SBS Down Under

I ran the Sydney Half Marathon last weekend & whilst I finished the 21.1km without dying, it really didn’t do too much for my ego.

A) It took nearly 2 hours, even though it’s supposed to be one of the easier courses around

B) I was lapped by several people

C) My good friend beat me by nearly 10 minutes, even after spraining his ankle at the 16km mark

D) And I was beaten by a 71yr old man with his arm in a sling. I thought I had him at the end, but he put on a spurt & I just couldn’t catch him

Why am I telling you this?

Well I was going to say that the reason why I haven’t written so much as a note on this blog for the past 6 months was because I was training for my big race – but that theory is out the window. I was then going to say that I was still celebrating finally finishing my MBA after 5 ½ years of study – however that also finished a while back & so no excuses there. So once you remove the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the answer.

And in my case, the answer is simply that I was burnt out. My last post was exactly 6 months ago today & it’s interesting to note that that was a reflective piece about the fact that I’d been back in Australia for 12 months. During the year I’d done more travelling than ever (Melbourne 11 times, Brisbane 7 times, Adelaide & Perth both 4 times & various other places), worked longer hours on the set-up for the SBS 2008 launch, finished off the MBA, tried to navigate a rapidly changing Microsoft culture & supported my wife’s family through a very difficult time (thankfully everyone is now okay). What it meant however is that something had to give & unfortunately for readers of this blog, it was my involvement with the SBS partner community.

I took some time off over Christmas to have a good think about what I wanted to do & on the very day I landed back in the office in early Jan, was presented with an opportunity to look at a new role. I thought long & hard about this for implicit in me taking this job would be the fact that my old role as SBS/EBS Product Manager would not be back-filled. This did not & does not signal a lessening of focus, just a shifting organisational structure. However I did have to ask - had I done enough in the previous 12 months to re-engage with user groups, train the distributors, helped vendors put bundles together & all the things needed for a healthy SBS business? The obvious answer is no – but I did my best. And so when the decision had to be made, I decided to take the new role – my current job is as Partner Account Manager for Express Data & Newlease, & looking after Hosting for our SMB space. An interesting, challenging, rewarding new role, but I will always have SBS & small business in my blood.

So, again, why am I telling you this?

Partly to offer apologies for my absence, partly to officially (& belatedly) hand over the Australian SBS blogging duties to Wayne Small, but mostly to at least try & quieten that nagging voice in my head that keeps telling me that I left the Australian SBS community & didn’t even say goodbye. Given all the work we’d done together & futures we were mapping out, you deserved more & for that, I am sorry.

Anyway – as mentioned, Wayne Small has now been given the reigns of this beast & shall be sharing his thoughts forthwith. Sarah Theiss of Microsoft Partner Programs fame has taken the mantle of chief SBSC blogger & is engaging with the community in that space & Rosemary Stark, our Windows Server Product Manager, is on point for all things SBS/EBS.

And so with that, I’m off. I’m still around at Microsoft & still on the same email address (rupcroft@microsoft.com) if you’d like to say hello. I’ll also be at the Australian Partner Conference on the Gold Coast in early September if you’re there.

Cheers & thanks for all your support,

Robbie

Henry Ford famously quipped that if he had ever asked his customers what they would have liked, they would have said a faster horse.

What's this got to do with Small Business Server? Well, not a lot actually apart from the fact that it provides a nice segue into my favourite saying, that is:

 "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

And this in turn allows me to reflect upon the fact that tomorrow, I will have been back with Microsoft Australia for 1 full year after spending a fun-filled couple of years in the UK office. Right from day one I've tried to think differently about the SBS business in Australia - not because we haven't been successful, but because I truly believe there is so much more opportunity out there - if only we can figure out how to crack the small business nut

So much of my energy this year - rather than rolling out the usual campaigns & advertising & promotions - has been focused around trying to connect with as many partners as possible and through them, learn more about what works and what doesn't. SBSCs, large multi-nationals, managed-service providers, ISVs, value-added resellers, hosters, retailers & more. I've lost count of the number of user groups, events, 1:1 meetings & blog comments that I've responded to however what I do know is that the Australian SBS channel is healthy, mostly bullish about their prospects & for the most part, actively engaged in building the future.

What else have I learned in the past 12 months?

• The old mass-media ways of marketing a product, particularly a technology solution, to small businesses is no longer going to cut the mustard. Where's the blog? The conversation? The authentic story that allows the business owner to really "get" what it is that they're buying?
• IT solution providers are more valuable than ever, particularly those that can translate computers into business. Talk cashflow, not technology.
• Sporting a very dubious moustache for Movember really doesn't hide my growing number of chins.
• The next 12 months of potential financial fun & games will really sort the wheat from the chaff & only those partners with a solid understanding of their, & customers' business, will come through unscathed. In fact, they will probably take share from those that just focus on technology.
• Microsoft is getting bigger, more complex, faster (and slower in some regards) & no one partner (or employee) can be expected to be across the whole box & dice. Find your niche. Exploit it.
• Hosting is going to be big.
• Those partners that are a member of their local SBS group seem to smile more than those that aren't. Join-up today: www.sbsgroups.com.au
• Microsoft can & should get out more to the interstate & regional partners & I'll be doing as much as I can to help drive this in 2009.
• And lastly - that the minute we get complacent or just "expect" a certain level of business via run-rate, pipeline or what have you, is the minute our competitors will win.

And so to the 14,947 people who have visited this blog since its inception back in February, thank you for reading & here's to another 12 months.

Robbie

PS - below is the complete viewing history for the blog, showing (thankfully) a nice gradual upswing of visitors as I put more content onto the site. I'd love to get your feedback around what you'd like to see & hear from me. Ta much.

Another great post from my good friend Karl Palachuk on thinking about your business plan. Check it out here.

This is not a short-cut or a get rich scheme, but merely some very useful advice if you're struggling to get your thoughts & plans down on paper. Good opportunity as we head into the silly season to take some time out & sharpen the saw.

If you haven't already, please stop reading this & go & add Karl's blog to your required reading list. He has one of the most pragmatic, honest and above all, successful SBS practices worldwide & what's more, is happy to share & discuss with like-minded partners. Definitely someone we can all learn from.

A snippet:

"Most small business owners hate finances. That's one good reason so many go out of business. They're no better off than someone who doesn't know a balance sheet exists! If you don't pay attention to money in and money out, I promise that more will go out than in. That's the nature of the universe."

Cheers & enjoy,

Robbie

By now most folks should have received their TechEd bonus copy of SBS 2008. Please let me know if you haven't by COB today & I'll chase like a wired-hair terrier.

Cheers & once again, thank you for your patience.

Robbie

Quick reminder that The Wayne & I are in Adelaide tonight (Mon 24th) for the SBS users group, along with Citrix & Kaseya.

So come along if you'd like to hear the latest.

Location:

• Ingram Micro offices
• 208 Greenhill Rd, Eastwood

Kick-off from 5pm through to 8.30ish & beer & pizza provided. No registration needed.

Cheers,

Robbie

PS - will be in Brisbane tomorrow night at the Microsoft offices:

• Level 9, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle Street

Lots of discussion at the moment around the recently announced "Solutions Pathway" & so I thought I'd steal Eric Ligman's post to summarise - see below.

Basically, Solutions Pathway is our new upgrade process for all things SBS & EBS & so please take a couple of mins to read through the below & familiarise yourself with the program.

I appreciate that there may be questions around this & so please let me know if you have any concerns.

Cheers,

Robbie

For those customers with Software Assurance on their SBS 2003 Servers, they already get all of the benefits of the SBS 2003 R2 offering and now have rights to the SBS 2008 solutions moving forward, in addition to all of the Software Assurance benefits.  But what about, "Where did the Transition Pack go with SBS 2008?" or other questions about moving into and through the SBS and EBS product families?

Some of you may have heard about a new item called, "Solutions Pathway," which helps provide ways to manoeuvre into and between the SBS & EBS products.  To help you better understand what Solutions Pathway is and how it works, we are providing this (rather long) FAQ set for you, which will also be posted to the Microsoft Partner Portal soon as well.

Q. What is Solutions Pathway?

A. Microsoft recognizes the need to provide small and medium business (SMB) customers, and the partners serving these customers, with an easy way to migrate their technology products as their business needs change—whether that entails a move to Windows Essential Server Solutions family of products or movement within the Windows Essential Server Solutions family of products or out of the family to its individual components. With that in mind, Microsoft is introducing Solutions Pathway, which will enable the partners help their customers to upgrade to a new product or solution quite easily from the one that the customers are currently using.

Solutions Pathway offers a tiered discount that will be applicable to various mobility scenarios, i.e. into, within, and out of Windows Essential Server Solutions family of products, and will replace previously offered products, such as Version Upgrade (VUP), Product Upgrade Pack (PUP) and Transition Pack (TP), to achieve the same outcomes. Partners, on behalf of their customers, will be able to make the purchase easily from the Solutions Pathway website on Microsoft.com.

Small Business Specialists and Networking Infrastructure Solutions partners can receive an additional 10% discount. Access to Solutions Pathway for these partners is available here.

For more information on becoming a Small Business specialist, click here. To learn more about joining the Networking Infrastructure Solutions competency, click here.

Q. What are the eligibility requirements to participate in Solutions Pathway?

A. The only requirement to be eligible to participate in Solutions Pathway is that the customer has the perpetual license to any one of the qualifying products, as detailed below, that the customer is using and now wants to move out of. Licenses acquired under any subscription-based Microsoft Volume Licensing program (e.g., Open Value Subscription), do not qualify customers to make Solutions Pathway purchases.

The table below captures the allowed mobility scenarios. The entry points to Solutions Pathway are the products listed in first column:

Click image for full size

Note:

a. The individual components relevant to Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) 2008 are as below:

Click image for full size

b. Detailed information on these Limited Duration Programs is available here.

Q. In which regions will Solutions Pathway be offered?

A. Solutions Pathway will be available worldwide.

Q. How does Solutions Pathway work?

A.  An example scenario will clarify how the Solutions Pathway concept will work.
Let’s say a customer has Windows SBS 2008 Standard. Whatever channel the customer buys it from, the partner (on behalf of customer) can go to the Solutions Pathway online store and choose the mobility path, whether it is an upgrade from the Standard to the Premium edition within the same product or from Windows SBS 2008 to Windows EBS 2008, or from Windows SBS 2008 to standalone products.

On the Solutions Pathway online store, the partner will be asked to input the information about the current product, and the most important piece of that information is the 5x5 product key (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx). In this example, the partner will enter the Windows SBS 2008 Standard product key. The back-end infrastructure of Solutions Pathway will recognize the product key and then display the available options based on the fact that customer has Windows SBS 2008 Standard.
The partner can then choose the path she wants to take and buy the corresponding server and CALs. At the time of billing, the partner will be given a discount over the total price of the purchase and will be billed that amount—plus taxes, VAT (Value Added Tax, if applicable), and shipping and handling.

With this, the transaction will be complete and the products (server and CALs) will be shipped to the given address.

Q. Are licenses acquired through Solutions Pathway OEM, Full Package Product (aka Retail box), or Volume licenses?

A.  Licenses purchased through Solutions Pathway are Full Package Product (aka Retail box) licenses.

Q. What is the discount offered to Partners in Solutions Pathway? Where can I find my pricing on these items as a Partner?

A.  The discount level offered depends on the mobility scenario, i.e.

• Into Windows Essential Server Solutions 2008 Family
• Within Windows Essential Server Solutions 2008 Family
• Out of Windows Essential Server Solutions 2008 Family

Below is an illustration of all possible mobility paths available in Solutions Pathway:

Click image for full size

Solutions Pathway offers a tiered discount. There are 2 different discount levels in each tier – one discount for Small Business Specialists (SBSC) and Networking Infrastructure Solutions (NI) partners, another for all other partners and customers. More information on Solutions Pathway for partners can be found here.

Click image for full size

Discounts applied to Windows SBS 2008 prices listed here and Windows EBS 2008 prices listed here.

Q. You mention customers can order this directly from Microsoft.com—doesn’t this mean that Microsoft is now competing with me as a partner?

A. No. Microsoft has always tried to make its technology products as accessible as possible. Partners are an extremely important part of our ecosystem, especially in the small and medium business (SMB) segment. Because of this, partners receive an additional 10% discount on Solutions Pathway pricing and since SMB customers tend to rely on partners for their IT purchases, Solutions Pathway offers the partners with an opportunity to generate additional revenue.

Q. Will these upgrades and credit programs offered through Solutions Pathway be available in LicenseWise or Gear Up tools for putting quotes together for my clients?

A. No, these will not be available anywhere else except for Solutions Pathway.

Q. Where on the Microsoft Partner Portal can I learn more about Solutions Pathway and how it works with ordering steps?

A. Partner-specific information on Solutions Pathway is available here, and general overview is also available here. We are also making available a step-by-step guide that covers the purchase process through Solutions Pathway from start to finish, which can be found here. (Step-by-Step document coming soon, before Nov. 24^th, but I wanted to post the link here for you so you can access it as soon as it goes up)

Q. Can I order the upgrades that are offered in Solutions Pathway through my Distributor?

A. No, right now the upgrades offered through Solutions Pathway cannot be ordered through distributors; however, the next version of Solutions Pathway, scheduled for release on 05/01/2009, will have an interface for the distributors and the partners will then be able to order through the distributors.

Q. Can I order the upgrades that are offered in Solutions Pathway in advance to have in stock for my clients?

A. No, the upgrades offered through Solutions pathway cannot be stocked in advance as the only way to participate in Solutions Pathway is to have the 5x5 product key of an existing eligible product.

Q. Are the upgrades that are offered in Solutions Pathway also available through the Open License programs?

A. No, these will not be available anywhere but Solutions Pathway.

Q. When is Solutions Pathway available and which mobility paths will be offered?

A. Solutions Pathway will launch on 11/12/08 with one scenario activated: moving into the Windows Essential Server Solutions family. Within and Out of Windows Essential Server Solutions family transitions can only be made after 180 days of purchase of the product that is being used to gain entry to Solutions Pathway. Thus the scenarios: moving within and out of the Windows Essential Server Solutions family will be activated starting 05/01/2009.

Q. When is version 2 of Solutions Pathway scheduled for release and what new features can we expect?

A. Version 2 of Solutions Pathway is scheduled for release on 05/01/2009. Among the features that are part of this release are:

• Adding interface for distributors to participate in Solutions Pathway
• Offer Windows Server 2008, which ships as part of Windows SBS 2008 Premium and Windows EBS 2008 Premium, downgrade to Windows Server 2003 R2

Please note that this list is directional only and is subject to change.

Q. How will upgrading from the previous Windows SBS versions such as Windows SBS 2000 and Windows SBS 2003 R2 work?

A.   All customers who have Windows SBS 2000, Windows SBS 2003 or Windows SBS 2003 R2 will be eligible to purchase Windows SBS 2008 software and CALs through Solutions Pathway at an attractive discount.

Q. Will customers be able to upgrade from Windows SBS 2008 to Windows EBS 2008 easily? What will the cost be?

A.   Customers can upgrade from Windows SBS 2008 to Windows EBS 2008. So, all customers who have Windows SBS 2008 will be eligible to purchase Windows EBS 2008 software and CALs through Solutions Pathway at an attractive discount.

Q. What are the “Exchange Server 2007 Software and CAL Credit” and “Windows Server 2008 Standard CAL Credit” promotions being offered in the Solutions Pathway program?

A. In conjunction with Solutions Pathway, Microsoft is launching two offers for a limited duration of time:

Exchange Server 2007 Software and CAL Credit: Through this offer, any customer that has a perpetual license to Exchange Server 2007 Standard software and has acquired corresponding Exchange Server 2007 CALs will be given a discount when licensing Windows EBS 2008 Standard or Premium software and Windows EBS 2008 CAL Suite or Windows EBS 2008 CAL Suite for Premium users or devices through Solutions Pathway.

Windows Server 2008 Standard CAL Credit: Through this offer, any customer that has a perpetual license to Windows Server 2008 Standard software and has acquired corresponding Windows Server 2008 CALs will be given a discount when licensing Windows EBS 2008 CAL Suite through Solutions Pathway.

The intent of these two offers is to preserve the investments that customers have made in Exchange Server 2007 Standard software and CALs, as well as Windows Server 2008 Standard CALs as these are included in Windows EBS 2008 software and CAL.

Please note that these are limited-duration programs, and more information can be found in the Solutions Pathway terms and conditions.

Q. Will there be an upgrade path from Windows Server 2008 Standard to Windows SBS 2008?

A. No. Microsoft believes that customers with Windows Server 2008 Standard can purchase Windows SBS 2008 and use that Windows Server 2008 Standard in the Windows SBS 2008 domain. This way, customers can enjoy their continued investment in Windows Server 2008 Standard.

Q. When the customer passes the 75-user limit for Windows SBS 2008, what is the next step?

A.   There is a choice: move up the customer to Windows EBS 2008 or to the standalone servers that make up Windows SBS 2008 solution. Both scenarios are supported through Solutions Pathway.

Q. When he customer passes the 300-user limit for Windows EBS 2008, what is the next step?

A.   Partners can take advantage of Solutions Pathway and move the customer to the standalone servers that make up Windows EBS 2008 solution.

Q. Is there a mobility path to CORE CAL?

A.   No. There are no mobility paths to Core CAL through Solutions Pathway.

Q. Will it be possible to step up from S Windows BS 2003 + Software Assurance to E Windows BS 2008 (since Windows SBS 2008 doesn't include an ISA Server)?

A.   Yes, Microsoft is working to create a step-up SKU to Windows EBS 2008 for customers who have Software Assurance on Windows SBS 2003 R2 and want to move to Windows EBS 2008. Details will be available shortly.

Q. Can I add Software Assurance to the Solutions Pathway purchase?

A.  Yes, licenses purchased through Solutions Pathway are Full Package Product (aka Retail box) licenses which Software Assurance can be added to within 90 days of Solutions Pathway purchase.  See the Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List for details.

Q. How long does it take to receive the media/keys after purchase?

A.  It takes 2-3 weeks for shipment to be delivered at the address provided.

Q. What if I experience a problem with my order in Solutions Pathway, who should I contact?

A. At Microsoft, we value our partners and customers and want to ensure a high quality purchase experience. Should you experience a problem with your order, contact your region below:

• North America: solutionspathway@one.microsoft.upgrade.com
• Latin America: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/contactusen/?ln=es-la
• Europe, Middle East and Africa: direct-mar@msdirectservices.com
• Asia Pacific: porders@microsoft.com or wwpo@microsoft.com (for Taiwan only)

Q. How are taxes and VAT treated in Solutions Pathway?

A. Customers are required to pay the taxes and VAT (if applicable).

Q. Do customers have to pay shipping and handling charges for their purchases through Solutions Pathway?

A. Yes, customers are required to pay shipping and handling charges.

Q. If I can’t find the 5 x 5 product key (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx) that I used to install my software, where can I get it?

A. You can contact Microsoft support centers for additional assistance or request a media replacement:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom

Q. Where can I find the Solutions Pathway website?

A.   Customers and partners will have different entry websites to redeem their corresponding discounts. Customers can start here and partners here.

Q. Where can I find an end-to-end Solutions Pathway purchase process?

A.   A detailed Solutions Pathway process document is available here to provide you with additional information and easy step-by-step guide to your product upgrade. (Step-by-Step document coming soon, before Nov. 24^th, but I wanted to post the link here for you so you can access it as soon as it goes up)

I hope this helps answer many of the questions you have had about Solutions Pathway, what it is, how it works, etc.  If there are others we have missed, well, you know where to find me to let us know.  :-)

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman
Global Partner Experience Lead
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Microsoft SMB Community Blog : Solutions Pathway - SBS and EBS upgrades - FAQ For Partners

Great read from The Wayne in this week's Australian Computer Reseller News magazine. Check it out here.

I particularly like this article - not only because Wayne's now doing some work with us to spread the SBS/EBS gospel, but because it gives a solid, honest reseller's take on what the new solutions will mean to his business.

I feel blessed that we have such knowledgeable, passionate people driving this business forward. If you'd like to meet The Wayne in person, then come along to the next phase of our SBS User Group tour next week:

• Adelaide on Monday 24th
• Brisbane on Tuesday 25th

Cheers & I hope to see you there,

Robbie

Just a quick reminder that The Wayne & I will be in Melbourne tonight for a combined SBS user group session & demonstration on WESS.

Joining us will be HP, Citrix & Kaseya & so come along to get the latest information & ask all those hard questions (of Wayne, not of me...).

Details:

• 5pm - 9pm
• Microsoft offices
• Level 5, 4 Freshwater Place
• Southbank
• Free & no registration needed, just turn up
• Food & drink provided

Great opportunity to sign-up for the Melbourne SMB IT Pro groups if you haven't already.

Cheers & hope to see you there,

Robbie

Very timely event from our Financing team aimed at helping partners understand & prepare for the coming economic downturn.

To assist you in determining what it means for your business and your customers, Microsoft Financing, has assembled a panel of experts to discuss;

• The economic climate,
• Impacts on the IT market, and
• How to leverage Microsoft,

Panelists will include Robert Gottleibsen, Jean Marc Annonier from IDC & Microsoft Australia MD, Tracey Fellows.

Event Details and Registration

Date:       Tuesday 25^th November

Time:       7.30am Registration

                 8.00am Session Commences

                 9.45am Concludes

Location:  Hilton Hotel, 488 George Street, Sydney

To Register you attendance please visit: Microsoft Financing Economy Event Registration Website

Unfortunately I'll be in Brisbane however really think there's value in stopping to assess the current situation & then discuss your approach.

Cheers & hope you can make it,

Robbie

Robert Gottliebsen
Robert Gottliebsen has spent more than 30 years writing and commentating about business and investment in Australia.  He has served as a regular columnist for the Australian Financial Review and founded BRW in 1981.  Gottliebsen has also been host of the Business Daily TV show on Sky News as well as playing a role as National Business Commentator for The Australian.  Today, he specialises in communicating business ideas and comments through The Australian, a nightly TV show, the Internet and regular radio broadcasts.

Jean Marc Annonier – Research Manager, IDC

Jean-Marc Annonier is an expert at combining rigorous micro and macroeconomic study methodologies with his in-depth knowledge of the Australian ICT market.   His specialty at IDC is the segmentation of all ICT markets per business size, vertical industry and region.  Jean Marc is author of the recently released IDC paper “The Economic Recession in Australia - What does it mean for the ICT Industry?".

Tracey Fellows - Managing Director, Microsoft
Tracey Fellows is responsible for meeting the needs of Microsoft’s customers, which include governments, businesses and consumers, as well as the 14,000 partners and independent software vendors who produce leading edge technology solutions for Australian businesses based on Microsoft’s platform.

Heads-up from our SMB team about our continuing customer profiling activities.

I really feel these activities will result in more business for all & so am keen to hear your feedback / questions.

Cheers,

Robbie

Recently, we told you about our program to profile our customers so we can tailor our communications to our customer’s business needs and deliver regular, relevant updates from Microsoft and our partners. 

We know that by marketing more effectively to our customers, we will achieve a much better response and, in turn, drive a higher volume and quality of sales leads to our Partners. 

We are currently deploying via email the first of our tailored customer communications.  Called Psst… , we have strived to deliver information, offers and tips that we believe are relevant to our SMB customers. 

In the future we will be giving you a partner ready version of this communication so you can also send this targeted communication on to your valued SMB customers. 

Link to the website here.

Download a copy of the eDM here.

Timely new poll in Australian Reseller News asking partners how many of their clients have expressed an interest in Essential Business Server 2008. Check it out.

The continuing launch & interest in EBS 2008 is very much a slow burn because the solution offers so many different things to so many different customers - and thus partners need to understand the product, the processes & positioning before being able to take advantage of the opportunity.

We're certainly bullish at Microsoft Australia about this product & will be working closely with the likes of HP, Citrix & others to ensure partners have what they need to make this solution a success.

I also talk extensively with ARN, CRN & a variety of other media to help get the word out. Check out ARN's coverage of the SMB server space here, & their specific thoughts on the SBS/EBS launch here.

Quick summary of EBS resources for partners:

• Main information site here
• Local Australian partner information
• DreamServer launch site here
• Webcasts & demos here
• Download trials here
• Official blog here
• Hands on lab regos here (trying to get more sessions - watch this space)
• Self-running demo here

What else would you like to see? Please let me know.

Robbie

Quick heads-up on our latest customer offer: get 15% off selected Microsoft Office & Windows Server products - offer ending December 31st, 2008.

Following on from our "Economy" campaign, this is a great way to help customers save money as they start to tighten their belts.

Details here: https://partner.microsoft.com/australia/40086487

Cheers & lemme know if you have any questions,

Robbie

Many partners have been asking when Microsoft will release the SMB focused VOIP solution - Response Point - into Australia.

Well, ask no more for one of our partners, D-Link, will soon be launching their Response Point based VoiceCenter solution & would like to invite VARs & SIs to check it out. Details on their upcoming roadshow here: http://voicecenter.dlink.com.au/seminar/

• Sydney - Nov 18th
• Melbourne - Nov 19th
• Perth - Nov 25th
• Brisbane - Thurs 27th

Response Point has been a hit in the US with smaller businesses looking to save costs on telephony, & partners looking for additional revenue streams on top of their Server-based practices.  For more information on Response Point, click here (US link).

Cheers & enjoy the show,

Robbie

As part of our continuing channel readiness efforts please see below details of our upcoming SBS user group tour (unfortunately the Sydney meeting has been & gone - next one on Tuesday, Dec 9th).

Entry is free & details on the good work that these groups do can be found here: www.sbsgroups.com.au I'm really happy to be working so closely with the SBS partner community in Australia as it means that we're reaching the people who are most passionate about the product, and through them, the small business customers.

As Wayne says on his blog, we'll also be joined in most cities by HP, Citrix & Kaseya, thus showcasing just a few of the hardware, software & services vendors who are support the launch of SBS 2008 & EBS 2008.

Food & refreshments will be provided & all meetings will start at 5pm & run through to around 8.30 - 9pm, depending on how many questions Wayne has to answer about SBS & EBS. :-)

Cheers & we hope to see you there,

Robbie

With the worldwide launch now behind us, I'm pleased to announce the availability of the official trial versions for both SBS 2008 & EBS 2008.

These 60-day trials can be extended three times if your customer requires a longer evaluation period. It can then be upgraded to a fully licensed version.

Note - the DVD version for Australia will be orderable soon - stay tuned for details.

Cheers,

Robbie