TechNet Flash, Volume 14, Issue 23 - October 17, 2012
TechNet Flash Editor's Note from Mitch Irsfeld

Cloud-Enable Small Business with Windows Server 2012 Essentials

One of the longest running criticisms I hear from TechNet Flash readers is around the paucity of technical content for small businesses. And while there is still much to glean from the available guidance regardless of organization size and structure, I generally have to acknowledge that the majority of TechNet content is geared for the enterprise IT professional. But this edition puts the infrastructure for small business front and center with the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Server 2012 Essentials.

Key with the 2012 release are the capabilities to cloud-enable small businesses and home offices and allow you to choose which applications you want to run in a hosted environment versus on premises.

With the RTM milestone, Windows Server 2012 Essentials is being delivered to our channels, including hardware OEMs. We expect it will be generally available by November 1, 2012, and hardware OEMs to start shipping server systems by the end of the year.

In the meantime, try Windows Server 2012 Essentials for yourself by visiting the TechNet Evaluation Center to download a trial copy. Make sure to check out the Windows Server 2012 Essentials TechCenter for release documentation and other technical and community resources.

The Launch Events Are Coming
There's no doubt that 2012 has been the biggest launch year in Microsoft's history. And there are still a few key products to roll out before we drop the curtain on the year. The new technologies are transforming everything, from the way we build software and apps to the way we implement and manage our infrastructure. The end result, culminating with the upcoming releases of Windows 8 and the new Office, is the transformation in the way we work.

To understand what this new era means for you, attend a free one-day Microsoft 2012 launch event. There are already more than 30 events in locations spread out across the U.S. You'll find learning tracks for business executives, IT executives, IT pros, developers, and developer managers.

Thanks for reading,

Mitch Irsfeld
Editor, TechNet Flash

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