises from ZDNet at ITExpo Conference

2008-09-25T17:39:19Z

There is more positive feedback on the Microsoft Response Point solution at the recent ITExpo Conference by John Carroll of ZDNet.

You can read the full article by click Thoughts on Microsoft Response Point , here is the summary of his post.

"Generally, I found the Response Point product interesting in ways more complicated solutions on display at the conference did not. It does a good job of pulling legos out of the Microsoft software toolchest and putting them together in an interesting way, something at which I can’t say every department within the company is equally skilled. It’s also an interesting approach to telephony of a kind that we will see a lot more in the future. The hardest part of breaking the hold traditional telephony has on the average consumer is breaking through the “ease of use” barrier. Something like this helps to popularize an end-to-end digital solution, which is an important step in the evolution away from traditional phone service."

Technorati Tags: response Point

Security Advisory for your customers eCard invite and Greeting Card SPAM is on the rise

2008-09-19T17:00:08Z

I thought I should pass on this tidbit of information that was raised by the internal IT team at Microsoft regarding the issue and the fact that it is not a virus so it is not detected by traditional antivirus software. The bad news is that the only way to be certain to clear it off your system is to wipe and reimage your machines. At least that is the instructions they are giving us.

Here are more details:

Description
It’s on the rise again….the popular greeting card scam is being leveraged as a vehicle for seeding malware. Many will recognize it, as this social engineering angle certainly is not new and can be dated back to the mid to late 1990’s however please be advised that miscreants are running this sting again as we have received many reports lately.

Affected Users
Because there are no attachments included in the email, just URL’s to malicious sites, the email could successfully bypass security checkpoints and be delivered to your in box.
Impact
Looking closely at the URL’s you will typically see one pointing to an executable file which is malicious. As of late the files are containing Trojans or spyware designed as a back door to your system or to collect personal, corporate confidential information and data for monetary purposes. Another tall tale sign in these spamming efforts are misspelled words or improper English in the emails.

Information & Support
As this is not a virus, so traditional antivirus software will not detect it. Like with any suspicious email, simply don’t open it and delete it unread.

It isn’t a virus, but it does contain your typical host of mal/spy/adware, and opens your machine up to bot usage. There is no cure for it through official channels at this time. You should do a wipe and load if you are affected. Data is not compromised.

Technorati Tags: spam,malware,adware

The Big Easy Offer is Back!

2008-08-28T19:10:25Z

The Big Easy Offer 2.0

Partner feedback about the original “The Big Easy Offer” that ended in June 2008 was so positive that we are pleased to announce “The Big Easy Offer 2.0”. The Big Easy Offer 2.0 covers most of the core Microsoft products and solutions you sell to your small and midsize customers. When your customers make a qualifying purchase they will receive partner subsidy dollars to be used toward purchasing more products and services for a more complete solution.

Please read on for the details of The Big Easy Offer 2.0 for partners. When talking to your customers about this offer, please refer to the information on our Microsoft Incentives site at http://www.MicrosoftIncentives.com/bigeasy.

Promotion Dates:

August 25, 2008 through December 31, 2008

Target Customer Audiences:

Small and midsize organizations, both commercial and government

Products Included:

• Designer and Developer Tools (Microsoft Expression, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Visual Studio Team)
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• Microsoft Forefront Security Products (ISA Server, Forefront Security for Exchange, Forefront Security for SharePoint)
• Microsoft Office Communications Server
• Microsoft Office System (Small Business, Professional Plus, Enterprise)
• Microsoft Project and Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Systems Center (Configuration Manager, Essentials)
• Microsoft Windows Server System (Windows Server, Small Business Server)

Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs and License Agreement Types:

This promotion is available for the following Volume Licensing programs and license agreement types:

Open License: Corporate and Government (specific products)
Open Value: Corporate

Software Maintenance Options:

Software Assurance is required for this promotion.

Microsoft Software Assurance for Volume Licensing provides upgrades, new versions of software, and technical support to customers. Software Assurance benefits vary with each Volume Licensing program. In addition, server licenses come with benefits that are different from those for desktop licenses.

Customer Eligibility Requirements:

Customers must make a qualifying purchase as defined in the offer Terms and Conditions, which are available at http://www.microsoftincentives.com/bigeasy.

Technorati Tags: Big Easy,Licensing

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Released To Manufacturer Today!

2008-08-22T02:47:09Z

If you have heard the good news by now, well here it is! The Gold Code is on its way to Manufacturers to start burning to those precious DVDs and CDs!

On August 21^st, Windows® Small Business Server 2008 was released to manufacturing (RTM) so now is a great time to get ready to sell the newest release of this award-winning productivity suite for small businesses.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 is the first suite of the Windows Essential Server Solutions family to RTM and will be followed by Windows Essential Business Server 2008 in the near future. Designed and priced specifically for small and midsize businesses, Windows Essential Server Solutions are the right choice for customers that are growing out of their peer-to-peer networks, upgrading hardware and software, migrating from older, legacy platforms, or needing to unify disparate IT infrastructure.

With Windows Small Business Server 2008 the developers have listened to your feedback and made significant changes in the technology that not only enhances the customer experience (improved Remote Web Workplace, Exchange 2007, SharePoint Services 3.0), but also provide you more opportunities make more money (Terminal Services remote solutions, building websites with Office Live, deploying Mobility solutions, etc). This is the best version of SBS for customers, and this release is Partner-Ready too!
The official product launch is November 12, 2008 so don't wait. Your first opportunity to learn more will be at the upcoming free SBS Partner Group Tour. During September we’re taking the developers on the road to fifteen cities to show you the new product and answer your questions. You don’t want to miss this one!

So get ready to take advantage of the new sales and service opportunities Windows Small Business Server 2008 will provide. For more information on:

· 30+ Technical Webcasts (virtualization, migration, terminal services, etc)

· Demos highlighting key enhancements

· Sales & marketing resources

Simply visit the Windows Small Business Server 2008 Partner Portal to get started today.

Designed for small businesses with up to 50 employees, Windows Small Business Server 2008 is an affordable, integrated server solution that helps protect business data and increase productivity. With features like e-mail, Internet connectivity, internal Web sites, remote access, support for mobile devices, file and printer sharing, backup, and restore, Small Business Server 2008 gives customers the tools they need to help grow their businesses. Learn more

Designed for midsize businesses with 50 to 250 employees, Windows Essential Business Server 2008 combines software for management, messaging, and security features into one integrated affordable server solution designed to dramatically reduce IT complexity and improve efficiency across the business, putting IT in control. It’s the perfect combination for midsize businesses wanting to run an enterprise-class network without the complexities associated with an enterprise-class network. Learn more

Help protect your PC from viruses, spyware, and future threats at www.microsoft.com/protect

Technorati Tags: Cougar,Windows Small Business Server 2008

SBS2008 Licensing change! Premium Edition will contain a full version of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition!

2008-08-12T19:27:53Z

This is some great news coming out of the product team that is worth sharing.

Today, we closed on a change to the POR for Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition:

Instead of including Windows Server 2008 “Small Business” Edition, SBS Premium now includes Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition.

We will be shipping the exact ISOs that Windows Server RTM’ed. The only noticeable difference to the end customer will be the label that’s printed on the disc itself as part of packaging. Additionally, Standard Edition does not contain technical enforcement that requires the 2^nd server to be joined to the SBS domain; However, the customer will still legally be required to join the server to the domain as part of the EULA.

This is a great thing for the SBS ecosystem: it makes our end customers scenarios around virtualization and app compat stronger, and it’s also a big win from a long-term engineering strategy.

This change is driving the following changes into the product -- all are in progress and will not affect our RTM date.

- The core EULA displayed in SBS Server #1 is changing (that’s going into tonight’s build)

- We will be adding a paper copy of the EULA into Premium box (that happens during manufacturing)

- The Product Use Rights (PUR) agreement is changing (kicked off this morning; will be complete before the PUR goes live).

As more news filters down, I'll make sure I pass it along....

Charles

Technorati Tags: Windows Small Business Server 2008,Cougar

TS2 August Event Line up!

2008-08-12T15:21:50Z

TS2 is excited to launch a new series of events in August that are focused on getting Partners prepared to sell Microsoft solutions. Overall, we will be hosting 40 of our “traditional” events as well as 4 “Technology Week” pilot events (Dates an locations to be announced shortly). For those coming up in August, see below to register and attend the event!

Date	City	State	Click here to register!
8/19/2008	Jacksonville	FL	TS2
8/19/2008	Chicago	IL	TS2
8/21/2008	Columbia	SC	TS2
8/21/2008	St. Louis	MO	TS2
8/26/2008	New York	NY	TS2
8/26/2008	Des Moines	IA	TS2
8/28/2008	Edison	NJ	TS2
8/28/2008	Kansas City	MO	TS2

Partners – Attend a TS2 event!

Join us at the next TS2 event in your area, where we will focus on exciting Microsoft technologies that will broaden your portfolio of customer offerings and boost your ongoing revenues.

Our TS2 team will discuss solutions to help you promote the following products:

· Windows Server 2008

· Small Business Server 2008 & Essential Business Server 2008

· Response Point VoIP Phone System

· Software + Services

Register now! Make sure you www.MicrosoftTS2.com to meet the team, view educational webcasts, and more!

Technorati Tags: Microsoft TS2,TS2

Watch the Olympics on MSN, your Zune, Media Center PC, or Xbox!

2008-08-08T15:46:34Z

On the eve of 08.08.08 and the excitement around the XXIX Olympiad, Microsoft and NBC Sports have teamed to deliver event coverage on a scale never seen before on the Internet, let alone on TV. NBC and Microsoft will be streaming more than 3,500 hours of Olympics video to millions of online viewers in the United States, including LIVE coverage of every minute of competition from 25 sports. This is the largest media event ever done on the web, an unprecedented moment in the history of the Internet. MSN is providing distribution of NBC Olympics video content -- which lives exclusively on the MSN network -- to all of our US visitors. The site itself is designed to handle more than 2.3 terabytes/second of traffic and will provide a flawless viewing experience for customers. Silverlight 2 is the core technology behind the Olympics video player and provides the high-quality, interactive experience. The combination of this unprecedented amount of video coverage from NBC and Microsoft technology will change the way people experience live sports.

Here are all the ways you can experience the 2008 Summer Olympics from Microsoft and NBC:

· Click http://www.nbcolympics.com/video to jump right in and experience high-quality, interactive video using Silverlight. This could even be better than being in Beijing! Get amazing, crisp HD video quality on the web that’s always optimized for your connection using Silverlight’s new adaptive streaming capability, watch up to four live streams simultaneously in the same player, and get expert commentary (hot-linked so you can go back right to the exact moment that Michael Phelps touches the wall for gold) all within a rich Silverlight application running within the browser.

· Beginning tomorrow and throughout the Games, the MSN homepage will prominently feature a dynamic Olympics module which will enable people to see results (or hide them if you don’t want any spoilers), get the latest news and see exclusive video coverage. Our partnership with NBC and the world-class editorial team in MSN will make MSN the best portal for up-to-the-minute Olympics coverage.

· Get the latest medal counts by sport or by country, or find out about all 10,000 of the athletes competing in the 2008 Summer Games using the Live Search Olympics Instant Answer

· Install the new MSN Toolbar that gives you one click access to the medal tally and many other highlights.

· Beginning August 9th, Zune Marketplace will kick off a series of daily 2008 Olympic Games videos from NBC Sports, giving viewers special on-the-go access to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. For approximately 99 cents–$1.99 per episode (with post-Games content TBD), footage will include memorable highlights from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, “best of” compilations, “best match” replays and a post-Games wrap-up feature. Users will be able to download each episode onto their Zune device for viewing whenever and wherever they go.

Additionally, XBOX users will be able to purchase and download a daily wrap-up of the day’s events from NBC Sports, with a complete wrap-up at the end of the Games. And as you saw earlier today, from Windows Media Center, head for NBC Olympics On the Go service in the Online Media strip.

This was a strong cross-company effort, with many people and teams working together to make Microsoft’s and NBC’s coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games a reality. For a behind-the-scenes look at what was involved, check out the Olympics channel on onTen and CNET’s take here, along with press coverage of Microsoft’s participation in the Games, including yesterday’s Seattle Times and today’s Seattle P-I.

Check it out, tell your friends & enjoy.

Technorati Tags: 2008 Olympics,Zune,Xbox 360,MSN

Aastra Response Point Solution - It's Here and there is a Discount for Partner Kits!

2008-08-06T19:43:13Z

Aastra Response Point Discount Demo Program for VARs Announced

To promote the launch of Aastra's Response Point solution AastraLink RP, and provide you with a system to help you and your customers become more familiar with our product, Aastra is offering special first come, first serve limited quantity pricing of an AastraLink RP™ Startup Bundle kit through our distributor, Wesbell Technologies.

The startup bundle consists of:

Regular Price:

1 AastraLink RP 500 Base Unit
1 AastraLink RP 540 Gateway
1 Aastra 6751i RP Entry Level Phone
1 Aastra 6753i RP Full Featured Phone
1 Aastra 6757i CT RP Advanced Feature Phone with Cordless Handset

$ 2,399.00 MSRP

Aastra is offering this startup bundle for a price of $1,399.00, a savings of $1,000.00 over regular MSRP pricing! This is a great opportunity to obtain a demo system to help you in your sales efforts!
This offer is available to resellers whom have completed their application to become an authorized AastraLink RP™ Reseller and signed and returned the Terms and Conditions package from Aastra. If you have not yet joined the program, please visit www.aastralinkrp.com and click on "How to become an AastraLink RP VAR Partner" to submit an online application form.
Contact Wesbell Technologies at www.wesbell.com/responsepoint to set up your account and place your order today.

If you have any questions, or require further information, please contact Aastra (905-760-4165) or Wesbell Technologies (1-888-937-2355).

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Technorati Tags: Response Point,Aastra,AastraLink

Big Event This Saturday at the Microsoft Las Colinas Texas Office - Don't Miss it!

2008-07-22T15:18:07Z

The DFW-SBS Partner Symposium and Culminis Presents: Microsoft Windows Vista and SBS 2008

Join us Saturday, July 26th to hear from Peter Gallagher, Charles Van Heusen (of Microsoft’s TS2 team and founding members of DFW-SBS), Eriq Neale (resident SBS MVP and owner of EON Consulting, author of SBS 2003 SP1 Unleashed) and Wade DeVore (owner of NetVision Consulting, TAP participant for both SBS 2008 and Server 2008, White Paper King) will all be giving you their take on both Vista and SBS 2008.

You leave with a ton of tools to help you sell new solutions as well as a ton of excitement around the new Windows Essentials Server Solutions that will be available this fall! Oh, Did I forget to mention there will be several cool door prizes and a catered lunch too!

There are still a few spaces open so don't forget to sign up! Register here

Agenda:

8:30 -9:00 - Welcome Reception

9:00 – 9:05 Introduction and Itinerary – Russell Clements (DFW-SBS, Culminis)
Opening remarks on behalf of the DFW SBS Partner Symposium and Culminis.

9:05 – 10:00 Small Business Server 2008 – Peter Gallagher (TS2)
This will provide a high level overview of the functionality that SBS 2008 will provide. Since it is expected that this will be a partner event, this will focus on value to the partner. Ease of installation, ease of support, integration with Vista and Office 2007.

10:10 – 11:05 Vista Adoption and Service Pack 1 – Charles Van Heusen (TS2)
This content has been provided by Microsoft / Culminis. Tools to aid in the testing, deployment and support of Vista. Improvements made to Vista with Service Pack 1. Significant latitude in this content may be taken, especially to show the value of deploying Vista for an organization deploying SBS 2008.

11:05 – 12:00 News from the Field – Wade DeVore (NetVision Consulting, TAP Participant, DFW-SBS member)
Real world deployment, migration and support feedback for your organization for supporting Vista and Cougar. Overview of enhanced functionality provided by Vista and SBS2008 together.

12:00 – 12:45 Introduction to DFW-SBS, TS2 teams, Culminis – Russell Clements (DFW-SBS, Culminis)
A fairly brief introduction of who we are, what we do, how we do it. Also an introduction of TS2, who they are, what they do and how they do it. Also an introduction to Culminis and the resources available through Culminis – especially for starting a new group, but also for building existing groups.

12:45 – 1:40 Tools for supporting SBS2008 – Eriq Neale (EON Consulting, SBS-MVP, DFW-SBS member)
What are some of the things which have changed with SBS2008? What should be in your toolbox now? Which tools can I still use to support SBS2008?

1:40 – 2:10 Panel Q&A with all speakers (Peter Gallagher, Charles Van Heusen, Wade DeVore, Eriq Neale)
Free for all discussion to facilitate questions from attendees on all topics Vista and SBS 2008.

2:15 Door Prize Drawing and Closing

Register Here - https://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=129929

Technorati Tags: Windows Vista,Small Business Server 2008,Windows Essentials Server 2008,Cougar

SMBNation 2008 - PreDay Conference with Erick Simpson & Karl Paluchuk (IT Management Best Practices)

2008-06-30T17:03:30Z

Well, it's hard to believe its that time of year again, but it is... The SMBNation fall conference is right around the corner and there is already pre-day event scheduled and the registration for it has opened. At last years conference, the PreDay event was as good as or better than the actual conference itself.

I don't know if Jeff Middleton, Matt Makowicz, Stuart Crawford, & Arlin Sorenson will be participating in this event or hosting a separate pre-day conference, but as soon as I find out I will let you know.

This looks to be a good event. I enjoyed the session last year. Just be prepared for Erick and Karl to be showing new books and programs so bring your checkbooks!

For more information on the pre-day, check it out on Erick's website - MSP University

The preday is being held a

Marriott Hotel
2100 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98121

Technorati Tags: SMBNation,Managed Services

Microsoft Certification Structure Revamped - Are you a "Master"?

2008-06-17T15:21:42Z

Last week, Microsoft announced (See full press release here) a new hierarchy to the Certification model. The previous model was based upon fulfilling the needs of "IT Generalist" to ensure the individual had a solid foundation of knowledge of the internal working of the Microsoft Servers,networking, and application infrastructure.

Under the new structure, Microsoft certifications are composed of four broad functional areas: technology specialists (technology-specific certification focused on configuration), IT professionals or software developers (job-role certifications that are general in technology focus), the Master’s training and certification program, and systems architects (dual focus on mastery of technical skills and strategy).

Microsoft Certification Structure

Master Series: Master certifications identify individuals with the deepest technical skills available on a
particular Microsoft product.
Professional Series: Professional credentials validate the skill set required for a particular job.
Technology Series: Specialist certifications train IT pros in implementation, building, troubleshooting, and
debugging of a specific Microsoft technology.

The new Master-level training and certification program is designed to help IT professionals attain a “master” level of proficiency in specific products – something previously only available internally to Microsoft employees and select partners. The programs will focus on design, build, and troubleshooting skills, and will require three weeks of mandatory training per track, delivered exclusively by top subject matter experts and industry-renowned instructors. The initial plan is to roll out the program for Exchange Server 2007, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, with additional server products being added in the future.

Technorati Tags: microsoft certified professional. MCP

Syspine Response Point Systems are available at Costco.com!

2008-05-29T18:17:31Z

I was surprised to find this solution available online today. If you are looking for a great VOIP entry point solution that is simple to setup, here it is... If I was a local partner, I'd contact my local Costco and work with them to get referrals for customers that would like someone to setup up the solutions and integrate them into their networks.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft Response Point