A New Approach to Enterprise Security

A New Approach to Enterprise Security
Q&A: Douglas Leland, general manager of Microsoft’s Identity and Security Business Group, outlines Microsoft’s strategy to help enterprise customers secure their information and systems.

Security continues to be a top challenge for enterprises – especially with shrinking IT budgets. Many companies struggle to balance their business objectives with the need to protect and comply. PressPass spoke with Douglas Leland, general manager of Microsoft Corp.’s Identity and Security Business Group, about the company’s strategy to help provide “Business Ready Security.”

PressPass: What is happening in the enterprise security market these days?

Leland: The conversations I have with customers tell me enterprise IT leaders face a real and growing tension. On the one hand, they are being pushed to deliver more business value. They need to make information and applications more easily accessible and enable collaboration across company boundaries. On the other hand, they are being asked to protect information from increasingly sophisticated threats and to comply with regulatory requirements.

To me, security officers and IT leaders are the unsung heroes in their organization. They accomplish amazing things by integrating multiple solutions and securing their environments. But vendors generally haven’t done enough to make this easier. Tight budgets in the current economic environment exacerbate this tension, though security remains a top area of investment. Forrester predicts that companies will devote 12.6 percent of IT budgets to security in 2009, up from 7.2 percent in 2007.*

PressPass: So, what is needed to change this dynamic?

Leland: Security managers are telling us they want to be more responsive to the needs of their business. They want the solutions and guidance to protect their organizations and manage compliance, but also to empower their information workers. Perhaps most important, they want to make the most of their current IT investments and the infrastructure they have today. All of this signals the need for a shift to what we think of as “Business Ready Security.”

PressPass: What is Microsoft doing to enable Business Ready Security?

Leland: Business Ready Security is both a destination for customers and our long-term strategy to help them get there. The ultimate goal is to help companies manage risk while achieving their business objectives. We are focusing our efforts in three areas.

One, we are providing protection that spans the breadth of a company’s systems and data while allowing access for employees, based on their identity, from virtually anywhere.

For example, today we are introducing Forefront Online Security for Exchange, a Microsoft Online Service, which protects e-mail from spam and malware. This is the first of our Forefront Online services to complement our software-based Forefront offerings. Note that we have expanded the Forefront brand to cover our portfolio of identity and security solutions. For example, our Identity Lifecycle Manager product is now officially named Forefront Identity Manager. We see the Forefront brand as synonymous with Business Ready Security.

Another important solution in this area is Microsoft code-named “Geneva,” a new set of technologies that make it dramatically easier for customers to build security-enhanced access into software and hosted services.

Two, we are making security experiences and compliance management much simpler and cost-effective for both IT and businesspeople. In support of this, today we are announcing a new, public test version of Forefront, code-named “Stirling.” “Stirling” is an integrated security suite that coordinates protection and visibility across desktops, servers, applications and the network edge.

Three, we want to help customers extend security across the entirety of their enterprises. That means continuing to build security features into Windows and our IT software solutions. It also means interoperating with non-Windows environments through partnerships and open standards.

PressPass: How is this strategy different?

Leland: I view our approach as a real departure from the status quo. We have a much broader definition of security that includes protection, access, management and user identity.

Central to our efforts is bringing identity and security together. By considering identity and security as two sides of the same coin we are aligned with how customers think about the problem. This is in genuine contrast with other companies, which are generally in either the security or the identity business.

Another distinction is our deep integration with Microsoft infrastructure software, which means customers can more easily realize return on their previous investments. The Server and Tools Business at Microsoft is growing rapidly. Customers are buying into our IT offerings and like how our security solutions integrate with them.

Also, our strategy is a core part of companywide efforts like in-depth security research and response and the Security Development Lifecycle, which is used in the creation of all of our products. Extensive work with partners and standard bodies contribute to our strengths over other vendors, too.

PressPass: Does your strategy involve the rest of the identity and security industry?

Leland: Absolutely, and that speaks to our commitment to integrate and extend security across the enterprise and beyond. We know we can’t help customers achieve Business Ready Security on our own. We’re working with partners of all kinds across the industry. In fact, this year Microsoft is investing $75 million in our partner ecosystem.

For example, we have a strategic partnership with RSA, the Security Division of EMC, to help companies better protect sensitive information and share it in a more secure manner.

Today we are also announcing a broad group of companies supporting and extending the capabilities of Forefront “Stirling,” including Brocade, Guardium, Imperva, Juniper Networks, Kaspersky, Q1 Labs, StillSecure, Sourcefire Inc., Tipping Point and RSA.

PressPass: In conclusion, do you feel customers view Microsoft as an enterprise security vendor with whom they should work?

Leland: I do. I think customers recognize the depth and breadth of our commitment in this area. There are some great examples of customers betting on Microsoft’s Business Ready Security strategy today.

A company called Exostar uses our solutions to allow global aerospace companies, such as BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Rolls-Royce, to collaborate more securely on complex, multienterprise projects via hosted Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. Exostar’s ForumPass solution uses Active Directory Federation Services and Forefront products to serve a growing community of 8,500 users across 170 organizations. BAE Systems saved $237,000 on one project alone, and improved its compliance.

In another case, NuStar Energy is a company that counts on very lean, automated IT to help it absorb a rapid succession of acquisitions. The company uses our identity and security technology, for example, to quickly bring on new employees that manage 8,491 miles of pipeline with a combined throughput capacity of 104,000 barrels a day.

* “The State of Enterprise IT Security 2008–2009,” Forrester Research Inc., December 2008

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Media Alert: Microsoft Announces Get Game Smart Ambassador Finalists

Media Alert: Microsoft Announces Get Game Smart Ambassador Finalists
Viewers can visit http://www.getgamesmart.com to vote for the winners.

What:

In an age of increasing social media and online gaming use, kids and parents alike are entering uncharted territory as they feel out the dos and don’ts of the digital world. Today, Microsoft Corp. is highlighting 15 teams of parents and teens who have taken control of their household media use and shared their approach in Microsoft’s Get Game Smart Video Contest.

As a first step in selecting its first Get Game Smart Ambassadors, Microsoft asked parents and teens to team up and create a brief video spotlighting their family’s approach to a responsible digital lifestyle, including rules related to video gaming. Finalists were chosen by a diverse group of judges based on their video’s creativity, concept, information and overall presentation. Now they will compete in a popular vote for prizes and a chance to contribute to a new industry forum for dialogue about video gaming safety with Microsoft, and other influential voices, as Get Game Smart Ambassadors. Viewers can visit http://www.getgamesmart.com now to vote for their favorite video.

Who:

The 15 finalists displayed their enthusiasm for safe video gaming in all sorts of ways, from a mother-son rap about balancing physical activity and video games to a father-daughter video showing the consequences of choosing to play video games rather than study for an exam. Finalists are as follows:

• “Twin Army” (Chicago)

• “Debbie Learns About the Family Timer” (Chicago)

• “Safety on Xbox LIVE” (Indianapolis)

• “Friday Afternoon on Xbox” (Indianapolis)

• “THE LIMITS” (Versailles, Ky.)

• “Joe and Connor’s Video” (Versailles, Ky.)

• “Marcus and Michelle Get Game Smart” (Los Angeles)

• “Plan 2 Play” (Los Angeles)

• “Cody’s Thoughts” (Seattle)

• “Video Game Rap” (Seattle)

• “Will Speak Spanish for Xbox” (Seattle)

• “Thomas and Jason Get Game Smart” (Brentwood, Tenn.)

• “Craig and Adam” (Minneapolis)

• “Martin and Alec” (Minneapolis)

• “Family Ties” (Vancouver, Wash.)

When:

Viewers can vote for their favorite team up to once per day between April 16 and May 15 at http://www.getgamesmart.com. Get Game Smart Video Contest Official Rules are available online. Viewers can also visit the site and join the Family Challenge Sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes before April 30. Family Challenge Sweepstakes Official Rules are available online.

Stay connected with the latest updates and tips from Get Game Smart:

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Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

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Microsoft’s Citizen Safety Architecture Helps Governments Improve Public Safety and Address Security Threats

Microsoft’s Citizen Safety Architecture Helps Governments Improve Public Safety and Address Security Threats
Furthering the company’s commitment to public safety, Microsoft announces support of INTERPOL’s Global Security Initiative.

Today at the Worldwide Public Safety Symposium, Microsoft Corp. announced two ways the company is helping governments increase multiagency operational effectiveness, reduce costs, and improve collaboration and information sharing to help combat threats to public safety and security.

Introducing software solutions and services designed to help governments respond in real time to threats to public safety, Microsoft launched the Citizen Safety Architecture. Also today, Microsoft announced support of the International Criminal Police Organization’s (INTERPOL) Global Security Initiative (GSI), which addresses international security challenges. Both Citizen Safety Architecture and GSI are designed to improve public safety, reduce crime and bring humanitarian relief to crisis situations demanding collective action across multiple disparate groups.

“Given the direct correlation between the declining economy and the rise of public safety concerns, there is a pressing need for innovative, collaborative and integrated solutions, like Citizen Safety Architecture, that deliver to governments the tools they need to ensure the safety of their citizens,” said Tim Bloechl, managing director for worldwide public safety and national security at Microsoft. “Microsoft and INTERPOL recognize the strong synergies between Citizen Safety Architecture and GSI, and our pledge to develop a long-term relationship with organizations like INTERPOL supports the overall goal of Citizen Safety Architecture.”

Microsoft’s Citizen Safety Architecture equips law enforcement, intelligence agencies and emergency services with a platform that allows access to services and rapid partner solution development. The result is a fast and economical deployment of software and services solutions specifically designed to improve public security and safety. By design, Citizen Safety Architecture is based on familiar, proven Microsoft tools to cost-effectively extend and augment organizations’ existing IT investments. These tools include Microsoft Single View Platform, (SVP), Microsoft FusionX, “Eagle,” Microsoft Intelligence Framework, the Microsoft Incident Response Platform and Global Security Operations Centers (GSOCs).

While the initiatives are independent, the goals of Citizen Safety Architecture and INTERPOL’s GSI are similar: They both create enhanced information-sharing and connectivity frameworks addressing the need to protect citizens both physically and virtually, and address the need to synthesize data from a variety of sources. These common interests, along with today’s ceremonial signing of an agreement that Microsoft will provide its Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor (COFEE) tool free of charge to INTERPOL for international distribution, demonstrate the steps Microsoft and INTERPOL are taking to develop a broader relationship. COFEE is a Microsoft-developed application that uses common digital forensics tools to help officers at the scene of a crime gather volatile evidence of live computer activity that would otherwise be lost in a traditional offline forensic analysis. Through the agreement, COFEE will be distributed to INTERPOL’s participating 187 countries around the world to aid global law enforcement in addressing cybercrime.

“To meet 21st-century security threats, and equip global police forces with cutting-edge tools, INTERPOL is forging strategic long-term partnerships with global industry leaders such as Microsoft,” said Elaine Dezenski, managing director of INTERPOL’s Global Security Initiative. “As the world’s global police organization, INTERPOL launched the GSI to partner with the public and private sectors to establish initiatives that will address security threats common to all stakeholders. Our broad, long-term collaboration with Microsoft will raise security standards globally against IT crime, and with COFEE will deliver a vital tool to law enforcement on the front lines.”

Both Citizen Safety Architecture and GSI are grounded in international best practices and embrace the latest government and commercial standards to underpin agile intra-agency and inter-agency collaboration and information gathering. They are focused on delivering enhanced capabilities for intelligence-gathering and investigation, but Citizen Safety Architecture also delivers emergency response, transportation and border control, physical security, and disaster and crisis management.

In addition, Citizen Safety Architecture draws upon Microsoft’s collective knowledge and expertise of a vibrant and growing ecosystem of both international and local partners committed to developing powerful, cost-effective Microsoft-based solutions tailored to public safety needs. Scyron, a provider of security and surveillance solutions, is a Citizen Safety Architecture partner currently working with the policing community and is seeing the impact of Citizen Safety Architecture firsthand.

“Scyron is delighted to join Microsoft in the CSA initiative. We have a special interest in the Microsoft Intelligence Framework, which offers significant collaborative and information-sharing capabilities to assist in ‘Intelligence-Led Policing,’” said Michael Wilks, CEO of Scyron Ltd. “This fits in well with Scyron’s DEMON suite of intelligent surveillance and digital evidence management solutions already in use by many law enforcement organizations around the world, such as Derbyshire Constabulary presenting at the symposium.”

By focusing on interoperable solutions that can work well in mixed environments, evolve over time and serve the needs of constituents, Microsoft’s Citizen Safety Architecture is helping governments face global security challenges.

“Gartner is seeing its public safety clients face more global threats of both crime and terrorism, which defy previously understood neat boundaries for certain government agencies,” said Jeff Vining, research vice president at Gartner Inc. “Effective action to foil criminals and terrorists demands collective action across a disparate phalanx of groups. Technology that enables diverse groups to communicate, collaborate and share critical information holds the key to mobilizing effective resources against these types of threats.”

Solutions addressing critical infrastructure protection and major event management will be added to Citizen Safety Architecture later this year.

About Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Safety Symposium and Citizen Safety Architecture

Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Safety Symposium, running today through April 16, 2009, brings together more than 300 national security operatives, public safety professionals and criminal justice officials. Microsoft is using the forum to demonstrate how the company is already delivering on the Citizen Safety Architecture with a set of innovative software solutions and services to help governments proactively plan for and effectively respond to terrorist attacks, criminal acts and natural disasters:

• Microsoft Single View Platform (SVP). SVP helps governments by providing them with a single view of information and data, enabling users to turn situational awareness into action. The platform can be agency- or program-defined, depending on the program requirements and the kind of information needed by the user or agency. Microsoft SVP is an open, industry standards-based technology that provides a highly integrated foundation for data visualization solutions in the area of business intelligence, information sharing, workflow and business processes, project management, and network systems. SVP partners include Advantage Factory Inc., GreenLine Systems, IDV Solutions, Information Strategies Inc., Infusion Development, I.S. Consulting (ISC), The Mariner Group LLC, MicroLink LLC, Planet Technologies, Projility and Twisted Pair Solutions Inc.

• Microsoft FusionX. Built to support fusion centers, Microsoft FusionX takes data from disparate sources across federal, state, local and tribal governments, in addition to the private sector, and fuses it into one complete picture to enhance awareness, planning, prevention and incident response. Microsoft, in partnership with the Illinois State Police and other law enforcement agencies, has designed a technology platform and architecture for the sharing of law enforcement intelligence that fills a critical void and could make the world a safer place.

• “Eagle.” In the Netherlands Microsoft, Geodan and ESRI have been working on an implementation of the Microsoft Citizen Safety Architecture to deliver a suite of applications and services that allow multiple agencies to collaborate seamlessly. The purpose is to increase responsiveness and realize a single Common Operational Picture to support fast and effective decision-making in a highly complex environment. This cooperation has resulted in the “Eagle,” a solution where Microsoft Office Groove, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, Geodan Movida and ESRI ArcGIS are integrated together into a disaster management information system winning the prominent Dutch Public Safety Award 2008. Jan (J.Th.W.) Slakhorst, deputy director of the fire brigade and chief of disaster management for Crisis Region Gelderland Midden, notes that the “Eagle” system is a perfect collaboration platform for disaster management, saying “It is user-friendly, based on the daily routine. It is usable in different scenarios, from railroad incidents up to extensive flood scenarios.”

• Microsoft Intelligence Framework. The Microsoft Intelligence Framework (IF) helps local, national and international law enforcement and intelligence-related organizations share information and work together to provide a coordinated approach to preventing and detecting acts of terrorism, and solving organized and major crime cases. The IF is the result of a five-year collaborative partnership between Microsoft, its partners and law enforcement agencies from around the world that faced a common threat from cybercrime. The framework gives investigators the tools for all-source analysis, which means they can store, search and analyze a broad spectrum of potentially related investigative information.

• The Microsoft Incident Response Platform. The Microsoft Incident Response platform provides an effective solution to provide process and role guidance to incident responders, while the built-in geospatial information viewer delivers timely situational information. Microsoft Incident Response Platform is composed of solutions from established Microsoft partners such as E•SPONDER, IDV Solutions, Infonic and CRN Solutions Inc. These solutions help capture structured data and facilitate the movement of this data both vertically and horizontally.

• Global Security Operations Centers. Microsoft maintains three world-class 24×7 operations centers to monitor, communicate and coordinate responses for more than 700 Microsoft sites worldwide. The centers, located in the U.S., the U.K. and India, leverage solutions such as Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, Microsoft Office InfoPath, Microsoft Office Communicator and Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Additional information on the Public Safety Symposium and Microsoft’s vast Citizen Safety Architecture can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/pss/default.aspx.

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Next Wave of Microsoft Office Products Will Redefine How People Work

Next Wave of Microsoft Office Products Will Redefine How People Work
Q&A: Chris Capossela, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Information Worker Product Management Group, discusses what people and businesses can expect from the upcoming release of Microsoft Exchange Server, Office, SharePoint Server, Visio and Project.

Microsoft today announced the key capabilities and expected timeline for the next wave of Microsoft Office and related products. PressPass spoke with Chris Capossela, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Information Worker Product Management Group, to find out more about how the next version of Microsoft Office-related products will deliver a synchronized experience across devices and provide greater choice and flexibility for customers.

PressPass: What are you announcing today?

Capossela: We’re announcing that Microsoft will begin releasing new versions of Office-related products this year. Exchange 2010 will be the first product in this lineup, entering beta for customers to download today. Exchange 2010 will become available in the second half of 2009. Office 2010 — including Office Web applications, SharePoint Server 2010, Visio 2010 and Project 2010 — will enter a technical preview in the third quarter of 2009 and will release to manufacturing in the first half of 2010.

PressPass: What can customers expect from the next wave of Office-related products?

Capossela: We developed our new Office products in response to a shift in how people and businesses use technology today. The line between home and work has blurred, so people want more choice and flexibility in how, where and when they work. They’re also demanding the ability to access and effectively manage their information whether at home, at work or on the go. IT professionals, in particular, are challenged to deliver business value to their companies while continuing to decrease their costs. In addition, businesses need to comply with new and increasing regulatory mandates and security protocols, while also focusing on driving efficiencies.

The next wave of Office-related products will help people address these challenges. With these new products we are giving people a familiar interface across PCs, mobile phones and browsers to make it even easier for them to create, communicate and collaborate from any location. IT professionals will benefit from a choice of new delivery and new licensing models as well as from improved management options to better control costs, and enhanced security across all locations. And through our integrated infrastructure, businesses can more easily deploy, manage and help secure corporate assets and comply with government regulations.

Developers also will benefit from investments we’re making on our platform that will, in turn, reduce their development cycles and improve application interoperability. We are working on open APIs and deep support for industry standards, and at the same time, we are expanding our developer tool support, all toward making developers’ lives significantly easier.

PressPass: What are some of the new scenarios enabled by the next wave?

Capossela: By listening to our customers, we know that people want to stay connected to each other. They want an easy way to bring their ideas to life, and they want the freedom to use Office from more locations and on more devices. The next wave of Office-related products will give them just that. It will be even easier for people to create and collaborate in real time using the Web, the phone or their PC. Business users will be able to get deeper insight into their business processes, and easily find and access the information they need to be more productive. IT professionals will have more flexibility and choice to simplify deployment and lower management costs, while maintaining control. For example, Exchange 2010 and SharePoint Server 2010 give users the same value whether deployed on-premises, as a service from Microsoft and industry partners, or a mix of both.

PressPass: What are some of the new things people can expect from Exchange 2010?

Capossela: Ray Ozzie’s software-plus-services memo served as the foundation for the development of Exchange 2010. We started testing Exchange 2010 as a service in October 2007, through Office Outlook Live for the Microsoft Live@edu program to ensure that it met the scalability needs of our largest customers. It continues today with more than five million people in over 2,000 educational institutions. This new testing model makes Exchange 2010 the most scalable version of Exchange yet — and that means that maintenance and administration costs will be lower than ever before.

Among the new benefits that help people save time and money, Exchange 2010 introduces a personal e-mail archive to not only address compliance and regulatory needs by making mail easier to manage and search across the organization, but which frees up space on production servers and improves performance. Customers can lower costs by replacing their traditional voice mail system with Exchange 2010’s unified messaging solution that now provides text previews of voice mail messages so users may act upon them accordingly, directly from their mailbox. It also introduces new capabilities through Outlook 2010 that combine related messages into a single conversation with the added option to remove oneself from irrelevant e-mail threads. Another addition is the new Mail Tips feature, which will warn users from making embarrassing missteps before they hit send on problem e-mails — such as accidentally e-mailing a big distribution list or sending e-mail when a recipient is out of office, not to mention reducing extra steps and calls to the helpdesk. Those are features I’m sure we can all appreciate.

In addition, furthering Microsoft’s commitment to its software-plus-services strategy, Exchange 2010 also integrates Office Outlook Web Access with Office Communicator Web Access for a unified browser-based client that is now accessible through Safari and Firefox in addition to Internet Explorer. This means users get the same rich e-mail experience whether using Outlook on the PC, a mobile phone or through their browser.

PressPass: How will these new products specifically improve interoperability?

Capossela: Promoting interoperability has been a high priority for Microsoft. This new wave of products is an important milestone in our commitment to interoperability principles. We believe these efforts will provide greater transparency and clarity to help our partners develop innovative solutions and products that work with Office. There are two ways we are achieving this. First, we are implementing new document format standards and have dedicated product engineering resources to deliver technical documentation for in-market and future Office-related products. Second, we have published implementation notes and a great deal of technical documentation through our Open Specification Promise so third parties can develop products that work with Microsoft Office-related products. In 2008 alone, we published about 20,000 pages of documentation related to protocols and formats used by Microsoft Office, Exchange and SharePoint Server.

Our teams have also been working on updating this documentation for the next version of our products. As a result of our investments in interoperability, our engineers also have established great new best practices, which have significantly improved product testing, security and integration with third-party products.

PressPass: When should we expect to see and hear more from you about the next version?

Capossela: We are really pleased with the potential of the next version of Office-related products and excited about the value that they will bring to our customers. You will see much more from us in the coming months. I think that all of our customers — people who use Office at home or at work, IT professionals, developers, and businesses of all sizes — will be thrilled about the choice, flexibility and enriched experience that these products will deliver across all types of devices.

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Microsoft Unveils Exchange 2010 With Public Beta

Microsoft Unveils Exchange 2010 With Public Beta
First in the next wave of Office-related products, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 will help lower communications costs, improve user productivity and transform e-mail archiving.

Microsoft Corp. today released a public beta of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, part of Microsoft’s unified communications family (http://www.microsoft.com/uc).

Exchange 2010 is part of the next wave of Microsoft Office-related products and is the first server in a new generation of Microsoft server technology built from the ground up to work on-premises and as an online service. This release of Exchange 2010 introduces a new integrated e-mail archive and features to help reduce costs and improve the user experience. A public beta of the server is available for download starting today at http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/2010.

Exchange Server 2010 will become available in the second half of 2009. Microsoft Office 2010 and related products will enter technical preview in the third quarter of 2009 and become available in the first half of 2010.

“Exchange 2010 ushers in the next generation of Microsoft unified communications software as the first server designed from inception to work both on-premises and as an online service,” said Rajesh Jha, corporate vice president of Exchange at Microsoft. “This release raises the bar with new archiving and end-user innovations that will help companies save money and employees save time.”

Exchange 2010 will help organizations reduce costs, protect communications and delight e-mail users with capabilities to do the following:

• Lower costs with more flexible deployment and management options. Exchange 2010 provides organizations with the same enterprise-grade capabilities whether deployed on-premises or as a service from Microsoft or partners — or as a mix of both. Further, for customers deploying the server, the new release simplifies the way organizations provide always-on communications and disaster recovery, meaning administrators spend less time managing their e-mail system. Exchange 2010 further improves performance running on lower-cost direct-attached storage, enabling organizations to dramatically reduce storage costs by up to 85 percent without sacrificing performance or reliability.

• Protect information and meet compliance requirements with the new e-mail archive. As e-mail volume grows, companies must address increasing compliance, legal and e-discovery concerns, but today, according to Osterman Research, only 28 percent of organizations currently archive their e-mail content (Osterman Research, 2008). Exchange 2010 introduces an integrated e-mail archive. The new solution makes it easier to store and query e-mail across the organization using the Exchange software that organizations already know and use.

• Improve user productivity with the ultimate inbox experience. Basex Inc. recently estimated that the average number of corporate e-mail messages received per person per day is expected to reach more than 93 by 2010. In addition, businesses lose $650 billion annually in productivity due to unnecessary interruptions including those from e-mail (Basex, 2008). Exchange 2010, together with Microsoft Outlook 2010, will give people more control over their communications with features such as these:

-MailTips. Warn users before they commit an e-mail faux pas such as sending mail to large distribution groups, to recipients who are out of the office or to recipients outside the organization, helping protect against information leaks and reduce unnecessary e-mail messages.

-Voice Mail Preview. See text previews of voice mail directly in Outlook.

-Ignore Conversation. This e-mail “mute button” allows people to remove themselves from an irrelevant e-mail string, reducing unwanted e-mail and runaway reply-all threads.

-Conversation View. Combine related e-mail messages in a single conversation to reduce inbox clutter.

-Call Answering Rules. Create customized “Press 1 for …” call-routing menus with Exchange voice mail.

-Consistent Experience. Use Outlook on the PC, a mobile phone or a browser for the same experience with enhancements in Outlook Mobile and Outlook Web Access.

First in a Wave

Exchange 2010 is the first product to be introduced as part of the next wave of Microsoft Office-related products. The next wave, which includes Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, Microsoft Visio 2010 and Microsoft Project 2010, is designed to give people a consistent experience across devices, making it easier to create and edit documents and collaborate from any location. In addition, to help businesses reduce costs, the next wave will introduce new delivery and licensing models, improve deployment and management options for IT professionals, and provide developers with an expanded platform on which to create applications.

“The line between home and work has blurred, and people want more choice and flexibility in how, where and when they work,” said Chris Capossela, senior vice president of the Information Worker Product Management Group at Microsoft. “With the next wave of Microsoft Office-related products, people will be more productive across the PC, phone and browser, IT professionals can choose to deploy and manage servers on-premises or from the cloud, and developers get more opportunities to build innovative solutions and grow their business.”

Availability

Exchange Server 2010 will become available in the second half of 2009. Additional Office products including Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, Microsoft Visio 2010 and Microsoft Project 2010 are scheduled to enter technical preview in the third quarter of 2009 and release to manufacturing in the first half of 2010.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx

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New Microsoft SideWinder X3 Mouse Fits Your Hand and Your Wallet

New Microsoft SideWinder X3 Mouse Fits Your Hand and Your Wallet
First ambidextrous SideWinder mouse offers gaming performance for either hand.

Microsoft Corp. today announced a new addition to the award-winning family of SideWinder gaming products, the SideWinder X3 Mouse, which combines gaming performance and versatile design at a value price of $39.95 .1 This ambidextrous, eight-button gaming mouse delivers comfort for either hand along with the performance features fans of SideWinder products know and love, including a 2,000 dots-per-inch (dpi) laser-tracking engine with on-the-fly dpi switching between high, medium and low sensitivity. The SideWinder X3 Mouse is easy on the wallet, but it does not skimp on performance, offering gamers a full set of features and launching them ahead of the competition.

Our research shows that in-game comfort continues to be the main consideration for PC gamers,” said Bill Jukes, product marketing manager for Microsoft Hardware. “We designed this mouse to be ambidextrous and small in size, providing comfort to a wider variety of people and making it ideal for gaming as well as everyday use.”

Performance Gaming, Perfect Price

Like its siblings the SideWinder X5 Mouse and the original SideWinder Mouse, the SideWinder X3 Mouse has five programmable main buttons that are customizable to gamers’ preferences and tested for extreme gaming, with the main button life rated to 10 million clicks. Additional features include these:

• IntelliPoint software to create and assign macros

• Wide, detented scroll wheel for more precise click movement

• Low-profile lateral side buttons for easy access during gaming and everyday computing

• Wide-glide feet for smooth handling and a light, balanced feel

Pricing and Availability

The SideWinder X3 Mouse will be widely available in May for an estimated retail price of $39.95 (U.S.). The mouse is available now for pre-sale on Amazon.com and will ship in May when it is released. More information about this and other Microsoft Hardware products can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

About Microsoft Hardware

For more than 25 years, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware/software compatibility, offering consumers an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable computing experience. In 2008, the Hardware Group debuted the world’s most advanced tracking technology — BlueTrack Technology — allowing consumers to track on more surfaces than optical and laser mice. More information about the Hardware Group is available at http://www.mshardwareguide.com.

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Microsoft Advertising Reels in “Deadliest Catch” – Partnering With Discovery Channel for Cross-Network Ad Buy

Microsoft Advertising Reels in “Deadliest Catch” – Partnering With Discovery Channel for Cross-Network Ad Buy
Discovery and Microsoft Advertising partner to launch three-screen campaign spanning mobile, Internet and gaming to capture fan base.

Microsoft Advertising sets sail today with the announcement of a simultaneous three-screen ad campaign for the Discovery Channel “Deadliest Catch” television series. The advertising campaign, which spans MSN, MSN Mobile, Windows Live Hotmail, Microsoft Live Search and Xbox LIVE, is designed to drum up excitement for the premiere of the fifth season of the channel’s highly-rated reality series about crab fishing in the waters off Alaska.

Because of Microsoft Advertising’s comprehensive publisher portfolio and breadth of cross-network media properties, Discovery chose to devote the show’s entire online advertising budget to this campaign. The main advertising push will be happening across Microsoft’s Media Network on April 14, 2009, when the new season debuts at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Discovery Channel. Discovery has purchased more than 90 percent of the advertising inventory owned on MSNBC, Fox Sports, MSN, MSN Mobile and Xbox LIVE for April 14 and will feature the first-ever home page conjunction takeover across MSN and MSN Mobile. The campaign will involve a variety of Microsoft-developed video, mobile and interactive media, as well as in-game advertising assets supported by Microsoft subsidiary Massive Inc. (http://www.massiveincorporated.com).

“The doors to our one-stop shop are open,” said Keith Lorizio, vice president of U.S. sales, Microsoft Advertising. “The Deadliest Catch campaign demonstrates how we are making it easier for customers to buy and integrate multiplatform digital campaigns. In partnership with just one publisher, advertisers reach a targetable, premium online audience where they consume digital content most — PC, mobile and TV screens.”

“Microsoft Advertising got it right on the first try,” said Danelle Sabathier, director, Digital Media Marketing, Discovery Networks. “They showed us they have the audience reach, resources and original content at their fingertips to create killer ad campaigns that have the potential to drive buzz and excitement, which is exactly what we were looking for the fifth season of our hit show. We are thrilled with the level of service our team received and how simple the process was.”

Drawing upon its technical expertise, Microsoft Advertising simultaneously weaves together Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” campaign and divides it into seven distinct audience engagement scenarios:

• MSN Home Page. On the day of the premiere, April 14, Discovery will reach MSN’s expansive audience base of more than 550 million unique users worldwide by executing a home page takeover using rich, interactive over-the-page ads. This custom execution is being developed by Microsoft’s Premier Media Group and will accomplish several firsts on the MSN home page, such as setting DVR reminders for fans, updating their calendar, and sending text alerts and e-mails.

• MSN Video and MSNBC Video. Throughout the life of the campaign, the “Deadliest Catch” will take advantage of MSN Video’s Entertainment and Sports channels, which own nearly 40 percent of MSN’s video audience. Discovery will run another custom execution called a Transitional Skin on the MSNBC video player, the first time an entertainment advertiser has taken advantage of this unique opportunity.

• MSN Mobile. On April 14, Discovery will execute an MSN Mobile home page takeover in conjunction with the MSN home page takeover. In addition, Microsoft subsidiary ScreenTonic (http://www.screentonic.com) created a mobile Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) site that utilizes the Microsoft Advertising mobile platform. Viewers will be able to interact with the WAP site and enter their cell phone numbers to receive tune-in reminders for the show via text message. Standard messaging and carrier charges apply.

• Xbox LIVE. The “Deadliest Catch” campaign will be running a number of click-to-video executions across the Xbox LIVE platform with a call-to-action Deadliest Catch Text to Win Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes provides viewers with a specific mobile SMS code to text for a chance to win Microsoft Points that can be used to buy games, movies and television shows through the on-demand service. Discovery plans to give away 2 million Microsoft Points to an expected 5,000 winners during a four-day period. In conjunction with this campaign, Discovery will run long-form video teasers to excite the Xbox audience about tuning in to the season premiere. Full details including free, alternate methods of entry and official rules are available at http://www.3csms.mobi/deadliestcatch/catchpoints.

• Massive. Using the Massive in-game advertising platform, Discovery is placing targeted ads throughout the experience to capture users at peak gaming time, with a focus on games played by audiences who embrace an edgy, fast-paced lifestyle: Ubisoft’s “Shaun White Snowboarding” and “Rainbow Six Vegas 2,” and Electronic Arts’ “Skate 2,” Madden 09, “Mercenaries 2,” “Need for Speed Undercover” and “NHL 09.” These ad units will also include the SMS codes for the Deadliest Catch Text to Win Sweepstakes.

• Windows Live Hotmail. Windows Live Hotmail will feature demographically targeted ads to coincide with the Fox Sports and MSNBC ad placements.

• Live Search. To round out its ad buy, Discovery is taking advantage of Microsoft Advertising’s adCenter platform and purchasing search keywords to help drive awareness to the newest season of “Deadliest Catch.”

Microsoft will also participate in the first-ever CatchCon event — a “Deadliest Catch” one-day fan festival being held at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle, on April 25. The event will include an Xbox lounge featuring Greenwave’s “Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm” video game for Xbox 360.

About Discovery Channel

DISCOVERY CHANNEL (DSC) is dedicated to creating the highest quality nonfiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which reaches 98.1 million viewers in the United States, can be seen in over 170 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit http://www.discovery.com.

About Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising provides advertisers and publishers with media, tools and services to drive deep and profitable engagement with their audiences. This includes a media network that reaches hundreds of millions of consumers around the world; global technology platforms and tools that enable easy planning and management of campaigns and content; and services that help untangle the complexities of digital media to get more value from marketing and content investments. Microsoft Advertising makes buying and selling media simple, smart and cost-effective across media and devices in the Microsoft network of properties and beyond. Visit http://advertising.microsoft.com for more information.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

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Microsoft Security Intelligence Report Shows Rogue Security Software a Top Threat to Internet Users

Microsoft Security Intelligence Report Shows Rogue Security Software a Top Threat to Internet Users
Cybercriminals take advantage of increased online savvy and human nature.

Microsoft Corp. today released the sixth volume of its Microsoft Security Intelligence Report, which showed a significant increase in rogue security software and evidence that threats are predominantly targeting common third-party desktop applications. This version of the report also showed that the No. 1 reason for data breaches remains lost and stolen computer equipment.

Released twice a year, the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report uses data gathered from hundreds of millions of computers worldwide to provide an in-depth snapshot of the threat landscape. With this volume, which covers the second half of 2008, Microsoft provides more information and insight about threats than ever before by offering new data on document file format attacks, the differences in malware affecting home and business computers, and phishing.

Rogue security software, also known as “scareware,” takes advantage of users’ desire to keep their computers protected. The rogue software lures them into paying for protection that, unknown to them, is actually malware offering little or no real protection, and is often designed to steal personal information. The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report shows that such programs are now among the top threats around the world. For example, two rogue families, Win32/FakeXPA and Win32/FakeSecSen, were detected on more than 1.5 million computers by Microsoft software, catapulting them into the top 10 threats in the second half of the year. In addition, Win32/Renos, a threat that is used to deliver rogue security software, was detected on 4.4 million unique computers, an increase of 66.6 percent over the first half of 2008.

Rogue security software and other social engineering attacks such as these compromise people’s privacy and are costly; some take personal information and drain bank accounts, while others infect computers and rob businesses of productivity.

“We continue to see an increase in the number of threats and complexity of those threats designed to implement crime at a variety of levels online,” said Vinny Gullotto, general manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center. “But as Microsoft and the industry continue to improve the security of our products and people become more concerned about their online safety and privacy, we see cybercriminals increasingly going after vulnerabilities in human nature rather than software. By working with others across the industry, Microsoft is helping combat the next generation of online threats through a community-based defense resulting from broad industry cooperation with law enforcement and the public.”

The Security Intelligence Report also showed that as software companies have improved the security of their operating systems, attackers have shifted their focus to the application layer, where the majority of vulnerabilities are now being reported; nearly 90 percent of vulnerabilities disclosed in the second half of 2008 affected applications. The report also showed that Microsoft continues to make significant progress in secure software development and that newer versions of Microsoft software are more secure than previous versions.

Finally, the Security Intelligence Report showed that lost and stolen equipment, not computer hacking, continues to be the most common cause of security breaches resulting in data loss publicly reported in the second half of 2008 — totaling 50 percent of reported incidents. To mitigate this threat, organizations must implement strong data governance practices to help protect data from criminal access.

Based on the key findings from the report, Microsoft is calling on the technology industry, law enforcement and policy makers to continue to work together to develop new ways to deter online criminals and help protect people online. Microsoft will continue to work with others toward its End to End Trust vision for a safer, more trusted Internet, which will require broad industry collaboration and technology innovations that are aligned with social, economic and political forces. Microsoft also recommends that customers and organizations use the data and prescriptive guidance outlined in the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report to assess and improve their security practices. The proactive steps Microsoft recommends for individuals and businesses include these:

• Configure computers to use Microsoft Update instead of Windows Update; this will ensure the receipt of security updates for Microsoft Office and other Microsoft applications, as well as security updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems. More information on how to do this is available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311047.

• Make sure that updates also are enabled when possible for third-party applications.

• Use an anti-malware product from a known, trusted source, and keep it updated. Be cautious not to follow advertisements for unknown software that appears to provide protection (rogue security software).

• Avoid opening attachments or clicking on links to documents in e-mail or instant messages that are received unexpectedly or from an unknown source.

• Enterprise customers should ensure that policies are in place to help secure all file shares and regulate the use of removable media.

• Enterprise customers should use the Microsoft Security Assessment Tool (MSAT), available at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/cc185712.aspx, to help assess weaknesses in their IT security environment and build a plan to address the risks.

• Enterprise customers should help control the use of remote management software.

• Detailed help and guidance on helping secure the home computing environment is available on the Security at Home Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

A full list of Microsoft’s guidance, a downloadable version of the Security Intelligence Report, volume 6, and other related information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/sir.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

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NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Blazes Trail to Age of Digital Recordkeeping

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Blazes Trail to Age of Digital Recordkeeping
Microsoft HealthVault and Microsoft Amalga will give patients unprecedented online access to medical information.
Like all physicians, Dr. Mehmet Oz considers what his patients experience when they come to see him. “The first thing new patients are asked to do is fill out yet another medical history form, just as they have at every other medical office they have visited. And they probably ask themselves why there isn’t an electronic form that they can fill out once and then make available to any new doctor they need to see. I’ve asked myself the same question. After all, it would be faster, more accurate, easier for both patients and doctors, and probably more secure,” says Oz, who is director of the Cardiovascular Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Now, Oz’s hospital is leading the way to that digital-records future. This week NewYork-Presbyterian announced a new service called myNYP.org, a health record portal built upon Microsoft Corp.’s HealthVault and Amalga unified intelligence system (UIS) technologies. Now, eligible patients will be able to access their medical information wherever and whenever they need it.

HealthVault is an open, security-enhanced platform that allows users to create a Web-based account that can manage several sets of records, from blood tests to CAT scans, even for an entire family. Amalga aggregates vast amounts of clinical, administrative and financial data from disparate information systems — so-called “data silos” — and tailors that information for use by physicians, analysts, laboratory technicians, nurses and administrators. Today, hospitals in the US typically have to deal with about 100 different data silos.

Empowering Consumers

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in the world. Actually composed of two renowned medical centers, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the hospital is also affiliated with two Ivy League medical schools, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

The myNYP.org portal allows patients to move medical data into secure digital records for later access by healthcare workers. The platform can store prescriptions, surgery reports, hospital discharge instructions, laboratory results, radiology and EKG images, insurance information, emergency contacts, and more. In addition to managing their own health information, patients can add health information for family members, including spouses, children, parents and dependents.

To allow a service provider to retrieve the stored data, a patient types in the doctor’s e-mail address and sets up permissions for that doctor to view and/or modify particular files. In this way, patients can give particular service providers access only to the specific information they need. Physicians can then add comments and explanations to the records to help patients understand their medical tests and procedures.

NewYork-Presbyterian and Microsoft spokespeople agree that this element of patient control is a key feature of myNYP.org. “This technology not only gives patients access to their health information, but puts them in the driver’s seat, with complete control to take their information with them, add to it and share it with their family, other doctors and healthcare providers, and anyone they choose,” says Dr. Steven J. Corwin, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Adds Peter Neupert, corporate vice president of the Health Solutions Group at Microsoft, “NewYork-Presbyterian is bringing health information technology into the 21st century. Just as consumers have been encouraged and enabled to manage their credit scores, myNYP.org sets a new standard for patient empowerment, helping them understand their care and gain stewardship of their medical information to use and share at their discretion. In time, this is likely to reduce the need for redundant paperwork and testing, make it easier for physicians to retrieve digital radiology images and other patient records, and reduce costs.”

The myNYP.org portal is currently available only to cardiology and cardiac surgery patients at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

Other Uses for the Data

The collective data stored in the myNYP.org platform is proving useful not just for treating individual patients, but as a database that can be mined for new insights. “Amalga brings together data that has been collected in disparate systems in a relatively easy way that does not eat up a lot of our resources,” says Aurelia Boyer, senior vice president and chief information officer at NewYork-Presbyterian. “Once that data has been collected — in addition to delivering it to the patients — we can use it to perform analytics.”

Dr. Craig Smith, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, provides a dramatic example: “For some time my department has wanted to conduct a thorough analysis of post-operative infections,” he says. “Such infections can require extended hospitalization or a repeat operation, not to mention the possibility that a patient might not recover. So there are significant improvements to be realized if we can use this e-record technology to eliminate some of the current uncertainty and establish some new best practices.”

Several factors can contribute to infections, including the patient’s blood glucose level at the time of surgery, the management of the chest tubes and other devices that are inserted through the patient’s skin, and which antibiotics are given to the patient.

“We decided to use the data collected by Amalga to take on the issue of chest tube drainage and how quickly the tubes are being removed from patients — something we’ve never been able to easily study before,” says Smith. “It was astonishing. Suddenly we had week-by-week charts telling us how long the chest tubes have been in.

“Thanks to this analysis, we’ve identified an optimum time to remove the tubes and have provided this new information to our surgeons. Sure enough, we’ve seen a decrease in the number of insertion-site infections,” adds Smith.

Dr. Susan Bostwick, physician liaison for information technology at NewYork-Presbyterian, offers another example. “The new technology gives us another important capability in the area of pediatric vaccinations,” she says. “Right now, it’s very hard to keep track of which children are eligible for vaccinations and which have already been vaccinated, especially for families that are coming to NewYork-Presbyterian for the first time or for whom our hospital is one of several healthcare providers. It’s just not realistic to expect all parents to be able to keep accurate records of their children’s vaccinations.”

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Microsoft Streets & Trips Helps Families Take Affordable and Fun “Staycations”

Microsoft Streets & Trips Helps Families Take Affordable and Fun “Staycations”
Following 10 easy tips can make for the perfect family road trip.

Despite the down economy, many people still plan to participate in the upcoming spring and summer travel season. According to the U.S. Travel Association’s Travel Price Index, in February 2009 motor fuel prices were down 35.4 percent from one year ago. Many people are taking advantage of these lower gas prices and are planning a “staycation,” a close-to-home, often more affordable alternative to traveling abroad or even out of state.

Microsoft Streets & Trips provides people with tools that make it easy to plan the perfect staycation from beginning to end. Streets & Trips is packed with tools that help take the stress out of the typical family road trip. The route-planning feature accompanied by detailed directions and more than 1.5 million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, national parks and automated teller machines, allows travelers to plan personalized routes for a memorable and fun trip for the entire family. Streets & Trips also comes with a free trial membership to Entertainment® Online,1 which allows travelers to trim expenses by taking advantage of special savings at restaurants, hotels and special events.

Road construction updates, available online at no additional charge, inform users on important local, state, national (U.S.) and international (Canada) construction updates and road closures. Streets & Trips will then create routes that bypass such hang-ups to minimize frustrating delays and unexpected stops.

“Microsoft Streets & Trips is a great tool for families planning to hit the road this season,” said Anne Quaranta, product manager for Streets & Trips at Microsoft Corp. “Whether it’s getting from A to B, avoiding construction, or finding interesting places to stop along the way, Microsoft Streets & Trips helps families plan fun and memorable staycations while saving money.”

Planning Helps Ensure a Smooth Ride

When traveling, the last thing drivers want to encounter is an unexpected situation. Planning the trip ahead of time helps travelers to know what’s around each corner before getting behind the wheel. Here are 10 simple tips that will help get any road trip off on the right tire:

• Families should make sure the car is in top condition before hitting the road. Getting the oil changed, checking tire pressure and having a mechanic give the vehicle a once-over will help people avoid problems during their trip.

• Anything can happen out on the road, so travelers need to prepare for an emergency. Bringing items such as a flashlight, road flares, a first-aid kit and water can save families from disaster.

• Travelers should decide on a budget and stick to it. Before people even leave home, they can develop a trip budget by using the Microsoft Streets & Trips fuel consumption manager, which provides a cost estimate for the trip based on the car’s tank size and mileage per gallon.

• Make the planning a family affair. Kids will love being involved in the planning process. It’s not only educational, but it also will help parents avoid the dreaded “Are we there yet?”

• Creating a themed vacation can be a lot of fun for families; for example, visiting all the major national parks in the area, or touring the famous Route 66.

• Staycationers should always factor in time for fun. By using the customization tools in Streets & Trips, families can plan stops for meals, bathroom breaks, fuel and sightseeing stops.

• Travelers should bring along car-friendly snacks such as fruit, crackers and cheese sticks. Not only will they have to stop less often, but it also will help save on expenses.

• To help discourage theft, families should be sure to hide any valuables they need to leave in the car and should always make sure doors are locked and windows are up.

• Audio books are great, especially for people traveling with children. The stories really help make the time fly.

• Families should always remember to bring a camera to capture all those memories along the way.

Availability

Microsoft Streets & Trips is a great value at only $39.95.2 Or, check out Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locator, which includes the No. 1 best-selling3 travel and map software in the United States along with a sleek Global Positioning System (GPS) locator for only $69.99.2 In addition, for a limited time, when you purchase Streets & Trips with GPS Locator you can get a free download of Microsoft Money Plus, a value of more than $50. Or give Streets & Trips a test-drive by downloading a free 60-day trial version at http://www.microsoft.com/streets.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

1 Entertainment Online offer details: Free trial lasts for 14 days. Trial begins when you sign up with Entertainment Online through Streets & Trips. Valid only in the United States, the District of Columbia and Canada with the purchase of Streets & Trips 2009. You must activate your trial membership before June 1, 2011, to use this offer. Free trial offer is not available to current Entertainment Online subscribers. Additional restrictions apply; see http://www.entertainment.com/microsoftst/info.html for more information.

2 Estimated retail price. Actual retail price may vary.

3 Source: NPD Group Inc./Retail Tracking Service, January 2000–January 2009. Based on total U.S. retail sales.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

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