Microsoft US Central Region Partner Team

I’m reaching out today to invite you and your organization to be a part of NPower Indiana’s Byte Night 2010 -- an exciting upcoming event combining Indiana IT leaders and philanthropy.   NPower is a nonprofit organization, with the mission of providing affordable IT services and solutions to other nonprofits.  There are 10 NPower locations US wide, including NPower Indiana.  In today’s economic conditions, particularly in the nonprofit community, NPower’s high-value, low-cost services are indispensable.  Over the last few years Microsoft’s donation have exceeded $2.5 million in free software to nonprofits through NPower Indiana.

NPower is working to invigorate Indiana’s professional IT and nonprofit communities by introducing the very first nonprofit technology gala – Byte Night 2010 – this February 26.  The event is designed to be a fun, social gathering of the area’s top IT leaders and companies, who are committed to improving and sustaining technology’s impact on the nonprofit sector.  The evening’s host committee is comprised of 16 local IT executives, and NPower has also obtained an outstanding keynote speaker – Chris Gardner, the inspiration behind the book and movie The Pursuit of Happyness.  More than 50 companies of diverse size and background are already represented among sponsors and attendees.

We encourage you to consider attending and supporting Byte Night.  This is an opportunity to gain high visibility and marketing exposure for  your organization, while also benefiting the nonprofit community through greater deployment of IT solutions.  Here a few ways you can get involved:

·       Event sponsorships begin at $1,000.  For more information, visit www.npowerin.org/byte-night-2010.

·       Hardware donations and IT expertise can be contributed toward the event’s Tech Angel Awards, provided to deserving and innovative nonprofits.  To explore this further, please contact Paul Giese at paul@npowerin.org

·       Attend the event on your own, with co-workers or with clients and partners.  Individual tickets can be purchased for $150 each at www.npowerin.org/bytenighttickets

I encourage you to get you company involved in volunteer efforts with NPower!

If you have additional questions regarding any of these elements, please feel free to contact Paul Giese at the NPower office, 317-396-2848, or paul@npowerin.org. 

I thought I would share the Top Training that partners are taking.  It might be worth a look to help you ramp your readiness.

Top Training – Picked by Partners

Partnercasts

1.       Office Web Apps and other Office 2010 features to Help answer “Why Buy Office 2007 now?”

2.       What can you do with Microsoft Office 2010?

3.       VMware Compete in a Nutshell

Labcasts

1.       Labcast: Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Ignite

2.       Windows 7 Application Compatibility Remediation Fundamentals for IT Pros

3.       Windows 7 Partner Technical Training for Small & Medium Business

Web Seminars

1.       Microsoft Sales University – Infrastructure

2.       Windows Server 2008 R2 -- Better Together with Windows 7 Achieving a larger ROI

3.       Volume Licensing Fundamentals—Introduction to Microsoft Licensing

Learning Packages

1.       Windows 7 Technical Training

2.       Windows Server 2008 R2 Beginning & Intermediate Technical Training

3.       Exchange 2010

Launch Wave

1.       Why Windows Server 2008 R2 should be your and your customer's platform of choice

2.       Overview and What’s New for SharePoint 2010

3.   Partnercast: Focus your EA Renewals – Office 2010 Sneak Peek 

Hope you will check out some of these and let me know what you find of value.

The Local Engagement Team (LET) has partnered with Jeremy Epstein of Never Stop Marketing (http://jer979.com/whyjer979/) to bring to market a series of events that help Micosoft Partners take their Marketing skills to the next level. 

 LET was just awared the Never Stop Marketing Award for this wicked cool event series!  If your not signed up for the event in your area check out the schedule on this post: http://blogs.technet.com/uspartner_centralregion/archive/2010/01/24/let-your-mouse-do-the-marketing-upcoming-marketing-events-in-chicago-minneapolis-and-cincinatti.aspx

 See the award here:

http://jer979.com/igniting-the-revolution/nsmaward3/

Good Selling!

lesley

Please join the IAMCP Chicago Chapter for our February 9th, member meeting!  IAMCP is a professional organization focused on joint business development and partnership among Microsoft Partners.   

LET Your Mouse Do the Marketing!

Join us for this exclusive event for Microsoft Partners! Meet Jeremy Epstein, founder of Never Stop Marketing,
as he shares survival strategies to grow your business in today’s online marketing environment.

This event is FREE and there will be great giveaways, great food, and a Great Speaker!

Date:     February 9, 2010

Time:    3:00-6:00 PM CT

Place:    Microsoft Chicago Office

AON Center

200 East Randolph Drive
Suite 200 Chicago Illinois 60601

Register Today!

Walk away with valuable information you can use right away. Learn how to:

• Develop community-driven marketing engines to find and capture Raving Fans
• Create a Touchpoint Customer Assessment to develop great clients from prospects
• Be a success at Word of Mouth marketing using the WOM Slam
• Learn the importance of telling a story to be a Connector

Enjoy refreshments, giveaways, Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 drawings, and special offers by Microsoft Advertising and Bing!

Any questions, please contact tfoy@microsoft.com

Partners who subscribe or renew their Microsoft Action Pack Subscription between October 15, 2009, and June 14, 2010, will be automatically entered into The Great Office Technology Makeover for a chance to win an HP ProLiant Server, five new HP ProBook laptops, an HP multifunction color laser printer, and a Web Site evaluation—plus monthly drawings for an HP Mini 5101Netbook.  Visit  https://partner.microsoft.com/40121118  For more info..

I want to provide a peek into some changes around Credential changes. We will be sending out further communications shortly.

Effective Dec 15, 2009, the following certifications will no longer be required for partners to qualify into the listed competencies.  The changes are in place now, Feb 2010.   Partners re-enrolling between Dec 15, 2009 and Feb 2010, will be provided manual overrides.

 Existing Competencies                                 Advanced Credentials to be Dropped

Systems Managent                                          MCSE

Server Platform                                                MCSE

Virtualization                                                     MCSE, MCITP

Security                                                                MCSE, Third Party Certs

Custom Development                                    MCTS, MCPD

Unified Communications (Messaging)    MCSE, MCITP

The reasoning is as follows:

I have been doing more Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtualization presentations lately and a key part of the message is the broader Microsoft Virtualization strategy.  This always seems to lead to a conversation about VDI and Remote Desktop Services (formerly Terminal Services).  I have been referencing this whitepaper and sometimes jumping into it live.  Customers always want the link so I am posting it here so that you can share it with your customers  and even use it in your Virtualization discussions.

https://partner.microsoft.com/nz/40112056

 It's a quick read and the graphics really help to clarify the broader concepts. 

Enjoy and Good Selling!

-Jason

Tip! If you want to dive deeper check this out:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/rds-product-home.aspx

Earn up to 20% in rebates through the FY10-H2 VAR Rebate Program.

The FY10-H2 U.S. VAR Rebate program allows you to earn up to 20% in rebates when you sell annuity agreements, specifically Open Value and Microsoft Online Services. The program helps you increase earnings across products, and is designed to provide maximum payout when helping customers recognize the benefits of emerging Microsoft solutions, including virtualization, security, and software plus services. Click here to register and start earning rebates.

Free e-book: “First Look: Microsoft Office 2010”

For a limited time you can download this free e-book without stepping through any registration. First Look: Microsoft Office 2010, by Katherine Murray, offers 14 chapters of early content.  Share it customers!

Part I, “Envision the Possibilities,” introduces you to the changes in Office 2010 and shows you how you can make the most of the new features to fit the way you work today. Chapter 1, “Welcome to Office 2010,” gives you a play-by-play introduction to new features; Chapter 2, “Express Yourself Effectively and Efficiently,” details the great feature enhancements and visual effects throughout the applications; and Chapter 3, “Work Anywhere with Office 2010,” explores the flexibility factor by presenting a set of scenarios that enable users to complete their work no matter where their path takes them.

Part II, “Hit the Ground Running,” focuses on each of the Office 2010 applications in turn, spotlighting the key new features and showing how they relate to the whole. These chapters provide a how-to guide for many of the top features you’re likely to use right off the bat, and they offer inspiring ideas on how to get the most from your favorite applications.

Part III, “Next Steps with Office 2010,” zooms up to the big picture and provides examples to help you think through interoperability. How often do you use the various Office applications together? Customer research shows that people often don’t realize how well the applications work together as a complete system—which means they might be laboring over items they could easily incorporate from somewhere else. This part of the book provides examples for integrating the applications and explores Office 2010 security and training opportunities, as well.

You can download the e-book here. It's about 10.5 MB.

Microsoft® recently migrated eOpen and MVLS to the new Volume Licensing Service Center website (VLSC) in order to provide a convenient, online solution for customers and partners to easily manage their licensing agreements and Microsoft products.  As a result of the initial upgrade, a number of Partners experienced some access and usability issues. We know this has been both inconvenient and frustrating in some cases and we appreciate your patience and assistance during this transition.  

To address many of the common questions and provide a review of the new features and procedures of the site, Microsoft’s VLSC team is providing an in-depth training, including tips and tricks, on how to access and navigate the VLSC site so you can more easily access and manage the information you need to provide the best experience for your clients.

Topics will include:

·         VLSC registration and site navigation

·         How to request or acquire site permissions

·         Self-service tools

·         Proper support paths if you experience issues

A Question and Answer session will be held at the end of the Live Meeting session.

This event should not only provide you with a better understanding of how to accomplish the licensing management tasks you need to do, but will also provide a better understanding of how the VLSC enhancements can improve the licensing experience for you and your customers moving forward.

There will be three Live Meeting sessions occurring Feb 3^rd at 8:30am, 1:00pm and 6:30PM Pacific Standard Time. Event registration information is included below. You will only need to attend one event; please choose the one most convenient for you.

For additional resources please visit the VLSC Site (https://partner.microsoft.com/us/40046574)  on the Microsoft Partner Network.

Sincerely,

The Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center Team.

Event Details:

Before the Webcast:

To attend our upcoming Webcast you will need:

1.        A computer with access to the Internet to view the visual portion of the event.

2.        A functioning sound card and speakers or headphones for your PC.

3.        Windows Media Player 9 (WMP 9).

4.        A compatible computer configuration.  Verify Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 System Requirements

5.        Use the Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 Windows Console Compatibility Test to join a meeting to see if your computer is compatible with Live Meeting 2007.

Partners who are registered with the Partner Learning Center may register here for any session: 

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/learning/app/management/LMS_ActDetails.aspx?UserMode=0&ActivityId=573859

If you are not registered with the Partner Learning Center or do not wish to register for the event, please Join the Webcast by clicking the link below:

8:30 a.m. Pacific Time Session:

·         Webcast Link:  https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/plc_usa/join?id=5739862010126104133&role=attend&pw=S%27%602%7BC_%5Bc

·         Passcode:   S'`2{C_[c

·         Telephony:   1-(866) 294-0201 or 1-503-295-8000 (International)

·         Pin:  7086

1:00 p.m. Pacific Time Session:

·         Webcast Link:  https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/plc_usa/join?id=5739872010126104353&role=attend&pw=4s%25x%27%7BSq8

·         Passcode:   4s%x'{Sq8

·         Telephony:   1-(866) 668-7265 or 1-503-295-8000 (International)

·         Pin:  9062

6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Session:

·         Webcast Link:  https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/plc_usa/join?id=5739882010126104558&role=attend&pw=p6S%3B%3Es%23%29g

·         Passcode:   p6S;>s#)g

·         Telephony:   1-(866) 556-5724 or 1-503-295-8000 (International)

·         Pin:  1469

·          

Listen to the audio portion of the event

After you log in to the Live Meeting console, you will hear the event's streaming audio. If you do not have Windows Media Player (WMP) 9 or later installed, you will be prompted to install it.

If you have WMP 9 or later installed but still do not hear the audio, confirm that your PC speakers are turned on and that the volume is turned up. If you continue to experience difficulties, once you are logged into the session, please turn your seat color to red via the drop down menu in the Seating Chart.  Expect a 1:1 chat for assistance.

Web-based console

In some situations, you may not be able to use the Live Meeting console software. You will then be provided with a link to attend the event by using the Web-based console. You will be provided with this link if:

• You cancel the installation of the Live Meeting console software.
• You are unable to install the Live Meeting console software.
• You are using a Macintosh computer.

Note: Although using the Web-based console is similar to using the Windows-based Live Meeting console software, the functionality and layout of the Web Based console are different.

Support:

If you have any questions on this or future Webcast sessions, please contact MSPAL@Microsoft.com 

To contact Live Meeting Event Support:

+1.800.893.8779 (Within the US & Canada)

+1.971.544.3222 (International)

Check out the new Business Readiness in the Learning Plan Tool: www.microsoftlearningplans.com

I always enjoy our Business Readiness and this series really struck a chord with me given the economic times. 

Business Readiness Skills: Leadership in a Tough Economy

Join us for this exclusive event for Microsoft Partners! Meet Jeremy Epstein, founder of Never Stop Marketing, as he shares survival strategies to grow your business in today’s online marketing environment.

Register Today!

Walk away with valuable information you can use right away. Learn how to:

•             Develop community-driven marketing engines to find and capture Raving Fans

•             Create a Touchpoint Customer Assessment to develop great clients from prospects

•             Be a success at Word of Mouth marketing using the WOM Slam

•             Learn the importance of telling a story to be a Connector

Enjoy refreshments, giveaways, Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 drawings, and special offers by Microsoft Advertising and Bing!

There’s no cost to attend. The only event “fee” is to send out the attached “Build a Stronger Internet Presence” email to your current and potential new customers!

This alert is to provide you with an overview of Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-002, the Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer, released (out-of-band) on Thursday, January 21. This bulletin addresses eight vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. Microsoft recommends that partners secure their own systems, then reach out to customers to assist them in ensuring their systems are secured.

Please see below for important resources and a bulletin summary. The U.S. partner portal home page at https://partner.microsoft.com/US has also been updated with information and links.

KEY RESOURCES

·         We recommend Microsoft partners use the Microsoft TechNet Security TechCenter as a source of security information http://technet.microsoft.com/security

·         Security Bulletin MS10-002 – Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (978207):
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS10-002.mspx

·         Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/

·         Internet Explorer 8 Deployment Guide: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc985339.aspx

·         The U.S. partner portal home page has been updated with links to key resources.

BULLETIN SUMMARY

REGARDING INFORMATION CONSISTENCY

We recommend that Microsoft partners use the Microsoft TechNet Security TechCenter as a key source of security information: http://technet.microsoft.com/security, and that you sign up for comprehensive alerts at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/notify.mspx.  We strive to provide you with accurate information in static (this mail) and dynamic (Web-based) content. Microsoft’s security content posted to the Web is occasionally updated to reflect late-breaking information. If this results in an inconsistency between the information here and the information in Microsoft’s Web-based security content, the information in Microsoft’s Web-based security content is authoritative.