How to get Windows 7

Like many of our customers I am getting caught up in the excitement of the upcoming release of Windows 7. While I have yet to see an official release date for Windows 7, I will be surprised if it is not available before the end of the year. There are ways that you can make a purchase now and have rights to Windows 7 immediately upon release. Software Assurance grants you never version rights for any releases during your Software Assurance period. If you are within 180 days of an OEM Windows Vista Business you can add Software Assurance to your OEM license and have rights to 7 as soon as it is released. The Software Assurance on OEM also currently has a promotional price of up to 15% off. If you are outside the 180 days there are other ways that Software Assurance can be applied. Contact us for pricing or additional information.

Did you know?

Small Business Server 2008 Premium makes it possible to run Terminal Services in application mode. One of the biggest issues in a Small Business Server 2003 environment is there is not availability of Terminal Services in application mode. It is possible to run Terminal Services with Small Business Server 2003, but it requires purchasing a second Windows Server license for the Terminal Server. The reason for this requirement is a security concern. It is never recommended to run Terminal Services on your domain controller, and Small Business Server is always a domain controller.

In Small Business Server 2008 Premium a second Windows Server license is included. This allows you to set up the second server and deploy Terminal Services without having to purchase an additional server license. If you are interested in Terminal Services with your Small Business Server Premium you can deploy trial licenses before purchasing anything additional to ensure that it is going to suite your needs. For more information or pricing on SBS or Terminal Services CALs contact us.

Take Small Business on the Road

The HP Compaq Business Notebook 6730s is designed to take essential small business functions into a mobile environment. With a range of security and reliability features you can have confidence that your information is safe and will be available when you need it. Windows Vista with an XP Pro downgrade make connecting with your network quick and easy. Contact us for more information.

Special Pricing Available on Small Business Server 2008

Windows Small Business Server 2008 is an all-in-one server solution designed to help you with data security and overall productivity. It provides many of the features used by larger companies, such as e-mail, Internet connectivity, internal Web sites, remote access, support for mobile devices, file and printer sharing, backup, and restore. If your peer to peer network is no longer fitting your needs Small Business Server’s combination of Windows Server, Exchange Server, and SharePoint Server will give you the power to expand your internal tools. Act now for special pricing through 03/31/2009.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

SQL Processor or CAL?

>When looking into Microsoft SQL Server licensing the first thing you need to determine is how many clients you are going to have, and how they are going to access the Server. SQL Server 2005 gives you 2 licensing options.  The first option is to license with User or Device CALs. This option is similar to licensing Windows Server or Exchange Server. The second option for SQL is to license by processor. The processor license allows for unlimited clients to access the SQL Server. This is the best option if you are going to be using SQL Server in a website. SQL is a powerful database tool, contact us to make sure you get the proper licensing to fit your needs.

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.

Can I use Terminal Services Application mode in Small Business Server 2003?

Small Business Server 2003 does allow 2 administrative users to access Terminal Services. There is a security risk in using a domain controller for Terminal Service. Because of this security risk Terminal Services Application mode is not available in Small Business Server 2003.

If you have a Small Business Server and want to run Terminal Server in Application mode you can use a second Windows Server 2003 and the appropriate Terminal Services CALs.

For detailed information on setting up Windows Server with Terminal Services in a Small Business server 2003 environment see the Microsoft Web site for running a Terminal Server in a SBS environment

Windows Vista and Office 2007 Available!

Microsoft Windows Vista is now available to all Microsoft customers.
Microsoft Office 2007 is also now available. Some organizations may not be ready to make the change to the new releases. Microsoft does sometimes allow customers to use a previous version with the current license. See the
Microsoft Downgrade Chart for more information. If anyone has started using Windows Vista or Office 2007 I would love to hear how it is going so far.