Techsynopsis: Corporate IT Summarized

Microsoft's 1st Public Beta of Longhorn Server

Cost: $0 (not including your time)

Synopsis: Microsoft has just made their Beta 3 for Longhorn Server available. Yes, they continue to be non-committal on the naming / release date. Over 10,000 have tested the technical betas, but a large scale release such as this should provide the required feedback for the server to go gold before the end of the year. I am guessing "Windows Server 2008", will be available for production use before the end of the year.

Enough rambling...here is the download <LINK>.

If you are wondering why you should take a look at the software, perhaps the MS Highlights will shed some light. <LINK>

RIM to Develop Microsoft Blackberry Client

Cost: TBD

Synopsis: Good news to those who have to support multiple devices via Blackberry Enterprise Server. Research In Motion has announced that they will be developing a client for the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 platform.

Quite frankly, I expect to hear about some backward compatability to 5 since 6 is just a nice UI upgrade...and there are a suprising amont of Qs and Blackjacks out there now.

<Announcement>

Alert: "Calling on Behalf of Microsoft"

Cost: Change of LAR

Synopsis: Whenever you receive a phone call or voicemail from someone who is "calling on behalf of Microsoft", 99% of the time, it is a Microsoft Partner who has access to an expiring agreements list.

They may be "warning you that your contact will expire!", asking "where should I send the renewal contracts?". This is utter nonsense. It is a underhanded tactic by a sales rep who just wants a call back.

I have an excellent example of this type of call after the jump.

Apple + Microsoft Licensing = Friends

Cost: $0-$100,000,000

Synopsis: Buying Windows Operating System licenses with Software Assurance, gives you rights to a full operating system licenses for dual booting or virtualization.

If you have an Enterprise Agreement, or are considering one, you may want to rethink removing the Macs from your "qualified desktop" pool. Without buying Windows with SA, your only other (non-grey) way of legally installing a full Windows Operating system is by purchasing full retail boxed product or MLP licenses. Additionally, it should be noted that your Office Pro licenses will cover Office for Mac.

The details from MS are after the jump.

SQL Patching & Hotfixes: New & Predictable

Cost: $0

Synopsis: Microsoft has announced that they will patch SQL server with some appreciated consistency. April 16th will mark the first release of what is planned to be new cumulative patch schedule. The patches and hot-fixes will be released on a month to two month release cycle. This puts Microsoft on par with Oracle and IBM.

If you are still struggling with downtime for Microsoft, Oracle, Red Hat, Solaris, or SuSE, you may want to check out BlueLane's PatchPoint.

<Source>

Green Tech: Verdiem's SURVERYOR, Screaming Performance and Efficiency via Software.

Cost: $25/pc (SoCal Edison Rebate $15/pc)

Synopsis: Going green has never been so popular. Cars, homes, and even large corporations are going green. It is not because the SEC has allowed accountants to add a feel good dollar value to the balance sheet. Government entities are providing tax breaks, electricity providers are offering rebates, and the press is giving free PR to green companies.

Increasingly, there are a number of ways that corporate IT groups can play a part in benefiting both their environment, uptime, all while reducing costs. I will not drone on about...

1) Consolidation & Virtualization w/ Electric Company Rebates (check w/ your provider)
2) LCDs v. CRT v. Plasma
3) High Efficiency Power Supplies
4) RoHS Compliant
5) PC Recycling
6) Energy Star

We have heard a lot about the aforementioned ways IT can contribute to green efforts. I will however cover an interesting piece of software called SURVEYOR, by Verdiem.

Alert: Adobe CS3 @ CS2 Prices (Grandfather Clause) : 11 Days Remaining!

Cost: $169-$1,199

Synopsis: Adobe is offering a grace period where one can purchase licenses for CS2 that have a grandfather policy to CS3. This means that if you intend on purchasing CS3 or upgrades to CS3, you should purchase CS2 upgrades and licenses immediately. This grandfather policy ends upon release of CS3 which means the April 15th is the last day to order CS2 licenses.

Please see the chart below for the estimated savings:

Fulfillment and transition information following the jump.