RTM/RTWeb NEWS - Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Now Available!

 

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 releases are just around the corner.  Are you thinking about deploying these new operating systems? 

Get a head start with Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 to help you determine readiness of your machines and accelerate the deployment planning process. Over 690,000 Microsoft customers and partners including Costco Wholesale Corporation, Continental Airlines, and Banque de Luxembourg have already downloaded and/or used this toolkit to date.

Today at the Worldwide Partner Conference 2009, we are announcing the public RTM and RTWeb release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 .

Introducing Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 is an integrated planning toolkit that makes it easier for Microsoft customers and partners to quickly identify what servers, workstations, and network devices are in their IT environment. This agentless and scalable toolkit has the ability to discover all computers within Active Directory and workgroup environments. It performs key functions that include hardware and device inventory, hardware compatibility analysis, and generation of actionable, environment-specific IT proposals for migration to most major Microsoft technologies.

What’s New with v4.0?

Version 4.0 of this toolkit has the following new features:

  • Windows 7 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
  • Virtualization Candidates Assessment for Hyper-V R2 Server Consolidation
  • Integration with the Microsoft Integrated Virtualization ROI Calculator
  • Inventory of VMware Server Hosts and Guests
  • User Interface and Proposal Customization for Partner co-branding
  • Enhanced Usability and Improved Inventory Performance

Additional Features

  • Virtualization Candidates Assessment for Hyper-V Server Consolidation
  • Windows Vista Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
  • Windows Server 2008 Hardware and Device Compatibility Assessment
  • 2007 Microsoft Office Readiness Assessment
  • SQL Server Instance Discovery
  • Desktop Security Assessment for Anti-virus and Anti-malware Programs Installation
  • Forefront Client Security/NAP Readiness Assessment
  • App-V Infrastructure Readiness Assessment
  • Power Savings “Green IT” Calculator

Benefits to Customers and Partners

Saves Planning or Pre-Sales Time. For most IT consultants and Microsoft Partners, a detailed network inventory and assessment of servers and desktops often takes days of manual labor. With Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit, you can now conduct an environment inventory of up to 100,000 computers in a matter of hours instead of days, giving you extra time to focus on critical planning or pre-sales tasks. For IT professionals, this toolkit can significantly reduce the time it takes to gather the information necessary to make the business case for client, server, and virtualization projects.

Provides Actionable Recommendations and Reporting. The MAP Toolkit provides valuable inventory and readiness assessment reports with environment-specific upgrade recommendations and virtualization candidate reports, making it easier for IT migration and deployment projects to get off the ground and running.

Covers Wide Range of Scenarios--from Desktops to Servers. The MAP Toolkit offers technology assessments and planning recommendations for many Microsoft desktop and server products including Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Hyper-V R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, Virtual Server 2005 R2, 2007 Microsoft Office, SQL Server 2008, Forefront Client Security, Network Access Protection, Microsoft Application Virtualization (or App-V), and more.

Next Steps--How can I get Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0?

Thank you!

Baldwin Ng

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit Team - Solution Accelerators