Hosting Summit 2008, Features Small Business, New Apps, at Microsoft Event

Bellevue, Washington - (The Hosting News) - April 9, 2008 - Over 400 hosting industry executives, key decision-makers and leading analysts from around the world, have converged at the Microsoft Hosting Summit 2008.

Designed to explore and assist in developing the future of the hosting industry, the exclusive invitation only event is taking place at the Westin Hotel and Conference Center in Bellevue, Washington, through April 10, 2008. Topics include Software plus Service, mobility, small business hosting, and new hosted applications.

Industry leaders will exchange knowledge, share ideas and provide feedback to help shape the future of the SaaS market. All attendees will have the opportunity to join Microsoft hosting team executives to develop the next generation roadmap for hosted services.

The focus of the event this year is on how to assist the hosting business to increase value, while helping partners to identify new channels to increase business reach. The agenda includes a mix of MS execs and industry peers both from the analyst community and hosting providers.

In addition to key speakers from within the walls of Microsoft, the Hosting Summit will feature guest presenter, Erin TenWolde, IDC's Software as a Service Research Manager. Ms. TenWolde will provide her perspective on the industry and thoughts on what actions hosting providers can do to thrive in this ecosystem.

According to information released by Pascal Walschots, Software+Services and ISV Enablement, Microsoft Communications Sector, one group to be showcased, is the partners from the SaaS Incubation Center program. Since its launch in 2006, the group has slowly expanded to help a significant number of ISVs in the move to a Software as a Service business model, especially on the sales and go-to marketing side of business. The experience has indicated that a fair share of the ISVs are particularly in need of resolving marketing and sales challenges of the new businesses entered.

The event is comprised of speaking sessions that cover important topics impacting the industry today, including software plus services, mobility, and marketing to SMBs. The breakout sessions will be organized into the following four tracks: small business hosting, hosting applications, Microsoft technology insights and ''hot topics'' in the industry.

To learn more about Microsoft's vision of Microsoft's strategy for the world of S+S, products and programs that can help hosting providers evolve into S+S solution providers, visit: www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/hostingproviders.mspx.

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