Microsoft has launched three major server and tools offerings that will revolutionize the technology infrastructure in organizations. The new offerings, Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008, help customers drive greater business continuity with improved security, enable innovation while controlling costs, and empower people to make better decisions with data.
The three products enable Dynamic IT - a platform for core IT infrastructure and application infrastructure technologies that can easily adapt to changing business conditions. To begin realizing the benefits of Dynamic IT, customers can deploy the new products to power next generation web applications, enable better business decisions and return savings to the business by using technologies, such as virtualization. Windows Server 2008, including a beta version of the Hyper-V virtualization technology, and Visual Studio 2008 are available today. A feature-complete, Community Technology Preview (CTP) of SQL Server 2008 is also now available with general availability expected in the third quarter of 2008.
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 are key products in the company's strategy to promote greater interoperability, opportunity and choice for customers and developers throughout the industry. Microsoft recently announced a set of broad-reaching changes to its technology and business practices to increase the openness of its products. The interoperability principles and actions apply to high-volume Microsoft products - Windows Vista (including the .NET Framework), Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, Office 2007, Exchange Server 2007, and Office SharePoint Server 2007, and future versions of all these products.
Microsoft has worked with more than 1,000 global partners to help plan, build, test, and deploy these leading-edge solutions by providing early access to code, training and testing, and certification support. Globally, hundreds of Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) have demonstrated their support with the development of a wide variety of business applications for industries including retail, accounting, commerce, engineering, financial services, health care, supply chain, and more.
In India, Allahabad Bank; Kotak Bank; Larsen & Toubro – ECC; Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC); Sahara India; The Chembur Nagrik Sahakari Bank Limited and TVS Motors are some of the early adopters for these products and have already started experiencing the benefits of Dynamic IT from Microsoft's next generation infrastructure and application platform. Microsoft India has also engaged with more than 200 partners including ISVs, SIs (System Integrators) and resellers, who will rollout products and programs to support the new platform. Immediately after the launch, Microsoft Learning partners will offer free day-long training sessions on each of these products at over 80 cities across the country. Additionally, in April, Microsoft will also be offering live online learning sessions to help Developers and IT Professionals across the country get skilled on these products.
“Organizations currently spend more than 70 percent of their IT budgets and resources on maintaining existing infrastructure – this is clearly less than optimal and a huge drain on resources. The focus for this launch is to allow businesses to provide them with powerful tools to focus on acquiring and leveraging new capabilities, rather than straining to maintain existing infrastructure,” said Mr. S. Somasegar, Senior Vice President, Microsoft Corporation. He further added, “We have received very positive feedback from our early adopter customers as well as IT professionals and developers who interface with these technologies on a daily basis. We are very excited to be delivering these solutions and capabilities today to a broad set of audiences.”
According to a research conducted by consulting agency, Capgemini, who looked at companies and institutions in the financial services, education, retail, and high technology industries using Windows Server 2008 in a mix of geographies, the new operating system quickly adds value to IT operations through improvements in management, security and reliability. On average, deployment duration was reduced by up to 60 percent and IT reduced costs by up to $124,000 per year. Cost reductions resulted from a wide range of areas including the recovery of five IT staff hours per server and 91 percent less downtime.
Through the last four months, Microsoft, globally and in India , ran an extensive campaign titled, “Heroes Happen Here” aimed at celebrating the contribution of technologists including IT professionals and developers, to business success. In India , the Heroes Happen Here contest received unparalleled response with over 900 technologists writing in about their achievements, and more than 10,000 developers, IT Professionals and visitors submitted their votes. Basis this, Microsoft India selected three winners – Rajesh Shirpuram from Spadeworx, Saravanan Rajappa from TCS and Rizwan Ahmed, who are now headed to the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond.
Commenting on Heroes Happen Here, Mr. Doug Hauger, Chief Operating Office, Microsoft India said, “Over the last few years, IT professionals and developers have evolved from mere facilitators to frontline business contributors, who are helping companies do their business better. Heroes Happen Here was aimed at acknowledging their contribution and it is overwhelming to see the initiatives being undertaken by India 's technologists towards their organizations, as well as society at large.”
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