PRESS RELEASE

SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference to Hold Launch Party: Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008.

MarketPlace Expo SOLD OUT!

Seattle, WA – August 22, 2008 - Boasting a completely sold out tradeshow hall and host hotel, SMB Nation 2008 will hold a Small Business Server 2008 (SBS) and Essential Business Server (EBS) LAUNCH PARTY on the Saturday night of its October 4-6, 2008 annual conference in Seattle. A 58’ Hatteras yacht will be christened the M.V. SBS 2008 on the pier at the party.

“With the SBS 2008 release-to-manufacturing (RTM) yesterday, we are thrilled to be timed perfectly for the SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 products debut and look forward to toasting its great success,” said Harry Brelsford, founder and CEO of the 20,000 member SMB Nation. “Our conference is uniquely positioned to motivate and educate the small and medium business (SMB) technology consultant, channel partner and computer guy and gal!”

SMB Nation 2008 appears to be outperforming similar technology events with the complete sellout of the MarketPlace Expo tradeshow hall and with attendance figures ahead of last year. “We believe the 600+ attendees will be treated to a unique educational experience and BE THERE for the start for the next generation of SBS and the first release of EBS!” Brelsford added. Over three busy days and nights, attendees will select from three (3) academic tracks including BusinessSpeak, GeekSpeak and “How To” that provide bona fide content without “being sold to.” SMB Nation 2008 has even added a “Speakers Behaving Badly” hotline where attendees can report any speaker from the 40+ content sessions that make commercial statements to insure the most pure attendee experience possible. “We want to avoid the wolf in sheep clothing phenomena,” emphasized Brelsford.

Sponsors and attendees will meet in the spacious Bell Harbor Conference Center. “At a time when similar technology shows are behind plan, we are ahead of plan” said Brelsford. “We believe this underscores the strength of the SMB segment and the optimism our sponsors have about the SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 opportunity.” Intel and Trend Micro are the platinum sponsors leading the event followed by HP and Microsoft. Gold sponsors include Autotask, CMIT  Solutions, Aastra, SonicWall and Labtech. Silver sponsors include D&H, The Planet, Connectwise, Citrix, N-able, Reflexion, Tigerpaw Software, Nero, 19Marketplace, Symantec, StorageCraft, Acronis, Calyptix, MaxSP, Doyenz, EMC Retrospect, Quanta\Syspine, Zenith Infotech, Linked In, Backup Assist,  CRU DataPort and WatchGuard. Bronze sponsors include Netgear, Untangle, CTL Computers, Level Platforms (LPI), MSP Partners, Linksys by Cisco, Comcast, Diskeeper, Expetec, New Global Telecom (NGT), Pronto Marketing, eFolder, CoreConnex, Highly Reliable Systems, SMB Books & Results Software, Technology Marketing Toolkit, Napera Networks, Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA) and Integrated mar.com. 

Attendees can expect a high-quality conference with content that has been rigorously scrutinized by esteemed industry conference chairs (Dana Epp, Mikael Nystrom, Curt Hicks and Joe Moore). That has resulted in outstanding speaker selections such as Jeff Middleton, Susan Bradley, Ramon Ray and Amy Babinchak and popular topics such as How to Sell Your SBS\SMB Consulting Practice and Security in SBS 2008.

“So the last question is this. Where will you be October 4-6, 2008?” concluded Brelsford. Attendees can learn more and register at www.smbnation.com.

About SMB Nation

Founded ten years ago by Small Business Server author Harry Brelsford, Bainbridge Island, Washington-based SMB Nation supports small and medium business technology consultants to improve their business and technical skills with publications (books, SMB PC magazine) and events (SMB Nation conferences and workshops). SMB Nation boasts worldwide tribal membership in 30+ countries exceeding 20,000 consultants, resellers, VARs\VAPs and channel partners. Harry Brelsford is a Microsoft Small Business Specialist (SBSC) and holds an MBA from the University of Denver in addition to MCSE, MCT, MCP, CNE, CLSE and CNP certifications.

 Contact:
Harry Brelsford
CEO, SMB Nation
206-915-3072
harryb@smbnation.com
Harry Brelsford | CEO | SMB Nation, Inc. | www.smbnation.com

Please attend our SMB Nation 2008 fall conference, October 4-6, 2008
Read Harry’s SMB Dude Blog here
Download your copy of SMB PC magazine here

Here is a note from Eric’s Blog that may explain your temporary problems.

Over the years, the various components of the Microsoft SMB Channel Community have continued to grow and expand to better address the needs and requests of those in the Community. These components I am referring to are our MSSMALLBIZ.com WebSite, our User Group, and our Blog.

A few weeks ago I saw a post on Eric Ligman’s Blog and I followed the directions to enter for a chance to win 50 Mid Market Brochures. Well today the box arrived and I just wanted to say thankx to Eric and let him know they will go to good use. I will be handing them out at the next Triad SBS Group meeting.

These brochures are chalk full of talking points. They will make great conversation starters on your sales calls.

Keep an eye on Eric’s Blog you never know what goodies you are liable to bump into accidently :>)

A lot of folks seem to think these two terms are interchangeable, they are not. They mean two very different things. Hop on over to The Offical SBS Blog for some clarification.

Yes two birds with one stone (or mouse anyways).

Hop on over to the Essential Business Server Blog and find out how to take the 071-654 – Windows Essential Business Server 2008 test for free. You get a free test, they get to exercise the beta of the exam. Sounds like a win win to me. I took it yesterday, it doesn’t hurt, I should be out of the mental ward and fully recovered in a couple of weeks :>)

You never know what kind of added bonus you might get for helping out. Personally I ran into Gregg Burgess the gereral manager of the New Horizon Computer Learning Center where I took the test and worked out for them to Host the meeting for the Triad SBS Group starting next year.

you may recall the “Microsoft Small Business Solutions Brochure – Exclusive offer for Eric’s Blog readers”post back in February where Eric offered 50 free copies of the Microsoft Small Business Solutions Brochure to the first 50 people who requested them through the Blog. Well, he has just released the brand new Microsoft Midsize Business Solutions Brochure and he is going to do it again for the readers of his Blog!
Hop on over to Eric’s Blog before it is too late.

Harry Brelsford | CEO | SMB Nation, Inc. | www.smbnation.com

Please attend our SMB Nation 2008 fall conference, October 4-6, 2008

Read Harry’s SMB Dude Blog here

Download your copy of SMB PC magazine here

Mark Crall one of the Microsoft PAL’s has put up a survey to collect your input about subscription income.

He will be sitting in a meeting in Redmond next week and since he represents us out here in the channel, he would like some input from you about what to represent. Yes when I took it, it felt as if it was designed to get me to agree with the announcements made at WWPC, but you don’t have to answer every question (some don’t have a good choice) and the last one is an open box where you can make you opinion heard.

So please, at least take a look at the questions and answer the ones that don’t bother you, otherwise you have no right to critique the process you didn’t bother to participate in.

Well wonder no more, Eric Posted the Offical Date to His Blog direct from the announcement at WWPC. Hop over there and read the official announcement.

So you have about 4 months to get up to speed on the new technology. Have you been to www.multiplyyourpower.com and downloaded the public preview yet? Can I ask what are you waiting for? Microsoft is going to be making the biggest push towards the mass market SBS has ever seen, and that means lots of dead bodies (pronounced potential clients), but if only if you know and understand the new technology and can be more of a help than a hindrance.

Your still here? I would have thought for sure by now you would have hopped on over to find out the date, don’t you have any curiosity left?

Hi Gang,

This morning Microsoft made some more information public, this is important please read it, I have included the highlights below, the entire press release is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/serversolutions

REDMOND, Wash. — May 13, 2008 — Customers and Microsoft Corp. partners can now visit http://www.MultiplyYourPower.com to find out how to evaluate pre-release versions of Windows Essential Server Solutions for small and midsize companies: Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. Microsoft also today announced pricing for both solutions.Solutions Designed and Priced for Small and Midsize BusinessesSlated for general availability later this year, Windows Essential Server Solutions are much easier for small and midsize companies to implement and manage than separate products. In response to customer and partner feedback, Windows Essential Server Solutions provide flexible pricing and licensing that offer substantial cost savings over purchasing individual products like those included in the solutions. Examples of licensing improvements over the current Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 product include these:·         Customers will be able to purchase single client access licenses (CALs), so they will pay only for the exact number of employees using the product. ·         Customers can cost-effectively purchase a mix of Standard or Premium CALs, as appropriate to the technologies that individual employees are using.·         CALs now apply to other copies of Windows Server, SQL Server or Exchange Server on the network, eliminating the need to purchase additional CALs.Also, Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition includes additional Windows Server 2008 Standard technologies with SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition for Small Business, making it an ideal platform for critical business applications. Windows Essential Server Solutions pricing* is as follows:·         Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition software, including five CALs, $1,089 (U.S.); additional CALs $77 each (U.S.)·         Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition software, including five CALs, $1,899 (U.S.); additional CALs $189 each (U.S.)·         Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Standard Edition software, including five CALs, $5,472 (U.S.); additional CALs $81 each (U.S.)·         Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Premium Edition software, including five CALs, $7,163 (U.S.); additional CALs $195 each (U.S.)

Microsoft also today announced rebates of up to $200 (U.S.) for solution provider partners configuring Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 for their clients who acquire the software and purchase Software Assurance within a certain time period. With Software Assurance, customers will receive the upgrade to Small Business Server 2008 at no additional cost when it is available, as well as access to support, tools and training. Terms and conditions of the rebates are available at http://www.SBSrebate.com.