Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit Team Blog

Hi,

Reporting live from the Worldwide Partner Conference 2008 (Houston, Texas) - I am pleased to announce the launch of 3 brand new Virtualization Solution Accelerators from Microsoft.  Solution Accelerators are free tools and technical guidance that are made available to Microsoft partners and customers to help accelerate IT planning, delivery, and on-going operations.

What's New?

• Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Release for Hyper-V
  • The MAP Toolkit now sports new features such as the much-anticipated Hyper-V server virtualization candidates assessment.  Download this tool to look for business opportunities across multiple sites.  It's time to learn how to quickly consolidate their datacenter servers, go green, and reap the power cooling and energy savings today!
  • Other new features in this release include SQL server inventory for migration to SQL 2008 plus Desktop Security Center Assessment
  • Download URL:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=67240b76-3148-4e49-943d-4d9ea7f77730&DisplayLang=en  
• Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide for SCVMM 2008
  • Essential guide for you to learn more about how to make the right design choices for a SCVMM deployment.
  • Download URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=100915
• Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool
  • Patch your offline virtual machines (VMs) from the library and reduce downtime.
  • Download URL: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8408ecf5-7afe-47ec-a697-eb433027df73&DisplayLang=en

Check out LIVE Video Interview (courtesy of VARVID.com) below:

Thanks,
Baldwin Ng (Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit + Virtualization Solution Accelerators)

A few weeks ago at TechEd North America, Kevin Remde, IT Pro Evangelist from Microsoft, got together with the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit team (Jay Sauls and myself) to discuss the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 program and how the MAP Toolkit helps IT professionals and consultants accelerate their IT planning process for Virtualization (e.g. Hyper-V) and OS migration projects (e.g. Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008).

Enjoy the video!  You can either view it on this page or click here: http://mfile.akamai.com/14853/wmv/microsofttec.download.akamai.com/14853/TechEdOnline/Videos/08_NA_ITP_techtalk_107_low.asx )

Cheers,

Baldwin Ng

PS: To view the interview on this page, you need to click the "Start" button, wait for a few seconds, click "Start" again and then the small "Play" button below.

The wait is over!  The much-anticipated Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 (MAP) has now been released to the web.  Formerly known as Windows Vista Hardware Assessment, this new release is now packed with many new features such as:

• Hyper-V virtualization candidates assessment (+ improved virtual machines inventory)
• SQL server discovery and assessment
• 64-bit installation support
• Desktop Windows Security Center assessment

For those of you who are new to the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP), in a nutshell, MAP is basically a network-wide agent-less tool that can help you quickly find out where your desktops and servers are and then it would auto-generate upgrade recommendations for multiple products and technologies including server, desktop and virtualizatoin migration scenarios covering:

• Windows Vista hardware and device compatibility assessment
• Office 2007 hardware compatibility assessment
• Windows Server 2008 hardware and device compatibility assessment
• Microsoft Application Virtualization hardware compatibility assessment
• SNMP inventory reporting
• And the MAP 3.1 feature list above including Hyper-V and SQL Server

Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 RTM version now at:

• http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=111000

Or learn more about the MAP Toolkit by visiting our other resources:

• See what we presented at TechEd about MAP 3.1:
• http://blogs.technet.com/mapblog/archive/2008/06/13/teched-2008-announcing-microsoft-assessment-and-planning-toolkit-3-1-beta-release.aspx
• Read more about MAP on TechNet:     
• http://www.microsoft.com/MAP
• See MAP videos at MAP Team Blog:    
• http://blogs.technet.com/MAPBLOG (look for video posts)
• Join the Forum to get help:                  
• http://forums.technet.microsoft.com/en-US/map/threads/
• Join the MAP "Fan Club" on Facebook: 
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Microsoft-Assessment-and-Planning-Solution-Accelerator/10844334345
• Stay in touch with us via RSS:             
• http://blogs.technet.com/mapblog/rss.xml (so you won't miss our upcoming demo videos and IT pro hero stories!)
• Most importantly, we have tons of Solution Accelerators like MAP that will take care of your server, client, and virtualization needs from automation to technical guidance.  Check out our solution accelerators page to learn more - hey, they're all FREE, remember?  :-)
• Virtualization Solution Accelerators
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/cc197910.aspx
• Server Solution Accelerators               
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/cc197101.aspx
• Windows Client Solution Accelerators: 
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/bb688093.aspx
• Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0:
• http://www.microsoft.com/MOF

Thank you,

Baldwin Ng (Sr. Product Manager, Solution Accelerators Team)

Are you thinking about virtualizing your datacenter but don't know where to start when it comes to infrastructure design?  The Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides (IPD) are designed to make the IT guidance easily consumable.  Each guide will walk you through a series of key design decision trees around implementation server and virtualization implementations.  They are not long at all and it's well worth the time.

So, why wait?  Grab a nice cup of coffee and get started.  You'll definitely enjoy the brand new Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide for SCVMM 2008 and other guides on Hyper-V and Terminal Services!

Download IPD Guides now!

Cheers!
Baldwin

PS: As a bonus, I'm including the IPD Guide webcast where my colleague Fergus Stewart will walk you through the IPD guides for both Hyper-V and TS scenarios.

Hello,

As we count down to the final few days into the MAP 3.1 RTM date, I'd like to offer you a sneak-peak of how to use the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 to 1) conduct a migration assessment of your existing servers to Windows Server 2008 and 2) determine if a select set of your servers are good candidates for virtualization using the Hyper-V hypervisor technology from Windows Server 2008.

Enjoy the the videos....Part I is Windows Server 2008 Hardware Assessment and Inventory.

Part II is Server Virtualization Assessment using Hyper-V and MAP 3.1

For a deeper technical drill-down, you may visit the following links:

• Technical documentation on the MAP:  http://www.microsoft.com/MAP
• Detailed blog post on the 3-step process to virtualization assessment: http://blogs.technet.com/mapblog/archive/2008/04/23/how-to-series-for-microsoft-assessment-and-planning-part-1-server-virtualization.aspx
• Get MAP download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=67240b76-3148-4e49-943d-4d9ea7f77730&DisplayLang=en

Baldwin

This is the shortest blog post I've ever done!  Key message is:  "Hyper-V is Here!"

Congrats to the Hyper-V team and special thanks to all of the our TAP and RDP customers!

Get Hyper-V NOW!  And yes, we are only a few more days away from MAP Toolkit 3.1 RTM with Hyper-V assessment.  Stay tuned!

Baldwin

Hi all,

Our team is in the final stretch to release the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 (MAP).  Thanks to all of your feedback from the past years, we have incorporated many net new features including:

• Hyper-V Server Consolidation Assessment
• Enhanced Virtual Machine Assessment
• SQL Server Discovery and Assessment
• PC Security Assessment

Stay tuned for the release announcement shortly!  In the mean-time, you can peruse these essential links and learn more about MAP:

• View our TechNet site for more information
• http://www.microsoft.com/MAP
• Download MAP 3.0 (current release)
• http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=67240b76-3148-4e49-943d-4d9ea7f77730&DisplayLang=en
• Join the MAP's Fan Club and meet other users on Facebook
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Microsoft-Assessment-and-Planning-Solution-Accelerator/10844334345
• View a recent TechNet Edge video interview on MAP and IPD Guides
• http://edge.technet.com/Media/MAP-tool-virtualization-demo-with-Baldwin/
  

Baldwin Ng (Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators)

Hello,

In case you haven't heard, we announced the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta release at TechEd 2008 North America today in Orlando Florida.  Many of you approached us months ago that you'd like to see a Hyper-V assessment support.  Well, the feature is now here and it's ready for your testing!

In addition to Hyper-V virtualization assessment update, we've added a few new features including 1) Desktop Security Assessment using Security Center information, 2) 64-bit installation support, and 3) SQL server discovery.

What does it mean?  It means that the MAP toolkit is becoming a defacto tool of choice when it comes to IT infrastructure and desktop assessment tasks.  From desktop migration, server migration to virtualization planning and even SQL server migration.

Over the next few days, I will be doing a multi-part series to highlight each of the new features.  In the mean-time, if you cannot wait, I highly recommend that you take MAP 3.1 beta for a quick test drive.  We welcome your feedback!

ACTION:

• Download MAP 3.1 Beta:                    https://connect.microsoft.com/InvitationUse.aspx?ProgramID=2307&InvitationID=MP31-GT76-X98X&SiteID=297
• Download MAP 3.0 RTM:                    http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=111000
• Learn more about MAP on TechNet:  http://www.microsoft.com/MAP

Cheers,
Baldwin

PS:  Here are a few screenshots to whet your appetite!

This week, our team is presenting the upcoming features for the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) 3.1 at TechEd in Orlando, Florida.  Hope to see you there!  You should expect the MAP 3.1 beta download to be available this week as well.

Baldwin

Hello,

In case you're on the MAP tool beta before for the version 3.0, you should already have received a notification to join the Private Beta for MAP 3.1 slated to release in June 2008. This MAP 3.1 beta will include the much anticipated Hyper-V modeling and assessment for server virtualization.

Due to massive demand, we are soon going to reach the capacity limit of this Private Beta.

If you have not joined yet, please follow the 5-step process here to apply. 

• Visit the Connect site:  http://connect.microsoft.com
• Enter Invitation Code:   MP31-GT76-X98X
• Follow the rest of the on-screen instructions
• Wait for a notificiation email in the next few weeks for the Download Instructions
• Try out MAP 3.0 RTM version to take a quick test drive:  http://www.microsoft.com/MAP  
• The current release already support Virtual Server 2005 R2 assessments.

Thank you!
Baldwin Ng (Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Assessment and Planing Tool)

That's right.  It's ok to touch your PC. 

As a matter of fact, you can do more and have more fun by simply touching the PC screen!

Think about flipping through a book "electronically" without using the mouse but your finger.  Or play the piano with your PC screen by simply touching the "virtual keys."

This multi-touch Microsoft Surface technology will ultimately enhance the next-generation Windows experience - i.e. Windows 7.

Check out the video demo below and tell your friends about it over beer or cocktail.

Baldwin Ng

Check out the Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V video on Virtual Networking.

Baldwin

Hi all,

Hyper-V RC1 is now available for download.  That's right!  It's really time for you to take a quick test-drive of this amazing server virtualization technology - plus it's part of Windows Server 2008!

• Get Hyper-V RC1 Here
• Learn more about Hyper-V, check out the Hyper-V Video
• See how a customer deployed Hyper-V in their production environment - just recently and yes, IN PRODUCTION!
• Download my favorite solution accelerators, the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Tool and the Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide Series, and get started with server virtualization planning today!
• Check out the MAP tool video demo to see how to use it for server virtualization planning

Baldwin

Managing 60 servers is no small feat when it comes to midsize company, Sporton International in Taiwan.  With limited IT resources, Sporton decided to turn to Systex Corporation (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner) to explore options to virtualize their physical servers in an effort to reduce operation cost while improving the agility and manageability of their server assets.  Here're the case study highlights:

1) What was deployed?

• 35 physical production servers were virtualized with Hyper-V Release Candidate into on three physical servers (that's 12:1 consolidation ratio).
• 10 virtual machines were configured with Hyper-V clustering to support Sporton's business continuity and disaster recovery needs.
• The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Tool was used to collect the performance metrics of every server in the data center and to identify which servers were good candidates. The MAP tool decreased the planning time for this project by 60 percent.

2) Why deployed with Hyper-V?

• Optimizing Hardware Assets to Cut Costs: Saved on 70% of hardware costs & increased server utilization from 10-15% to about 70%
• Streamlining Provisioning to Boost Responsive IT Service: Cut the time it takes for our IT staff to provision a server by up to 70 percent, which is critical to the productivity of the development and IT departments
• Improving Availability for Better Business Continuity: Provided better continuity of IT service to internal users through quick migration and clustering technology from Microsoft
• Hyper-V offers better and more familiar user interface as well as lower cost of ownership than VMware

3) Where to find the tools mentioned in this case study and other key resources on Virtualization?

• Hyper-V Release Candidate
• Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Tool (to help monitor existing server workloads and identify server machines to virtualize) & MAP tool video demo
• Virtualization Solution Accelerators
• More about Virtualization at TechNet Virtualization TechCenter
• Virtualization Team Blog

4) In their own words....

• "Hyper-V in Release Candidate 0 was so reliable that we deployed VMs into the production environment serving all Internet guests and customers, and our subsidiaries in Taiwan, China, and Korea" - Kathy Lin, IT Manager of Sporton International.
• "Hyper-V is the best virtualization solution running on Windows Server 2008, with enhanced performance and stability for Sporton at a fraction of the cost of VMware’s hypervisor-based offering." - David Feng, Technical Services Director of Systex Corp.

If you want to learn more about this story, please visit the site below for the full case study:  http://www.microsoft.com/industry/professionalservices/casestudylibrary.mspx?casestudyid=4000001899

See you next time...until then, go virtual!! 

Baldwin Ng

Hi all,

Did you know that Microsoft has recently appointed a new Chief Environment Strategist, Rob Bernard?  It's not too late to join the Public Service Green IT and Sustainability Virtual Symposium on May 20th, 2008 and hear the latest work that Microsoft is doing around Green IT.

In addition, you can learn more about Microsoft's environmental initiatives and how Virtualization can help with your Green initiatives by visiting these Microsoft resource links:

• Microsoft Environment
• Microsoft Virtualization
• Microsoft Virtualization Solution Accelerators (tools and resources)
• Microsoft Assessment and Planning Tool (free virtualization assessment tool)

It's time to think about going green - not just in your personal lives but also in your IT operations!

Baldwin Ng