RSSMix.com Mix ID 56380

Microsoft Enterprise Software Roadmap

Fri, 29 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Our independetly researched and compiled Microsoft Product Roadmap summarizes more than 100 current and planned versions ofMicrosoft's most important enterprise products. Updated quarterly, this Microsoft Product Roadmapprovides a single reference for Microsoft customers and partners whoneed to answer basic planning questions, such as the following:

What upgrades will I probably get if I cover Office on an Enterprise Agreement this year?
When will support end for Windows XP?
When should my company's software product be ready to run on the next version of SQL Server?
Can I deploy Outlook 2007 before I deploy Exchange Server 2007?
When should I start training our consultants on the next version of Project?

Microsoft's Systems Management Roadmap

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Don Retallack, Research VP, Systems Management & Security

In this TeleBriefing,, DIRECTIONS Research VP DonRetallack provides an overview of Microsoft's plans for systemsmanagement and virtualization products following the 2009 managementsummit.

Windows 7 License Rights Modified

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Microsoft continues to evolve the Windows 7 licensing rules. Some of the most recent changes will save customers money, others willincrease costs.

Microsoft Dynamics Product Roadmap

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0500

This independently researched and compiled Microsoft Dynamics Product Roadmap presents an overview of the most important products in the Microsoft Dynamics line and provides a roadmap to future retirements and releases of those products. This information can help Microsoft customers and partners schedule migrations, plan evaluations, arrange training, and budget for purchases.

Microsoft Financing Tightens Rules

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Loans from Microsoft Financing will be available only for deals inwhich Microsoft software and services constitute at least 35% of thecost, under new rules announced May 2009.

Visual Studio Team System 2010

Thu, 28 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Rob Sanfilippo, Research VP, Developer Platforms

In this TeleBriefing, Rob Sanfilippo takes a first look at the upcoming Visual Studio Team System 2010 and its features for testing, architecture, and other aspects of collaborative development.

Microsoft SQL Server Roadmap Update

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

SQL Server 2008 R2, the next version of Microsoft's database managementand business intelligence (BI) platform, will include master datamanagement technology, which helps synchronize widely used data such ascustomer records across multiple databases, along with previouslyannounced improvements.

Microsoft System Center Service Roadmap Update

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

A planned PC management service and the next versions of Microsoft'sSystem Center line of systems management tools were revealed at theMicrosoft Management Summit (MMS) in Apr. 2009.

Software Rentals Legalized

Mon, 4 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Businesses such as Internet cafes, airport kiosks, and otherlocations where customers may want to rent a computer could beencouraged by a new Microsoft licensing option that relaxes a longstandingprohibition against renting desktop software.

Evaluating Software Assurance

Mon, 4 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Upcoming Windows, Office, and Exchange releases give companies a newreason to evaluate Microsoft Software Assurance (SA), a subscription-based software maintenance plan.

Spread Payments, Discounts for Dynamics

Mon, 4 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500

New licensing options let Dynamics customers spread payments over threeyears with no interest charges. Announced in Apr. 2009, the optionswill reduce upfront costs for customers and could benefit salespartners in tough economic times.

Evaluating IE8

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Matt Rosoff, Research VP, Consumer Products and Services

In this TeleBriefing, Matt Rosoff discusses how software plus services has evolved in the last year, what it means for customers and partners, and likely next steps.

Dynamics ERP Roadmap Update

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Four enterprise resource planning (ERP) product lines will continue to be developed despite tough economic times, according to plans released at Microsoft's 2009 Convergence conference.

Stirling, Forefront Roadmap Update

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0500

The next updates to Forefront, Microsoft's line of security products for client, server, and network edge protection, have been delayed until late 2009 and early 2010.

Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Microsofts volume licensing programs allow customers to purchase software licenses at substantial discounts, ease license management and software deployment, and are the only way to purchase many Microsoft products.

Identity Manager Roadmap Update

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0500

The next update to Microsoft's Identity Lifecycle Manager (ILM), Microsoft'sproduct for managing identity data and credentials (such as user namesand passwords), has been delayed until 2010. The delay will permit timefor an additional release candidate, now planned for late 2009.

Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Paul DeGroot, Research VP Licensing & Channel Programs

Paul DeGroot provides an overview of Microsoft's volume licening programs and the tradeoffs among them.

Looking Ahead to Licensing Windows 7

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Companies planning upgrades to Windows 7 can take steps immediatelyto reduce the total cost of upgrading. Major factors that influence theupgrade path they take include which edition of Windows 7 they want,whether they want to standardize on a single OS edition, and whetherthey have Software Assurance (SA) upgrade rights on their currentclient PCs.

New Volume Pricing Planned for Midmarket

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Open Value, which offers many of the benefits of an Enterprise Agreement (EA) for smaller companies, is getting a new price level that makes it more competitive with an EA among customers with up to 2,500 PCs.

Microsoft Operating Systems Roadmap

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Presented by Michael Cherry, Research VP, Operating Systems

Michael Cherry explains near-term plans for Windows and Windows Server, and how they fit with longer-term operating system research projects.

Licensing Microsoft Office Suites and Desktop Applications

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Purchasing and managing licenses for Microsoft Office desktop productivity applications and suites is challenging for many customers because of the variety of products that bear the Office brand name, their distribution in eight different suites through different channels, and the complex assortment of rules governing the products' licensing and use.

Microsoft Desktop Management Technologies

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Presented by Don Retallack

Don Retallack reviews application virtualization and other systems management technologies in Microsoft's desktop optimization pack.

New Microsoft Agreement Licenses Servers Enterprise-Wide

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0600

The Application Platform Agreement (APA) can help large organizations budget for certain Microsoft servers, including SQL Server, SharePoint Server, and PerformancePoint Server.

Managing Clients: The Desktop Optimization Pack

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Report provides an overview of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2008 R2 and its five current components (and previews a sixth component planned for 2009), explaining the primary benefits and requirements of each component, and briefly summarizes the product's licensing and pricing.

SQL Server 2008 Enhances Management, Business Intelligence

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0600

Report outlines the new version's improvements for database management and business intelligence, the major areas where organizations might run into compatibility problems, the roadmap of future SQL Server releases, and the product's pricing, licensing, and packaging

Online Services Developer Platform

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0600

Presented by Matt Rosoff

Matt Rosoff outlines online services aimed at developers and their customers. .

SQL Server 2008

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Chris Alliegro

Chris Alliegro summarizes new features in SQL Server 2008designed toimprove management of large-scale SQL Server deployments.

The Windows Server Virtualization Platform

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Hardware virtualization is a key enabling technology for organizations consolidating servers or improving production by isolating workloads from specific server hardware

Licensing Windows Desktops

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Rob Horwitz, Research Chair

Advances in virtualization technologies have created alternatives to traditional thick client approaches to Windows desktop deployment. While these alternatives can be used to substantially cut Windows desktop management costs, they also require a confusing array of Microsoft licenses and subscriptions.

Windows Hardware Virtualization

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Presented by Michael Cherry and Paul DeGroot

Michael Cherry and Paul DeGroot review Microsoft's hardware virtualization technology, includingWindows Server 2008 Hyper-V, Hyper-V Server, and Virtual Server 2005 R2SP1, as well as tools that can manage the virtual environment, such asSystem Center Virtual Machine monitor.

PerformancePoint Aids Business Performance Management

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0500

PerformancePoint Server 2007, a collection of three business intelligence applications, could help large organizations streamline financial reporting and budgeting, visualize business data, and analyze and report details about business performance

Microsoft Org Chart Detail View

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:58:07 -0500

Locate detailed information about a single individual

Each manager has their own page listing his/her title & job description as well as name/title/job description for direct reports
Links allow one to to traverse one level up or down the organization hierarchy
Search by first or last name

Microsoft Org Chart Outline View

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:55:10 -0500

The top600+ senior executives in Microsoft organization, group by reporting relationships: Job descriptions are included for most all Microsoft executives (hover the mouse over their title and description text will appear). Note that GM stands for General Manager.

The page is suitable for viewing or printing. The Microsoft organization chart information is also viewable using expandable tree control. However, printing does not work from the tree control page.

Microsoft Org Chart Expandable Tree View

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:46:15 -0500

Locate detailed information about a single individual in Microsoft organization.

Each manager has their own page listing his/her title & job description as well as name/title/job description for direct reports
Links allow one to to traverse one level up or down the organization hierarchy
Search by first or last name

Latest Microsoft Developer Platform Roadmap

Mon, 9 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0500

The Directions on Microsoft Developer Platform Roadmap summarizes current and planned versions of Microsoft's most important developer products. The Roadmap provides a single reference for Microsoft customers and partners who need to answer basic planning questions, such as the following:

What technologies does Microsoft provide for building the user interface of an application?
When does support for Visual Studio 2003 end?
What are my options for building an Office-based client application?

The information in this report is based on our interpretation of the most credible public sources. Microsoft does not endorse this report, and its product plans are subject to change at any time.

Dynamics CRM Aims at Enterprises, Hosters

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Report provides an overview of Microsoft's Dynamics CRM product for potential customers and partners and outlines the major improvements in CRM 4.0

Windows Server 2008: An Important Server Upgrade

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 10:00:00 -0600

Report outlines improvements to configuration management, security, terminal services, rights management and other areas as well as reviews application compatibility and licensing issues

Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:00:00 -0600

The latest versions of the .NET Framework and Visual Studio simplify coding of data queries; add support for new features introduced in Vista, Office 2007, and .NET Framework 3.0, and further improve Visual Studio as a Web development tool