Microsoft Partnering 101


With Office 365, Microsoft's Direct Billing Drama Continues

Microsoft created a new partner category when it launched Office 365 to fix the billing problems that vexed partners with BPOS. But there's a catch.

Former Microsoft, FCC Exec VanRoekel Named Federal CIO

Former Microsoft executive Steven VanRoekel has been named the new Federal CIO, replacing Vivek Kundra, who was the first to hold that position.

Google: Android Lawsuits Part of 'Hostile' Campaign by Microsoft, Others

According to Google's senior vice president and chief legal officer David Drummond, Android is under attack from intellectual property lawyers at Microsoft, Apple and Oracle.

Microsoft Releases R2 of Desktop Optimization Pack 2011

On Monday, Microsoft made available the second release of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack 2011, a suite of seven tools for IT professionals running Windows environments.

Laplink Revamps Partner Program, Gives Windows Migration Discounts

Laplink Software, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner based in Bellevue, Wash., has rolled out an upgraded channel partner program for PC resellers, VARs and system integrators.

Microsoft Releases Dynamics AX 2012 Globally

Microsoft made its Dynamics AX 2012 product generally available in 25 countries on Monday.

Microsoft Ordered To Pay Alcatel-Lucent $70 Million

A long-running dispute regarding Microsoft's use of a patented Alcatel-Lucent software technology called "Day" culminated on Friday with a jury awarding Alcatel-Lucent $70 million in damages.

Dimension Data Boosts Its Cloud Cache with OpSource Buy

For Microsoft global alliance partner Dimension Data, the OpSource acquisition both takes the company to the cloud, and gives it a more multivendor presence up there.

Google Buys More Than 1,000 IBM Patents, Pads IP Portfolio

Google has purchased 1,030 patents from IBM that cover server and router architectures, chip fabrication and search technologies.

Microsoft Extends Interop Support for Red Hat Linux on Hyper-V

Red Hat Linux operating systems running on Microsoft's Hyper-V hypervisor now have continued interoperability support, Microsoft announced on Wednesday.

Forrester: IE 9 Can Bring Companies $3 Million Over 3 Years

Upgrading from Internet Explorer 8 to IE 9 can represent a significant cost benefit to organizations -- more than $3 million over three years, in fact.

Microsoft Rolls Out Windows Phone 7 'Mango' to OEM Partners (UPDATED)

The Windows Phone 7 "Mango" update has officially hit the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) stage.

Windows Phone Devs Get Early RC Build of 'Mango'

Developers do not have access to the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows Phone 7 "Mango" that was released on Tuesday; instead, Microsoft said, they will receive an early release candidate (RC) version.

Microsoft Releases Visual Studio LightSwitch 2011

Microsoft officially released Visual Studio LightSwitch 2011 on Tuesday to MSDN subscribers, with general availability -- via Microsoft stores and resellers -- slated for this Thursday.

How Microsoft Dynamics Partners Are Evolving with the Cloud

With Microsoft rolling out more of its key business applications in the cloud, the channel must prepare. But in interviews at Microsoft Convergence, partners and customers are finding the cloud is just one more reason to re-emphasize good old-fashioned services.