IT Expert Voice

Access to Microsoft’s cloud is strikingly similar to Microsoft’s Active Directory resources, Windows Live, and public-facing web resources – except that a Microsoft data center is likely to be hosting them. Microsoft’s Azure platform is a private cloud development and service platform that supports Microsoft’s user Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) applications (such as online Microsoft Office components) and applications built around various building blocks using Microsoft cloud version “back-end” products like SQL Server. READ MORE

Computing clouds come in different shapes for different purposes. Microsoft’s Azure transcends several types of typical cloud offerings, and the offerings are distinctly Microsoft in branding, use, and philosophy. READ MORE

Smartphones now rival notebook systems for power and productivity, yet these mobile devices are often unmanaged by IT. That’s changing, as more organizations use software tools to manage their smartphone fleets. READ MORE

Novell and Microsoft are more than happy to help you bridge the gap between Linux and Windows.

Once upon a time, bridging the gap between Windows and Linux in the server room or the office was… difficult. Today, while no one’s going to call it easy, Novell and Microsoft have worked hard on ensuring interoperability doesn’t require either a Linux wizard or a Windows expert. READ MORE

Windows 7 represents the most significant desktop transition in 8 years — according to a recent Forrester Research Inc. report, 86% of corporations are still running Microsoft® Windows® XP. With XP support sunsetting, customers are concerned about data migration, hardware limitations, compatibility and integration of existing applications and licensing issues associated with upgrading to Windows 7.

This webcast will discuss:

* Application compatibility, testing, remediation, and packaging for the new OS
* Concerns regarding when and how to effectively transition corporate images to Windows 7
* Conducting overall Windows 7 readiness assessments
* Best practices for deploying new systems and/or upgrading in-place systems, once the commitment to move to Windows 7 has been made READ MORE

Windows XP has remained the corporate desktop operating system (OS) standard for most enterprises for several years, but its reign will end with the availability of Windows 7 to IT professionals as early as August 6, 2009. Windows 7 is shaping up to be a suitable replacement for organizations that couldn’t justify an upgrade to Windows Vista, and it even has some firms that took the Vista plunge rethinking their upgrade strategy. One of the first steps IT managers should take is to determine their firm’s Windows 7 licensing strategy and how it fits into their broader Microsoft relationship. Why bother, three months before its release? Most firms have extended the lives of their existing desktops and laptops so that they can tie in the OS upgrade with their next major PC refresh cycle. You will now have to consider your existing system’s age, licensing investments, and how Software Assurance impacts initiatives like desktop virtualization to ensure your move to Windows 7 is cost-effective now and throughout its life cycle at your company. READ MORE