The fee-elimination program applies to 41 Microsoft server applications, including certain editions of SQL Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, Dynamics CRM 4.0, and SharePoint Server 2007.

Product Information Management and Information Server enhancements aimed at getting data right, matching names, standardizing terms and doing business around the globe.

In a report entitled "Really Urgent Analytics: The Sweet Spot for Real-Time Data Warehousing," Forrester advises intelligence and knowledge management professionals to familiarize themselves with the various approaches for adapting a data warehouse to meet real-time requirements, and, if necessary,

iReport is being offered as a plug-in for the integrated development environment, which is used to build Java desktop applications.

IT departments scramble to devise backup plans following service disruptions at Amazon, Citrix, and Google.

Evaluating Silverlight 2, Visual Studio 2008 and Expression Studio 2, it's no surprise that Microsoft shines in programming and comes up short on creative tools. As the wave of RIA and Web 2.0 rides on, the choice between the Adobe

While Apple iPhone apps have a small presence in the business world, IT execs at Disney, Genentech, and Kraft are endorsing the iPhone.

Elastic block storage allows you to attach persistent, unformatted, or "raw" data storage to "instances" of applications or services that reside on Amazon's EC2.

Millions of users were unable to access Google's Gmail service for several hours on Monday.

A medical center is using DataWatch's Web-based Monarch BI Server to analyze patient data from lab reports and other sources to improve care.

Outlooksoft, Pilot and Cartesis applications 'integrated' with NetWeaver and BusinessObjects XI. Xcelsius presentation app hits the desktop, while SAP customers get free Crystal.

The decision management software includes new optimization solvers and features for fine-tuning the product to meet the user's specific needs.

Enhancements include better text processing and support for REST operation creation and testing.

It ain't over till it's over, and Forrester and BIScorecard reports say the business intelligence playoffs are a long way off.

About 67% of all workers use mobile devices and wireless computers, IBM said, and the number of mobile Internet users in the world will approach 1 billion this year.

One concern is the need to have iTunes installed on the end-user desktop, which allows for automatic firmware updates, file transfers, and other activities.

Users looking to try out Microsoft's SQL Server 2008 can download a fully functional copy free of charge and run it for up to 180 days.

The upgraded database includes improved data compression, better scalability, and easier management of concurrent workloads.

At LinuxWorld, IBM threw its support behind Microsoft-free PCs for business and introduced a package of open source software for Linux-based supercomputers.

Overly ambitious data-quality professionals get shot down because trusted data will not directly increase revenue, reduce costs or improve operational efficiencies, key criteria for getting funding approved, Forrester Research says.