14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has continually upped the ante when it comes down to resources offered to customers to help simplify the adoption of its new products and technologies. The comprehensive series of Solution Accelerators offered over the past years is an illustrative example of this, but, earlier this month, new offerings were announced to help business customers deploy Windows 7. Erwin Visser, director Business-Marketing Organization, Microsoft, introduced to the world Proof of Concept Jumpstart, Self-Service PoC Jumpstart Kit and Production Pilot Jumpstart. Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit v1.0 is currently available free of charge via the Microsoft Download Center, streamlining deployment of not just Windows 7, but also Office 2010, Internet Explorer 8, and Application Virtualization with Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.
“This self-contained, self-service kit will help you complete a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) at your organization, allowing you to quickly evaluate the new Microsoft desktop technologies, including Windows 7, Office 2010 Pro Plus, Internet Explorer 8, and Application Virtualization with Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack technology App-V. It will also familiarize you with some of the important deployment tools provided by Microsoft to assist with your broader deployment efforts. This PoC is not meant to be [a] comprehensive training mechanism but rather an introductory set of modules to familiarize you with tools and technologies,” Microsoft noted.
Customers will need to do a little preparation ahead of kicking off downloads. Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit v1.0 weighs in at almost 11GB and comes packaged as multiple RAR files, and it won’t be an easy task to grab all the items offered by Microsoft. There are no less than 18 individual downloads, 16 of which at 700 MB each. The PoC is accompanied by a Setup Guide for PoC Jumpstart, documentation that is bound to come in handy.
“The PoC Jumpstart is intended to show you that an upgrade to new Microsoft Optimize Desktop technologies can be seamless, feasible, easy and cost-effective. The PoC Jumpstart will also shed light on the deployment process (tools and technologies) and give your organization confidence for undertaking a broader deployment motion. After completion of the PoC, you should have a test environment setup that will allow you to evaluate the various features of the Microsoft Optimized Desktop and help you make informed decisions to meet your business needs,” the software giant added.
Microsoft highlighted all the technologies that the Windows 7 RTM (PoC) Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit 1.0 focused on:
“• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition – A platform that helps IT Professionals increase the flexibility and reliability of their server infrastructure. • Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) – A tool to assess your hardware readiness for Windows 7 and Office 2010. • Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) – A tool to assess your software readiness for Windows 7 and Office 2010. • Microsoft Office Migration and Planning Manager (OMPM) – A tool to assess and upgrade Office versions and files. • Microsoft Deployment Toolkit – A tool to create, configure, and deploy custom images, applications, and components. • Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial image – This evaluation edition forms the base image for deployment on client computers. • Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 – This system is the best productivity experience across the PC, Phone, and Web. • Office 2010 with Application Virtualization – This system is deployed virtually to streamline and centralize operations. • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition – This database system is used to store application compatibility and Microsoft Office assessment data for the ACT and OMPM tools. • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express Edition – This database system is used to store image and task sequence data for MDT Deployment Workbench. • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Evaluation Edition – This database system is used to store hardware assessment data for the MAP tool.”
Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit v1.0 is available for download here.