Deployment insiders probably saw this coming, but the recent Beta release of Deployment 4 is a huge step in unifying the converging tools and procedures to image and automate installation of both desktops and now servers in a single console. For current BDD 2007 users, this means with very little extra effort you are ready to create images and deploy Windows Server 2003 and pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008 using the Deployment Workbench. Deployment 4 also integrates with the new System Center Configuration Manager 2007 features for OS deployment and task sequencing. Speaking of task sequences, the Deployment 4 has shifted focus from builds to task sequences, making deployments more flexible and aligning to the way System Center Configuration Manager 2007 performs OS deployment. And as if that wasn't enough, Deployment 4 leverages the new multicasting functionality coming in Windows Server 2008 Windows Deployment Services. Multicasting dramatically reduces network bandwidth by instead of passing a 4 GB image individually to each targeted computer, it can pass that same 4 GB image to multiple computers simultaneously.

Hi all,

For those of you who missed some of the actions and announcements at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference regarding key technologies and tools including SoftGrid, Windows Partner Solutions, Windows Vista Hardware Assessment and Windows Business Value Assessment Tool, read on...

Baldwin

Interview with Heartland Technology Solutions at WPC 2007

On Day 3 of the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2007 (WPC) in Denver, I caught up with IT veterans from the Heartland Technology Solutions (HTS) in Harlan, Iowa - CEO, Arlin Sorensen and Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Larry Hedin. Here's what they have to say about what's they've seen at WPC.

Baldwin: "Arlin, it's good seeing you and Larry again. A few months ago, I met you and a few peer group members of the Heartland Technology Group (HTG) during a series of product and technology review meetings on Microsoft's Redmond Campus. Can you tell us a bit more about the Heartland Technology Group (HTG), how it started and what the charter is?"

Arlin: "Sure. Back in 2001, I recognized that there was a general lack of peer groups for Microsoft partners that serve the SMB space in the United States and Canada. As technology continued to morph and change, we knew that we couldn't figure out everything on our own, so I decided to launch the first HTG peer group that same year. The HTG peer group is an open community where technology leaders would share their own daily real world experience with