Microsoft Launches Windows Server System Promotion

HostReview.com
Thursday, July 7, 2005; 04:18 PM

Microsoft Corp. today announced a new Windows Server System™ promotion that will provide core technology components designed to help midsize businesses deploy and maintain a more-secure, well-managed infrastructure.

The server solution is Microsoft’s first step in addressing the sophisticated IT demands of midsize business customers whose IT staff is frequently overworked, underresourced and budget constrained.

The Windows Server System offering — composed of Windows Server™ 2003, Standard Edition; Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition; and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Workgroup Edition — is an easy-to-deploy solution that will provide midsize business IT professionals with simplified infrastructure management, reduced costs and complexity, and improved security.

“Midsize businesses tend to characterize themselves by the industry they are in — not by the technologies they need and use,” said Steven VanRoekel, director of Mid-Market Solutions in the Windows Server Group at Microsoft.

“By marrying our small-business expertise with our enterprise products, Microsoft is showing midsize business customers that we understand their unique technology needs. The Windows Server System promotion gives midsize businesses the confidence that their systems are stable and finally allows them to view IT as a strategic investment.”

The technology demands of a midsize business can be as sophisticated as the largest enterprise, but IT management is significantly limited by modest staff and budget resources. Most midsize businesses, viewed by Microsoft as those with 25 to 500 PCs, have just a few IT people on staff to keep all aspects of the business running.

Microsoft customer Ubiquity Brands Inc. is an international snack-food business headquartered in Chicago. The company was created when its founders acquired Jays Foods Inc and Lincoln Snacks Co. in 2004.

“Sixteen months ago our business consisted of five employees working off a POP3 e-mail system,” said William Schumacher, CFO and COO of Ubiquity Brands. “Since then, we’ve acquired two companies and grown to 800 employees, so our needs have quickly become larger and more complex.”

The Windows Server System promotion enables IT managers to easily create a more secure and well-managed infrastructure while reducing operational costs and complexity.

Microsoft customer Realityworks Inc. is a Wisconsin-based company focused on providing a simulation of life skills designed to help individuals make decisions that will have a positive impact on their lives.

“As a small IT department, we were challenged with barely keeping our sales force up and running,” said Buzz (John) Burce, network administrator with Realityworks.

With the Windows Server System midsize business promotion, partners have an extended opportunity to help customers realize great return on their technology investments by delivering enterprise-class technology without pricing designed for large firms.

With an integrated platform, a set of Microsoft Partner Program competencies that allow partners to specialize by solution, and an increasing focus on vertical specialization, the broad channel is well prepared to take advantage of the opportunities in midsize businesses.

The Windows Server System promotion for midsize businesses includes three Standard Editions of Windows Server 2003; one Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition; one Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Workgroup Edition; and 50 CALs for Windows Server and Exchange.

Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference provides Microsoft’s partner community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace.