Introducing the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit for IBM

For those of you ‘not in the know’, the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit is a free tool 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.  What else does it do?

• Windows 7 & Windows Vista Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
• Windows Server 2008 R2 & 2008 R1 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
• Virtualisation Candidates Assessment for Hyper-V R2 & Hyper-V R1 Server Consolidation
• Integration with the Microsoft Integrated Virtualisation ROI Calculator
• Inventory of VMware Server Hosts and Guests
• User Interface and Proposal Customisation for Partner co-branding
• Enhanced Usability and Improved Inventory Performance
• 2007 Microsoft Office Readiness Assessment
• SQL Server Instance Discovery
• Desktop Security Assessment for Anti-virus and Anti-malware Programs Installation
• Forefront Client Security/NAP Readiness Assessment
• Online Services (Exchange Online) Assessment
• App-V Infrastructure Readiness Assessment
• Power Savings “Green IT” Calculator

Loads of stuff!  For free!

Well, here’s the latest gossip – IBM have worked with MS to bring to market an IBM-specific version of MAP…

This release, based on the MAP Toolkit platform, was developed by IBM at the IBM Center for Microsoft Technologies to accelerate the adoption of server virtualization hardware including IBM System x and BladeCenter together with Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualisation technology.  Now customized for IBM, the MAP Toolkit allows more specific recommendations of IBM server hardware.  Example are shown below (click to enlarge)

Key Features

• Quickly and easily take inventory of customer server environments, determine which servers are underutilised, and generate a plan for a virtual datacenter based on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V software
• Recommend IBM System x and BladeCenter servers as the ideal choice for customers’ virtualised environments
• Calculate potential savings and produce quantifiable benefits unique to each customer’s IT needs prior to deployment with Microsoft Virtualisation ROI Calculator integration
• Eliminate manual network assessment and virtualisation planning and help customers choose the right infrastructure the first time
• Auto-generate reports and proposals to speed the planning process.

Get MAP Toolkit Now

• Download the MAP Toolkit for IBM version (or learn more here)
• Download the MAP Toolkit (Generic Version)
• Get the Infrastructure Planning and Design guidance for Hyper-V virtualisation