Late yesterday the RTM of Operations Manager 2007 R2 was approved, which immediately initiated the next stage of the process … getting this latest version of Microsoft’s end-to-end monitoring product for IT environments and datacenters out to YOU! Read more in our overview whitepaper, What’s New datasheet, or download the trial, and see customer stories and more information on our pages on Microsoft.com and TechNet.

The trial version of Operations Manager 2007 R2 RTM (build 7221) is now available via the Microsoft Download Center. General Availability of the product will be 1st July 2009, at which point new and existing customers will be able to obtain the bits from their respective customer download centers, such as MVLS.

In addition to the updated product documentation, our overview whitepaper, and what’s new datasheet, newly released collateral includes a number of new datasheets that include:

Reducing the cost of data center management with Operations Manager 2007 R2
Monitoring UNIX/Linux with Operations Manager 2007 R2
Tracking Service Levels with Operations Manager 2007 R2
Interoperability Connectors for Operations Manager 2007 R2
Some of you have also have the opportunity to try our new hands on labs at our MMS and TechEd events this year, which cover topics such as installation, introduction, management pack authoring, and more. We’re busily upgrading these with the RTM bits, and they will be available for you to use via the TechNet Online virtual labs next month (June).

In addition to downloading the trial (or if you’re waiting for the upgrade or full product bits to arrive in your customer portal):

Check out our TechNet Webcast Series on Operations Manager 2007 R2:
Introducing Operations Manager 2007 R2 (Level 300)
Monitoring .NET and Web Applications with System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2
Operations Manager 2007 R2 Deployment and Upgrade Best Practices
Operations Manager 2007 R2 Agentless Client Monitoring
Successfully Monitor UNIX and Linux Alongside Your Windows Infrastructure with Operations Manager 2007 R2 (Level 300)
Developing Custom Reports and Operational Dashboards with Operations Manager 2007 R2 (Level 400)
Monitoring .NET and Web Applications with System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2
System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Interoperability Connectors

Watch our TechNet EDGE Video Blogs (more on their way!):
Introduction to Operations Manager R2
Visio Integration with Operations Manager 2007 R2
Microsoft Management Summit 2009 Day 1 Keynote Recap with Brad Anderson

Learn about v2.0 of the Service Level Dashboard from our Solution Accelerators team, which lets you measure and report application or system performance & availability in near real time across your organization through Microsoft SharePoint. Download the Service Level Dashboard from the System Center Catalog (available shortly).

Check out our new community portal, System Center Central for downloads, discussions with our MVPs, and much, much more!

Source: the system center team blog