Increase Revenue Opportunities with Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
Overview
Call to Action
Opportunity for Specific Customer Scenarios:
1. Customer has Server Virtualization
2. Customer has Desktop Virtualization
3. Customer has No Virtualization
4. Customer uses Competitive Virtualization
The Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) builds on the award-winning foundation of Windows Server 2008 and includes new key features for virtualization that can help partners generate more revenues, become a trusted advisor to their customers, and reduce operational and support costs.
According to IDC, each US$1 spent on Windows Server 2008 software drives an extra US$18 in partner revenue. Capitalize on this opportunity with Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 to sell new licenses, hardware and implementation and consulting services opportunities:
· Overcome customer resistance to server virtualization with a streamlined, lower-cost solution that maximizes server usage and increases ROI on hardware for your customers.
· Meet customer requirements with new server virtualization solutions, many which will include new server licenses, hardware, software, and specialized services.
· Desktop virtualization with VDI is now applicable to a broader set of users and customers thereby giving the partners the opportunity to sell the desktop to datacenter virtualization solutions and increase their footprint with Microsoft’s desktop virtualization solutions.
· Reduce cost of sales by cross-selling and up-selling solutions and services that integrate well with Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, such as Windows 7 with desktop virtualization, System Center for centralized server and desktop management, and Forefront for integrated security for the overall infrastructure.
· Simplify deployment since SP1 includes all past relevant hotfixes and security rollups for Windows Server 2008 (as well as Windows 7). The opportunity to move your customers’ workloads from older power hungry, non-virtualized environments to a cost effective, secure and well managed datacenter infrastructure on Windows Server 2008 SP1 has never been greater, and provides a significant opportunity to sell new server licenses, hardware and services.
Overview of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 New Features:
· Hyper-V Dynamic Memory - Dynamic Memory (DM) allows IT to dynamically adjust memory usage depending on server demand (meaning IT can allocate a range of memory to each VM), giving more flexibility, greater VM density on physical servers & reducing the cost of host hardware.
· VDI with RemoteFX - RemoteFX leverages the power of virtualized graphics resources and advanced codecs to enable a rich, local-like desktop environment including support for 3D applications, portable graphics content such as Silverlight and Flash, and Windows Aero.
· Single set of SP1 updates for Windows Server and Windows 7 – SP1 delivers all previously released updates prior to Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1 in one single package, simplifying administration by enabling IT administrators to test, deploy and support a single service pack for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
Resources and Call to Action
• Profile customers into virtualization, no-virtualization, and competitive categories – see below for more details.
• Prepare and deliver a sales pitch tailored to your customer using this information, to start the SP1 conversation and explore opportunities.
• Review additional information: Windows Server 2008 R2 Website, TechNet Virtualization Blog, Windows Server 2008 R2 Partner Portal.
Upgrade Your Customers to WindowsServer2008 R2 SP1 to Create New Sales and Services Opportunities
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 builds on the award-winning foundation of Windows Server 2008, especially related to virtualization, which can help drive new opportunities with customers that have only leveraged Microsoft server or desktop virtualization, deployed a competitive product, or have not yet made the virtualization leap.
1. Your customer has deployed Server Virtualization
For customers that already have server virtualization, SP1 provides an opportunity to implement the most manageable, secure and cost effective “desktop virtualization” solution.
· Demonstrate to customers that now is the time to expand to desktop virtualization with AppV, Terminal Services and VDI. With Remote FX, customers can deliver full-fidelity virtual desktops to their users, even for high-end graphic applications thereby making Microsoft VDI solutions applicable to broader set of users within an organization.
· Sell or expand new desktop (and server) virtualization solutions that provide greater application and VM density on a single unit with Dynamic Memory.
· Budgets are tighter than ever before. Many customers plan to reduce or maintain current budget cycles. With DM and Remote FX, customers can avoid some infrastructure purchases–either by purchasing fewer servers than expected for a server virtualization solution or by re-using older desktops in a VDI deployment.
2. Your customer has deployed Desktop Virtualization
For customers that already have some kind of desktop virtualization, SP1 provides an opportunity to fully virtualize desktops and expand to server virtualization.
· Sell and implement VDI for user groups needing graphic or rich content applications – RemoteFX delivers full-fidelity virtualization even for high-end graphical uses, allowing customers to fully deploy VDI to all users, improving management and reducing costs.
· Demonstrate to customers now is the time to expand to server virtualization and reduce infrastructure costs based on the award-winning Windows Server 2008 platform, expanded and improved in R2 and SP1. With Hyper-V and DM, customers can deliver virtualized applications without deploying as many server units as expected.
· For customers with “green” initiatives, a smaller footprint will be even more valuable with a reduced server footprint, re-using older desktops in a VDI deployment, and/or centralized management for a broader set of VDI users.
3. Your customer has not taken advantage of Virtualization – yet!
For customers that have waited on or avoided virtualization, Windows Server 2008 is expanded and improved in R2 and SP1, and provides partners an opportunity to demonstrate that now is the time. With full-fidelity VDI and greater VM density possible in SP1 on top of all the management and virtualization improvements in Windows Server 2008 and R2, now is the time to help customers “sitting on the fence” make the jump to virtualization as well as demonstrate the value of upgrading from Windows Server 2000 and 2003.
· With Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, customers can deploy cost-effective end to end virtualization solutions that extend from the desktop to the datacenter.
· With Remote FX, customers can deliver full-fidelity VDI to users, even for higher-end graphics or rich content.
· With DM and Remote FX, customers can save costs by purchasing fewer servers than expected for a server virtualization solution, re-usie older desktops in a VDI deployment, or reduce management effort with full VDI (instead of having to separately manage a special set of high-end, non VDI desktops).
4. Your customer has deployed a competitive Virtualization Solution
For customers that already have server virtualization with another provider, SP1 provides an opportunity to demonstrate the reliability and cost-effectiveness of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, as well as the ability to build solutions and sell and implement desktop virtualization solutions with AppV, VDI, and Terminal Services. According to a recent Gartner Symposium Itxpo 2009 Survey, 40% of customers are looking to move to a mixed environment consisting of VMware and Microsoft in the coming months. So even if your customer is on VMware, their next purchase and/or workload could be on HyperV.
· Identify a new virtualization solution workload to pitch as an SP1 pilot to help customers gain first-hand experience with SP1 and features such as RemoteFX or DM, as well as the integration, management, and reliability features already available with Windows Server 2008 R2. Demonstrate how Desktop and Server Virtualization with SP1 are easy to manage (integrated with other Windows Server management solutions such as System Center), are reliable, and helps reduce costs.
· Show customers they can save money migrating to Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. Demonstrate how DM and Remote FX customers can avoid some infrastructure purchases – either by purchasing fewer servers than expected, re-using older desktops in a VDI deployment, reducing IT management costs, or simply lowering license costs for Microsoft Virtualization solutions versus alternatives like VMware.
· Partner with Citrix (or other 3rd party solution providers) to enhance your chances to win against incumbent Virtualization vendors. Microsoft’s joint VDI offering with Citrix provides customers with best of breed technology at a very cost effective price point.