Lagos — IT was called a 'Launch Wave', a global event from U.S. software giant, Microsoft Corp, and although it was called on a working morning, the hall at the Eko Hotel & Suites' Expo Centre was packed with guests, who were aptly called 'Heroes' because the business of Microsoft is driven by Partners.

The launch wave was the formal presentation to the public Microsoft's latest products - Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 & SQL Server 2008 - expected to make the job easier for all PC users.

Ejieke Maduka-Ezeadiugwu, Marketing Manager, Enterprise & Partner Group, Microsoft West Africa, referred to the event as marking a turning point in the way that large companies and governments use and manage their widespread computer networks.

Mr. Chineye Mba-Uzoukwu, Country Manager (West Africa), said the launch of the three solutions is "largest ever in Microsoft's history".

"Under the theme of "Heroes Happen [Here]", we are bringing these landmark solutions to Nigeria to help people secure their information, manage their networks more efficiently and ensure their users deliver better results," said Maduka-Ezeadiugwu.

"Heroes Happen Here is our way of putting the spotlight on the customers, the partners and the users who take these technologies and make a significant impact every single day. It could be making a business run more smoothly, it could be helping a government to deliver better services to citizens, or it could be someone developing a piece software to meet a specific, local need, these are all ways that IT professionals are Heroes in their everyday work," Mba-Uzoukwu added.

The West Africa marketing manager noted that Microsoft's creation and launch of the new software solutions is base don feedback from IT professionals who say they spend too much time and money managing existing systems and not enough investing in new capabilities that give them strategic business advantage.

"These feedback is at the core of the new developments in this new wave of products," Maduka-Ezeadiugwu stated. "Already," she added, "the response from IT professionals and developers around the world is that this is the most secure enterprise platform that Microsoft has ever delivered. They say it will simplify network management and enable IT professionals to focus more on driving their business forward."

"Much as Windows Vista SP1 drives desktop personal computers, Windows Server 2008 is the operating system that drives the servers that sit at the heart of a large-scale computer network."

She describes the new Windows Server 2008 as not only having the ability, but gives the IT managers a set of tools to manage an operational tool to manage and control their network infrastructure.

Under the Heroes theme, a Nigerian, Mr. Ifeanyi Ogochukwu, ICT Manager, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA was selected as one of three Heroes from Africa. The others being a South African and an Indian employee of MTN Ghana. They were selected from a list of over 2000 shortlisted candidates worldwide.

Mba-Uzoukwu, applauded the ingenuity of the NAMA ICT Manager, saying he is a "proof of the Nigerian spirit, which is excellent."

Ogochukwu stated that NAMA realised the importance of advance information technology in the application of safe aviation management and quickly applied the necessary tools. "We realised quickly that we needed a strong and secure identify and access management solution, as well as strick security and policy enforcement for our entire nework.

"Windows Server 2008 will help NAMA do more with less technology investment - reducing the overall technology overheads and increasing productivity and the organisation's ability to deliver a quality service o its customers - the very people who rely on NAMA to ensure that hey depart and arrive safely from airports across Nigeria," said Ogochukwu, in response to his been chosen as a worldwide Heroe of Microsoft.

Mr. Ifeanyi, the NAMA Group's ICT Manager said the agency's job is highly sensitive in terms of planning flights schedule, air navigation and air traffic control especially in the light of the United States's 9/11 experience. Part of his briefs is to oversee the ICT solution of the agency's offices throughout Nigeria which covers more than 40 airports and airstrips.

"We realise quickly that we needed a strong and secure identity and access management solution, as well as strict security and policy enforcement for our entire network," said Ifeanyi.

Mr. Niyi Omotoyinbo, of 1st INTELLIT Solutions, Microsoft's West and Central Africa only Most Valuable Partner (MVP) for Server infrastructure, who worked the NAMA team on the Windows Server 2008 project stated that the agency "will be making wide use of the enhanced network access protection (NAP) features of Windows Server 2008 to maintain a healthy network environment by protecting it from outside security threats and unhealthy PCs that may be connected to the network.

"Windows Server will help NAMA do more with less technology investment, reducing the overall technology overheads and increasing productivity and the organisation's ability to deliver a quality service to its customers."

Virtual Studio allows programmers and developers to work together using visual and graphical tools to develop software programmes and business processes in a neat and professional way. SQL Server 2008 is the latest version of the company's database server software aimed at driving greater reliability and availability of critical business information. Both solutions are expected to become available in the market later in the year.

"Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 move us closer to the time when IT professionals and developers across Africa can create dynamic information systems," Maduka-Ezeadiugwu said.

At the Lagos launch also were Microsoft's core partner community including HP, IPMC Ghana, 1st Intellit Solutions, G4V, Signal Alliance, Bi-Trax Axxent Company, Sidmach, Quanteq and Nettap. They gave live demos of the solutions and had opportunities to explain to customers hands-on-experience of the products.