Software+Services is the next logical step in the evolution of software development and represents an exciting growth opportunity for ISVs.By leveraging the Software+Services model, you can expand service offerings and generate new revenue streams.   Explore numerous options to fit your business by:Add...

If you are working on incorporating Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 into your products, Metro is here to help.  The program is accepting early adoption project nominations.Metro Connect provides a  structured approach for driving early adoption of the technologies.  We are specifically looking for partners...

In Bob Muglia’s keynote at the PDC, Cameron Skinner presented a demo focused on some of the most exciting new features coming in Visual Studio 2010, .NET Framework 4 and the server platform.  The demo was built to align with the following release announcements:ASP.NET MVC 2 BetaWindows Identity Foundation...

You are invited to attend a three-day instructor-led training event for developers on SQL Server 2008 R2.CityDateLinkWaltham, MAMarch 8-11Register Silicon Valley, CAMarch 29-April 1Register This three-day training workshop is for SQL and BI developers.  P

Mark your calendars for the 2010 Microsoft BI Conference the week of June 7, 2010 in New Orleans, LA.  The Microsoft BI Conference is co-located with TechEd North America 2010.The conference will focus on the following categories:Empower Your Users.  Microsoft Excel (including PowerPivot for Excel),...

You are invited to join the Deep Dive Lab for SQL Server 2008 R2.  Bring your application and bring back a proof of concept or work closely with the product team on a new feature.The event is held on Microsoft Campus in Redmond, WA from February 8-12.The event is for Microsoft Partners and customers...

Have you seen the changes to the Pinpoint site?  With a new home page design, the addition of an applications marketplace and special sections highlighting companies and professional services, Pinpoint helps you showcase your innovations and expertise.  New features help you attract more customers and...

As another benefit to our Metro participants, the SQL Server Evangelism Team continues to deliver Live Meetings for Metro participants directly via the Metro Connect early adoption program.You must be a participant in the SQL Server Metro Connect program to participate in the Live Meeting.   Participants...

SQL Server 2008 R2 is the next-generation information platform that is designed to deliver the following:Managed self-service business intelligence.  Expanding powerful BI tools to all users with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel and empowering a new class of business users to build and share powerful...

Microsoft is offering a special discount for Metro Early Adoption Participants to attend this year’s Professional Developers Conference (PDC) on November 17- 19 in Los Angeles.Effective immediately, we are DOUBLING the PDC offer for Metro participants.  Specifically, for those that register with our...

Those ISV partners who are enrolled in Metro are eligible for a $500 discount if you register for PDC before October 13.Contact the PDC09 Registration Team for eligibility verification and to receive a discount code.  Contact your ISV Architect Evangelist to be enrolled in the Metro 2010 early adopter...

If you are actively working on adding business intelligence to your application or have targeted the SQL Server 2008 R2 platform, come join in the Metro program.  The Metro program will provide you close contact with product team, early training for your developers and opportunities to provide feedback...

If you have already received the Works with Windows Server 2008 logo, Microsoft will pay for your testing to achieve the Works with Windows Server 2008 R2 logo.  This is a $10,000 value.  To qualify, ISVs are required to pledge support for R2 and contact VeriTest or Wipro directly to get tested.  Contact...

The Windows Server Evangelism Team created the Windows Server 2008 R2 Developer Training Kit which is used in all Metro events.  The kit includes developer-oriented content including “Windows Server 2008 R2, What's New”, “Developing Applications that Scale”, “How to Develop .NET and ASP.NET Applications...

SQL Server 2008 offers an impressive array of capabilities for developers that build upon key innovations introduced in SQL Server 2005.  The SQL Server 2008 Developer Training Kit will help you understand how to build web applications which deeply exploit the rich data types, programming models and...

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 that includes live migration is now available from Microsoft Download here. Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 a stand-alone hypervisor that includes live migration and expanded processor and memory support for host systems.  You can consolidate workloads onto a single physical...

Attend 24 Hours of PASS, a free event offering 24 in-depth SQL Server and BI webcasts delivered by top industry speakers.  The focus is on helping customers take better advantage of SQL Server capabilities to be more efficient and save money.24 Hours of PASS takes place next Wednesday, September 2.Over...

A limited community preview is open for Project Madison.  Madison is the integration of DATAllegro’s MPP Data Warehouse software and methodology with the SQL Server 2008 platform that offers customers:Massive performance and scale at low TCO: Madison will enable customers to scale up to 1 petabyte at...

The first Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 is available for MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Versions are available for 32-bit and 64-bit processors.SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online Community Technology Preview August 2009 has been posted on the Microsoft Download Center....

The product launch during 2009 has been named The New Efficiency.  The message is about how our products and solutions will make our customers’ lives better.  It is about how we can bring costs down and help increase business productivity while increasing IT control and reducing risk.Windows 7: Optimized...

You can register now for Professional Developers Conference (PDC) and save $500 for the full conference pass.  Discounts expire on September 15.PDC is being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  Workshops are scheduled on November 16; Conference runs from November 17-19.  One-day and pre-conference...

The next wave of technology in FY10 is ramping up on these technologies:Client:  Silverlight, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, SurfaceProductivity:  Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Unified Communications, Dynamics CRM 5Server:  Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows HPC Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2Services:  Windows...

Release dates for Windows 7 have been announced on The Windows Blog. Partners and OEMs can download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN starting August 6.Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified Members will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English through the Microsoft Partner Network...

Save the date for Professional Developers Conference (PDC) at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  The conference will be held on November 17-19.  Workshops are scheduled on November 16.Registration is discounted through September 15.  Sign up now for the PDC mailing list.Professional Developers Conference...

Join Front Runner, a program to help managed ISVs get ready for both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.  The program includes both technical help for getting your applications compatible and marketing benefits.Front Runner helps you learn how to make your app compatible and gives you what you need...

FabrikamShipping is a semi-realistic sample web application that demonstrates how to use the “Geneva” Framework for authentication, authorization and identity driven customization for a web front end and a services back end.The demo shows how to implement common tasks and features in Web applications,...

You too can win $10,000 and get featured at Gnomedex if you create a useful application that can be used to improve the ecology or help people deal with the worsening global economy.  In order to qualify for the Will Code for Green developer contest, you need to use the Bing API with any technical platform...

Once your application is compatible with Windows 7, you can list your application here.  Qualifying products will be published in the Windows 7 Compatibility Center or the Windows Server Catalog.  Your application does not have to pass the logo test to qualify for listing.The logo test is encouraged...

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be generally available (GA) on October 22.  Windows 7 will be released to manufacturing (RTM) in the second half of July.For more information about the requirements to be compatible, see Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Application Quality Cookbook: A Developer’s...

Service Pack 2 for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are now available on Microsoft Download.  You can download the service pack for x86, ISO, x64 and ia64.  Updates will be pushed through Windows Update at the end of June.Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista (SP2) supports...

The first community technology preview (CTP) of Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 is now available.  Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 is a combination of the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system and the Microsoft HPC Pack 2008 R2 application.Developing parallel programs requires integrated development environments...

Windows SDK release supporting Windows 7 RC and Windows Server 2008 R2 RC is now available on the Microsoft Download Center.  The Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 RC provides documentation, samples, header files, libraries and tools designed to help you develop Windows applications...

Microsoft has launched Windows Server 2008 Foundation into the OEM channel, garnering rave reviews and great press.  ISVs are invited to join with Windows Server 2008 Foundation as OEMs.  Join the Windows Server Marketing and OEM Server organization to learn about the newest member of the Windows Server...

In response to popular demand, the Windows Logo Program team is planning another LogoFest event at the Microsoft corporate campus in Redmond, WA on July 27-31, 2009.  Attendance at this event will help your company to qualify for the Windows 7 logo.For more information subscribe to the Windows Logo...

The Microsoft Windows High Performance Computing team invites you to a Windows HPC Server R2 (Version 3.0) Technical Preview.  As a key stakeholder, we would like you to attend this two day on-line event on May 19-20.  The event is structured to provide you with an overview and details of the features...

Join us for a Platform Adoption “Virtual Lab” on May 19-21.  The Virtual Lab is for Microsoft partners and customers seeking to incorporate Windows Server 2008 R2 features into new or existing applications and solutions.  Participation occurs entirely within an online collaboration infrastructure.This...

Several updates are available for SQL Server 2008 at the Download Center.  Here are links to the updates:SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express Edition Service Pack 1Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, April 2009Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Upgrade Advisor, April 2009Microsoft...

The first service pack for SQL Server 2008 has been released.  Service Pack 1 (SP1) contains all the cumulative updates and fixes issued since SQL Server 2008 was released.  It also makes it easier to deploy SQL Server 2008.A few specific features have been added:A feature called Slipstream allows users...

If you sell your product onto servers for very small businesses and want to sell a cost-effective hardware software combination (aka “appliance”), Windows Server 2008 Foundation is for you and your customers.Windows Server 2008 Foundation is for small businesses with fewer than 15 users.  It is available...

You are invited to WF-WCF Deep Dive Development Lab at the Microsoft Campus in Redmond, WA on April 20-22, 2009.A Deep Dive enables you to work on your application or scenario with experts from the Microsoft development teams.  This is not a traditional training event.  There are no presentations or...

A “Virtual Lab” is a new Microsoft Evangelism program offering intended to enable a low-cost but yet highly productive partner engagement.  We can accommodate a number small partner teams consisting of technical leads with deep solution knowledge.  Your team would work directly with Microsoft product...

The community technology preview of SQL Server 2008 SP1 is available here.The service pack also includes easier deployment and management of service packs by introducing:Slipstream.  You can integrate the base installation with service packs (or hotfixes) and install in a single step.Service Pack Uninstall....

The release candidate build of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 has been released to testers.  A single service pack applies to both operating systems.  It is available for testers as a standalone package through Windows Update or on disk through MSDN and TechNet.A Service Pack...

Students from leading colleges and university in the central US are bidding for the opportunity to reach the US finals and represent the US in the worldwide Imagine Cup Finals.  To reach their potential, these student teams need industry mentors to provide guidance, suggestions and inspiration.Students...

Deep Dive Developer Labs are events where you bring your scenario into the lab and work directly with experts from Microsoft product teams.  We have three lab events scheduled for Windows Server 2008 R2.  The labs will be held at the Microsoft Platform Adoption Center in Redmond, WA.TopicDatesGet Ready...

Microsoft had unveiled changes to the company’s Business Intelligence strategy by incorporating Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 features into Office SharePoint Server Enterprise.  The move helps fulfill the mission of bringing BI to the masses and set Microsoft apart from many of the BI vendors...

To help you fully prepare and take advantage of Hyper-V in your ISV applications, we would like to invite you to participate in a free, one-day Hyper-V AppCompat event (a $1,000 value).  AppCompat Labs are being conducted at the Microsoft Technology Cente

Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta is now available.  You can download it from the Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta site.  Support for developer questions is available through Metro.You can learn how to take advantage of these features within your code at the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Metro Training...

SQL Server is one of the more challenging workloads to virtualize due to its mission critical nature, high I/O and unique and demanding memory constraints.  This webcast looks at Best Practices and lessons learned in virtualizing SQL Server in Hyper-V environments, including a look at staging and template...

The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) on Monday unveiled a limited community technology preview (CTP) of the next version of SQL Server business intelligence features codenamed “Kilimanjaro”.  The CTP is expected to begin in January and last about a month.  PASS is seeking database administrators...

The roadmap for Business Intelligence (BI) applications written in SQL Server was announced at the Microsoft Business Intelligence Conference.   You can see the conference keynotes online at http://www.msbiconference.com/.  A community technology preview (CTP) should be available within the next 12...

Have you wondered how well SQL Server 2008 will run in a Hyper-V environment?  The SQL Server team has published a whitepaper with performance metrics of running certain workloads with and without Hyper-V.  The goal of this document is to help address two key areas of running SQL Server in a Hyper-V...