Jul 17 2007 11:05AM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Microsoft,
Barbara Darrow
As partners heard over and over (and over again) at the Worldwide Partner Conference in Denver last week, Microsoft wants partners to get on the stick vis-a-vis software as a service (or software plus services as as Microsoft prefers to describe it).(Here is the URL for fanboyz who want to get cracking on this.)
Earlier in his keynote, Turner hammered home that Microsoft, unlike Google, built its dominance, with an active partner community. Google, on the other hand, is more a go-it-alone SaaS play.
Said Turner:
“The question I would have for all of you is, you should look at the ecosystem that Google has for partners. And if there’s not a monetization model there for you, then you should deduct, perhaps they could be a competitor, and join the fight.
. . . . .
That’s a challenge I would have for you. Ask the hard questions. And when you don’t get the right answers, make the right decision, make the right decision for your business, and do it in the right way,
(For the full transcript, click here.)
Earlier in the week, Microsoft’s enterprise search guys acknowledged that Google had some success hand picking SharePoint partners for its search appliance, but Microsoft has since reversed the trend.
Microsoft enterprise search guy Jared Spataro said most partners want to work with software, not a “black box” a la Google’s Search Appliance
In fact, at the show, Microsoft trotted out BearingPoint search lead exec Chris Weitz, probably Google’s highest-profile integration partner, as one of Microsoft’s premier search partners. Hmmmm.
Integration experts like BearingPoint can parlay their expertise in even the most esoteric back end applications and systems to bring a single search view of corporate (and Web) data to the enterprise. What Microsoft offers is a software platform and tools to do so vs. the aforementioned Google black box.
Jul 12 2007 12:19PM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Channel,
Microsoft,
News,
Barbara Darrow
*** Best Nickname: One hotel for press and analysts combined the interior look of a war zone with the façade of a parking structure. Press wags not-so-affectionately dubbed it the Baghdad Hilton.
*** Best Stealth Fact: Designated Microsoft spokespeople refused to provide price on the new embeddable version of BizTalk Server (R2). A panelist was not so reticent: The list price: $500.
*** Best Bamboozle: The setup: Microsoft COO Kevin Turner talked up a three-way simultaneous launch next February of Longhorn/Katmai/Orcas (that’s Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 to those who stand on formalities.) The bamboozle: At least one third of the three products won’t ship at launch time—SQL Server is on for second quarter 08 general availability. Continued »
Jul 11 2007 12:23PM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Channel,
Microsoft,
Channel partner programs,
News,
Barbara Darrow
To be clear: When Microsoft says CRM Live will be totally partner inclusive, it really means partners will be an absolutely required part of the sale only during the ramp-up stage.
Till the end of the year, customers wanting to try the nascent Microsoft-hosted service must work with a Microsoft certified partner to come aboard. And partners will get a 10% referral fee now and in the future for customers they land.
After the final version of the service goes live early next year, however, CRM Live will also be available directly from Microsoft, company execs said late Tuesday.
Continued »
Jul 11 2007 10:49AM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Channel,
Microsoft,
News,
Barbara Darrow
When Microsoft ships Biztalk Server 2006 R2 – which it has promised to do in September — it will offer a new version packaged and priced for branch offices.
Listing for $1,800 per CPU, this edition will run in the spoke offices of typical hub-and-spoke organizations, Microsoft executives said. BizTalk Server Enterprise Standard edition weighs in at $8,500 per CPU and Enterprise Edition at $35,000 per CPU.
And that’s not all: Microsoft will reprise its famed “bundling strategy” by packaging up Biztalk Server with SharePoint Server 2007, Visual Studio Team Studio; and SQL Server 2005 at a combined price the company says is 10% lower than for those products brought separately.
Burley Kawasaki, director of product marketing for Microsoft’s Connected Systems Division, said this is not just a collection of CDs; it includes some integration, reference applications and guidance.
Finally, the company will offer a version of Biztalk that ISVs can embed in their own applications and make a BizTalk margin while selling their own technology. This addresses the classic “buy vs. build” decision, Kawasaki said. Rather than do one-off integrations, they can just use these, he said.
Microsoft execs have already said BizTalk Server 2006 will include better electronic data interchange (EDI) links and radio-frequency ID (RFID) connectivity.
Ben Cody, vice president of product management for Dallas based Global 360, is aboard. He especially appreciates the new EDI support coming in R2 “these pre-packaged integrations reduce our costs greatly,” he said.
Global 360 is specializes in business process management solutions.
Jul 10 2007 6:22PM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Microsoft,
News,
Barbara Darrow
Microsoft’s biggest-ever enterprise product launch appears to be more marketing ploy than a true launch.While COO Kevin Turner said Microsoft would simultaneously launch Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 together at a Feb. 27 event in Los Angeles, that news does not override previously announced product timetables, other execs said Tuesday afternoon.
The RTM (release to manufacturing) date for SQL Server is the second half of Microsoft’s fiscal year (between January and June of next year) said Kim Saunders, senior director of SQL Server marketing. Visual Studio 2008 is due to RTM this calendar year as is Windows Server 2008, aka Longhorn.So there remains quite a bit of timing wiggle room for this “platform release.”
And, cynics in the audience at the Worldwide Partner Conference maintain that Microsoft’s track record of meeting RTM or general availability dates remains underwhelming.
The idea of a platform release, rather than a staggered set of releases, pleases some VARs who would rather get all their technology at once. Others, however, maintain that tightly linked releases tend to delay shipment because so much more testing is involved.
So when will this product triple threat arrive? Today’s answer is the same as last weeks: Nobody knows.
Jul 10 2007 11:11AM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Microsoft,
News,
Barbara Darrow
Folks discounted an earlier report that Microsoft would sync up its gigantic Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio Server 2008 launches into a single “platform release” but that’s exactly what it’s going to do.
That’s the word from Microsoft COO Kevin Turner, speaking at today’s Worldwide Partner Conference kickoff keynote in Denver.Turner called this the biggest product rollout in company history.Microsoft had promised to release
Windows Server 2008 (aka Longhorn) to manufacturing by year’s end, opening the way for what some partners call a slip in the long-in-the-works server operating system. The main big-bang event will be in
Los Angeles on Feb. 27 with many more regional events planned.
Partner reaction to the earlier report was decidedly mixed, with one database specialist bemoaning the impact of earlier synched releases on product shipments.
Jul 10 2007 9:20AM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Software as a service (SaaS),
Microsoft,
Supplier relationship management,
Channel partner programs,
News,
Managed services providers,
Barbara Darrow
Microsoft, true to its volume sales heritage, will offer its upcoming hosted CRM Live service for as little as $39 per user per month.
That figure puts it well under the list prices of competitive offerings from Salesforce.com and NetSuite. Most of those rival SKUs list for well over $100 per user per month although discounting undoubtedly occurs.
There will be two main CRM Live “SKUs:” an Enterprise edition for $59 per user per month and a lower-end Professional edition for $39 per user per month as an introductory price good for 2008. The main difference is that the professional version provides no offline data synchronization.
Continued »
Jul 8 2007 8:40PM GMT
Posted by: Barbara Darrow
Tech Blogs,
Microsoft,
Reseller blogs,
Barbara Darrow
[Note: This week SearchITChannel.com is proud to introduce its newest expert blogger -- Barbara Darrow -- one of the most expert, most experienced reporters covering Microsoft and its VAR community. Watch here for her coverage and analysis from Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in
Denver this week.]
The thousands of Microsoft partners—ISVs, VARs, solution providers, integrators—converging on Denver this week have a lot on their minds.
Here, from a completely non-scientific survey of several Microsoft partners – both the “classic” and Microsoft Business Solutions varieties — are the five hot spots to watch at the annual Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference.
1: Profitability
The “P Word” is always top of mind for partners. Margins continue to be a huge challenge—although one that is not specific to selling/supporting Microsoft wares.
Can a solution provider or ISV make fat margins selling Microsoft licenses alone? In a word: no. Can he or she profit by customizing, supporting and guiding customers through transitions from non-Microsoft (or even old Microsoft) wares to new goods? More likely.
MBS partners in particular see the company’s traditional high-volume, low-margin approach as sweating their traditional margins; and they are none too happy about it. Several say they can make better dough selling SAP Business One or other competitive products that are not so widely distributed.
Continued »
