The latest version of the Microsoft solution accelerator designed to streamline the migration to Windows Vista (including SP1) and Windows Server 2008, but also additional products and technologies, is available for download. At the TechEd EMEA 2008 conference in Barcelona, Brad Anderson, General Manager of the Management and Solutions Division at Microsoft, revealed that version 3.2 of the Assessment and Planning Toolkit had been released to manufacturing and that it was available for download.

“Many of you are in the midst of an IT migration or upgrade planning but do not know with 100% certainty what computers are in your IT environment or what applications have been deployed,” stated Baldwin Ng, Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team. “The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 3.2 makes it easier for customers and partners like you to quickly identify what servers, workstations, and network devices are in your IT environment. MAP also provides specific and actionable IT proposals and reports to help you get the most value out of Microsoft products and infrastructure.”

According to Baldwin Ng, the Redmond giant is counting in excess of half a million customers and partners which have already resorted to MAP for the migration process to a variety of Microsoft software such as Office 2007, Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5, SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Online Services, Forefront and Network Access Protection, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, and Virtual Server 2005 R2, in addition to Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008.

“In summary, MAP Toolkit 3.2 assessment areas now include: SQL Server Database Instance Discovery; Microsoft Online Services Needs Assessment and Survey; Forefront Client Security/NAP Readiness Assessment; Power Savings Calculator; Virtualization Infrastructure Assessment (e.g. reporting the mapping of hosts by guests); Windows Server 2008 Hardware Assessment; Server Consolidation Reports and Proposals (Hyper-V or Virtual Server 2005 R2); Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Hardware Assessment; [and] desktop Security Assessment to determine if desktops have anti-virus and anti-malware programs installed and up-to-date, or if the Windows Firewall is turned on,” Baldwin Ng added.

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.2 RTM is available for download here.