Q: (from Darryl) I am looking for a ITAR compliant hosted email solution and wanted to check with you to see if this is something your group could provide. I also need to make sure all email servers are based in the US. As a DOD contractor, we are not able to use Google Apps or most other hosted or cloud...

Office 365 on Open Licensing. You Bill, We Deliver. You don’t want to miss this webcast series! With the release of Office 365 on Open & Full Package Product (FPP), you now can deliver Office to your customers in the way that makes the most sense for them and you. The new Office 365 Midsize Business...

Q: (from Cary) I have a licensing questions as it pertains to the new version of 2013 SharePoint. What is and is not an internet user, because Microsoft no longer sells "internet site license's" I want to make sure we are good to go. It looks like we can shave 45,000 dollars off our cost.  ...

Q: (from Patrick) I am delivering a new Office presentation shortly. Do you have a recording of you demoing Office 2013 that I would watch? Do you have the sample files you use to conduct the demo?   A: For demo files, I now use the “Take a Tour” templates that come with the new Office. They can...

Q: (from David) One of my agents has an EDU customer with the following questions. This EDU customer has 200 students and 75 Faculty & Staff. They are currently on Office 2007. Can you help me with this? Link for EDU purposes. Office 365 comes with the code to put on computers plus the Office running...

Q: (from Nikkia) I have a client who would like to know how many attendees can be in a Lync audio, video, web, chat meeting, please.  Do you know?  Thanks!   A: It took some hunting with Bing, but I found several aspects to the answer: Previous versions of Lync have been tested and support...

OK… So I’m a self proclaimed nerd AND a presenter. This naturally leads to a frustration around showing Windows 8 to customers while using a tablet: the tablet computer is all about mobility and freedom but I had to be “tethered” to the projector with a VGA or HDMI cable. Now I found several devices...

Q: (from Ed) Have you given or planning to give a license review of how the dropping of SBS Standard has affected current OV SBS customers and Microsoft’s recommendation of what Partners should discuss with those customers.     A: Obviously, current customers on SBS with SA have the option...

Q: (from Jessica) I had a request today for Windows Sever, Multi-Language.  I see that SA gives multi language rights to desktop applications, will it so the same for server products.  I can’t find anything specifically saying this.   A: Great question. A Bing search on “Windows Server...

Q: (from Bill) I’ve got a Windows 8 sneak preview event next Thursday.  I’m starting to build up my presentation / demo.  Any topic suggestions?   A: First off, are you aware of Diane Golshan’s blog on Windows 8 Partner Readiness Resources? http://blogs.technet.com/b/msuspartner/archive...

If you haven’t been keeping up with the current promotion announcements – don’t let these two pass you by! Microsoft has just announced the fall lineup of subsidy rebate promotions for customers: Big Easy 9 Cloud Easy Re-launch Q: What is a Subsidy Rebate Promotion? A: Our subsidy rebate promotions are...

Q: (from Shawn) When you downgrade Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition to Windows Server 2008 R2 how many virtual versions do you get?   A: You can still run two virtual instances. From the Windows Server 2012 Licensing FAQ ( http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/D/B/4DB352D1-C610-466A-9AAF...

Are you ready ? All attendees will be entered in a drawing for 1 of 10 Windows 8 Tablets to be given away.  Windows 8 and the new Office and Windows Server 2012 are coming soon, and because you’re a valued Microsoft Partner, we would like to invite you to the Microsoft Windows and Office Partner...

Q: (from Bill) I’m giving a presentation on Tuesday morning.  I’m going to be highlighting Windows 8 but also wanted to talk about the other product launches in this wave.  Do you have any resources that gives some details about the new versions of server and office? I want to highlight both...

Q: (from Nikkia) Good morning Stephen!  It was great to meet you last night at the IAMCP DC chapter meeting!  I remember you saying (hopefully, remembering correctly) that SharePoint development can be done on Azure.  Is that true?  I don’t seem to see it on the Azure information...

Q: (from Bill) Can you share with me some info on Windows 8 Media Center? I need to see if that will be available for the Enterprise sku...   A: Here are some blog entries from Steven Sinofsky: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/03/making-windows-media-center-available-in-windows-8.aspx...

If you have been researching the Small Business Competency , you may have read the feedback on the 74-323 Exam and that Microsoft is releasing a revised exam 74-324: Administering Office 365 for Small Businesses . In addition, the Jump Start readiness resource is hosting a multi-day, multi-hour webcast...

Are you prepared?!? Windows Server 2012 was released to manufacturing (RTM) earlier this month: http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsserver/archive/2012/08/01/windows-server-2012-released-to-manufacturing.aspx?Loc=zatfz_zTS1z&type=zEVz&media=zWCz&tech=zCLz&prod=zWSz and will be launched...

Q: (from Bill) Is there a calculator somewhere to compute the Azure costs?   A: Here is a cost/usage calculator: http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/calculator/ and here is an ROI calculator: http://www.microsoft.com/brasil/windowsazure/tco/     Steve

Q: (from Matt) Do you know where we can find more information how mobile devices work with O365?   A: Here’s a nice summary: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/mobility.aspx Following are some more detailed resources: Messaging (Exchange Online): http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/office365...

Q: (from Paul) I have tried to install the Windows 8 preview on a machine with a Pentium 4 at 3.40 GHz and it says my processor is not compatible. Any suggestions or explanations?  I also tried a celeron machine with the same result.   A: I Bing’d “Can a Pentium 4 run Windows 8” and found the...

Q: What incentives are available to help me close Office 365 deals in the last two weeks of June 2012?   A: OK… So it’s not a question from a specific partner, but it is something every partner should be asking right now. In the interest of closing our FY12 sales strong, Microsoft has several promotions...

Q: (from Jackie) I would like your input on a situation I currently have with one of my potential sales of Office 365 and Windows Intune. I convinced a customer of mine to let me setup a trial account for Office 365.  I have not setup his Windows Intune yet as I will be managing his Intune for him...

Q: (Scott) I attended a presentation of yours on Office 2010 a few years ago. I've got a client who's having trouble with a SharePoint installation. I know very little about SharePoint myself.  Can you recommend anybody who may be able to help them?   A: (with contribution by Diane Golshan...

For those of you who have seen my posts in the past, you may already have some idea that I’m a nerd and I love technology. And just to confirm your first impressions, my nerd quotient rises when technology is used in new and interesting ways. Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen several blogs talking about...