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14 February 2013 // Subscribe to the TechNet Flash

technet flash update for kiwi IT professionals

Gabriela Spindler

Audience Marketing Manager

Microsoft New Zealand

Your feedback is important to us:
Your responses drive us to improve.

Your experience with us here at Microsoft New Zealand is our responsibility.

We want to ensure that you feel satisfied in your dealings with Microsoft. Therefore, we ask you twice a year about your feedback on a list of themes. We are aware of the fact that this can be time-consuming for you, as well the fact that you may receive many requests for surveys, but your feedback will directly help us improve our products, services and offerings. Every single one of your comments is read by us here in New Zealand, and we take your feedback seriously!

The last two surveys we conducted brought in exceptionally pleasing results. Due to your continued support, we have seen improvements in several areas, including:

overall strong ratings for Microsoft products showing that you see us as an innovative organisation
the resources we provide and communicate to you
continued positive feedback on installing and deploying of our offerings

Respondents from the last survey continued to give positive feedback on TechEd New Zealand, as well as the technical IT Camps with Hands-on Labs that we implemented in the last 12 months. This allowed attendees to connect with one of our best evangelists in person - and providing free 180 day product trials, a significant contributing factor to the success of these events. Based on the results of this survey, we will be working on the following improvements, moving forward.

For 2013, we have identified four overall areas to improve:

Windows Azure & Microsoft Cloud platform - we have moved beyond using 'cloud' as a buzz word, and can now shift focus on its benefits.
Security support – although we have moved our focus away from security in the past, we should provide resources to the IT Professional audience
Technical support – previous results show we are improving, but we believe we can do even better!
Licensing support – this is a difficult area to address. Licensing is not a 'one size fits all' for businesses. Yes, we are complex in this area, however, we offer you a broad range of options to satisfy your needs.

We put ourselves in your shoes, and have heard that these three topics are areas in which you require more support. We would like to address that. As a first step, we have assembled select resources to provide accessible information. In the future, we plan to offer more information around Windows Azure and Microsoft Cloud.

We read all your comments and we thank you for positive feedback. Here are a few examples:

”I've been very impressed lately with Windows 8, Office 2013 Release Preview and the smooth integration with cloud services.”
“In its simplest form, everything works. The help systems, are becoming better organised and the vocabulary is getting easier for my students to understand. Windows 7 was a great improvement.”
“Good TechEd (best so far). Exciting new products (eg Windows 8) AX 2012 a good progression from AX 2009, with many known problems addressed. CRM 2011 a similar progression in maturity.”
“Extremely happy with all the extra training on the products that Microsoft release. Very happy also with the services online that are available”

There were a few feedback comments that made us aware of challenges we need to work on. We thank you for your honesty. Here are a few examples:

“Improve Security and uptime”
“Issues with SBS generally software is expensive”
“The licence structure is very hard to understand. We run isolated networks and the new licence process is very difficult to use.”

Our next survey kicks off in March, and will take about 10-20 minutes of your time to complete. Between the 4th of March and the 12th of April, you may receive an email invitation from ‘feedback@e-mail.microsoft.com’ with a link to an online customer satisfaction survey. If you utilise a spam filter, please adjust the settings to allow email from the domain: ‘@e-mail.microsoft.com’. I assure you, this is a completely valid Microsoft survey.

Also, please be assured that Microsoft and the survey vendor will keep your information and responses to this survey strictly confidential in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

Thank you in advance for your participation and valuable input. You have our commitment that the results of the survey will be used in our efforts to meet your needs better.

Win an XBOX 360 prize pack with Kinect and Halo 4!

Download System Center 2012 SP1, email us a screenshot showing 100% completion and you're in the draw! It's that easy!

Use the BI Solution Builder Tool

The Microsoft BI Solution Builder helps you discover the business intelligence capabilities of your current Microsoft technologies, and provides customized upgrade paths and resource links.

Join 1,000,000 customers on Microsoft Virtual Academy

Microsoft Virtual Academy is growing. More than a million users rely on MVA for free technical training on Microsoft technologies such as Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, Office 365, System Center 2012, and more.

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Chelsea Recipe Club

If you love baking, cooking or just eating delicious homemade goodies then you’ll love being part of the Chelsea Recipe Club. With hundreds of tried and tested recipes at your fingertips, this is the must have app for kiwi bakers!

Microsoft IT Camps – Windows 8 for IT Professionals

February 26 and March 14 in Wellington, March 18 in Christchurch (all other locations are fully booked!)
At this event, get first-hand technical, hands-on experience with Windows 8 in the workplace. Explore the new features in Windows 8 while you dive deep into key scenarios around management, deployment, security, desktop virtualisation, application development, sideloading and desktop recovery. Microsoft IT Camps are no-cost, hands-on technical training events for IT professionals led by Microsoft experts. Learn about the new features and capabilities of Windows 8 that make migration, deployment, and management of tomorrow’s environments easier for IT while improving the end-user experience.

Auckland Windows Infrastructure User Group Meeting

February 20 in Auckland
IPAM: Throw away your IP spreadsheets! A deeper dive into the IP Address Management (IPAM) Server feature in Windows Server® 2012 , What is it? How does it work? How can I install and use it?

Webinar: TechNet LIVE: Windows 8 Desktop Security Strategy

March 1: 1:00pm - 2:30pm N.Z. Time
Come join us to learn more about Microsoft’s strategy for securing Windows PCs. In this session we talk about our approach to desktop security and how a comprehensive security solution can be achieved when using Windows client, Windows Server, Microsoft System Center, Microsoft Office, and Windows Internet Explorer.

Webinar: TechNet LIVE: Windows Azure Overview for IT Pros

March 15: 1:00pm - 2:30pm N.Z. Time
A lot of customers are aware of the cloud but are often asking WHY Cloud? In this session we will go through the reasons to consider cloud computing and then discuss Microsoft’s offerings in the Private Cloud and Public Cloud areas.

Microsoft support portal

On this recently-updated portal, you will find links highlighting our top support issues, top downloads, contact details, and can get specific support by product.

Contact the Microsoft Customer Service support team

To contact Microsoft Customer Service about a specific problem you’re having, you can simply email our customer service team – they are surprisingly responsive, and are best briefed to deal with a broad range of issues.

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"Microsoft System Center 2012 SP1 XBOX Prize Pack" Competition - Terms and Conditions: Eligibility 1. By entering this competition you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. 2. To be eligible for the competition, you must be a New Zealand Resident. How To Enter 3. To enter to win the XBOX prize pack, you must email technetnz@microsoft.com with a screenshot showing 100% completion of the Microsoft System Center 2012 SP1 download. 4. The competition is open from 29 January 2013 to 28 February 2013 – all entries must be emailed to us before this date. 5. The sole prize is an XBOX Prize Pack comprised of a 250GB XBOX 360 console, an XBOX 360 wireless controller, a KINECT sensor, and a copy of the HALO 4 game. General 6. Prizes will be allocated by the 8th of March 2013, and winners will be notified by the 15th of March 2013, via the email and/or contact phone number provided when the application link/description was emailed to technetnz@microsoft.com as specified in clause 3 and 4. 7. Microsoft is not responsible for entries not received and incomplete, illegible, 'hacked' or otherwise fraudulent entries are not valid. 8. Prizes will be delivered to a New Zealand address the winner nominates, at Microsoft's expense. 9. It is a condition of accepting any prize that the prize winner agrees to participate in publicity generated by Microsoft (or Microsoft’s marketing partners), and agrees to the use of their name, photo, and screenshot image for promotional purposes. 10. Employees of Microsoft (and each of their immediate family members) and independent contractors of Microsoft (and each of their immediate family members) are not eligible to enter. 10. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, Microsoft may award it to an alternate winner. 12. If you accept a prize you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize. 13. If for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, Microsoft may substitute the advertised prize for another prize which has approximately the same recommended retail price. 14. If there is a dispute as to who submitted the winning entry, the winner will be the authorized account holder of the email address used to submit the screenshot. 15. Microsoft New Zealand Limited is the promoter of this prize draw and may modify these terms and conditions without notice. 16. Microsoft reserves the right to cancel, suspend or change the competition or any element of the competition for any reason, including any cancellation, suspension or change necessitated by any event outside Microsoft’s control. 17. The judge's decision in relation to the winners or any other aspect of this prize draw is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 18. Microsoft may disqualify, from participating in this prize draw, any person who tampers with the entry process, or submits an entry not in accordance with these terms and conditions. 19. Microsoft is committed to complying with the Government gift and ethics policies. Employees and independent contractors of the Government must adhere to gift and ethics policies applicable to them when entering this prize draw or accepting any prize. 20. Microsoft is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, servers or providers, or any combination thereof. Nor is it responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information caused by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilised in this prize draw, or by any technical or human error that may occur in the course of the administration of this prize draw. 21. To the extent permitted by law, Microsoft, its retailers, suppliers, associated companies and agencies will not be liable to you for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever, including personal injury, which is suffered as a result of, or arising from, your participation in the prize draw or winning (or not winning) any prize. 22. At Microsoft, we are committed to protecting your privacy. Microsoft will collect and use your details for the purposes of running this prize draw and to send you promotional material that may be of interest to you, as set out in clause 26 below. You can access or request correction of your details by emailing uptodate@microsoft.com. 23. By entering this competition, you consent to Microsoft New Zealand Limited sending you marketing and promotional material by email or using any of your other contact details Microsoft may have. 24. Microsoft reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to withhold the award of any or all prizes if entries do not meet the criteria set out in these terms and conditions.

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