Good By Bellevue, thx for the memories #MVP10

Thankx Microsoft for arranging such great weather for the summit this year :>) It was a wonderful summit, and you guys really rolled out the red carpet for the 1400 or so of us you herded into Bellevue for the event this year.

It was great to see all my peeps and old MS friends again and meet the new folks in the HSBS product groups. I learned a lot ( yes I remember the entire week is under NDA) and hopefully provided some useful feedback as well.

I would also like to send out a job well done to Al, Kym and the gang at Steward Transportation, most of you won’t even know who they are, but that is because of the great job they do getting us where we need to be, when we need to be there. It makes them invisible, believe me a few years ago the busing was a complete cluster and since they have taken over, it is almost a pleasurable experience, well it is sill a bus ride after all :>)

So long gang, travel safe back to your respective corners of the world, I am headed to Calif before making the trek home to the east coast.

Become an SBSC! (Free Exam Vouchers)

Copied from Mark Crall’s Blog, Plagiary is the sincerest form of flattery :>)

• Do you sell to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)?
• Do you provide your SMB customers with Microsoft technologies and related services?
• Do you want to differentiate yourself in your marketplace?

If you answered “Yes,” have you considered joining the Microsoft Small Business Specialist Community (SBSC), a group of 6,500 trusted technology advisors focused on selling to Small Business customers. Benefits of joining include access to exclusive marketing dollars, recognition from displaying the SBSC logo, support from an Online Technical Community, and increased exposure to partners and customers through the Microsoft Partner Finder and Solution Finder.

As an SBSC Advisory Council member, let me tell you why I am part of this Community.  Proving my company not only has the technical skills necessary to serve small businesses but the understanding of how technology must be applied differently than as the one-size-fits-all mentality applied to most larger business solutions. The Small Business Specialist competency shows our customers we “get” small business.

You too can become a Small Business Specialist in just 2 easy steps, as an Action Pack Subscriber:

Currently, Microsoft is offering a 100 percent off voucher applicable to exams 70-653: TS: Windows Small Business Server 2008, Configuring and 70-654: TS: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Configuring. Alternatively, we are offering a 50 percent off exam voucher to complete the other three exams.

Call 877-254-6825 or send a message to msppexp@microsoft.com by March 15, 2010 to pick up your voucher, and an expert agent will guide you through the sign-up process.

Tarheel AITP & Triad SBS Groups Present Windows 7

Our Next Meeting is Something Different
  March 4, 2010 Different Venue, Different Time (this meeting only)
Last meeting was January 5, 2010 (due to weather in February)

Tarheel AITP & Triad SBS Groups Present Windows 7
Presenters: Yung Chou and John Baker, IT Pro Evangelists, Microsoft

In association with the Tarheel AITP Group we are putting together a morning presentation with Microsoft. Two of the best presenters I know will be delivering the Windows 7 content. The agenda is below. We were only able to book a room large enough for 75 people so this event will fill up fast and we will not be able to extend it. You will need your confirmed reservation to attend. You can sign-up now at http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=145662 . Please do not wait to sign up, I will feel terrible if I have to turn you away. There is no cost to attend this event except your time and attention!
Keep an eye on our website for updates www.tSBSg.org

Agenda
Pre-Session 7:30AM Breakfast and Registration

Welcome & Introductions 8:30AM

 Session 1 = 8:45AM Cloud Computing Overview and Direction

Session 2 = 9:15AM: What’s New and Why Windows 7
Windows 7 uplifts Enterprise IT abilities to address business needs to a new dimension with many new innovations and improved functions. This session highlights the new features and capabilities of Windows 7 by walking through Windows 7 desktop fundamentals and business scenarios using Windows 7 optimized desktops including BitLocker to Go, Windows XP Mode, Direct Access, and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

Break = 10:15am

Session 3 = 10:30AM: Windows 7 Deployment
Deploying Windows 7 is easy if you’re using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010. This session will walk you through the various tools that can help simplify your deployments. We’ll drill down in the MDT Workbench and look at how the MDT process helps you create a reference image, which can then be easily deployed to the target computers. We’ll look at how to configure the deployment environment, show how you can add operating systems, applications, drivers, and language packs using the Deployment Workbench, and then finish up by creating a task sequenced deployment to a target computer.

Closing = 11:45AM
Q&A, user group and communities information sharing, prize drawings, etc

 You can sign-up now at http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=145662

GFI WebMonitor Reviewed by Mitch Tulloch

Hi Gang,

Mitch Tulloch, one of my favorite geeks, just did an independent review of the recently released GFI WebMonitor. Take a look at his impressions of the new release HERE. He also does a nice walk through of the installation in the article, including a gotcha with Win7 and Vista clients to watch out for.

You can get a 30 day demo of GFI WebMonitor try out yourself  HERE and currently there is a   on new licenses.

A Sincere Apology from HA

I am terribly sorry and I would like to apologize to all of you who may have received 3 e-mails from me earlier this afternoon. I was attempting to let you know about a new offer that allows you to get 2% cash back on your online purchases. I did a test before sending out the big mailing to a few of my own addresses and of course it worked fine. But Murphy who never leaves my side made this simple process into a nightmare and sent out 3 copies of the message to each of you.

Please note: I did not add you to any mailing list, I just used MarketAmerica’s new “tell a friend” mailing system and imported my contact list to it. No DL’s, no yahoo or google groups, just e-mail addresses from my own contacts. I must know too many people because it went haywire. Once again let me apologize for this nuance, if you were a receipient.  I really do feel terrible and wish I could undo it!

For those of you who are fellow MarketAmerica partners, take this as a warning to you. Do not try to import a large list of names into “tell a friend” all at once, the system cannot handle it. I would not try more than a half dozen at a time, if I were you.

Thank You for Your Understanding,
HandyAndy

PS if you are wondering about the cash back progam and were one of the few who did not get bombarded by my mailing you can get details at http://www.marketamerica.com/shopmabc/index.cfm?action=services.custLanding&landingID=csmcp_maCash

Need to Pass 70-653

So you have been looking at the new requirements from MS and realize you need to take and pass 70-653. Don’t panic my friend Bea the queen of IT Training, a.k.a. Beatrice Mulzer has just finished her MCTS EXAM 70-653 Primer, Configuring Windows Small Business Server 2008. This is not only the definitive guide to passing 70-653 but it also includes over 200 practice tests on the included CD as well as a 15% discount voucher to take your test. This self-paced training kit won Remond Magazines Best of the Best Award for Best Exam Preparation Product. Do yourself a favor and hop on over to your favorite bookstore and grab a copy, or get it from Amazon HERE.

Because you can, does not mean you should

Eric Ligman does a very good job of explaining upgrade rights once again. Please remember because you can do something does not mean you should do it, or even that you are allowed to do it. Think about what you are proposing to do and don;t put your clients at risk by installing illeagal software just becasue you know how!

HA needs a hand

Hi Gang,

This is a completely backwards from my normal posts.

I am almost always offering help for some issue or pointing out some cool new tool.

So let me give this a try, please pardon the intrusion.

As you may have heard Kathy and I have started a new business venture.
One of the many facets of this new business is a web shopping portal.
I know that over the next few months many of you will be doing some of your holiday shopping online.

So our request of you is to please help us get started in this new venture by shopping through our portal.
It will allow you to do comparison shop and starting in Nov will be giving you a 2% Rewards bonus on most of what you purchase.
You will even be able to get a 0.5% Rewards bonus for qualifying purchases of people you recommended to the portal.
Going through the portal will not cost you any more than shopping directly at the stores websites,
and may even save you some money through special deals and of course you can use any coupons you may have as well.
Besides 2500+ branded products we also have 3000+ partner stores, yes even NewEgg and CafePress are partners.

Kathy and I would be very grateful if you would at least give it a try.
We would also be interested in any direct feedback from your shopping experience.
Use Info@MAbusinessCoach.com for any direct feedback.

The portal supports shopping from most countries already and does the currency conversion for you.
More countries are being added all the time, if your country is not supported yet, let me know and I will ping you when it is.

If you are curious about the many other facets of the business I would love to discuss it with you one to one.

Ping me at Info@MAbusinessCoach.com

To sign up to use the portal go to http://www.mabusinesscoach.com/index.cfm?action=main.wLogin it is a very short form.
Once you have registered you can go directly to the site at www.mabusinesscoach.com

Thank You So Much for Considering to Help Us Launch this new Venture,
HA  

2 Chances to Win a Free Pass for SMB Nation

That’s right, if you have been thinking about going to SMB Nation 2009 but needed that little something to push you over the edge here it is.

Both GFI and Calyptix have purchased Full Passes to SMB Nation’s Fall Conference and they are both holding contests to give them away.

Here is the link to the details for the GFI Contest on the Talk Tech To Me Blog, http://www.gfi.com/blog/enter-win-999-free-smb-nation-pass-oct-2nd-4th-las-vegas/

Here is the link to the details for the Calyptix contest (which also includes travel) http://www.calyptix.com/reg-smbnation2009fall-landing.php

I recommend entering both! A little quick math, this conference usually draws around 750 people, if you figure there are as many that want to go as there are that do go, that means you have a 2 in 750 chance of winning. Now I am not a satiation but that sure seems like good odds to me :>)

Good Luck I hope you win so I will get to see you there,
HA

GFI’s Where Is MAX Contest

Just got this note from my friend Dave at GFI about a new contest.

MESSAGE:

=========

Have you met MAX?

MAX is GFI’s latest recruit, providing IT support providers, Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) with an easy and affordable solution that will help them deliver a better service to their clients.

Take MAX to Your World

MAX loves meeting new clients and visiting different places and he’d love to visit your neck of the woods and beyond! By showing MAX around the first 100 participants will receive a GFI MAX T-shirt (one T-shirt per person, not per submission!) and one lucky person has the chance of winning a fantastic Sony VAIO netbook!

How to Win

■Take photos of MAX at your favourite place/landmark, or in some interesting location using the image of MAX available on http://www.gfi.com/blog/where-is-max/ which you can print out. You can also:

- draw/paint/illustrate MAX

- use MAX in graphic design

■Email your photo to us on blogs@gfi.com or upload the photo to a site. You can also add your photo link on Twitter tagging it with #gfi and addressing it to @GFISoftware.

■Comment on this blog post with a valid email address with the URL of where the picture is uploaded (if applicable).

We will then upload it to the GFI MAX Around the World gallery*.

Internal judging will take place to pick out the best GFI MAX Around the World submission that will win the grand prize – a great Sony VAIO netbook available in either brown, pink or white!**

Prizes

GFI MAX T-shirts –  guaranteed to the first 100 participants.  90 T-shirts now left for grabs!

SONY VAIO Netbook – 1 WINNER!

Where’s MAX – The Gallery

Check out the online MAX Around the World Gallery to see where MAX has been! The gallery is being updated constantly with all the submissions so see what others are up to and submit your own!

Rules and Deadline

There is no limit as to how many entries you can submit. As always you can be as creative as you like but please stick to the basic rules of decency and morality. Any offensive images will not be uploaded or considered.

The competition is going to run throughout the month of September 2009 so get snapping away for your chance to win a fantastic prize! The first 100 participants will each receive a GFI MAX T-shirt; however, all entries throughout September are eligible to win the netbook.

* We must be able to save the image from the site where you upload the photo because we will need to upload it to our gallery. By entering the competition, you give us the rights to use your images on our website.
** Color choice subject to availability.

==========

Thanks!

Dave Sanders

Director of Partner Relations

GFI Software

 Direct: +1 704 491 9541