Hail, Hail the Gang's All Here
Late lastmonth Microsoft Corp. introduced Enterprise 2000: A collection of eight serverproducts dedicated to the business arena that lay the foundation for Redmond's.NET strategy. The critical stats on these products are as follows:
Product Name: Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Overview: Microsoft's entry into the high end ofthe enterprise market, intended to compete with the Unix variants for datacenter-class implementations.
Status: Available through Windows DatacenterProgram.
Previous Version: None.
Key Features:
*Capable of running on 32 processors in a singlesystem.
*Supports up to 64 GB of RAM.
*Supports four-node failover clustering.
*Winsock Direct to assist high-speed transactionprocessing in a system area network environment.
*Windows Datacenter Program: OEMs must stresstest complete systems before shipping them to customers. Joint OEM/Microsoftsupport queue that gives end users a single point of contact.
More information:www.microsoft.com/windows2000/guide/datacenter/overview
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Product Name: Application Center 2000
Overview: Application Center 2000 is a set oftools and services for using software to scale Web applications.
Status: Release Candidate 1. Launch expectedlate 2000.
Previous Version: None. Component load balancingfunctionality was originally included in Windows 2000's COM+ but was removed.
Key Features:
* Function of managing middle-tier architectureis a new addition to Microsoft server line.
* Combines principles of distributed processingand management.
* Automatic application synchronization acrossmultiple servers.
* Cluster wizards for creating and managing Webserver clusters.
URL: www.microsoft.com/applicationcenter
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Product Name: BizTalk Server 2000
Overview: E-business community infrastructure withtools to manage business processes via XML and Simple Object Access Protocol(SOAP).
Status: Beta. Launch expected first half 2001.
Previous Version: None.
Key Features:
* Routes and delivers business documents in EDIand flat files as well as XML, deliverable by traditional Internet protocols,such as HTTP, FTP, and SMTP.
* Documents are encrypted or otherwise protectedby digital signatures.
* Compliant with several Windows-based contentmanagement tools on the market.
* Schema libraries and tools now available onthe Web to enable to prepare for BizTalk 2000.
More information:www.microsoft.com/biztalkserver
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Product Name: Commerce Server 2000
Overview: The latest iteration of Microsoft'senterprise
e-commerce server.
Status: Beta. Launch expected late 2000.
Previous Version: Site Server 3.0, CommerceEdition
Key New Features:
*Scalable data warehouse based on SQL Server.
*Central data repository.
*Remote control of e-business for managers.
*Extended application hosting, Web design,systems integration,
and data analysis.
*Integrated ISV technologies.
More information:www.microsoft.com/commerceserver
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Product Name: Exchange 2000 Server
Overview: Next generation of Microsoft's widelydeployed e-mail and collaboration server. First major application to require aWindows 2000 Active Directory installation.
Status: Shipping.
Previous Version: Exchange Server 5.5
Key New Features:
*Improved stability for business users.
*Integration with Active Directory.
*Multimedia management features forteleconferencing and voice over IP.
*Support for handheld devices.
*Instant messaging.
More information: www.microsoft.com/exchange
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Product Name: Host Integration Server 2000
Overview: Permits the integration of existinglegacy application and database information into Windows 2000 applications
Status: Beta 2. Launch expected late 2000.
Previous Version: SNA Server 4.0.
Key New Features:
* Applications are integrated using COM+, XML,and SOAP technologies.
* Permits two-way relationship between Oracleand SQL Server databases.
* Integrates with SQL Server 2000, BizTalkServer 2000, and Commerce Server 2000.
* Uses COM Transaction Integrator to covertCustomer Information Control System (CICS) 3270 applications on IBM mainframesto Windows 2000 or Windows NT Server.
More information:www.microsoft.com/hostintserver
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Product Name: Internet Security and AccelerationServer 2000 (ISA)
Overview: Offers cache management, proxy server,and Network Address Translator (NAT) Services.
Status: Release Candidate. Launch expected late2000.
Previous Version: Grew out of Microsoft ProxyServer.
Key New Features:
*Manages multitier firewalls with an eye towardWeb publishing and e-business.
*Screens traffic for bandwidth management andsecurity.
*Native intrusion detection feature.
*Active cache controls, moving data to caches,anticipating future user demands.
*Integrates with Active Directory for accesscontrol.
More information:www.microsoft.com/isaserver
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Product Name: SQL Server 2000
Overview: SQL Server 2000 is Microsoft's
latest version of its flagship relational
database management system.
Status: Shipping
Previous Version: SQL Server 7.0
Key New Features:
*New XML capabilities.
*New scalability clustering mechanism calledDistributed Partition
Views.
*Core relational engine.
*Core storage engine.
*Data mining integration.
*Support for BizTalk Server 2000.
More information: www.microsoft.com/sql