Just as it has done with its Information Worker product family, Microsoft is building a set of blueprints and methodologies around its small/mid-size business (SMB) products.
In the Information Worker/Office world, Microsoft calls these blueprints "Solution Accelerators." These accelerators are aimed at helping channel partners and corporate customers take advantage of the Windows, Office and other Microsoft products they own already.
In the SMB world, Microsoft is calling these partner blueprints "IT Solutions."
Read More About IT Solutions on the Microsoft Partner Site
And Check Out the Program Overview Document
Microsoft is designing four IT Solutions: Peer-to-Peer (for small businesses with up to 5 PCs that need file, print and Internet sharing); Small (for businesses with fewer than 50 users); Medium (for "growing" businesses with up to 250 desktops that want to "empower employees"); and Large (for the upper-end of the SMB customer spectrum, with up to 500 desktops).
The Small IT Solution is due to be announced imminently. The Peer-to-Peer and Medium solutions are due out in March 2004. The Large IT Solution is slated for June 2004.
Just as with Solution Accelerators, Microsoft will use the IT Solutions to help its partners sell end-to-end Microsoft solutions.
Click here to read the full article on Microsoft Watch.
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