Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta just released

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The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (or MAP) is the next-generation version of the agent-less assessment platform from Microsoft. In this new version, MAP has expanded its capabilities into assessment areas of Hyper-V server virtualization, desktop security, and SQL 2008 migration. In summary, MAP 3.1 assessment areas now include:

  • Server Migration Reports and Proposals (Windows Server 2008)
  • Server Consolidation Reports and Proposals (Virtual Server 2005 R2 and Hyper-V) (NEW!)
  • Desktop Security Assessment to determine if desktops have anti-virus and anti-malware programs installed or if the Windows Firewall is turned on (NEW!)
  • Application Virtualization Assessment Reports (Microsoft Application Virtualization, formerly SoftGrid)
  • SQL 2008 Migration Assessment Reports (NEW!)
  • Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Hardware Assessment Reports and Proposals

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit performs three key functions – including:

  1. hardware and device inventory
  2. compatibility analysis
  3. readiness reporting

In addition, the toolkit provides the following benefits to customers & Partners:

  • Fast and Zero-Touch. MAP provides secure network-wide assessment of a typical environment in a matter of hours instead of days, all without the deployment of any software agents on each inventoried machines.
  • Saves Pre-Sales and Planning Time. For most IT consultants and Microsoft Partners, a detailed network inventory and assessment of servers and desktops would typically take days of manual labor. With MAP, they can now drastically reduce the time it takes for the same inventory to a matter of hours; allowing them more time to focus their efforts on critical pre-sales engagement tasks. For IT professionals, it significantly reduces the time it takes to gather the information to make the business case for client and server migration as well as for their upcoming virtualization projects.
  • Actionable Recommendations and Reporting. MAP offers valuable inventory and readiness assessment reports with specific upgrade recommendations and virtualization candidate reports that make it easier for IT migration and deployment projects to get off the ground and running.
  • From Desktops to Servers. MAP provides technology assessment and planning recommendations for many Microsoft products including Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, Virtual Server 2005 R2, Microsoft Application Virtualization (SoftGrid), Terminal Services, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007, SQL 2008, and also desktop security.

Here are some samples of the reports and output from the assessment toolkit below:

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Download the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 3.1 Beta today and try out all of the new technologies and features included for your assessments.

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman
Microsoft US Senior Manager
Small Business Community Engagement
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

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