Windows Server 2008 Available Now!

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is the next generation of the Windows Server operating system that helps IT professionals maximize control over their infrastructure while providing unprecedented availability and management capabilities, leading to a significantly more secure, reliable, and robust server environment than ever before. Windows Server 2008 delivers new value to organizations by ensuring all users regardless of location are able to get the full complement of services from the network. Windows Server 2008 also provides deep insight into the operating system and diagnostic capabilities to allow administrators to spend more time adding business value.

Windows Server 2008 builds on the success and strengths of the award-winning Windows Server 2003 operating system and on the innovations delivered in Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 R2. However, Windows Server 2008 is far more than a refinement of predecessor operating systems. Windows Server 2008 is designed to provide organizations with the most productive platform for powering applications, networks, and Web services from the workgroup to the datacenter with exciting, valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the base operating system.

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New Software Is Coming

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is coming soon. Exactly how soon it will be available for purchase is not known at this time, but be ready for it. Also expected to ship next year are Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008. It defiantly looks like the upcoming year is going to be a big year for new versions of Microsoft products.

It is strongly recommended that you make sure your Software Assurance is current so when these new products are released you are eligible for the upgrade under the Software Assurance program. If you are looking to purchase new server products it would be a good idea to include Software Assurance with your order to ensure that you have rights to the new versions when they are released.

Numbers Do Not Lie

Every day there many people complaining about Windows Vista. On the other hand it would appear that there are many more quiet and happy. The negative side of things has a way of being louder then the positive. If you are angry you want to tell everyone how terrible it was. On the other hand if you are happy you don’t have a lot to tell anyone. You sit back and enjoy the time you are having.

It is unfortunate that anyone has had a bad experience with Windows Vista, but lets look at the numbers showing how many have had a good experience. Including preorders Microsoft hit revenues of $5.3 billion on primarily Windows Sales. That is 67% higher then last year. Even if you remove the preorders it is a jump of 17% over last year. Also Microsoft reports that 85% of Windows sales are for Vista.

So to all of us who like Vista, lets talk a little bit louder. Lets be proud of how well Vista is working for us. Lets drown out the complainers and enjoy the great capabilities of Windows Vista!

Time is running out.

The time on Windows Vista Beta is running out. Microsoft announced that if you are using a Beta version of Windows Vista you have until May 31st to back up all your information and either purchase a full license for Windows Vista or downgrade back to your previous OS.

Starting on June first customer using Beta versions will be able to log on for 2 hour sessions. After 2 hours of use the PC will reboot without opportunity to save date. Microsoft strongly recommends that Beta users have their OS taken care of before May 31st.

Microsoft Unlimited Potential

Microsoft is expanding the Unlimited Potential program to give large discounts in developing markets. Microsoft is working to rapidly expand the number of computer users in the world. By offering large discounts Microsoft will be able to penetrate markets that otherwise would likely use pirated version of software because of cost concerns.

The Unlimited Potential program is one of many ways that Microsoft gives back to the community. The program was created to increase technology education worldwide. Computer use is important in being able to get a job and Microsoft wants to make sure that everyone is able to use a computer.

There is also a business aspect involved. If Microsoft is able to penetrate these markets and help in developing a stronger workforce and stronger economy they will be able to distribute software at higher prices. It is a very long term strategy but one that has potential to pay off for everyone involved.

When will Google turn Evil?

So much for don’t be evil. There has to be some amount of evil in the Google Empire. Google continues to acquire more and more pieces of the internet advertising world. Google could at a whim put out hundreds of small businesses who work to have potential customers find them online. I have heard stories of domains being banned from Google, with no way to have the ban lifted. Imagine if you bought a domain and found that you could not be shown in Google search results.

As Google grows and picks fights with Microsoft and other major IT companies it is going to become evil. Microsoft never set out to have a reputation as being evil. I do not personally believe that Microsoft is evil. Microsoft is a company that worked very hard and did very smart things to get to the top. Now they have to defend themselves from attacks.

I see Google picking fights with Microsoft. Microsoft has not done some very “evil” things that they could do. Would it really be hard for Microsoft to block some Google tools in Internet Explorer because of potential security risks? Of course it would not be hard. Microsoft is playing by the rules. Soon Google may see that they can not beat Microsoft by playing by the rules. That is when we will find out just how evil Google really is.

Terminal Service

Terminal Service CALs continue to be one of our most popular products. Windows server Terminals Services allows a user from a remote device to access the server and run applications off the server.

There are two ways that Terminal Services can be licensed. It can be licensed on a per device system. Per device licensing assigns one CAL to each device that uses the Terminal Server. The other option is a per user option. Per user licensing assigns one CAL to each user that uses the Terminal Server. Organizations can save money by determining if they will have more users or devices and purchasing whichever option would require fewer CALs.

Small Business Server does not allow Terminal Services to run in application mode. If you are using a Small Business Server and want Terminal Service capability you will need to purchase a stand alone Windows Server to run Terminal Services.

"Microsoft is Dead". Really?

It is funny to see people pronouncing the death of Microsoft. The only areas where Microsoft does not dominate are areas that they have started to aggressively pursue. Microsoft dominates the desktop. No other OS product competes with it. Microsoft Office owns productivity. Sure there “open source” options thrown around left and right, but in most homes and most businesses Microsoft Office rules.

Google dominates the internet. There is no question in this, but even Google’s domination of the internet is not as strong as Microsoft’s domination of the desktop. In the last few months Microsoft has started to push their way into the web. Getting live search as the default page on new Lenovo systems will be big, but it will take time.

Microsoft has never been aggressive in the web, but Google attempted to compete with Office and it appears that Microsoft is going to fight back on Google’s turf.

Forefront Security

Microsoft has entered the security world with its Forefront product line. Forefront has actually been around for a few years, but only in the last few days has any marketing been done. The security market is a very big part of the technology industry right now. The leading company in security remains Symantec. Trend Micro and ESET continue to build on successes every day. From what I have seen at this time Microsoft Forefront does not have the capacity to overtake the leaders in the security industry. It will be interesting to see how the Forefront product develops and if Microsoft is able to establish a place in security.

Windows Server "Longhorn"

Microsoft Windows Server “Longhorn” is getting close to Beta 3. Beta 3 is expected to be the last beta version of the new Server before it is released into production and distribution. With the new server coming soon I would recommend if you are going to get a server now that you get Software Assurance with it. Many people do not want to use the newest versions of servers when they are released, by buying Windows Server 2003 with Software Assurance now you will have the rights to upgrade whenever you are ready!

Vista Compatible

Everyone has likely heard by now that Microsoft is being sued over the Windows Vista Capable labels. The labels have been referred to many times as misleading because they indicate only capability of running Windows Vista Home Basic and not the Premium Edition. The other part of this is that Microsoft has advertised the Premium Edition and not the Home basic.

Now does this really call for a lawsuit? In my opinion no. This seems equivalent to filing a lawsuit because you paid for something and the next day it was on sale. Or bring a lawsuit against Ford because you got the low end model that does not have all the features of the high end.

Compatibility only refers to the fact that it will run. Are the computers Vista compatible? The answer is yes and that really should be the only question.

Comparing Licensing Options

To save money one thing that some of customers choose is OEM Software. OEM Software can defiantly save you money over Retail. In some cases OEM Software can be even lower then Open License Software. Each option has its benefits. OEM Software’s biggest benefit is price. The largest drawback to OEM Software is that once installed it is married to the hardware. Meaning if the computer fails the Software dies with it.

Retail software’s biggest benefit is that it is the only software option that includes Microsoft technical support. The biggest drawback to retail software is it is the highest priced of the software purchase options.

The last option is Open License Software. The benefits of Open License are a discounted price and volume media, which allows you to install all of your licenses with one CD and one Product Key. The only drawback is that you are required to purchase at least 5 licenses to start an Open License Agreement.

Be Safe This Spring.

If you are using a Microsoft Small Business Server you may find that you are having to get many different products to protect your network. Thankfully Symantec has put together a suite to make sure that your Small Business Server is protected. Symantec Comprehensive Protection for Microsoft Small Business Server includes Symantec Antivirus, Backup Exec, Mail Security, and Premium AntiSpam. Symantec is offering discounts on the suite up to $320 off MSRP. There is no better time then now to ensure that your network is safe from attacks. Having a secure network can save a company millions of dollars in time and customer relations. Make sure that your company is protected!

Thank You

I would like to give a thank you to our Web Development Team for the updates to Microsoft Sale. I think the changes to the page look great and I would love to hear some feedback from our customers. Any suggestions for updates or changes to the site are greatly appriciated.

Most of the changes made were done in Microsoft FrontPage or Microsoft Expression Web. Both of these tools do an excellant job for web development. Take some time to look around the new Microsoft Sale. There is some new information and some updates to old information.

Give Vista a break

There are many people disputing the validity of Microsoft’s release that they have sold over 20 million licenses in their first month of general release. One of the big complaints about the number is it includes licenses sold to OEMs. And it should, when an OEM buys software from Microsoft it goes from Microsoft’s hands to the OEM’s hands. Microsoft counts that software as sold, the OEM is responsible for their own tracking of their business sales.

It seems that many people find it very easy to put Vista down for anything that they can find. I started thinking about it and I remember how many people thought Windows 95 looked nice, but was a bad idea. The next “bad idea” was Windows ME. Then looking back there were many people that said they would never go from Windows 2000 to Windows XP. I will admit Windows ME was not a very good OS. But 1 out of 3 tell me that odds are in Vista’s favor.

Improve your Communication!

Microsoft has made Office Communications Server 2007 beta download available. The server includes software-powered VoIP, Web conferencing and enterprise instant messaging.

Office Communications Server 2007 will integrate with Active Directory, Microsoft Office, and telephony systems to make a powerful communication system.

Download Beta Here.

Vista 20 Million in 1 month, Linux 30 Million in 15 years

Windows Vista has sold over 20 million licenses in its first month since general release on January 30th. Windows XP sold only 17 million in its first 2 months. There has been a large amount of news about the slow upgrading to Windows Vista, but this shows that maybe the bar was just set to high. Microsoft was initially very optimistic about how fast customers would convert to Vista, but lost some optimism after the general release. This news should boost the optimism showing that Vista is in fact doing better then XP did.

I recently saw an advertisement for Linux that bragged an estimated 30 million users. It somewhat put into perspective that in 1 month Windows Vista has nearly as many users as Linux. Windows Vista continues in the line of trusted Windows operating systems and with it Microsoft will continue to dominate the OS market for years to come.

Microsoft continues to Add Value!

Microsoft continues to provide opportunities for partners to add value. This time it is a new feature for system builders. Microsoft already gives a large discount on OEM software for system builders. In Windows Vista, Microsoft has built in some advertising opportunities. System builders can now add links and information to the Welcome Center. This is a great opportunity for a system build to advertise other products or services. Imagine if you could give all your customers instant access to all of the services that you can offer.

This gives the system you a chance to give something extra back to the customer. Access to Welcome Center gives you chance to generate future sales with your customer. Who knows when your customer might need a new printer or more ram. Products you happen to have advertised on the Welcome Center screen. Really it is free advertising and who can’t use free advertising? Enjoy this new service and work to make sure you add as much value for your customers as possible.

How to get Office.

Are you waiting to upgrade? It seems that many customers are waiting to make the change to Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista. It seems that everyone wants to make sure that the bugs are out of the software before they begin using it. This is an understandable stance, but some companies are not aware that they can still get the old versions of the software. If you are waiting until you are ready to go to Office 2007 before putting Office on new systems in the office you do have an option. Through Microsoft Open License and Microsoft Open Value you have downgrade rights to use a previous version. Also when you are ready to transition to Office 2007 you are already licensed and only have to install the new software.

If you are under a volume license agreement with software assurance you already have the license for the new version. If you need to add systems you do not need to wait. You can purchase your additional licenses with software assurance and continue to use a prior version with the license. Microsoft downgrade rights make it easy to keep all your network operating on the same software.

Put Yourself Online!

Have you been looking for a website for your business? Microsoft has developed an option that will give you a free professional web site. Through Microsoft Office Live Basics you can great a free website with your own domain. If you do not have experience with web development this is a great option. The free service includes templates for you to put in the information. As you become more comfortable with the web development you can change to a paid option and try a product like Microsoft Expression Web to develop your website further.

Academic Software is Great!

Microsoft has many options for academic software licensing. There is a subscription based agreement called the Campus or School Agreement. There is an open agreement call the Academic Open License Agreement. Also there is a retail option available to students and teachers.

The Campus/School Agreement is a subscription based purchasing plan. At the beginning of the year you pay for your software products for all of the systems in the school. The next year you do it again. This program is great for holding a tight budget because all of the systems are licensed at one time instead of adding licenses though the year.

The Academic Open License Agreement allows for more purchasing flexibility. It requires purchasing at least 5 licenses on your initial order, but once in the agreement additional licenses can be added at any time.

Student and Teacher software is a discounted retail box packages. The software is intended to be for school use by students or teachers. Schools can also purchase Student and Teacher software if they choose not to use a license agreement.

In order to qualify for Academic Licensing a k-12 school must be recognized by the State Department of Education. For a College or University there must be regional accreditation to qualify for the discounts. Students and Teachers are required to provide information to verify their status.

More information on Academic qualification.

Lenovo to go Live

Lenovo has come to an agreement with Microsoft. This will put Windows Live services in Lenovo ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktops. This deal should help Microsoft’s presence in the search engine market.

Google currently holds most of the search market followed by Yahoo and Microsoft sitting in 3rd place. Having the Live Search default for Lenovo will likely increase the traffic for Microsoft.

This comes after Google released Google Apps to compete with Microsoft Office software. Microsoft currently controls the majority of the software market and improving their search level could quickly do a large amount of damage to Google.

Need antivirus for Vista?

What antivirus software will work with Windows Vista? Since Windows Vista came out antivirus software companies have been working to ensure that their software will continue to work with the new operating system.

ESET’s NOD32 was one of the first antivirus software companies to offer 64-bit support for both home and business users. Version 2.7 offers full Vista compatibility. If you currently have a valid NOD32 license the upgrade to version 2.7 is available at no charge.

Trend Micro has released a version of PC-cillin antivirus software that will work with Windows Vista. However the Client/Server/SMB software is still waiting for an updated version to work with Windows Vista. The updated version is expected to be released soon.

Windows Server 2003 SP 2

Microsoft released service pack 2 for Windows Server 2003. The service pack includes numerous fixes for Windows Server. Also it includes some new features. There is a new event log to address some issues with Cluster service. Also the Microsoft Message Queuing storage limit has been changed to 1 gig. If you have Small Business Server 2003 the service pack also applies.

Find SP 2 here.

How to license Windows Terminal Services

Licensing Windows Terminal Services can sometimes get confusing. Terminal Service is built into the Windows Server, but does require additional licenses to utilize. First you need the Server license and the appropriate number of client licenses. These client licenses can be set as per user or per device.

A per user license is a license for 1 user to access the server. A per device license is for one system to access the server. Which license would be more effective depends greatly on how people will be accessing your server.

Terminal Services also requires using a client license. The Terminal Services Client Access License allows users to connect to the Terminal Server in Windows Server. This license can also be used per user or per device.

In order to access the server the client will need to have both the Server client license and the Terminal Services client license.

Another thing to keep in mind with Terminal Services licensing is it does not effect application licenses. Applications such as Office have their own license rules.  Most applications require one license per system.  In other words if you are using a Terminal Server with Office 2007 you will need an Office 2007 license for the server and for each system that uses the software. If you have questions please feel free to contact me.

Do they really dare?

There are some rumors going around of late saying that both Dell and HP are considering including Linux operating systems instead of Windows. Many fans of Linux software feel that this is a great thing that is going to allow Linux use to grow.  There is however a potential problem that if not handled properly could result in no manufacturer daring to preinstall Linux software.

When the average person goes to buy a new computer from Dell or HP they are going to expect the standard preloaded software. They are going to expect to have Windows and some trial applications ready when the plug it in and turn it on. Now based on the nature of Linux I expect that the Linux systems may sell at a lower price. That customer that goes shopping for a computer and sees one
that is $50 cheaper makes the quick purchase based on price.

When this customer gets home and turns on the computer they are not greeted by the Windows logo they expect. In fact they are greeted by an operating system that they have never seen and have no idea how to use. What would you imagine their reaction to be? I imagine their reaction to be that they got a broken computer. I expect them to call Dell or HP and spend hours on the phone costing those companies money. I expect them to lose trust for Dell or HP costing them more money. If they start losing money because of Linux they will stop preinstalling it, and no one else will dare preinstall it.

I think if it was me and I did not get what I expected, I would return it. And to make sure I never made the mistake again I would not spend my money with that company. There are plenty of other computer companies out there that I can give my dollar to. So to Dell and HP, and to their customers, be careful with Linux.

Are you still waiting?

Are you waiting to upgrade? It seems that many customers are waiting to make the change to Office 2007 and Windows Vista. It seems that everyone wants to make sure that the bugs are out of the software before they begin using it. This is an understandable stance, but some companies are not aware that they can still get the old versions of the software. If you are waiting until you are ready to go to Office 2007 before putting Office on new systems in your business you do have an option. Through Microsoft Open License and Microsoft Open Value you have downgrade rights to use a previous version. Also when you are ready to transition to Office 2007 you are already licensed and only have to install the new software.

If you are under a volume license agreement with software assurance you already have the license for the new version. If you need to add systems you do not need to wait. You can purchase your additional licenses with software assurance and continue to use a prior version with the license. Microsoft downgrade rights make it easy to keep all your network operating on the same software.

Are you ready for time to change?

As some of you know daylight savings time is coming a little early this year. In fact daylight savings time is coming three weeks earlier then it did last year. Sunday March 11^th will start daylight savings time and many software programs could be effected by the change.

The time change should have no effect on Windows Vista, Exchange Server 2007 or Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. There are however many programs that do need updates. Windows Server and Windows XP will need updates. I know that many businesses have been delaying the change to Windows Vista, but now might be the time to do it to avoid any time change problems.

There are some other programs that will require updates and you can find that list here. Also if you do need updates you can find the updates here. I hope that the upcoming time change goes smoothly for everyone. If nothing else just don't forget to set your watch.

Do you need a CRM Solution?

CRM refers to the tools you can use to manage your relationship with customers. CRM software allows you to track customer information. For instance if I call and talk to Sally she can track the information and when I call back and talk to Jane she already knows what is going on. Even if you are a dedicated sales representative CRM can benefit you. You can keep track of every contact with a customer. If a customer mentions their birthday you can make note of it and be sure to send them a card next year, or keep information on their last order to follow up on.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM allows you to work with other Microsoft applications to bring together data. Being able to utilize all the data from different applications allows employees to be more efficient and more informed. CRM allows for sales, marketing, and management to all be on the same page and ensure that your company is working together to bring the most value to your customer.

If you are not sure you need CRM Software, Microsoft has some evaluation tools available here.

Server Solution for Small Business

What does a small business need to run? Of course it needs hard working dedicated staff.  It needs supervisors who are willing to put in extra time to make sure the business needs to grow. It needs a plan to develop and continue to build strength and momentum. Most of all it needs cost effective solutions.

Microsoft has bundled a solution to meet the needs of small business. Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 gives a company tools to increase efficiency and productivity. Small Business Server offers full network support. Starting with Windows Server 2003, which allows file, print and application sharing. Microsoft Exchange Server with Outlook provides e-mail and calendar capabilities. A version of SharePoint allows for document and information sharing.

With these tools a small business can have all information stored in one place for easy access by managers and employees. There is more room for collaboration, and less time spent looking that could be used for growing. Contact us for a quote today!

Office 2007 vs. Google Apps

I have seen a lot of information lately about Google Apps. From what I have been able to determine Google is offering a web based Word Processor and Spreadsheet application.  It is being said that this will compete with Microsoft Office 2007. Specifically with the Word and Excel portions of Microsoft Office. The more I look over the information on Google Apps the less appeal I see.

Google Apps is a web based system. There is an advantage in this from a licensing standpoint. There is not a need to keep track of license information, only a username and password. Also there is no installation or activation needed. The issue is you have to be connected to the internet at all times in order to use your application. If your internet service goes down or slows down, your applications go down or slow down.

The price of Google Apps has also been talked about. At $50 per user per year it sounds like a very cost effective method. A counter to that is Office Standard runs about $360 for the full retail license, even less under Open Lcense. The difference being once you buy Office, it is yours. You can use it for 10 at $36 a year, or longer and the price per year continues to go down. It doesn’t take long for $50 per year to seem like a lot more to pay then you would for Office. There are benefits to both, please post your opinions!

Microsoft Downloads

Some new Microsoft Open License products are available for download. This download option can save the customer some money by eliminating the media kit from the order. Windows Vista, Office 2007 and Exchange 2007 are all available for download. In order to get the download you need to sign in to http://eopen.microsoft.com. Then you will need to put in your authorization and license number.  After your license information has been entered you will be able to download the software. On the left side of the page you will see a link for Software Downloads. Click this link and follow the prompts and you will be able to finish your download.

Microsoft Open License

The Microsoft Open License program is designed to provide discounts to volume customers. To enroll in the program it requires a minimum purchase of 5 licenses. It does not matter what the 5 licenses consist of, for instance if you need 1 Windows Server, 1 CAL, 1 Terminal Services CAL, Windows Vista, and Office 2007, you would qualify. Open License also allows you to install multiple licenses with one media kit. For instance if you have 10 machines that need Office 2007, you would be able to use 1 CD for all of your machines instead of trying to keep track of CDs and product keys for each machine.

Microsoft also offers the Open Value licensing program, and the Open Volume licensing program.  These programs offer similar benefits to Open License and provide some other features that may or may not fit your needs. If you have any questions about which program is right for you let me know and I will be happy to go over options with you.

Get the Ultimate!

Windows Vista Ultimate is the most comprehensive edition of Windows Vista. It is the first operating system that combines all of the advanced infrastructure features of a business-focused operating system, all of the management and efficiency features of a mobility-focused operating system, and all of the digital entertainment features of a consumer-focused operating system. For the person who wants one operating system that is great for working from home, working on the road, and for entertainment, Windows Vista Ultimate is the operating system that lets you have it all.

Windows Vista Ultimate is available under open licensing. The upgrade to Vista Ultimate is only available to Software Assurance customers so if you want to ensure that you are able to get Vista Ultimate make sure you add Software Assurance to your OEM licenses within 90 days of purchase, and to your Open License products at the time of purchase.


Also take a moment to check out WasatchWare for Custom Software Development Solutions. More information on WasatchWare is coming soon.

Create PDF Files with Adobe Acrobat!

Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional software enables business professionals to reliably create, combine, and control Adobe PDF documents for easy, more secure distribution, collaboration, and data collection.

Easily create Adobe and edit PDF documents from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Project, Visio, Access, Publisher, AutoCAD, Lotus Notes, or any application that prints. Combine documents, drawings, and rich media content into a single, polished Adobe PDF document. Optimize file size, and arrange files in any order regardless of file type, dimensions, or orientation. Enable users of Adobe Reader software (version 7.0 or 8) to participate in shared reviews. Use the Start Meeting button to collaborate in real-time with the new Adobe Acrobat Connect line of products. Easily collect and distribute forms, combine collected forms into a searchable, sortable PDF package, and export collected data into a spreadsheet (Windows only). Control access to and use of Adobe PDF documents, assign digital rights, and maintain document integrity.

Everyone sees PDF files downloaded from web pages. Use Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional to add PDF downloads to your website.

Create compelling charts!

Office Visio Professional 2007 will make it easy for IT and business professionals to visualize, analyze and communicate complex information, systems and processes with clear, compelling diagrams. By using Office Visio 2007, people will be able to easily visualize information from multiple data sources to better understand the current state of systems and processes, analyze information visually to highlight key trends and exceptions, and share diagrams broadly for effective and efficient decision-making.

Visio Professional 2007 makes it easy to create flow charts, and floor plans. Visio can also be used by IT professionals to create network diagrams.  This can save an IT professional time and problems locating specific network components. Visio 2007 is available under the Microsoft Open License program. The Open License program offers discounts for volume purchases.

More information on Visio 2007.