News Round-up | November Webcasts, Windows Server 2016, Licensing Updates, and more

Every month, we round up hosting and cloud service provider news you might have missed. Sign up for our monthly Microsoft Hosting and Cloud Newsletter to get the most current news delivered to your inbox.  

Cloud Channel Network Webcasts

Check out upcoming webcasts for cloud and hosting service providers at www.cloudchannelnetwork.com.  If you are a Cloud Channel Network member,  sign in and click "update preferences" from the top toolbar to add the sessions. If you are not a member of the network, register and select the webcasts or topics you would like to attend.

Windows Server 2016: What's New for Service Providers
Thursday November 17, 2016 8:00AM - 9:00AM PT
Audience: Technical Decision Maker

SQL Server 2016: Learn How Data is the New Electricity
Wednesday November 30, 2016 8:00AM - 9:00AM PT
Audience: Technical Decision Maker

On Demand webcasts
These most recent data-platform related webcasts are not to be missed.

  • 2016 Cloud & Hosting Summit - Future of Analytics
  • SQL 2016 Technical Overview and Selling Points
  • SQL Server 2016 Offerings & Opportunities for Hosting Service Providers
  • WPC 2016 Session 03: Selling SQL: Grow your SQL business with SQL offers and programs for hosting partners
  • Microsoft SQL Server Database Migration

Licensing

Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 are now GA
Windows Server 2016 & System Server 2016 media is now available for immediate download on the Volume Licensing Service Center. Effective November 1, Microsoft has discontinued SPLA physical media. Please watch this short video to learn how to download media product keys on VLSC here. Also note, Windows Server media includes Nano Server as an installation option for SPLA partners licensed to run Windows Server 2016. Software Assurance is not required to deploy Nano Server in SPLA.

Partner news

Now Available: Microsoft Azure Cloud Services from Dell
Dell EMC announced availability of Microsoft Azure Cloud Services, designed to help improve IT efficiency and reduce operating costs with a utility-like cloud services model. Organizations can adopt hybrid clouds effortlessly, and easily integrate cloud services into hybrid cloud environments.
Learn more.

Partner Webinar Best Practice: Online Meetings Made Easy for the Modern Small Business
On October 13th, Sherweb, in partnership with Microsoft, hosted a Skype for Business webinar in US and Canada targeting small and mid-sized businesses. The webinar demonstrated new enhancements in Modern Meetings and Modern Voice (PSTN). Check out their Skype for Business on-demand webinar and customer Q&A.

Real-world Stories from Microsoft Cloud Partners
Two featured cloud and hosting service providers are helping their customers and are telling their story:

ProServeIT: Helping BC Milk transform the dairy industry with Microsoft Azure
What goes into making a glass of milk? Huge amounts of data and a strong technology infrastructure behind it. Discover how solution provider ProServeIT deployed Microsoft Azure for the unique needs of the Canadian dairy industry. Read the case study.

Inframon: Cloud Transformation Specialists
As a CSP program partner, Reading, England-based Inframon uses Azure to create cloud scenarios for customers. Watch the video below to discover how the team helps businesses transform their IT from legacy to cloud computing models.

https://youtu.be/tefKtQ9QzEY