VIRTUALIZATION/CLOUD SCENARIO CONTEST

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OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

  1. No purchase necessary. To be eligible to win, a participant must be a resident of Canada and of the age of majority in his or her province of residence by the time of entry. Any potential participant who is an employee of Microsoft Corporation or Microsoft Canada Inc. ("Microsoft"), their affiliated companies, advertising agencies, prize suppliers or other representatives, or a member of the respective immediate families of such employees or anyone with whom such employees are domiciled is ineligible to participate in the contest. "Immediate family" is defined as parents, siblings, children or spouse.
  2. The contest will run from 12:01am, March 21, 2011 to 11:59PM EST on May 30, 2011.
  3. Eligible participants may enter the contest any one of the following methods:

    1. Clicking this article and answering the following question: "What has grown dramatically for IT Departments over the years?"

    2. Clicking this article and answering the following question: "What is the traditional approach to providing high availability applications to users?"

    3. Clicking this article and answering the following question: "What does the term high availability refer to?"

    4. Clicking this article and answering the following question: "What challenging tasks do IT Professionals face today?"

    5. Clicking this article and answering the following question: "How does Windows Azure improve productivity and increase operational efficiency?"

    6. Clicking this article and answering the following question: "What new alternative to on-premise databases is there?"

    7. Signing up for the TechNet and/or MSDN newsletter;

    8. By obtaining a contest entry form by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

      1950 Meadowvale Blvd. Mississauga, ON. L5N 8L9
      Attention: Ted Chun

      and completing and returning the entry form.

      Mail-in entry forms will not be distributed after the close of the contest on May 30, 2011 and must be received June 3, 2011. Incomplete or late entries will not be accepted. Microsoft takes no responsibility for lost, late, destroyed or misdirected entries.

  4. Three (3) winners will be selected by random draw from all eligible entries to be held on June 6, 2011 at 1pm-EST. The draw will be held at Microsoft located at 1950 Meadowvale Blvd., Mississauga, Ontario. The chances of being selected depend upon the number of entries.
  5. Each selected participant will be notified by telephone (using the telephone number provided on the selected participant's entry form) within thirty (30) days of the draw and, prior to being declared a winner, will be required to correctly answer, unaided and without mechanical or electronic assistance, a time-limited, mathematical skill-testing technical question, to be administered by telephone at a mutually convenient time.
  6. If the selected participant is unable to correctly answer the skill-testing question, cannot be reached by telephone within thirty (30) days of the draw, does not sign and return the declaration and release within seven (7) days of receipt or otherwise does not meet all contest conditions, his or her prize will be forfeited and another entrant will be drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  7. There are three (3) prize packages available to be won, consisting of:

    1. Package 1- one (1) Samsung 40" 1080p LED HDTV; one (1) Xbox 360 Console with Kinect; one (1) copy of Halo Reach Legendary Edition (1) copy of Kinectimals; and one (1) copy of Joyride (approximate retail value of $1200).

    2. Package 2 – one (1) Asus Eee 12.1" tablet (approximate retail value of $1000).

    3. (Package 3 – one (1) Xbox 360 console with Kinect; one (1) copy of Halo Reach Legendary Edition, (1) copy of Kinectimals; and one (1) copy of Joyride (approximate retail value of $600).

      The prize packages will be allocated to the selected participants in the order that the selected participants are drawn during the random draw. The prizes will be couriered to the winner's address within two (2) weeks of the receipt by Microsoft of the signed declaration and release. All taxes related to a prize are payable by the winner. Any costs or expenses incurred by the winners in claiming or using their prizes are the responsibility of the winners.

  8. The prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternatives will be provided. Microsoft reserves the right to substitute the prizes described above in Section 7 with prizes of equal or greater value.
  9. By entering, all participants agree to abide by the official rules and regulations and decisions of the contest organizers which are final. All entries become the property of Microsoft and will not be returned.
  10. To be declared a winner, a selected participant will be required to sign a declaration and release to: (a) confirm compliance with the official rules and regulations; (b) release Microsoft from all liability; (c) accept the prize as awarded; and (d) consent to the use of winner's name, city and/or province of residence, photograph, voice, image, likeness, biographical information and information about the prize, for any publicity or programming purposes, commercial or otherwise, throughout the world in any and all media used by Microsoft and its advertising and promotional agencies in connection with the contest, without payment or compensation.
  11. The contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.
  12. No correspondence will be entered into with participants except with the selected participants.
  13. Microsoft reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel or suspend the contest should causes beyond the control of Microsoft corrupt the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the contest.
  14. Microsoft assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction to or unauthorized alteration of the entries. Microsoft is not responsible for (i) any problems or technical malfunctions or any telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software; (ii) the failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Microsoft on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site; or (iii) any combination thereof, including any injury or related damage to participants or any other persons, whether computer-related or resulting from participation or downloading of any materials in this contest.
  15. With respect to Québec residents and to entries originating within the Province of Québec, any litigation respecting the conduct or organization of a publicity contest may be submitted to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux for a ruling. Any litigation respecting the awarding of a prize may be submitted to the Régie only for the purpose of helping the parties reach a settlement.
  16. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of these rules and disclosures or other statements contained in any contest-related materials, including but not limited to the contest entry form, or point of sale, television, print or online advertising, the terms and conditions of these rules shall prevail, govern and control.