Microsoft kicks off largest enterprise launch in its history.(News)

Byline: KATE MADDOX

Microsoft Corp. late last month kicked off a massive product launch with the release of Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008-technologies designed to increase office productivity.

To unveil the new products, Microsoft held an event in Los Angeles on Feb. 27, featuring a keynote speech by CEO Steve Ballmer, who spoke to a crowd of more than 4,000 software developers, IT professionals and Microsoft partners.

"Today, we get a chance to launch three of the most important new Microsoft products,'' Ballmer said. "And I see each and every one of them as simply an enabler of the kind of heroes represented here in this room and in the IT and software development community around the world.''

"Heroes Happen Here'' is the theme of the launch, and the $150 million campaign to promote it features software developers and IT professionals as unsung …