The acquisition of Sybari Software is complete, Microsoft announced in June 2005, but rather than being integrated into one of Microsoft's business units, the company exists as a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Microsoft has provided no roadmap for the integration of Sybari's antivirus and antispam products and technology into the Windows Server System. For the immediate future, customers can get information and order the Windows versions of the Sybari products from the existing Sybari channel and the Sybari Web site; the Unix and Linux versions of Sybari's products have been discontinued.

When Microsoft announced the acquisition in Feb. 2005, there was speculation that the company made the purchase in order to integrate Sybari technology, which enables multiple antivirus scanning engines, into the next release of Exchange (code-named Exchange 12 and expected in 2006) or the next major release of Windows Server (code-named Longhorn Server and expected in 2007). Such integration would have ensured that customers could have used antivirus and antispam technology from Microsoft in conjunction with technology from partners who have traditionally provided such security software. However, Microsoft says its current plans are to continue selling this technology as a stand-alone set of products, and it has no plans to include the technology in any existing Microsoft products.

Although Microsoft gave no further comment, it might be taking that position because it is concerned about any changes that might delay the release of Exchange 12 and Longhorn Server. The company may not have had an opportunity, so soon after the completion of the acquisition, to decide whether or how to integrate the Sybari technology into existing or upcoming products.

Until Microsoft provides additional information, customers will have to decide whether to continue to use security products from Microsoft's partners, plan to deploy the existing Sybari products on a stand-alone basis, or wait for more guidance from Microsoft about the best way to deploy integrated enterprise antivirus, antispyware, and antispam solutions.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Information on the Sybari products is available at www.sybari.com.