David Overton's Blog

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• Why Microsoft Partners should embrace S+S and still deliver on premise solutions

  I was at the Microsoft World Wide Partner Conference when Microsoft announced their S+S (Software plus Services) and some partners decided to throw their toys out the pram and start a whole bunch of scare mongering around the partner opportunity. I’ve decided I will cover both off here, so here are some thoughts – please note, this is not an official communication, but simply my view and response having spoken to partners and Microsoft people alike. What are the customer options? A customer can choose from two... Posted Jul 19 2008, 12:13 AM by David Overton with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Community, Software as a Service, SBSC, Microsoft, Partner, Software plus Service

• How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)

  I’ve spoken about migration several times now for SBS 2008 . The short answer is that migration from one box to another is vital. If a customer wants to do migration on the same box, then this is either expensive (and a very long process) or something that requires moving the server temporarily to another system, or as I prefer, virtualising it. Of course, SBS 2003 is not necessarily supported in a virtual environment, but since all we want to do is migrate from it, not “run it”, this should help you get over... Posted Jul 02 2008, 02:06 AM by David Overton with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: SBS 2003, Support and Tools, Community, SBSC, Microsoft, SBS 2003 R2, Documentation, Small business, Partner, SBS 2008

• Microsoft wants to know what you want for the UK SBS 2008 Launch? Time to stop saying you want it better and time to start saying what you actually want and would use!!

  One thing I have never been accused of is holding back my opinion and on the Yahoo Groups recently there has been some discussions around what Microsoft has done for partners. As part of the discussion this blog post from Sonal, the UK Product Manager for SBS 2008 and EBS 2008, came up with a question around what do partners want to see in a UK launch. I thought people who read this blog might like to pop over to Sonal's blog and give a voice to their wants. I've seen suggestions from free beer, which... Posted Jun 28 2008, 07:38 PM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: Support and Tools, Business, Community, Event, SBSC, Microsoft, Documentation, Marketing, Small business, Partner, Windows Server 2008, SBS 2008

• Moving SBS 2003 to new hardware or performing a migration – Update (QFE) to give you longer to do it (21 days up from the 7 days)

  From The Official SBS Blog : Small Business Server 2003 Migration Update 943494 Released , a slightly old post, but something work highlighting – how to have 2 SBS boxes on the same network for 21 days. Small Business Server 2003 Migration Update 943494 Released [Today's post comes to us courtesy of Justin Crosby] The software license terms for Windows SBS enforce a limitation that permits the presence of only one Windows SBS server in the domain. However, there is a grace period where you can have a second... Posted Jun 19 2008, 11:46 PM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: SBS 2003, Support and Tools, Community, SBSC, Microsoft, SBS 2003 R2, Small business, SBS 2008

• SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 video recordings of presentations from the SMB Summit 2008

  If you have looked at the information on setup and install at SBS 2008 Install process (in pictures) and wanted more information then these presentations will be of extreme use to you. They cover both SBS 2008 and EBS 2008. I particularly liked the setup and migration and messaging sessions. SBS 2008 product related sessions SBS 2008 Overview SBS 2008 Setup and Migration Networking Setup and Getting Started Tasks Administration and Management Networking Messaging Storage Management - Backup, Restore, and Server... Posted Jun 01 2008, 09:53 PM by David Overton with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Support and Tools, Community, SBSC, Microsoft, Small business, Partner, SBS Cougar, SBS 2008

• If you are a Microsoft partner who sells SBS, then please fill in the Windows Small Business Server 2008 Community Survey

  Kevin asked a couple of weeks ago if I could share this – so I’m sharing :-) The Windows Small Business Server 2008 WW Community Survey is live This is the third year we have published an SBS WW Community Survey to the SBS Community. Because of the previous surveys, we have made some adjustments in our community engagement. To name a few; we really worked on putting more focus on the Official SBS Blog. Our Sustaining Engineering team runs mini betas with our MVPs before KB's and Bug Fixes are released via... Posted Jun 01 2008, 12:18 AM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: SBS 2003, Support and Tools, Community, SBSC, Microsoft, SBS 2003 R2, Small business, SBS Cougar, SBS 2008

• SBS 2008 Install process (in pictures)

  Having announced the SBS preview at SBS 2008 RC0 Public Preview I’ve tried to capture the SBS install process in pictures – I don’t think it needs much explanation. If you have an OEM then much of this will be resolved by the Answer kit. To find out about the OEM install process, have a look at TechNet Edge Video- SBS 2008 setup . Other blogger's have covered the release: http://sbs.seandaniel.com/2008/05/windows-small-business-server-2008_28.html http://blogs.technet.com/windowsserver/archive/2008/05/28... Posted May 29 2008, 10:20 AM by David Overton with | with 8 comment(s) Filed under: Community, SBSC, Microsoft, Small business, Partner, If you only read one post today, SBS Cougar, SBS 2008

• SBS 2008 RC0 Public Preview

  From the official blog – the preview is now available for download After extensive development and private evaluation, I’m pleased to announce that a public preview of Windows Small Business Server 2008 RC0 is now available. Windows SBS 2008 is the next major release in the Windows Small Business Server product family, and it offers a wave of new features for technology consultants and small business owners. There are too many updates and changes to list in one post, but here are some highlights: A new setup... Posted May 29 2008, 07:48 AM by David Overton with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Community, SBSC, Microsoft, Small business, Partner, SBS Cougar, SBS 2008

• How to sell Hosted CRM (CRM Online) in the UK and still retain your customers and a good profit – by working with Increase CRM

  [updated with contact details at 16:38] I have a partners or two that are looking to implement CRM internally and through the conversations about how they could do this came to know of the guys at Increase CRM. The good folks at Increase CRM seem to understand how SBSC partners think because the offerings they have for referral and resellers seem to be quite good to me. if you want the brochure on the subject, let me know, but here is the important piece for partners: What is the Referral Program? Partners in... Posted Apr 24 2008, 04:39 PM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: CRM, Community, Hosted, Software as a Service, Microsoft, Small business, Partner, Licensing, Software plus Service, If you only read one post today

• UK SBS group meeting in Manchester on Wednesday 23rd April 2008

  I just saw this from Chris Parks and thought I would share with a wider audience: Folks, Just a quick reminder of the meeting this Wednesday at One Central Park, Manchester M40 5WW, 18:30 ... Attending from Microsoft are David Overton, Danny Ovens and myself. Hope to see you there :) Also, a huge thanks to those who’ve either joined the online network or sent me back their profiles so far...some of them have been enlightening and some of them downright intentionally hilarious!!! (Please feel free to send through... Posted Apr 22 2008, 05:51 PM by David Overton with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: SBS 2003, Community, SBSC, SBS 2003 R2, Small business

• Where will your customers be looking for solutions – will they stick to on premise, or will they move towards a S+S or SaaS solution not from you?

  I know the table above is really, really simple, but I wanted to start the ball rolling – I have been thinking about this for ages!! Let me explain the diagram. The horizontal axis signifies how much of a solution is hosted. An example of this might be Office Live or Hotmail, where almost all of the solution is hosted. We then have the “on premise” or on-site IT going vertically. For most people, this is solutions like SBS 2003. A typical S+S solution might be MS CRM Online which has online components, but also... Posted Apr 12 2008, 04:02 PM by David Overton with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: SBS 2003, Business, Virtualisation, Community, Live, Software as a Service, SBSC, Microsoft, Office Live, SBS 2003 R2, mobile, Small business, Internet and Web, Partner, Licensing, Software plus Service, If you only read one post today

• Extended Promotional offers for SBS 2003 – now available until June 30, 2008

  I saw these on the SBS Offers site and noticed that they have been extended, so here are the things you need to know below. It is worth remembering that it is up to you how you pass these benefits through to your customers!! What? – Promotion Offering: When? – The promotion extension means system builders and resellers can now submit claims for services they deliver between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2008. Participants will have until July 31, 2008 to complete their claims. *If a partner submitted claims between... Posted Apr 04 2008, 06:58 PM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: SBS 2003, Community, SBSC, Microsoft, SBS 2003 R2, Partner

• ISVs can learn about Microsoft’s strategy and products and how they fit into selling solutions – come to the events in TVP and Manchester on the 10th and 24th April

  One of the biggest criticisms of Microsoft by our ISV partners is that they don’t know where we are going… well this even should help solve that – see you there perhaps: Introduction 09.30 - 10.00 Registration & coffee 10.00 – 10.15 Welcome & Introduction Deliver Innovative Solutions 10.15 – 10.45 Microsoft strategy direction 10.45 – 11.30 Microsoft technology roadmap 11.30 – 11.50 Coffee break Increase your opportunities 11.50 – 12.15 Marketing & sales initiatives Close more sales 12.15 – 12.30... Posted Apr 04 2008, 08:01 AM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: Business, Community, Event, Microsoft, Licensing, ISV, Strategy

• Are you about to renew your Action Pack? If so the Assessment requirement deadline has been extended for existing Subscribers

  Dell Quinn asked me to pass this on: As you may know, on November 30, 2007 Microsoft implemented an assessment requirement for new action pack subscribers. The same requirement was scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2008 for renewing partners that have a subscription expiration date of March 1, 2008 or later. Due to unforeseen system issues, we are extending the assessment deadline for renewing Action Pack subscribers until June 19, 2008 . This means that all renewing partners whose subscription expires on... Posted Apr 01 2008, 07:55 AM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: Community, Microsoft, Action Pack, Partner

• Dear Susan … It is 75 CALs, but recommended for 50 users … reply to "Tom"? We'll need you to dispel another myth. - The Official Blog of the SBS "Diva"

  Susan has raised a really good point and something that is often misunderstood about SBS – and this ties in to SBS 2003 AND SBS 2008. What is the problem … Here is what Susan put… is SBS designed for 50 or 75 CALs? "Tom"? We'll need you to dispell another myth. March 11, 2008 Windows Small Business Server 2008 – HOT! Prepare for New Server-Solutions Business < http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8493173 > Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2008 is coming in the second half of 2008. The enhanced... Posted Mar 26 2008, 03:33 PM by David Overton with | with no comments Filed under: SBS 2003, Community, SBSC, Microsoft, SBS 2003 R2, Marketing, Small business, SBS Cougar, SBS 2008