Category: Microsoft

This category is for anything Microsoft related-so you’ll probably find that msot posts end up in here!

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Office 2013 Upgrade program


It seems that Office 2013 will appear on the Volume License (VL) price lists from October, despite not being released for around another 6 months. Could this be because the Surface RT tablets, to be released on October 26th, will include Office 2013 and Microsoft feel the need/must have it on the VL price lists for some reason? I’m not sure but it seems odd that it will be on there SO far prior to the availability of the next version of Office.

Microsoft are also, so it seems, gearing up to start a tech guarantee program whereby people who buy Office 2010 will receive a guaranteed upgrade to Office 2013 upon it’s release.

Will it be free like the last Office tech guarantee program or will there be a small charge like the Windows 8 upgrade program? We don’t know but either way it’s a good offer!

ZDNet’s Mary Jo has more details over on her blog:

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-readies-office-2010-to-office-2013-upgrade-program-7000004138/

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Managing Windows RT tablets & Windows Intune Licensing Changes


Windows 8 RT is a new member of the Windows family, and one that’s caused/causing some confusion when it comes to management. It transpired a while ago that Windows RT pcs/tablets will not be able to join Active Directory domains and since then, people have been wondering exactly how they’d manage these devices. Well the answer is here – Windows Intune & System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) SP1.

“Windows Phone 8 and Windows RT devices will be managed by the next release of Windows Intune.  IT Pros will have the flexibility of using either the Windows Intune or Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 console to set mobile security policies, distribute mobile apps and view reports.  We’ll share more details as we get closer to the next release of Windows Intune.”

As Windows Intune is becoming more of a star, it’s getting some licensing changes too – always a favourite thing of mine 🙂

  1. We are shifting from a per-device to a per-user licensing model.  Each user license for Windows Intune covers up to 5 managed devices.
  2. There will be a Windows Intune user license that includes the rights to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, enabling organizations to manage those devices through either Windows Intune or Configuration Manager, or both
  3. Organizations that already own System Center 2012 Configuration Manager licenses, such as through the Core CAL, will have access to Windows Intune at a reduced price
  4. We will also make a version of Windows Intune available without rights to Windows Enterprise, thereby lowering the cost for organizations that are not ready to move to the latest operating system.

That final point is something I’ve been hoping to see since the first release of Intune. I’ve always felt that having the desktop OS and a systems management product intertwined muddy the waters and made it a more difficult proposition in many cases; so this is a positive move that will enable Intune to shine in its own light.

It’s also interesting to note that SP1 of SCCM will be able to manage other types of devices including:

  • Windows Embedded Thin Clients
  • Point of Sale (PoS) terminals
  • Digital Signage
  • Kiosks

as well as:

  • Distribution point for Windows Azure to help reduce infrastructure costs
  • Automation of administrative tasks through PowerShell support
  • Management of Mac OS X clients and Linux and UNIX servers

    • I’m pleased to see this move to bring Windows RT into the management fold, making it easier for partners AND customers to tell, understand and take part in the Windows 8 story.

    See the whole post over at:

    http://blogs.technet.com/b/server-cloud/archive/2012/09/10/system-center-2012-configuration-manager-sp1-beta-and-windows-intune-update.aspx

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    Sideloading Apps in Windows 8


    Many organizations have there own Line Of Business (LOB) systems that they use internally, and in Windows 8 there are 2 ways of installing these on machines:

    • Via the Windows Store
    • Sideloading (I.e. bypassing the Windows Store)

    How to Sideload:

    Sideloading is a Software Assurance (SA) benefit & the document I have from MS says:

    “Windows EA, Select SA, and EES customers will be granted sideloading license rights”

    It doesn’t mention Open SA customers there but I see no reason they would be excluded, so I will ask for clarification on that.

    The requisite license keys for this will automatically be provided via the VLSC.

    If you do not have SA, Sideloading is still possible…for a charge:

    WinSideLoad-H 8 Sngl OPEN 100 License = £2,435

    Purchase this license and you will then receive the license keys via the VLSC.

    Of course, it is still free for companies to publish their apps via the Store, but this method affords them more privacy.

    I have to say I’m not 100% sure why the ability to sideload outside of SA has a fee attached too it. Is it in an attempt to ensure companies are serious about the apps they deploy, and stopping them pushing out willy nilly, poorly created apps that will detract from the Windows 8 experience?

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    Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 Device


    Windows Phone 8 is not far away and today we’ve seen sneak previews of 2 devices that will surely be revealed at Nokia’s event on September 5th, alongside Microsoft.

    Nokia Lumia 920

    image

    What will it include?

    • Wireless Charging
    • 32GB Storage
    • 1GB RAM
    • 1.5GHz Dual Core CPU
    • 4.5” HD Display
    • Front Facing Camera

    The Verge also report that the camera will be branded as “PureView” but will be 8MP rather than 41 as on the Nokia 808. Until my Lumia 800, I’ve never had a Nokia nor have I had any interest in Nokia if I’m honest, so I haven’t come across the PureView brand before. What I gather is that it’s a kick-ass camera and people are upset that this has just 8 megapixels yet is being branded as PureView. Nokia say there have been advancements in image stabilization & software that mean they can brand it as such which seems reasonable to me, we all know that megapixels aren’t everything 🙂

    This looks like it could well be my next phone…double the storage which will be great for my ever more eclectic music taste, a front facing camera for making use of the baked in Skype features and WIRELESS CHARGING – that is some Star Trek stuff right there!

    Here’s a picture of the wireless charging mat via @evleaks:

    image

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    Windows Server 2012 Licensing Changes


    Windows Server 2012 is getting ever closer and today we had some exciting news – changes to the licensing – Yay! This has genuinely got me quite excited Smile

    Currently Windows Server has 3 main flavours:

    • Standard / Licensed Per Server
    • Enterprise / Licensed Per Server / Rights to 4 Virtual Servers
    • DataCenter / Licensed Per CPU / Rights to Unlimited Virtual Servers

    There are also Web Server, HPC & Small Business Server (SBS) editions.

    There are also feature differences between the versions.

    Going forward with Windows Server 2012 we will have:

    • Std / Licensed Per CPU / Rights to 2 Virtual Servers
    • DataCenter / Licensed Per CPU / Rights to Unlimited Virtual Servers
    • Each license covers 2 CPUs

    Std & DataCenter will have feature parity and the only difference will be the virtual server rights. This is a question I’ve already seen on Twitter:

    image

    So it’s good to get an answer straight away.

    Features previously not in Windows Server Std that will be with 2012 include:

    • Windows Server Failover Clustering
    • BranchCache Hosted Cache Server
    • Active Directory Federated Services
    • Additional Active Directory Certificate Services capabilities
    • Distributed File Services (support for more than 1 DFS root)
    • DFS-R Cross-File Replication

    This follows the same path as the changes recently made to System Center and, while it may make small installations more expensive, overall it reduces costs and simplifies the licensing for end users.

    There are 2 other editions of Windows Server 2012 – Essential & Foundation:

    image

    As you can see, Essentials & Foundation are aimed at the very small networks and both are limited to 1 CPU. Things which are missing from the lower editions include:

    • Direct Access
    • Hyper-V
    • ADFS

    To see the full list of feature differences between the various editions, download the Windows Server 2012 datasheet here:

    View Datasheet

    Web Server

    Windows Web Server can only run web facing workloads but does not require any CALs (Client Access Licenses) which makes it perfect for hosting external sites. However Web Server is being discontinued in the next release but before tales of astronomical rises in costs as companies are forced to buy CALs for every single user of their service:

    “Despite the removal of Web Server edition, web workloads running on a Windows Server 2012 edition will continue to receive the “CAL waiver” that is in effect for these workloads today. Windows Server CALs will not be required to access the licensed server if it is only being used to run web workloads”

    Software Assurance Transition

    If you have active Software Assurance (SA) on Windows Server licenses at the time of release for 2012, you will receive rights to the new versions as per the below:

    image

    What about SBS?

    Small Business Server has been around for years, combines Windows Server & Exchange Server and is aimed at networks with less than 75 users. Now however it’s time has come to an end…

    image

     

    image

    SBS has quite a thriving community built around it with many passionate advocates, most of whom are sad/angered to see it go. I on the other hand am really rather happy about it! I’ve always found it to be an extra, unnecessary complication when new sales staff/customers get involved with licensing. I realise I’m not going to be popular with that opinion and I’m equally sure that if I worked more in that area I’d have a different opinion but as it is, from the Mid-market & Enterprise space, this is a welcome move.

    You can find the full FAQ here:

    Find Answers

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    Microsoft buy Yammer


    It first came to light when a couple of Yammer employees got a little TOO carried away with the caramel in their lattes in a Seattle coffee-house and now it’s been made official…Microsoft are buying Yammer for $1.2 billion.

    Yammer will join the Office division, headed up by Kurt DelBene, which is a great move as it will surely be integrated into Sharepoint, Outlook and Lync as soon as possible. There was talk that it would be moved into the Dynamics team which, while logical, would have limited the reach of Yammer among Microsoft’s install base.

    Microsoft have crafted that most current of crazes, the InfoGraphic, to help explain the rationale behind the purchase:

    image

    You can see a bigger version here.

    I’ve never had a chance to use Yammer but I’ve always been very intrigued by it, I can see it being a great addition to a lot of companies. I’ll be keeping my eye on out internal use rights at work to see when Yammer pops up Winking smile

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    Microsoft Surface Tablet


    Well, Monday’s hyped up yet super secret announcement has been made…and it’s brilliant! Microsoft are introducing their own Microsoft branded tablets – “The Surface”, and they look stunning:

    image

    Just look at it. Glossy bezel, rounded corners, integrated kickstand AND A COVER THAT IS A KEYBOARD! I really can’t get over that, it’s such an ingenious innovation and a great unique selling point…not only that but it’s just 3mm thick.

    image

    Down to details – there are 2 versions of the Surface tablets:

    OS Windows RT Windows 8 Pro
    Weight 676g 903g
    Thickness 9.3mm 13.5mm
    Screen 1.06” Cleartype HD 10.6” Cleartype Full HD
    Battery 31.5 W-h 42 W-h
    Connections microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2xMIMO Antennae microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2xMIMO Antennae
    Productivity Office 15, Touch Cover, Type Cover Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen w/ Palm Block
    Practical VaporMg Case & Stand VaporMg Case & Stand
    Hard Drive 32GB, 64GB 64GB, 128GB

    For now that’s all we’ve got in the way of confirmed features – but it’s a good start in my opinion…definitely enough to let me know that I want one. The 2 missing features that I’m most interested in are CPU & RAM – the latter especially as the iPad’s 768MB lets it down quite a lot.

    I’m taking it that the keyboard cover comes with the tablet as standard rather than being an optional accessory – I hope that’s right!

    Nothing too much has been said about the pricing other than the Pro version will be “priced similarly to a comparable ultrabook” which I’d say puts it between £700 & £1000…and also suggests it will be rolling with Core i5 processors and 4GB+ of RAM. If that’s right it will be a portable beast Smile

    The interest & buzz has been really great to see too. I saw people on Twitter who usually only tweet about MUFC talking about the Surface and saying how cool it looked and I’d fielded 2 customer enquiries by 09:20 at work this morning – love it!

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    Microsoft finalizes Price Increases


    Microsoft’s impending price increases have been the subject of much discussion recently, with customers and partners working together to negate the impact this will have on budgets going forward. However we’ve only had rough figures as to what the price increases will actually be so it’ s been a little odd! However, we now have final numbers for the percentage increases:

    image

    As you can see, the increases aren’t as hefty as first expected, due to the volatile Euro.

    You’ll also notice that Government Open License is being re-instated from next month.

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    MS to change Office 365 support?


    CRN, Channel Reseller News, has just reported that MS are set to revamp the structure for Office 365, by giving sales and support responsibilities to distributors.

    This will mean rather than customers purchasing directly from Microsoft and them giving resellers a rebate, resellers will purchase from distribution partners as they currently do for other items such as Office & Windows via the Open license models. They go on to say that distributors will also provide end user support but MS will retain ownership of the billing functionality; which raises two points for me:

    1) End User Support: MS have invested quite heavily in their support teams and, in my experience, they are really good. Quick, knowledgeable, keen to help etc…it strikes me as odd that Redmond would look to move away from that and put it on the channel. Perhaps distributors will have the option to offer end-user support but I would imagine that MS will keep that support element.

    2) Billing: Selling it through the channel but Microsoft keeping the billing seems overly complicated. A sales cycle would be:

    • Distributor buys from MS
    • Reseller buys from Distributor
    • Customer buys from Reseller

    and payment would follow that back through the channel so I’m not sure where MS would fit in?

    Feel free to offer your thoughts on all the above too!

    I think it will, overall, be a good move to include the channel more in this but hey, I’ll see what new info we get at WPC and let you know Smile

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