Techsynopsis: Corporate IT Summarized

Deal: Microsoft TechNet Plus @ $249 = Lots o' Licenses

Cost: $249 (Usually $349)

Microsoft is offering a $100 discount off of the normal price of $349 for a 12-month single user TechNet Plus subscription.

Sign Up here for the TechNet Plus Direct subscription, using promo code TMSAM03.

From the TechNet Plus Overview site:

Allows an individual immediate access to full TechNet Plus resources including software for evaluation, technical content, tools, utilities, two Professional Support incidents and other support resources. Content is available online through the TechNet Plus benefits portal—member-only site. (It does not include media shipments). Each TechNet Plus Direct is licensed to one individual only.

You will get access to unrestricted evaluation copies of virtually all Microsoft products, including Windows Vista and Office 2007, as part of your subscription.

TechNet Plus License Terms (this is a Single User subscription)                         

Buy Microsoft Office Project 2007 = FREE MPA Membership

Cost: $300+

Synopsis: Purchase Microsoft Office Project 2007 by June 29, 2007, and receive a complimentary one-year membership* to MPA, the Official Industry Association for Microsoft Office Project.

What is the MPA you ask? Good question...

"MPA is a dynamic professional association that serves as the preeminent resource for Microsoft® Office Project. We help a worldwide community comprised of thousands of individual and corporate members better leverage their investment in Microsoft Office Project in their businesses and careers. "

MPA

* info after the jump

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.

Explained: Virtual SQL 2005 SP2 Licensing Rights w/ SP2 - "Free" Virtual Licenses

Cost: $0 (if you own SQL 2005 Enterprise Edition)

Synopsis: There has been a lot of news about the release of SQL 2005 SP2, so let's focus on the changes to the licensing. If you want to know the short on the feature enhancements and the details on licensing, they will be avaliable after the jump.

Yes, you still need to buy licenses for SQL, however you may want to revisit which version of the server your are buying if now running virtually or multi-instance.

• SQL Server Standard and Workgroup licenses now allow for multi-instances on a single virtual or physical server.
• SQL Server Enterprise now allows for unlimited installations/instances of SQL Server as long as you license the server or ALL processors on the physical server on which the virtual servers reside.

Sources and more after the jump..

MS Virtual PC 2007 32bit & 64bit - Free, Now Available.

Cost: $0 (Please do not True Up or Buy These licenses!)

Synopsis: I have to bring this to your attention not only as a good "Windows virtualization" (please note I did not add any additional OSs to that statement) product has become avaliable for free, but people continue to try to purchase these licenses. STOP!

Ok, so what does it do? After the jump... or DL <Link>