Microsoft Assessment & Planning Solution Accelerator 4.0 Now Available

Just under a month ago, I blogged about the beta release of the MAP tool, which, for those not familiar, is is an integrated planning toolkit that makes it easier for Microsoft customers and partners to quickly identify what servers, workstations, and network devices are in their IT environment. This agentless and scalable toolkit has the ability to discover all computers within Active Directory and workgroup environments. It performs key functions that include hardware and device inventory, hardware compatibility analysis, and generation of actionable, environment-specific IT proposals for migration to most major Microsoft technologies.

I’m pleased to say that version 4.0 of the tool has now hit RTM, so you can start using it now!

For those who need a recap on what MAP can actually do, read on…

What’s New with Version 4.0?

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 has the following new features:

• Windows 7 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
• Windows Server 2008 R2 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
• Virtualisation Candidates Assessment for Hyper-V R2 Server Consolidation
• Integration with the Microsoft Integrated Virtualisation ROI Calculator
• Inventory of VMware Server Hosts and Guests
• User Interface and Proposal Customization for Partner co-branding
• Enhanced SQL Server Instance Discovery
• Enhanced Usability and Improved Inventory Performance

Additional Features

• Windows Vista Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
• Windows Server 2008 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
• 2007 Microsoft Office Readiness Assessment
• Desktop Security Assessment for Anti-virus and Anti-malware Programs Installation
• Forefront Client Security/NAP Readiness Assessment
• App-V Infrastructure Readiness Assessment
• Power Savings Analysis          

Saves Pre-Sales and Planning Time. For most IT consultants and Microsoft Partners, a detailed network inventory and assessment of servers and desktops often takes days of manual labour.  With the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit, they can conduct an environment inventory of up to 100,000 computers in a matter of hours instead of days, giving customers and partners extra time to focus on critical planning or presales tasks. In addition, for IT professionals, this toolkit can significantly reduce the time it takes to gather the information necessary to make the business case for client, server, and virtualisation projects.

Provides Actionable Recommendations and Reporting. This toolkit provides valuable inventory and readiness assessment reports with environment-specific upgrade recommendations and virtualisation candidate reports, making it easier for IT migration and deployment projects to get off the ground and running.

Covers Wide Range of Scenarios - from Desktops to Servers. This toolkit offers technology assessments and planning recommendations for many Microsoft desktop and server products including Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, 2007 Microsoft Office, SQL Server 2008, Forefront Client Security, Network Access Protection, Microsoft Application Virtualisation, and more.

Resources

• Download the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0
• Learn more about this toolkit and read case studies on TechNet or Microsoft Partner Program portal
• Use this toolkit together with the Microsoft Integrated Virtualisation ROI Calculator to get more virtualisation POC wins
• Read the MAP Team Blog
• Check out other members of the Solution Accelerators family - Server, Desktop, Security, and Virtualisation Solution Accelerators