D&H Distributing Sponsors Windows XP Migration “Million Mile Tour”

D&H Distributing said today that it has joined the Windows XP Migration Million Mile Tour as an official sponsor. The North America tour is bringing together small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to learn about the forthcoming April 8, 2014, deadline at which time support for Windows XP will terminate.

The tour includes a midday “Lunch and Learn” session for business owners to discover why retiring Windows XP is important, and what the next steps are when it comes to selecting a new PC and operating system. Highlights include the security risks, productivity losses and the ability to work with more modern applications to get more done. When Microsoft retires Windows XP on April 8, 2014, there will no longer be support available for this operating system, exposing end-users to significant problems. The end-user events are part of SMB Nation’s Million Mile Tour, which leverage the Microsoft Community Connections event module. Typically held at “influencer organizations” such as Chambers of Commerce, customers will be eligible for door prizes including Windows 8.1 Pro, Office 2013 Professional and gift cards to the Microsoft Store.
 
Microsoft partners and other SMB IT Pros are invited to attend an evening “exam cram” session typically held at Microsoft Stores 4pm–7pm.  The agenda is a technical and business lecture providing preparation content and instruction to pass the Master Certified Migration Expert (MCME) exam. Part of the MCME requirements is two-hours of classroom time, which this evening event fulfills. Holding the MCME designation allows incumbents to validate their expertise and successfully complete Windows XP migration assignments.
 
“Right now, the IT industry needs all hands on deck to address the Windows XP deadline of April 8, 2014,” said Harry Brelsford, CEO, SMB Nation. “These end-user and partner workshops go along with aligning the community to successfully and safely move forward to beyond the world of Windows XP and get to modern.”

 “As we move toward the inevitable XP support cut-off, we want the SMB community to understand that a trusted IT advisor can help them conduct a seamless-and beneficial-migration.  These companies will be empowered by a more robust and multi-functional Windows environment, one that incorporates more cutting-edge amenities, such as touch enablement and enhanced security,” said Jeff Davis, senior vice president of sales at D&H Distributing.  “We’re proud to be part of SMB Nation’s effort to educate this sector on behalf of our mutual resellers.”

The Million Mile Tour is being held in conjunction with XPMigrations.com, which is a group that is comprised of Certified Windows XP Migration Experts (CME) who come from the valued SMB Nation community, all of whom are trained professionals that are equipped to perform upgrades away from Windows XP with minimal day-to-day business disruptions.