Tokyo -- Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that it will offer its cutting-edge digital color multi function peripheral (MFP), bizhub C550, to the US based Microsoft Corporation to jointly demonstrate Distributed Scan deployed in the Windows Server 2008 R2 at the coming AIIM International Exposition (AIIM Expo) – an event to showcase content and information management applications, tools and solutions – to be held in Philadelphia, USA from March 30 to April 2, 2009.

The bizhub C550 is designed to provide numerous integrated document solutions and capable of enhancing features such as supporting Distributed Scan.

Distributed Scan is a function to automate scanning workflow fixed in advance by interactively linking Active Directory, Distributed Scan Server installed in the Windows Server 2008 R2 and MFPs. When MFPs support this feature, management of multiple servers, such as Microsoft SharePoint Server and E-mail server, will become seamless and facilitate customers' workflow.

Konica Minolta' s MFPs are among the first to support the Distributed Scan. For this year' s AIIM Expo, Konica Minolta will offer the bizhub C550, installing Web Service feature to link with the Distributed Scan, to Microsoft to jointly showcase the new possibilities. Bizhub, coupled with the Distributed Scan, will be able to significantly contribute to customers' work efficiency in line with the coming era of computerized documents.

"Microsoft customers are excited about the new features available in Windows Server 2008 R2," said Ward Ralston, group product manager, Microsoft Corp. "With Konica Minolta's help, our customers will get a firsthand look at how they can increase their business efficiency with Windows Server 2008 R2."

Konica Minolta will all the more contribute to improving document quality and office productivity through aggressively supporting the advanced IT environment.