Analyst Relations - Reports

Choosing an ISV Partner Program (Forrester, June 18, 2008, .pdf file, 473 kb) This independent report describes Microsoft’s ISV program as “very friendly to small players.” Forrester analyst, Merv Adrian, also says Microsoft’s program “is the largest program, from the largest vendor, with the most at stake — 95% of Microsoft’s revenue comes from partners. Microsoft manages its program closely: In addition to fees, ISVs must earn “partner points” with customer references, solution certifications, employee certifications, and customer satisfaction scores to keep or raise their status. The connection to Microsoft logos and its enormous, well-integrated, and well-promoted Web presence is also a big plus.”

Magic Quadrant for IT Project and Portfolio Management, (Gartner, June 13, 2008): This Gartner Magic Quadrant by Matt Light and Daniel Stang evaluates leading technology solution vendors in the IT Project and Portfolio Management space. Gartner positions Microsoft in the Leaders quadrant. According to Gartner, Leaders “are differentiated by comparatively high ratings in many areas, not just a couple” and “their vision of the IT PPM market often extends to communication and quality management, with features aimed at improving team performance (for example, via collaborative features and methodology support.”

Magic Quadrant for B2B Gateway Providers (Gartner, June 3, 2008) Service-oriented architecture, cloud computing, international e-commerce, proliferating business-to-business projects and changing user requirements are driving vendor innovation and consolidation in the B2B gateway software market. Gartner positions Microsoft in Leaders Quadrant in the Magic Quadrant for B2B Gateway Providers.

Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wireless E-Mail Software Market (Gartner Research, May 29, 2008) This Gartner Magic Quadrant by Monica Basso evaluates today’s wireless e-mail market and its future evolution. Gartner positions Microsoft in the Leaders quadrant in the 2008 Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wireless E-Mail Software Market. According to Gartner, “Leaders have established positions in several areas of technology and pursue innovation in different areas related to wireless e-mail product features and services.”

The Forrester Wave: Enterprise Search, Q2 2008 (Forrester Research, May 28, 2008, .pdf file, 530 kb) “Microsoft and FAST were among the select companies that Forrester invited to participate in its May 2008, Forrester Wave report, ‘The Forrester Wave: Enterprise Search, Q2 2008.’ In this evaluation, FAST was cited as a leader in the Leaders wave, and Microsoft was cited as a strong performer in the Strong Performers wave.”

Case Study: High 5 Sportswear Scores Big With A Smart SaaS CRM Implementation (Forrester, Inc., May 7, 2008, .pdf file, 165 kb) highlights Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online customer, High 5 Sportswear and their steps on deciding that Microsoft Dynamic CRM Online was the best choice for their business. The top benefits that have risen since implementing the solution include; more in depth metrics to better manage the business, faster customer ticket processing time, higher confidence in customer interactions, and the capacity to support business expansion.

Six Reasons Why Microsoft’s Hyper-V Will Overtake VMware (Clabby Analytics, May 2008, .pdf file, 464 kb) Analyst Joe Clabby defines the server virtualization technology and presents a six-point argument for why Microsoft can overtake VMware in this space within the next five years. Specifically, Joe asserts that Microsoft has an advantage with price, packaging, depth, reach, control/integration and install base.

Microsoft Announces System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 (Enterprise Management Associates, May 2008, .pdf file, 204 kb) This report provides a favorable overview of the details of Microsoft’s announcements relative to cross platform management of System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008, as well as heterogeneous support in System Center Operations Manager.

Microsoft Management & Virtualisation Strategy Continues to Mature (IDC, May 2008, .pdf file, 94 kb) This report reviews Microsoft’s cross-platform server virtualization management announcements made at Microsoft Management Summit and focuses on their impact on the Australian and New Zealand marketplaces.

Microsoft Plans to Manage Next Generation Data Centers (Enterprise Strategy Group, May 2008, .pdf file, 124 kb) ESG analysts Mark Bowker and Mary Turner predict that Microsoft’s move toward heterogeneous management, combined with its long-term vision for the next-generation data center, will create “fireworks” in the management vendor market over the next few years.

2007 Survey: Office 2007 Off to a Fast Start with Users (Gartner, April 30, 2008) This research presents results from the annual Gartner office automation products North American and European surveys for 2007. The findings enable IT organizations to compare their Office product deployment plans with the plans of survey respondents.

Search Analytics: Microsoft Reaches VMware's Level in Server Virtualization Searches (Gartner, Jeffrey Hewitt, April 28, 2008)

Application Server Quality: Review Your Assumptions (Forrester Research, April 25, 2008, .pdf file, 469 kb) This Forrester report examines more than 600 IT and application development professional’s evaluation of application servers for existing and future applications. Results of the survey show that new product releases show steady improvements in product quality, application servers are much more widely used than adjacent product categories, and survey respondents report that Microsoft is one of the suppliers with which they are most familiar.

Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Application Servers, 2Q08 (Gartner, April 24, 2008) Foundational EAS technology is evolving to meet the challenges of constant innovation in business software. Gartner positions Microsoft in Leaders Quadrant in the 2008 Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Application Servers.

Microsoft Shows New Attitude at MIX08, but Consistency Will Be Key (Gartner Research, April 17, 2008) This report looks at the major announcements made at Microsoft's MIX08 conference.  David Mitchell Smith, Ray Valdes and Brian Prentice state that “Web designers will no longer just be creating innovative consumer-facing Web sites. They’re going to be leading the redesign of the computing experience in the enterprise.”

Building the Business Case for Windows Vista (Forrester Research, April 16, 2008, .pdf file, 111 kb) This report outlines five reasons Forrester believes enterprises should start their migration to Windows Vista sooner rather than later. Analyst Benjamin Gray states, “most companies are well under way with their software and hardware compatibility testing [of Windows Vista] and are planning to start their deployment toward the end of this year and into 2009.”

Lessons Learned From Early Adopters Of Windows Vista  (Forrester Research, April 16, 2008, .pdf file, 109 kb) This report discusses how enterprise customers can address the most common migration challenges to implement a successful Windows Vista rollout. Analyst Benjamin Gray states, “Hundreds of businesses worldwide have successfully deployed Windows Vista, and thousands more are preparing to do the same.”

Forrester Data Chart - Microsoft Office SharePoint Server - MOSS 2007 Adoption In A Word - Pervasive (Forrester Research, April 2, 2008, ppt file, 362 kb)  This PowerPoint deck presents data charts originally published in Forrester’s independent analyst report, “March 2008 North American and Western European Enterprise Microsoft Office 2007 Adoption Online Survey”.  Based on a survey of 259 IT decision-makers at enterprises in North America and European enterprises, Forrester found that the vast majority of enterprises are at least considering implementing or upgrading to MOSS 2007 and that most will do so within the next 12 months if they haven’t already.

Forrester Data Chart - Microsoft Office -The Current And Very Likely Future King Of Desktop Productivity  (Forrester Research, April 2, 2008, ppt file, 359 kb) This PowerPoint deck presents data charts originally published in Forrester’s independent analyst report, “March 2008 North American and Western European Enterprise Microsoft Office 2007 Adoption Online Survey”.  Based on a survey of 259 IT decision-makers at enterprises in North America and European enterprises, Forrester found that most enterprises (83%) believe Microsoft to be the innovation leader in desktop productivity.

Microsoft Dynamics Gets Renewed Focus (Forrester, Inc., April 1, 2008, .pdf file, 181 kb) highlights that Microsoft Dynamics, “with its innovative role-based user experience, improved reporting and BI capabilities, and improving platform harmonization, Microsoft Dynamics products should be on ERP selection shortlists for a variety of SMBs, particularly those that use Microsoft’s server-based products.”

Forrester Data Chart - The State Of Microsoft Office 2007 Desktop Adoption (Forrester Research, March 31, 2008, pptx file, 166 kb)  This PowerPoint deck presents data charts originally published in Forrester’s independent analyst report, “March 2008 North American and Western European Enterprise Microsoft Office 2007 Adoption Online Survey”.  Based on a survey of 259 IT decision-makers at enterprises in North America and European enterprises, Forrester found that more than 40% of enterprises have Office 2007 desktop applications in use and that most will deploy Office 2007 desktop applications within the next 12 months.

Microsoft and EDS Go After the Contact Center, Together (AMR Research, March 21, 2008 .pdf file, 189 kb) The partnership between Microsoft and EDS opens up client acquisition opportunities for both vendors in the burgeoning customer management and business process outsourcing market. In an extension to the strategic relationship the two companies have had in place for some time, EDS has now also become a Dynamics CRM partner and will focus specifically on providing consulting and services for application areas, such as contact centers and sales force automation.

Magic Quadrant for CRM Customer Service Contact Centers, 2008 (Gartner, March 19, 2008) The challenge during the next five years for business buyers interested in improving customer service in their contact centers will be to find software suppliers that understand that the central focus of CRM has changed from enabling the agent to enabling the end customer/consumer. The current generation of CRM application providers in the customer service contact center space lags user needs. The major enterprise application providers excel at commodity tasks, such as product selection, order management, payment, account setup and basic support.

Convergence 2008: Microsoft Is Serious About Business Applications (AMR Research., March 15, 2008, .pdf file, 163 kb) highlights “Microsoft’s commitments to the business applications market and moving forward with all four ERP products, as well as a long-term commitment to software plus services. It also showed a company with a vision: supporting a diverse set of customer shapes and sizes with a blend of hosted services and on-premise software.”

Choosing Between Microsoft's Select and Enterprise Agreements (Gartner, March 12, 2008) This Gartner report provides a third-party perspective on which Microsoft Volume Licensing program is right for your organization. Frances O’Brien provides an in-depth analysis of two Microsoft Volume Licensing programs to help answer customers’ frequently asked questions about whether they should license their products under Microsoft's Select or an Enterprise Agreements.

E-Mail Hosting: Poised for Explosive Growth (Gartner, February 22, 2008) This Gartner report by Matthew Cain covers the implications of the shift to a hosted messaging delivery model, focusing particularly on economics, architectures and vendor dynamics. The report states that hosted delivery models will change the face of IT architectures over the next decade. E-mail will be at the forefront of the change in IT delivery models, and market development should be scrutinized for both tactical opportunities and strategic implications.

Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 2008 (Gartner, February 1, 2008) Gartner positions Microsoft in Leaders Quadrant in the 2008 Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms.

The Buzz about BizTalk: from toy to deploy? (IBRS, February 2008, .doc file, 333 kb) In this IBRS report, Joseph Sweeney explores the evolution of BizTalk, concluding that “organisations moving towards Microsoft for development projects can now consider BizTalk R2 as a viable alternative to the more established middleware products.”

What the CIO Should Know and Do About IT Modernization (Gartner, February 2008) Learn how CIOs will need to develop new skills and competencies in their management teams to deal with the significant challenges of IT modernization.

Microsoft Pushes Virtualization Frontier (Enterprise Management Associates, February 2008, .pdf file, 182 kb) This impact brief covers recent announcements by Microsoft around its virtualization strategy. In particular, this paper discusses the acquisition of Calista Technology and a recently-announced expanded partnership with Citrix. This paper includes a brief introduction to current virtualization challenges and concludes with Enterprise Management Associates’ (EMA’s) favorable perspective on the announcements and Microsoft’s strategic virtualization vision.

Virtualization Price War: VMware’s Little Big Horn? (Yankee Group, February 2008, .pdf file, 1.8 mb) This report discusses the emergence of vendors (specifically Microsoft, Citrix and Oracle) competing with VMware on price. Microsoft is portrayed as working to close the gap on VMware’s performance & functionality edge while offering an overall lower TCO. 

Microsoft Development 2008 (Illuminata Research, January 25, 2008, .pdf file, 193 kb) This Illuminata report reviews Visual Studio 2008 (VS08) and states that the advent of VS08, released to manufacturing in November 2007, is a key event of the past year. Additionally, the analyst firm predicts that if Microsoft continues to enhance VS08 with industry - and function - specific libraries, and as developers take advantage of those new capabilities, VS 2008 should improve both worldwide programmer productivity and application speed-to-market.

Getting Virtualized – Microsoft Charts the Way to Dynamic IT (Pund-IT, January 23, 2008, .pdf file, 114 kb) This write-up in Pund-IT’s weekly review concludes that while news made at Microsoft’s Virtualization Deployment Summit has the potential to have “remarkable” impact on the virtualization market, there are questions if the company’s strategic efforts will actually take root.

Magic Quadrant for Software Change and Configuration Management for Distributed Platforms, 2008 (Gartner, Inc., January 23, 2008) This vendor evaluation looks at the Software Change and Configuration Management (SCCM) market. Gartner states that “the control of code configuration and the changes made to it are key to successful development” and “this sector has seen substantial activity during the past several years.”

SharePoint Redefines Document Management (Forrester Research, Jan. 3, 2008, .pdf, file 115 kb) This independent Forrester survey examines buying trends in team collaboration software and document management. Based on a survey of 216 decision makers at North American and European enterprises, Forrester found many organizations will invest in Microsoft for their ECM solution in 2008.

2008 Likely to See Broad Adoption of Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (IDC, January 2008, .pdf file, 168 kb) The report provides the results of a survey conducted by IDC in October 2007 to gauge adoption of Office 2007 and SharePoint Server 2007.

Microsoft Will Turn Up the Server Virtualization Volume in 2008 (Enterprise Strategy Group, January 2008, .pdf file, 132 kb) ESG analysts provide a favorable overview of Microsoft’s virtualization strategy and consider Microsoft to be a viable virtualization vendor, referencing findings from their end user surveys to support their points

Magic Quadrant for Integrated SOA Governance Technology Sets, 2007 (Gartner, Inc., December 31, 2007) This Gartner Magic Quadrant by L. Frank Kenney and Daryl C. Plummer evaluates those vendors in the Integrated SOA Governance market focused on supporting heterogeneous environments. Gartner positions Microsoft in the Challengers quadrant.

Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms, 2007 (Gartner, Inc., Dec. 21, 2007) Microsoft is positioned in the Challengers Quadrant of Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms, 2007.

Magic Quadrant for Magic Quadrant for PC Life Cycle Configuration Management, 2007 (Gartner, Inc., Dec. 21, 2007) Microsoft is positioned in the leaders quadrant in Gartner’s latest PC Life Cycle Configuration Management Magic Quadrant.

SOA: The State of the Market (AMR Research, Dec. 18, 2007, .pdf , 705 kb) In this market roundup, AMR defines the structure of the SOA market, identifies the most influential players, and makes some predictions about the future. “The mega-vendors, Microsoft, IBM, SAP, and Oracle, are exploiting their deep pockets to build broad product suites. They also use their powerful relationships with customers to actively direct the market.”

Magic Quadrant for IT Event Correlation and Analysis, 2007 (Gartner, Inc., Dec. 18, 2007).  Microsoft is positioned in the Challenger quadrant in Gartner’s latest IT Event Correlation and Analysis Magic Quadrant.  According to Gartner, “Vendors in the Challengers quadrant are solid and can perform well for many enterprises.”

Magic Quadrant for SSL VPN, North America, 3Q07 (Gartner, Inc., 6 December 2007) Microsoft is positioned in the visionaries quadrant in Gartner’s latest SSL VPN Magic Quadrant.

Microsoft: The Latest Disruptor in Enterprise Search (Forrester Research, Nov. 6, 2007, .pdf, 104K) This Forrester report examines Microsoft’s expanded enterprise search offerings. Analyst Ken Poore writes “Microsoft Search Server 2008 raises the bar and frees up search. This week, Microsoft made its latest move into the enterprise search platforms market with two strategic products: Microsoft Search Server Express 2008 and Microsoft Search Server 2008. These products deliver a solid set of features that reset the feature/price/ease-of-use equation for entry-level and midtier enterprise search.”

Microsoft and ALM: An Attractive Duo (Ovum, Oct. 31, 2007, .pdf, 198kb) This Ovum report focuses on Microsoft’s achievements, challenges, opportunities and strategy in delivering an application lifecycle management platform, and the impact that the company will have on the market and for customers. Ovum writes that “Microsoft offers a comprehensive development platform that directly supports most of the key phases of the software development lifecycle.”

Microsoft: Software Development and Delivery Has Never Had It So Good (Ovum, Oct. 31, 2007, .pdf, 200kb) This Ovum report discusses Microsoft’s role in the recent industry focus on the software development and delivery process, especially in relation to successfully managing the wider and more strategic application lifecycle. Ovum writes that “the last 24 months for Microsoft have been a period of strategic activity with no uncertain amount of innovation, the launch of new product strategies, new product releases, unnerving key competitors in important markets, and better clarity in the company’s future direction.”

Messaging, Workflow Roadmap Announced (Directions on Microsoft, Oct. 30, 2007, .pdf, 377 kb) “Oslo supports principles – service-oriented architecture and composite applications – that Microsoft believes will drive future business application development.”

The Impact of Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 in CPM (Gartner, October 25, 2007) In this report Gartner evaluates Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007.

Microsoft Business Solutions Leads In Enterprise Apps Software Licensing And Pricing For SMBs The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q4 2007 (Forrester Research, Oct. 15, 2007, .pdf 207 kb) Extensive efforts at streamlining software and licensing for Microsoft have paid off.  Microsoft has maintained its client-friendly concurrent user license and aligned its packaging and pricing across the Microsoft Dynamics line. Business Ready Licensing, launched in July 2006, eliminates the module and SKU complexity of legacy pricing schemes in favor of a user based licensing approach. Microsoft earned the top slot in the SMB edition, and is among the top three in the large enterprise edition, of the survey due to extensive support for provisions in the enterprise software licensee bill of rights.

The Forrester Wave: Enterprise Apps Software Licensing And Pricing, Q4 2007 (Forrester Research, Oct. 15, 2007, .pdf, 572 kb) “Extensive efforts at streamlining software and licensing for Microsoft Business Solutions have paid off.  Microsoft has maintained its client-friendly concurrent user license and aligned its packaging and pricing across the Microsoft Dynamics line.”

Magic Quadrant for Data Warehouse Database Management Systems, 2007 (Gartner, Oct. 10, 2007) Microsoft is positioned in the leader’s quadrant for Magic Quadrant for Data Warehouse Database Management Systems, 2007.

Evaluating IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and SAP Web and Consumerization Strategies (Gartner Research, October 3, 2007) This vendor evaluation looks at Consumerization and the Web as two related and highly impactful issues facing users and vendors today. Analysts David Mitchell Smith and Charles Abrams state that “one major force behind the consumerization of IT is the Internet and enterprises' adoption of Internet technologies.”

Windows Server 2008: Why You Should Care (Gartner Inc., Sept. 25, 2007) This research outlines the value proposition of Windows Server 2008.

Windows Server 2008: When You Should Care (Gartner Inc., Sept. 25, 2007) In this Gartner report, analyst John Enck outlines the migration strategies for moving to Windows Server 2008. 

Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Content Management, 2007 (Gartner, September 21, 2007): This Gartner Magic Quadrant by Karen Shegda evaluates leading vendors in the Enterprise Content Management market which includes web content management, records management, document imaging, document management, workflow and document-centric collaboration. Gartner positions Microsoft in the Visionaries quadrant.

Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2: RFID for Everyman (AMR Research, Sept. 14, 2007, .pdf, 156K) A long time in the coming, Microsoft has finally launched its RFID BizTalk Server. The ramifications of its introduction will reverberate throughout the world of RFID, making this a watershed moment in the ongoing effort to create mass adoption of the technology.

Magic Quadrant for Information Access Technology, 2007 (Gartner, September 5, 2007): This Gartner Magic Quadrant by Whit Andrews evaluates leading vendors in the Information Access market which extends beyond enterprise search to encompass a collection of information access technologies. Gartner positions Microsoft in the Challengers quadrant. According to Gartner, “Challengers possess sufficient resources to effectively penetrate the information access technology market.”

Vista SP1 is Important, but Less So Than SPs of the Past (Gartner, Sept. 4, 2007)

Case Study: Microsoft Customizes Multi-Level Privacy Training For Their Employees (Forrester Research, Aug. 22, 2007, .pdf) “Although Microsoft had to overcome the challenge of a decentralized corporate structure in training its employees while also incorporating privacy awareness into its software development lifecycle, it has succeeded in training 100% of its employees on privacy.”

Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications, 2007 (Gartner, August 20, 2007): This Gartner Magic Quadrant by Bern Elliot evaluates leading vendors in the unified communications market. Gartner positions Microsoft in the Leaders quadrant. According to Gartner, “The Leaders quadrant contains vendors selling comprehensive and integrated UC solutions that directly, or with well-defined partnerships, address the full range of market needs.”

What’s the Point of SharePoint? (IBRS, August 2007, .doc, 547 kb) With business units and end users calling for, if not demanding, IT managers to deploy Microsoft SharePoint, IBRS explores the product’s many functions and how organizations can implement them effectively by educating stakeholders, setting proper expectations and making sure the right skills are deployed internally.

A Look at Improvements and Shortcoming in Microsoft Office 2007 Desktop Applications (Forrester Research, July 17, 2007, .pdf, 464 kb) This report, the second in Forrester’s “Innovation on the Desktop” series, states that “the breadth of Microsoft Office 2007 and its change of focus from desktop apps to a full system targeted at information workers warrants careful consideration by (Information and Knowledge Management Professionals.)” Analyst Kyle McNabb writes that “office productivity will evolve, taking advantage of more thin client and SaaS approaches, but we’ve not seen the end of the thick client.”

Microsoft is a Leader in Application Server Platforms (Forrester Research, July 11, 2007, .pdf, 277 kb) "Microsoft has a very comprehensive application server platform. Its platform is very well integrated and provides both the widely used features of today's Web applications and many of the advanced features that will drive the next generation of SOA apps."

Forrester Wave: Application Server Platforms, Q3 2007 (Forrester Research, July 11, 2007, .pdf, 944 kb) "Microsoft is a Leader in Forrester's evaluation of application server platforms, due to the strong and mature development, deployment, management, and interoperability features of its Windows Server platform, which is based on .NET."

Microsoft Securing the Future of .NET in Asia Pacific (Longhaus, June 1, 2007, .pdf) With the recent release of the SoftwareAP.net initiative in conjunction with Intel, Red Herring, Group Intelligence and Asia Venture Capital Journal, Microsoft is aiming to take the lead in incubating emerging independent software vendors (ISVs) across Asia Pacific. Previous .NET initiatives, such as Victoria.net, have offered application developers training and a market for the commercial purchase of their technologies. In contrast, this latest incarnation offers advice and partnering with VC’s and regional governments. As Asia Pacific continues to develop as a service dominated market, Longhaus undertook to evaluate this latest effort towards the development of a local software economy.

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 Coming Soon to a Desktop Near You (Gartner, June 1, 2007) Gartner evaluates Microsoft’s entry into the CPM suites market with Office PerformancePoint Server 2007.

Microsoft Leads in Record-Centric Customer Service Management Software: The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q2 2007 (Forrester Research, May 24, 2007, .pdf, 199 kb) “Microsoft Dynamics CRM, which delivers sufficient customer service capabilitie at a low cost, has emerged as a leader among customer record-centric products. Although not as functionally rich in core customer service capabilities, Microsoft compensates through its architecture, integration, usability, and business strategy. The product shines in its ability to support agents through phone agent, blended agent, and agent collaboration tools — all of which sit on top of a solid workflow engine. In the future, look for Microsoft to exploit its Customer Care Framework, a modular XML Web Services architecture for rapid development and deployment of contact center solutions.”

Forrester Wave: Software Change and Configuration Management, Q2 2007 (Forrester Research, Inc., May 23, 2007, .pdf, 564 kb) Microsoft was rated a Strong Performer in this Forrester Wave. Forrester analyst, Carey Schwaber, noted that while “Team Foundation Server is just a year old, it’s mature beyond its years” and “ready for prime time.” Additionally, she highlighted that “Microsoft’s strategy of focusing on the platform while letting the community develop add-ons like process editors and form editors has paid off handsomely.”

Microsoft's Convergence 2007 Conference Demonstrated a Focus on Platforms and User Experience (Gartner, May 16, 2007): This Gartner report by Christian Hestermann, Yvonne Genovese and Jeff Woods analyzes announcements made at Convergence 2007.

How Secure Should Your Search Be? (Forrester Research, Inc., April 12, 2007, .pdf, 128 kb) This Forrester report examines enterprise search security as a complex issue that requires careful weighing of requirements to achieve “winning search strategies that will balance costs with advanced functionality.” For example, organizations should consider whether search will span more than one secure repository and if the answer is ‘yes’, analyst Matt Brown writes companies should evaluate “higher-end products including those from infrastructure providers such as Microsoft.”

Microsoft Positions Dynamics as the Next Enterprise Applications Platform for Partners in Midmarket and Beyond (IDC, March 2007, .pdf, 97 kb) This IDC Insight by Albert Pang, Joel N. Martin, Bo Lykkegaard and Mary Wardley is positive in tone and reviews the Microsoft Dynamics product line, channel and announcements made at Convergence 2007 while examining their implications on the enterprise applications market.

Desktop Security at the Crossroads (Enterprise Strategy Group, March 2007, .pdf, 289 kb) “ESG sees a [Desktop Security] market in a state of flux. Users believe that desktop security products are nothing more than commodity widgets and are open to switching vendors. At this same time, they are about to have a number of new desktop security products and features to choose from -- Microsoft and a host of other vendors.”

The Forrester Wave™: Midmarket CRM Suites, Q1 2007 (Forrester, February 21, 2007, .pdf , 513 kb): “The Microsoft brand gives Dynamics CRM major momentum. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is one of the newer products included in our evaluation, but the vendor has made impressive progress building out its solution, which emerged as a Leader for the first time in a Forrester Wave.”

The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise CRM Suites, Q1 2007 (Forrester Research, Feb. 5, 2007, .pdf, 488 kb) Microsoft Dynamics CRM was rated a Strong Performer in this Forrester Wave. Forrester applied two sets of criteria weightings to this analysis, one appropriate for large enterprise wide deployments and another focused on midmarket priorities - the two sets of criteria were then used to evaluate and position the solutions.

Microsoft Financing Update: Getting a Good Deal (Forrester Research, Inc., Jan. 17, 2007, .pdf, 72K) This Forrester Quick Take examines Microsoft’s new financing offerings and concludes that the offerings are “easy to buy, attractively priced, and totally separated from the product and sales divisions of the organization.”The Quick Take also comments, “there really isn’t much of a downside.”