Microsoft harps on efficiency

Following the local launch of Windows 7 in Malta and around the world in October, Microsoft officially presented its set of software to support local business at a recent seminar. This is made up of Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Exchange 2010.

"The new efficiency" is the slogan used by the software giant to promote its products that take into consideration the international economic situation and are therefore promoted as a tool for businesses to cut costs and be more efficient.

It is "cost savings, innovation and productivity come together through IT to deliver operational improvements while amplifying the impact of your people," according to Microsoft.

"Every Windows launch is an important milestone for Microsoft," said Pierre Mallia, Microsoft country manager for Malta. "More than just being one of the world's best known products and most successful brands, Windows is the essential foundation which one trusts to run their own business's ICT infrastructure. Windows 7 delivers on a simple premise: make it easier for people to do the things they want on a PC."

Key Microsoft personnel explained to the participants of the very well-attended seminar how they can improve their IT infrastructure to reduce operational costs and improve their efficiency.

Michael Hartmann, general manager for central and Eastern Europe multi-country headquarters at Microsoft, was the keynote speaker for the event. Other key speakers included Ronny Bjones, security architect for Microsoft corporate, who explained the importance of security and how Microsoft offers trustworthy computing; Bryan Bredehoeft, product solutions manager for Microsoft collaboration business in central and Eastern Europe, who shared expertise to demonstrate and explain the new innovative features of Exchange 2010; and Alan Attard, enterprise architect at the Malta Information Technology Agency.

In Exchange 2010 Outlook is available as a rich client, a web application, a mobile application and even over a standard voice telephone line. It gives users a great way to access and manage their information from a vast array of communications devices. Exchange Server's Universal Inbox means that all the different forms of communications are available in one place to access, store, share, and archive so you can stop looking for your information and start getting things done.

Theo Theodosiou, account technology specialist for Microsoft Cyprus and Tony Kjiren, business productivity technical specialist for Microsoft Netherlands, hosted breakout sessions on infrastructure optimisation, during which they explained how businesses can improve IT infrastructure through the utilisation of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 and the use of virtualisation.

Virtualisation improves resource utilisation because you can consolidate servers, since hardware is usually underutilised. There are cost savings in terms of power cooling and maintenance. It is simpler to deploy and you can provide applications, servers and services much faster, from days to hours. Microsoft believes virtualisation is a skill and not a specialty, something that everyone can learn and that it is something you can extend to the rest of IT.

Microsoft said its partners had a closer, more involved role in the product vision and planning process with Windows 7. The collaborative approach to engaging partners to inform development efforts has resulted in improved performance for PCs as well as compatibility with a broad range of software and hardware across the Windows ecosystem. More than 16,000 software and hardware companies are building solutions on Windows 7 and over 44,000 developers are enrolled in the Windows Ecosystem Readiness Programme. Together, these partners are developing hardware, software and services capable of reaching more than a billion PCs around the world.