I tried to use Microsoft Bing Copilot to write this article, but it was useless. So, here’s the real scoop. Microsoft Copilot was introduced March 2023 and promises to unburden humans from tasks that AI/LLM can easily do for us and ‘unleash our productivity!’ “Today marks the next major step in the evolution of how we interact with computing, which will fundamentally change the way we work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “With our new copilot for work, we’re giving people more agency and making technology more accessible through the most universal interface — natural language.” ...
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During the Covid pandemic lockdowns in 2020, many enterprises were forced to buy thousands of laptops (in a big hurry) to enable their people to work from home. Now, a bit more than 3 years later, supply chains have somewhat stabilized, PC prices have returned to normal-ish, and it’s just about time to think about replacing those 3+ year old devices as their warranties expire and the hardware starts showing its age. Most of our clients default to the same old mental model that the Microsoft – Intel duopoly have been selling for decades: Buy a full-power, full-featured, high-performance Windows 11 PC for every employee. Load your core ...
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This is part two of an ongoing series we call Debunking Microsoft where we address the ongoing disinformation, half-truths, and mysticism surrounding its own products as it relates to Customer licensing, usage, contracts, terms, pricing, and much more. In part one, we addressed what we frequently hear from clients which is that Microsoft has told them around using their own licenses in a cloud other than their own. Words to the effect of... “You can’t use your existing Microsoft licenses on non-Microsoft clouds such as Amazon or Google.” In part two, we deep dive into the licensing and product use terms that many Microsoft customers get ...
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This is part 1 of an ongoing series we call ‘Debunking Microsoft’ where we address the ongoing disinformation, half-truths, and mysticism surrounding its own products as it relates to Customer licensing, usage, contracts, terms, pricing, and much more. In part one, we address what we frequently hear from clients; that Microsoft has told them regarding usage of their own licenses in a cloud other than Microsoft's.....words to the effect of “You can’t use your existing Microsoft licenses on non-Microsoft clouds such as Amazon or Google.” Well, that’s not true and Microsoft knows it. This is just one case of Microsoft’s constant and consistent ...
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Introduction Anaplan connects people, data, and plans in real-time in its cloud environment to help customers democratize decision-making across all lines of business and business activities, from strategic to operational levels. Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) As a step beyond traditional business intelligence, Anaplan offers a cloud-based subscription for its Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) software — enabling planning, modeling, and collaboration services to power better business decisions and drive better enterprise performance. Anaplan offers a simple interface to its Smart Business Platform, combining connection, ...
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Your Virtual Bouncer, Now Larger and Stronger and (Soon) Profitable But how secure is Okta, really? From 2021 to 2022 Okta grew from $835 million to $1.3 billion in top line revenue, a 55.63% increase, indicating strong market acceptance. However, the company is still losing money, and losses accelerated by 218.55% in 2022 to -$848M. If you need security from the occasional undesirable intruder in your enterprise and need to convey strength in the way you control access to the information you hold most dear by restricting access to unwelcomed guests and bouncing them from your cloud, you may very well need to learn more about Okta. However, ...
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There is a growing energy crisis in Europe that may have a significant impact on availability and pricing soon for consumers of cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft and Google. With an ongoing war in Ukraine and green energy policies taking effect all over Europe, the pressure on energy has never been greater. And with a supply that could be constricted coupled with growing demand, may equal a business risk for you. The big three customers may take all that on-demand capacity for granted, but those days may be numbered. As French President Macron recently underscored, “We are no longer living in a world of abundance.” Supplies for every ...
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We know. Making a difference can be tough in IT given the multiple layers of bureaucracy, sacred cows, and politics that is ever present in almost every organization. And of course, there are often sound and practical reasons why change is not a good idea, but what is almost always a good idea, is to at least investigate and plan for change. Only in this way are you actually ready (mentally and physically) to propose and follow through with it. So, as you read through the below items, some may sound familiar and or best practices while others could be a fresh initiative to take on that may get you on the path of significantly lowering your ...
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If you’re reading this article, it’s probably because you have a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement that’s about due to renew. Most of Microsoft EA’s expire / renew in June because that’s Microsoft’s fiscal year-end. Of course, here we are in late May and so the fun has barely started! A few questions to ask yourself: Did you get your renewal quotes back yet? How are you liking the massive price increases compared to your expiring deal? Happy with those? Has Microsoft been exceptionally accommodating and responsive throughout the process? If you answered yes to all the above - good. No need to keep reading. For the 99% of the rest of you, ...
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The pace of change today is to say the least – breakneck. Leveraging tech to get closer to your customers, drive revenue, and increase margin (i.e., save money) is at the forefront of initiatives for most companies. At the same time, layer in the levels of complexity in understanding every supplier’s value add in that mission, along with each having their own rules for pricing, agreement frameworks, and legal terms, it’s no wonder companies frequently have sub-optimized supplier agreements, investments, and relationships. One area that I have focused on in the last three decades specifically, is Microsoft. I’ve negotiated and reviewed ...
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