Microsoft Datacentre Security & Management Update

Having updated my Exchange skills last week to 2010 I thought it worth recapping on the protection offered by Forefront Protection for Exchange this useful FAQ will run you through some of the main points of interest.

The Microsoft Virtual Academy is the ideal place to start your learning journey for both the present incarnation and the 2012 versions of Microsoft Private Cloud you can select a track and study the material and then do the self-assessment this will earn you a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum accreditation. If you are wanting Private Cloud resources without having to join the virtual academy try this. Whilst we’re talking private cloud Hyper-V Nu has a great article on Private Cloud explained. Finally on Private Cloud all the System Centre 2012 products have now gone Release Candidate.

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Microsoft makes changes to rules on government licensing

Microsoft has made some changes to the rules on selling licences to government recently. From now on, you are no longer able to sell central or local government licensing deals through the Open Licensing scheme; instead you need to use the Open Value or Select routes. While this won’t affect many agreements, it’s worth making your licensing teams and your government customers aware of the changes. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Microsoft Licensing expert, Simon King – email simon.king@computer2000.co.uk.

Now you have more opportunity than ever to maximise software renewals – and you can buy HP Care Packs online too

Computer 2000 has introduced new features to License Online that give you full and clear visibility of software renewal opportunities. We’ve also announced the availability of HP Care Pack services on the system. The HP products are the first hardware-based maintenance contracts to be made available through License Online.

The new Renewals Dashboard, Self-Service Portal and Cross-sell, Up-sell and Tag-sell options, make License Online an even more useful and essential tool for software and hardware resellers. Also new is the Life Cycle Management feature, which gives resellers the date on which a renewals order must be placed to ensure licences do not become overdue.

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First wave of ‘ultrabooks’ expected soon

The first set of ultra-low voltage, ultra-thin notebooks based on the very latest Intel Core i7 series

processors are due to hit the market any time now and Computer 2000 will be the first to offer you stock from all the leading vendors. We’re expecting announcements from Acer, Asus, HP, Samsung, Toshiba and other top names imminently and these thinner and lighter mobiles are expected to be hot-sellers in the run-in to the year-end.

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Microsoft expected to complete Skype deal

Microsoft was expected to win EU approval for its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype this month. The granting of approval was the last major stepping stone to the deal going ahead. The US Federal Trade Commission gave it the go-ahead as long ago as June. At the same time, rumours were circulating that Microsoft were preparing to make a further foray into the web with a bid for Yahoo.