Posted by Grant Foraker on May 16, 2008 at 13:59:06:
Attended the big Server 2008 launch on 05/13 here in San Diego. I went to the TechNet hosted session in the AM and the Partner session in PM.
1) Virtualization in many forms will be BIG.
2) SQL 2008 is delayed and there's not an exact release date.
3) Vista is selling well and SP1 has remediated most of the problems that MS can fix. Video and Printer driver from major companies still lag. They'd rather you bought a new PC and/or printer.
4) Small Business Server will be out around October. Basic version now includes Forefront (MS security product). Premium version comes with second Server 2008 license and full version of SQL 2008. ISA has been dropped. Changes in Exchange 2007 has made ISA on the same box impossible. There may be a way to keep ISA from SBS 2003 Premium.
5) Taking the SBS idea and pushing it up a notch, MS has announced "System Essentials" to cover the 50-500 user market.
Free stuff.
1) Cooler bag with simple breakfast and lunch.
2) Software bundle
2a) Vista Ultimate SP1
2b) Forefront 3-month eval
2c) Mobile 6 Developer Resource Kit
2d) Server 2008 - 1 year eval
2e) Visual Studio 2008
2f) SQL 2008 CTP with coupon for RTM when available
I'm going to keep Vista and Visual Studio. I'm willing to mail any of the other stuff to anybody's whose interested.
Each file can be a maximum of 1MB in length Uploaded files will be purged from the server on a regular basis.