Last week was all about small and medium business (SMB), and I think the coming year will see a lot more focus on this space, both from Microsoft and the company's partners. After the February launch of Windows Server 2008, Microsoft and the industry will be expending lots of energy and spending lots of money on the launch of Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008, code named Cougar). The SMB momentum will continue as Microsoft proceeds on to its new integrated server product, code-named Centro, which is an extension of the SBS concept into the midmarket. (Anybody remember BackOffice Server?) Microsoft has realized the significance of the SMB space as a potential for new revenue now that the company is feeling securely (OK, "securely" might be a bad choice of words) ensconced in the enterprise.
My SMB week started with Harry Brelsford's SMB Nation conference here in Redmond on Microsoft's campus (http://www.smbnation.com). Then, later in the week, there was the latest in Microsoft's series of licensing Webcasts called "Inside Licensing" and aimed at the SMB space. In connection with that Webcast, I had the opportunity to talk with Stacie Sloane, director of marketing and communications in Microsoft's Worldwide Licensing and Pricing group.
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