Microsoft launches Windows Server 2008 and related enterprise apps to Aussie channel

There was a great deal of ceremony surrounding today's launch of Windows Server 2008, which begs the question, is the vendor still haunted by the poor market performance of Vista?

At the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Martin Gregory, director Server and Tools, Microsoft Australia stated that the launch represents the biggest outreach exercise to IT professionals and developers in Microsoft history. He added that success in the applications market hinges on strong partner relationships.

“We’ve been clear since day one that our go-to-market strategy is through partners and they are a key part of everything we do,” said Gregory. “They are across different disciplines, it’s not only infrastructure, we also have dynamics partners looking at these applications.”

Microsoft claimed the theme, “Heroes Happen Here”, represents the achievements of IT professionals, developers and partners. "Dynamic IT" was another phrase coined by the vendor at the event, relating to the new enterprise products designed to assist companies in making the transition to a virtualised environment and improving business intelligence.

“We’ve seen the value of the set-up where customers have been trialling the technologies. These products don’t become real until you put them in your own environment, with your own people and own hardware … and see the value for yourself,” he said.

Microsoft announced the enterprise launch of Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008. The products reflect the vendor’s focus on security, Web, virtualisation and improving business intelligence. Several customers that have implemented one or more of the applications took the stage and related their experience of the Microsoft product range.

Geoff Wenborn, general manager Strategy and Transformation, NAB said: “Now we can build infrastructure that is not only more stable , but more agile as well. As a result we can significantly improve the user experience, both for our employees and our customers.”

Mincom, technology software provder for asset-intensive industries, simplified the collaboration between its development teams located in Australia and Indonesia using the Microsoft Visual Studio Team System and .NET 3.5.

“With a global development team, the ability to interface with one another is key to the success of the project,” said Brad Moore, development manger Mincom Minescape, Mincom. “Adopting Microsoft Visual Studio Team System has allowed us to significantly improve our ability to collaborate between geographies and time zones.”