WAVE OF NEW MICROSOFT ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS BRING BIG BENEFITS TO IT PROFESSIONALS AND DEVELOPERS
Microsoft Malaysia Celebrates IT Heroes and Introduces Next Generation Enterprise Solutions - Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008 - for improved security, Web, Virtualization and better business intelligence
Yasmin Mahmood, Managing Director, Microsoft Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur, April 8, 2008 - Hot on the heels of the worldwide release, Microsoft Malaysia today showcased the next generation of infrastructure and application platform products, including Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008, in what is the largest enterprise launch in the company's history.
Joined by more than 4000 customers and partners, the launch represents a major milestone to help customers on the road to Dynamic IT, Microsoft’s initiative to help customers optimize their people, processes and technology, and in turn position IT as a strategic asset for their business. These new enterprise products help customers more efficiently and securely manage their entire infrastructure and move to a virtualized environment while also delivering business intelligence and next-generation Web experiences to boost business results. The theme of the events, “Heroes Happen Here,” highlights the outstanding work that IT professionals, developers and partners do every day to create solutions and cutting-edge applications that keep global commerce and industry running.
“IT professionals and developers have told us they spend more time and resources managing existing systems instead of investing in new capabilities that create synergistic and strategic advantage,” Andrew Pickup, Chief Marketing Officer, Microsoft Asia Pacific said in his Dynamic IT presentation. "That feedback is the core of which this new wave of products is built upon - to help provide the foundation to create dynamic infrastructure and applications that will help companies adjust more easily to an enterprise's changing people, processes and technology needs."
Microsoft Malaysia's Managing Director, Yasmin Mahmood, continues "Already we've received an overwhelming response from thousands of IT professionals and developers around the world, citing that this is the most secure enterprise platform we have ever delivered, and that it will simplify management and enable them to focus more on driving their businesses forward.”
Microsoft Malaysia Celebrates IT Heroes and Introduces Next Generation Enterprise Solutions for improved security, Web, Virtualization and better business intelligence. (from L-R): Ramesh Rajandran, Product Marketing Solutions Manager, Infrastructure Servers, Microsoft Malaysia, Chin Vin Sen, Director, Cinema Online, Derrik Khoo Sin Huat, Chief Innovation Officer, Genting Bhd, Ng Wai Mun, Director, Server Business Group, Business Marketing Organization, Microsoft Malaysia, Yasmin Mahmood, Managing Director, Microsoft Malaysia, Ratnam Subramaniam, Group IT Manager (CIO), CARSEM Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
Big Benefits for Early Adopters
Researchers at consulting agency Capgemini looked at companies and institutions in the financial services, education, retail and high-technology industries using Windows Server 2008 in a mix of geographic regions. They found that the new operating system quickly adds value to IT operations through enhancements to management, security and reliability. On average, deployment duration was reduced by up to 60 percent and IT reduced costs by up to $124,000 per year. Cost reductions resulted from a wide range of areas, including the recovery of five IT staff hours per server and 91 percent less downtime. A white paper detailing usage scenarios and providing more data on the impact of deploying Windows Server 2008 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/product-information.aspx.
Already IT professionals and developers around the world and in Malaysia are using Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and test versions of SQL Server 2008 to implement more secure platforms and Web applications while reducing costs and speeding development.
The early adopter program in Malaysia saw the involvement from a strong line-up of medium to large enteprises, which included the following customers: ING Berhad, Western Digital, MISC Berhad, CARSEM (M) Sdn. Bhd, Exact Software, F&N Coca Cola, Cinema Online & Lintramax. Running for a duration of 8 months, the early adopter program received extensive customer feedback on the beta testing and effectiveness of Microsoft's products and also saw independent software vendors (ISVs) like Lintramax and Exact Software embracing the new operating system and development platform.
With the introduction of Windows Server 2008, leading Malaysian maritime and logistics provider MISC Berhad has seen improvements in employee productivity and remote application connectivity. "Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services gives our employees a seamless user experience by leveraging on our existing hardware and software investments. This in return is a great way for us to optimize our core infrastructure platform,” Hood Abu Bakar, CIO, MISC Berhad.
The performance gains will allow MISC Berhad to run a more efficient and effective service, allowing them to transfer the benefits of this next-generation platform to their customers in terms of speed and performance for on-time optimum delivery and quality of its services.
CARSEM, leading provider of turnkey packaging and test services to the semiconductor industry and member of one of South East Asia's most successful corporations, the Hong Leong Group, is incorporating the new Windows Server 2008 into its IT infrastructure system. In its testing, CARSEM also discovered the new solution enabled them to achieve greater reliability, performance and control over their IT infrastructure in addition to increasing the speed of deployments and simplifying management.
“The Windows Server 2008 early adopter program provided us with hands-on experience for the staff and prepared us for deployment of Windows Server 2008 at CARSEM. The live tests done with Windows Server 2008 gave our management the confidence that Windows Server 2008 Release Candidate 1 is a complete working product that can be deployed immediately,” Ratnam Subramaniam, Group IT Manager (CIO), CARSEM Malaysia.
At e-Genting Sdn Bhd, the e-commerce and IT operations arm of one of Asia's best-managed multinationals and leading Malaysian company, the Genting Group, the combination of Windows Server 2008 and Virtualization capabilities enabled e-Genting to optimize their IT infrastructure to support Genting Group's business objectives. "Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V has helped us better optimize our server resources thru virtualization of multiple operating systems while helping us reduce licensing costs, " said Thomas Ng, Vice-President, e-Genting.
e-Genting now operates significantly faster across all its IT support teams, reducing operating system deployment time significantly by more than three times, managing it under 18 minutes from the previous length of an hour - amounting to improved server utilization and resource management for the company.
These companies are just a sampling of customers that participated in early feedback programs or as beta testers during product development and have decided to deploy the product line-up. (Please see attached document in press kit for full list of customer and partner testimonials.)
The performance improvements and enterprise-class features of SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 have resulted in record-breaking results. Today Microsoft disclosed new world-record performance results on TPC-E and SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) Standard Application 3-tier benchmarks running on four-socket industry-standard blade servers.** Microsoft also published breakthrough performance benchmarks for several customer scenarios, including leading results on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Siemens Teamcenter and Camstar Manufacturing Execution Systems.
Microsoft also announced that Microsoft Windows Server 2008 with .NET Framework 3.5 delivers faster throughput than IBM WebSphere 6.1 on Red Hat Linux as shown through two new benchmark tests measuring scalability and performance in mission-critical enterprise scenarios. The sample application shows 117 percent better throughput of Windows Server using the IBM-designed Trade 6.1 benchmark; and Sun Microsystems’ WSTest Web services benchmark demonstrates 94 percent better throughput on Windows Server when processing Web Service requests. More information on the results is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/HHHlaunch/docs/BenchmarkFS.doc.
Partners See Opportunity and Announce Support for Windows Server 2008
Microsoft has worked with more than 1,000 industry partners to help plan, build, test and deploy leading-edge solutions by providing early access to code, training and testing, and certification support.
Demonstrating support for the new products, customers and partners in Malaysia are making announcements today and participating in the Heroes Happen Here launch event, including industry partners HP, Intel Corporation, Sun Microsystems and Symantec, amongst many.
"Enterprises can now reap the twin benefits of running Windows Server 2008 on the latest quad core Intel Xeon processors and dual core Intel Itanium processors platforms,” says Ryaz Patel, Intel Country Manager in Malaysia. “The performance headroom and innovative technologies of Intel Xeon processor-based servers will enhance the power of Windows Server 2008 for Web, virtualization and enterprise solutions, while on dual core Itanium platforms, it offers highly reliable systems to drive the most compute-intensive and mission critical business analytics and enterprise applications. Together, Windows Server 2008 and Intel-based server processors enable businesses to grow their computing solutions more efficiently while helping to keep data centers cool with improved agility and TCO."
Following suit, the next-generation enterprise product line-up also enhances the HP-Microsoft partnership in providing customers with the best in IT services. "As proof of how HP is well-equipped to tackle diverse customer challenges with our industry-leading range of products and services, all our ProLiant servers including existing and future releases are and will be Microsoft Windows Server 2008-ready. This is another measure of how HP is committed to its longstanding partnership with Microsoft, an alliance which has lasted over 20 years," said Vincent Lee, Country Business Manager, Industry Standard Servers, Technology Solutions Group, Hewlett-Packard (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
"In fact, HP Malaysia services team have in fact deployed HP solutions that include Microsoft Windows Server 2008 even before its official launch date. Together with Microsoft, we are also rolling out marketing initiatives and customer education programs," he said.
Highlighting the opportunity for industry partners, a 2007 IDC study predicts that for every RM1 Microsoft earns in revenue in Malaysia, the ecosystem beyond Microsoft — software and hardware vendors that support or incorporate the products — will reap about RM15 in revenue, a number that is expected to increase in 2008 with the availability of Windows Server 2008.
Celebrating Malaysian IT Heroes
In conjunction with its thematic launch, Heroes Happen Here also concluded its search contest for Malaysian IT Heroes (http://www.microsoft.com/malaysia/heroes/contest.mspx), naming Paul Tham, Kang Chian Gim, Goh Siang Hwee, Low Weng Seng IT Superheroes for their innovative spirit and contribution as developers and IT professionals in their respective workplaces.
Researchers at consulting agency Capgemini looked at companies and institutions in the financial services, education, retail and high-technology industries using Windows Server 2008 in a mix of geographic regions. They found that the new operating system quickly adds value to IT operations through enhancements to management, security and reliability. On average, deployment duration was reduced by up to 60 percent and IT reduced costs by up to $124,000 per year. Cost reductions resulted from a wide range of areas, including the recovery of five IT staff hours per server and 91 percent less downtime. A white paper detailing usage scenarios and providing more data on the impact of deploying Windows Server 2008 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/product-information.aspx.
Already IT professionals and developers around the world and in Malaysia are using Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and test versions of SQL Server 2008 to implement more secure platforms and Web applications while reducing costs and speeding development.
The early adopter program in Malaysia saw the involvement from a strong line-up of medium to large enteprises, which included the following customers: ING Berhad, Western Digital, MISC Berhad, CARSEM (M) Sdn. Bhd, Exact Software, F&N Coca Cola, Cinema Online & Lintramax. Running for a duration of 8 months, the early adopter program received extensive customer feedback on the beta testing and effectiveness of Microsoft's products and also saw independent software vendors (ISVs) like Lintramax and Exact Software embracing the new operating system and development platform.
With the introduction of Windows Server 2008, leading Malaysian maritime and logistics provider MISC Berhad has seen improvements in employee productivity and remote application connectivity. "Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services gives our employees a seamless user experience by leveraging on our existing hardware and software investments. This in return is a great way for us to optimize our core infrastructure platform,” Hood Abu Bakar, CIO, MISC Berhad.
The performance gains will allow MISC Berhad to run a more efficient and effective service, allowing them to transfer the benefits of this next-generation platform to their customers in terms of speed and performance for on-time optimum delivery and quality of its services.
CARSEM, leading provider of turnkey packaging and test services to the semiconductor industry and member of one of South East Asia's most successful corporations, the Hong Leong Group, is incorporating the new Windows Server 2008 into its IT infrastructure system. In its testing, CARSEM also discovered the new solution enabled them to achieve greater reliability, performance and control over their IT infrastructure in addition to increasing the speed of deployments and simplifying management.
“The Windows Server 2008 early adopter program provided us with hands-on experience for the staff and prepared us for deployment of Windows Server 2008 at CARSEM. The live tests done with Windows Server 2008 gave our management the confidence that Windows Server 2008 Release Candidate 1 is a complete working product that can be deployed immediately,” Ratnam Subramaniam, Group IT Manager (CIO), CARSEM Malaysia.
At e-Genting Sdn Bhd, the e-commerce and IT operations arm of one of Asia's best-managed multinationals and leading Malaysian company, the Genting Group, the combination of Windows Server 2008 and Virtualization capabilities enabled e-Genting to optimize their IT infrastructure to support Genting Group's business objectives. "Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V has helped us better optimize our server resources thru virtualization of multiple operating systems while helping us reduce licensing costs, " said Thomas Ng, Vice-President, e-Genting.
e-Genting now operates significantly faster across all its IT support teams, reducing operating system deployment time significantly by more than three times, managing it under 18 minutes from the previous length of an hour - amounting to improved server utilization and resource management for the company.
These companies are just a sampling of customers that participated in early feedback programs or as beta testers during product development and have decided to deploy the product line-up. (Please see attached document in press kit for full list of customer and partner testimonials.)
The performance improvements and enterprise-class features of SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 have resulted in record-breaking results. Today Microsoft disclosed new world-record performance results on TPC-E and SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) Standard Application 3-tier benchmarks running on four-socket industry-standard blade servers.** Microsoft also published breakthrough performance benchmarks for several customer scenarios, including leading results on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Siemens Teamcenter and Camstar Manufacturing Execution Systems.
Microsoft also announced that Microsoft Windows Server 2008 with .NET Framework 3.5 delivers faster throughput than IBM WebSphere 6.1 on Red Hat Linux as shown through two new benchmark tests measuring scalability and performance in mission-critical enterprise scenarios. The sample application shows 117 percent better throughput of Windows Server using the IBM-designed Trade 6.1 benchmark; and Sun Microsystems’ WSTest Web services benchmark demonstrates 94 percent better throughput on Windows Server when processing Web Service requests. More information on the results is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/HHHlaunch/docs/BenchmarkFS.doc.
Partners See Opportunity and Announce Support for Windows Server 2008
Microsoft has worked with more than 1,000 industry partners to help plan, build, test and deploy leading-edge solutions by providing early access to code, training and testing, and certification support.
Demonstrating support for the new products, customers and partners in Malaysia are making announcements today and participating in the Heroes Happen Here launch event, including industry partners HP, Intel Corporation, Sun Microsystems and Symantec, amongst many.
"Enterprises can now reap the twin benefits of running Windows Server 2008 on the latest quad core Intel Xeon processors and dual core Intel Itanium processors platforms,” says Ryaz Patel, Intel Country Manager in Malaysia. “The performance headroom and innovative technologies of Intel Xeon processor-based servers will enhance the power of Windows Server 2008 for Web, virtualization and enterprise solutions, while on dual core Itanium platforms, it offers highly reliable systems to drive the most compute-intensive and mission critical business analytics and enterprise applications. Together, Windows Server 2008 and Intel-based server processors enable businesses to grow their computing solutions more efficiently while helping to keep data centers cool with improved agility and TCO."
Following suit, the next-generation enterprise product line-up also enhances the HP-Microsoft partnership in providing customers with the best in IT services. "As proof of how HP is well-equipped to tackle diverse customer challenges with our industry-leading range of products and services, all our ProLiant servers including existing and future releases are and will be Microsoft Windows Server 2008-ready. This is another measure of how HP is committed to its longstanding partnership with Microsoft, an alliance which has lasted over 20 years," said Vincent Lee, Country Business Manager, Industry Standard Servers, Technology Solutions Group, Hewlett-Packard (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
"In fact, HP Malaysia services team have in fact deployed HP solutions that include Microsoft Windows Server 2008 even before its official launch date. Together with Microsoft, we are also rolling out marketing initiatives and customer education programs," he said.
Highlighting the opportunity for industry partners, a 2007 IDC study predicts that for every RM1 Microsoft earns in revenue in Malaysia, the ecosystem beyond Microsoft — software and hardware vendors that support or incorporate the products — will reap about RM15 in revenue, a number that is expected to increase in 2008 with the availability of Windows Server 2008.
Celebrating Malaysian IT Heroes
In conjunction with its thematic launch, Heroes Happen Here also concluded its search contest for Malaysian IT Heroes (http://www.microsoft.com/malaysia/heroes/contest.mspx), naming Paul Tham, Kang Chian Gim, Goh Siang Hwee, Low Weng Seng IT Superheroes for their innovative spirit and contribution as developers and IT professionals in their respective workplaces.
Speaking during the keynote, Yasmin said, "At the core of our industry are software developers, partners and IT professionals, who never stop building new products and making existing ones better - building new solutions and getting them deployed - day in, day out. And today, we want to celebrate these heroes who work behind the scenes tirelessly to bring their companies better enterprise solutions, enhanced security and optimized performances - basically adding cutting-edge and next-generation values to the organizations they work for.
"This new wave of products is dedicated in part to these IT heroes. We're providing them the best technology resources to help them do what they do better, faster and more effective. Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 will provide fresh thinking which will help IT professionals create dynamic systems that have seamless access to the information and the computing capabilities that users need, when they need them, on their desired device or form factor."
Winners of the Malaysian IT Heroes contest will each walk away with a copy of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition FPP, Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition FPP and a Tech.Ed SEA 2008 conference ticket respectively.
Product Availability and Information
Windows Server 2008, including a beta version of the Hyper-V virtualization technology, and Visual Studio 2008 are available today. The feature-complete, February community technology preview of SQL Server 2008 is also available, with general availability expected in the third quarter of 2008.
Later this year Microsoft will release the Windows Essential Server Solutions family of products for small and midsize companies built on Windows Server 2008 and the newest Microsoft server technologies and services: Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. Windows HPC Server 2008, the successor to Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003, is on track for availability in the second half of 2008 and is designed to increase productivity, scalability and manageability for high-performance computing scenarios. In addition, Windows Storage Server 2008, the next-generation storage solution based on Windows Server 2008, will be available by the end of the year.
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