Windows Demo Toolkit available for Partners

 

Windows Demo Toolkit available for Partners

A bit off topic, but useful nonetheless!

For those of you not familiar, the Windows Demo Toolkit, is a free tool available to Certified and Gold Certified Partners, and is designed to make demoing Windows, to your customers, easier.  So, rather than you, Mr Partner, downloading the Windows 7 Beta, and installing and configuring it (on physical hardware, or in a VM), and working out what are the key features you should be demoing to help customers see value in the new technology, we’ll do all that hard work for you!

This lets you, Mr Partner, create engaging and reliable demos in a fraction of the time, and helps Microsoft communicate the Windows value proposition by leveraging thousands of talented and passionate technology professionals. Every demo offered in the WDT includes all necessary materials, easy-to-follow setup instructions, and clearly written scripts that are easy to learn and will resonate with customers.  I’ve used these in my Vista days (before the joy that is Virtualisation!)

Setting up the WDT is as easy as installing Windows - The core of the WDT is an ISO disc image, which contains a customised deployment of the Windows 7 OS. Simply download the disc image and burn it to DVD using your favourite DVD mastering software and in minutes, you’ll have a bootable disc that can turn any PC or Laptop into a fully-configured demo machine. All settings and user accounts have been preconfigured and fully tested by the Windows Demo team, offering you a safe, reliable experience. According to the user feedback we have received, using the WDT can save up to 8 hours of demo building time!  Good stuff! :-).

So, what’s in the WDT for you?

The WDT Foundation Suite is a demo optimized Windows 7 Beta configuration which includes Windows 7 Beta Ultimate, Windows Live Wave 3, Internet Explorer 8, Office 2007 Ultimate, Forefront Client Security, sample demo content, necessary applications, pre-configured settings, and a comprehensive demo script with messaging and click steps for both consumer and enterprise audiences. The WDT Foundation Suite will be refreshed at major Windows 7 milestones.  That’s a sizeable package!  All you’ll need to do is download the ISO image, and either burn it to a DVD for physical deployment, or mount it straight into a Virtual Machine for virtual deployment – easy!

How can you get your hands on it?

Well, it’ll be on the Microsoft Partner Portal fairly soon, in the Windows 7 section, but if you can’t wait, and you’re a Certified / Gold Partner, drop me a mail via the Email link at the top of the blog page, and I’ll send you the instructions.

virtualboy. : Windows Demo Toolkit available for Partners