Microsoft Showcases the Today and Tomorrow of Datacenter, Client and Cloud Management

LAS VEGAS — April 29, 2009 — This week at the 10th annual Microsoft Management Summit 2009 (http://www.mms-2009.com/default.aspx), Microsoft Corp. showcased solutions for managing the complexity of today’s diverse IT environments, which include highly virtualized systems, a mix of software and online services, cloud-based computing, and an explosion of mobile devices. As part of the conference keynote addresses, Microsoft executives announced and demonstrated currently shipping solutions, and future capabilities, that help dramatically reduce IT costs by making IT infrastructures more manageable, and help increase the productivity of IT staff.

“In today’s environment, IT is faced with a growing set of end-user demands and business-critical expectations around service availability,” said Brad Anderson, general manager of the Management and Services Division at Microsoft. “Customers want familiar tools that provide a complete view of service levels, applications, infrastructure and clients. Microsoft empowers customers and partners today with an integrated suite of products and technologies, and we’re investing today for future innovations so customers can accomplish great things.”

In yesterday’s keynote address Bob Kelly, corporate vice president of Infrastructure Server Marketing at Microsoft, announced expanded cloud computing initiatives, and invited customers and partners to create, deploy and manage the foundation for highly scalable, cloud-based solutions using Microsoft’s familiar tools, products and online services. Microsoft discussed the opportunities that private and public cloud computing environments provide organizations to streamline costs in the datacenter and accelerate business solutions. Those who want more information can read the article about Kelly (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2009/Apr09/04-28CloudComputingBenefits.mspx) and watch his keynote address (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/infrastructure/Default.aspx).

During today’s keynote address, Anderson shared progress on Microsoft’s user-centric client management strategy. The strategy focuses on empowering end users, and enabling IT professionals to orchestrate the delivery of business services to an expanded portfolio of devices and access scenarios. Anderson demonstrated how products such as Windows 7, the virtualization technologies in Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), and Microsoft System Center management suite provide customers with the foundation for user-centric client management.

  • Anderson demonstrated how Microsoft System Center can help make Windows 7 deployments and life-cycle management cost-effective and efficient. Customers can use System Center to automatically discover and assess hardware and software readiness migration and compatibility, and help make more informed deployment decisions. These deployment decisions become easier when System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 is used to deploy Windows 7. This service pack supports Windows technologies to help efficiently migrate user data on a system, reduce the deployment time of Windows and both virtual and physical applications, and update clients fast and easily. System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 is scheduled to be available for beta testing within 90 days.

  • Anderson announced that the next version of MDOP will be available within 90 days of the general availability of Windows 7. Customers will be able to deploy all MDOP components into production, except for Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization, which will be available for beta testing.

  • Anderson demonstrated Microsoft System Center Service Manager, a platform for integrating and automating processes, IT activities and knowledge across the System Center suite. System Center Service Manager includes IT service management capabilities such as incident, problem, asset and change management processes, a self-service portal, reporting, and a configuration management database. A community technology preview of System Center Service Manager will be available in 60 days, and a public beta will be available in the second half of 2009.

  • Anderson announced the development of System Center Online Desktop Manager, an integrated security and management tool that provides desktop management capabilities in the form of an online service. System Center Online Desktop Manager will help enable IT professionals to keep their businesses highly secure and up to date using a Web-based subscription service to monitor, troubleshoot, update and configure desktops. These online services will complement Microsoft’s traditional management and security solutions. System Center Online Desktop Manager will be available to a private group of testers within 60 days, and available for public beta testing by the end of 2009.

As today’s news demonstrates, organizations want tools to help create more dynamic desktop infrastructure, which offers greater control and end-user uptime, and accelerates software deployment and management. One example is Cox Communications Inc., the third-largest cable company in the United States. The company uses Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) to stream applications to users on demand to 27,500 computers. Cox Communications has created a user-centric desktop environment in which employees have the applications they need, when and where they need them, online or offline. Cox has reduced its desktop management work by hundreds of hours annually, reduced application testing and enhanced desktop security by better tracking of software updates.

“Using Microsoft App-V, we can dynamically stream applications to employees, no matter which computer they are using,” said Chip Gandy, senior systems administrator at Cox Communications. “There’s huge benefit in being able to move call-center personnel from one desk to another. If their computer fails for some reason, they simply move to another computer, and all their applications and even their phone number moves with them. There is no loss of productivity.”

Microsoft Management Summit 2009 (http://www.mms-2009.com) is the premier event of the year for IT professionals seeking deep technical information and training on the latest IT management solutions from Microsoft, partners and industry experts. This year’s platinum sponsors are Dell Inc. and HP, and gold sponsors are 1E, Adaptiva, BridgeWays, Computer Associates Inc., Citrix Systems Inc., Intel Corporation, Novell Inc. and Quest Software Inc.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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