UK SBSC

Don’t forget that we’ve got a business and technical school coming up. Next business school will take place on Dec 1 at 2pm. Microsoft’s Dell Quinn will provide a Public Relations 101. Then on Dec 8, Microsoft’s Ted Schultz will discuss BPOS for SMBs. Register via:

Business School Live Meeting: Public Relations 101

Technical School Live Meeting: Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite

We’ve also created this new web page listing past Schools concerning Windows 7 and converting prospects into customers.

Do you have a customer that has deployed Windows 7 Professional and has more than 10 PC’s? A customer who is willing to have a customer success story written on their organisation to show the benefits of Windows 7 Professional?

If so, email a summary of the key benefits that the customer has experienced to Ayeshna Hirani (t-ayhir@microsoft.com) by 30 Nov 2009. That application will then be considered for case study – unfortunately not all applications can be progressed.

I’ve had a number of queries recently re: what we can do to help you combat software piracy. Some key resources are:

Get Genuine Windows Agreement

Drive your revenue by helping customers legalise unlicensed copies of Microsoft software. Whether victims of counterfeiters, illegal traders or they are under-licensed through poor software asset management, the Get Genuine Windows Agreement (GGWA) is a perfect way to ensure customers' desktop licensing is compliant.

Genuine Microsoft Software

Customer facing website explaining the importance of utilising genuine software.

Windows and Office Genuine Advantage
Help your customers quickly ensure that they are able to get the greatest value from their software investments through a range of Windows and Microsoft Office validation tools. Windows Genuine Advantage and Office Genuine Advantage are available worldwide as online solutions for consumers and small businesses that fail validation.

Software Asset Management
Help your customers gain control of software assets throughout the software management life cycle, from procurement through deployment to retirement. And increase your services revenue potential and strengthen customer relationships in the process.

In recent weeks, we have met many of you at our user group meetings.

At those meetings, we provided an overview of the what the Microsoft Partner Network changes mean for the SBSC.

For those of you who haven’t heard this presentation, this short video discusses the key detail.

If you have any questions or feedback, email us. 

More one for the developers out there but….

“During the second day of Microsoft Corp.’s Professional Developers Conference 2009, Microsoft outlined new opportunities and resources for developers to create applications that take advantage of the power of Windows and the reach of the Web. Microsoft also invited developers to test new beta versions of Microsoft Silverlight 4, Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010.”

Read the press release here.

If any of you are using Bing Maps, then there’s been a Terms of Use update. For more info, see here.

If you’re interested, the keynote presentations and news from TechEd can be reviewed here.

Do you have a customer who has deployed Microsoft’s core products and is a midsize business with 50 – 250 seats? A customer who is willing to participate in the full case study process? Can that customer talk to the benefits that Microsoft technology and your service have delivered to the business?

If so, email your case study suggestion to Ayeshna Hirani (t-ayhir@microsoft.com).

Unfortunately not all suggestions can be progressed as case studies. If your suggestion is to be progressed, we will be in contact to discuss.

Today at the Microsoft Tech•Ed Europe 2009 conference in Germany, Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop announced that Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is now available worldwide to help businesses reduce costs, protect communications and delight e-mail users. Along with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Exchange Server 2010 is part of a generation of solutions designed for increased business productivity and cost savings. Read the press release here.

For partner specific resources such as technical information and sales and marketing materials plus information on how to download a trial, click here.

I work closely with Cliff Evans who is one of our security experts at Microsoft. Recently, he was interviewed by the Guardian on our latest Security Intelligence Report. Full article from today’s paper here.

Separately, do you get enough security related info from us? Can we provide more? If so, let me know: sbscuk@microsoft.com

Hopefully you should have all received via email an update on our Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS).

We’ve reduced the price and mailbox storage has now been increased from 5B to 25GB.

As of 3 November 2009, the new price structure for Microsoft's Business Productivity Online Suite is as follows:

If you’re not already a BPOS Authorised Reseller, check out the following:

Here’s an overview of the various Windows 7 training options which are currently available:

Updating Your Technology Knowledge of Microsoft Windows XP to Windows 7 – Various Dates and Locations

This two-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to work with the new technologies in Windows 7. Only £50 per delegate.  Click here to Register

Wokingham 23^rd Nov, London 14^th Dec

Installing and Configuring Windows 7 Client – Various Dates and Locations

This 2 day instructor-led course is intended for IT Professional who are interested in expanding their technical knowledge of Windows 7 Client. In this course Students learn to install, upgrade and migrate to Windows7 client. Students then configure Windows7 client for network connectivity, security, maintenance and mobile computing.  This course will provide knowledge to take Exam 70-680 TS: Windows 7 Configuring.  Only £50 per delegate. Click Here to Register

Birmingham 4^th Nov, London 9^th Nov, Edinburgh 18^th Nov, London 2^nd Dec

In this 4-day course, partners will learn how to sell and deploy the System Center Client Management Suite to address the most common customer scenarios. Also covers Client Virtualization, Optimized Client Architecture and Planning, Operating System Deployment, Application Deployment, Management and Optimization of Win7, Management and Optimization of Applications, How System Center Service Manager implements MOF and ITIL processes. Only £150 per delegate Click Here to Register

Don’t forget that if you can’t do classroom-based training, there are also bite-sized video tutorial options as follows:

Bite-Sized Series

Windows 7 - Introducing Windows 7 - Part 1

Windows 7 - Features and Functionality - Part 2

Windows 7 - The Optimised Desktop - Part 3

Next Business and Technical School Live Meetings have just been announced via our newsletters. If of interest, please sign up.

If you have a recommendation for a topic that a future School should address, email us.

A number of partners have asked for an insight into what we’re doing to promote Windows 7 directly to SMB customers. FYI for the source of some of the collateral associated with that campaign: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/Windows7forBusiness/default.mspx

Any comments/feedback, as always do email us.

What is it?

Have you any SMB customers who have benefited from Windows 7 Professional and would be willing to participate in a Microsoft case study? What benefits have those customers experienced? Have they saved more time? Lowered operating costs? Increased reliability? Do you want to publicise your business and your work for this customer?

Are you interested? 

If so, email sbscuk@microsoft.com if your suggestion meets all of the following criteria:

· Your customer has NOT participated in the Ignite early adoption program

· You have deployed more than 10 PCs with Windows 7 Professional in their business

· The customer must be a small Business with 10-25 PCs or are a midsize business with 26-250 PCs

· The customer must be willing to fully participate in the case study process

Unfortunately not all suggestions can be progressed but please email a short description of your customer example by the end of November. If it is to be progressed, we will be in contact to confirm.