Microsoft PC Lifecycle Management

Founded in 1975, software giant Microsoft develops and markets software, services and solutions that deliver new opportunity, convenience, and value to people’s lives. Like its size, Microsoft’s ambitions are big—and they continue to grow. The world’s #1 software company provides a variety of products and services, including its Windows operating systems and Office software suite. The company has expanded into markets such as video game consoles, servers and storage software, and digital music players. Microsoft has reached settlements to end a slew of antitrust investigations and lawsuits, including agreeing to uniformly license its operating systems and allowing manufacturers to include competing software with Windows. In early 2008 the company made an unsolicited bid to acquire Yahoo! for about $44.6 billion.

The company understands that the innovative production of goods and services is still a major engine in today’s economy. And it knows the fundamental success factors in this competitive global landscape remain constant: produce the right products—in the right quantities, at the right time, with good quality, and at a price the customer is willing to pay. However, flexibility and continuous improvements are also imperative.

Success includes the flexibility to respond to emerging markets, such as today’s growth opportunities in China and Eastern Europe, and to the ever-changing needs of the customers. Capitalizing on these opportunities and demands involves quickly adapting to new approaches, trading partners, and procurement strategies.

In response to these global challenges, the company offers products like System Center Configuration Manager, a solution that delivers the ability to comprehensively assess, deploy, and update and organization’s servers, clients, and devices—across physical, virtual, distributed, and mobile environments. Optimized for Windows and extensible beyond, it is the best choice for gaining enhanced insight into and control over a company’s IT systems.

The Company’s research and development facilities are located primarily in Redmond, Washington with smaller facilities located in Mountain View, California; Fargo, North Dakota; Beijing, China; Dublin etc. The Company distributes its products primarily through the following channels: OEM; distributors and resellers; and online services. Its customers include individual consumers, small and medium-sized organizations, enterprises, governmental institutions, educational institutions, Internet Service Providers, application developers, and OEMs.