Assess Your Infrastructure for OS Migration and Virtualization Readiness with Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta!

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No IT project can be successful unless the specific network environment is well understood.  To help IT professionals and Microsoft Partners solve common migration issues and assist them in planning their virtualization efforts, the Microsoft Solution Accelerators team is proud to announce the release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta .

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The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (or MAP ) is the next-generation version of the agent-less assessment platform from Microsoft. In this new version, MAP has expanded its capabilities into assessment areas of Hyper-V server virtualization, desktop security, and SQL 2008 migration. In summary, MAP 3.1 assessment areas now include:

• Server Migration Reports and Proposals (Windows Server 2008)

• Server Consolidation Reports and Proposals (Virtual Server 2005 R2 and Hyper-V) (NEW!)

• Desktop Security Assessment to determine if desktops have anti-virus and anti-malware programs installed or if the Windows Firewall is turned on (NEW!)

• Application Virtualization Assessment Reports (Microsoft Application Virtualization, formerly SoftGrid)

• SQL 2008 Migration Assessment Reports (NEW!)

• Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Hardware Assessment Reports and Proposals

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The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit performs three key functions - including hardware and device inventory, compatibility analysis, and readiness reporting.

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MAP is based upon an agent-less infrastructure scanning technology that allows users to conduct a network inventory of their servers, desktops, applications, and devices - all without installing any software agents on each machine being assessed. This tool has the ability to discover machines within Active-Directory managed domains and forests as well as workgroups.

With the new user interface and enterprise-scale inventory engine , users can generate multiple technology migration reports and proposals for their OS migration and virtualization projects in a matter of hours.

Additionally, MAP can generate localized desktop readiness reports in 7 languages including N. American English, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese.

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Fast and Zero-Touch. MAP provides secure network-wide assessment of a typical environment in a matter of hours instead of days, all without the deployment of any software agents on each inventoried machines.

Saves Pre-Sales and Planning Time. For most IT consultants and Microsoft Partners, a detailed network inventory and assessment of servers and desktops would typically take days of manual labor.  With MAP, they can now drastically reduce the time it takes for the same inventory to a matter of hours; allowing them more time to focus their efforts on critical pre-sales engagement tasks.  For IT professionals, it significantly reduces the time it takes to gather the information to make the business case for client and server migration as well as for their upcoming virtualization projects.

Actionable Recommendations and Reporting. MAP offers valuable inventory and readiness assessment reports with specific upgrade recommendations and virtualization candidate reports that make it easier for IT migration and deployment projects to get off the ground and running.

From Desktops to Servers. MAP provides technology assessment and planning recommendations for many Microsoft products including Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, Virtual Server 2005 R2, Microsoft Application Virtualization (SoftGrid), Terminal Services, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007, SQL 2008, and also desktop security.

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Try the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta now and spread the word to your customers and partners today!

· Download Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit

· · Listen to TechNet and Partner Readiness

· Read Team Blog

· Join the TechNet Forum Community

· MAP is a member of a rich family of Server and Virtualization Solution Accelerators.

Get Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta

Download MAP and learn more about it on TechNet.


Learn More about Windows Server 2008 and Virtualization Solution Accelerators

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit

Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides

Windows Server 2008 Security Guide

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit


Visit the Solution Accelerators Home Page

See the full catalog of Solution Accelerators here.  And, join a variety of beta programs today (Live ID required).

Also, visit our Microsoft Partners Solution Accelerators site to learn more about our partner program.