[The articles below were posted between Apr. 24, 2006 and May 22, 2006 and appear in the June 2006 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Windows & Mobile

Vista BitLocker Encrypts Windows Volume

Vista BitLocker Drive Encryption allows a user to fully encrypt their OS volume, but partitioning a drive into volumes is complex, and recovery keys must be stored and managed

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 Ships

NAS devices running Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 have many new features, but the advantages of this platform over a general purpose server running Windows Server 2003 R2 remain questionable

New Tool, Standard for Windows Media

A new encoding tool and the approval of Windows Media Video as a standard could spur more content companies to use Microsoft's format

May 2006 Security Updates

One of the two critical patches released on the May 2006 'Patch Tuesday' could impact functionality of Exchange servers and even cause some e-mail applications to stop working

Server Platforms

Service Pack Delivers Database Mirroring

SQL Server 2005 SP1 delivers database mirroring, a simpler failover solution than the Microsoft Cluster Service; IT workers will need to determine whether mirroring or clustering best meets their requirements

Virtual Server Free, Linux Guests Supported

By eliminating licensing fees and increasing support for non-Windows guest OSs, Microsoft hopes to keep customers on its virtualization platform while it readies built-in virtualization support in Windows Longhorn Server

Two New Management Products Coming

Two new management products will be released in late 2007: Service Desk, for problem tracking, asset tracking, and change management, and Carmine, for managing Longhorn Server virtual machines

Management Licenses Modified, Bundled

The license required for devices managed by Microsoft Operations Manager has been split into Standard and Enterprise Editions, and a new licensing bundle combines device licenses for several management servers

SQL Server to Link with OLAP Competitor

Plans to link SQL Server's BI platform with Hyperion's System 9 BI solution could give the companies' joint customers a way of consolidating views of data stored in those systems

Reporting Manager 2006 Ships

System Center Reporting Manager (SCRM) 2006, a new tool for analyzing and reporting systems management data, is licensed on a per-server basis

AssetMetrix to Be Acquired

Acquisition of AssetMetrix will allow Microsoft to enhance System Management Server's ability to track installed software

Release Candidate for Scripting Engine

A release candidate of PowerShell will enable administrators to script routine management tasks, but application developers will need to extend PowerShell to allow their applications to be easily managed

Development Tools & Programs

Tool Aims to Help Threat Modeling

The Threat Analysis and Modeling Tool helps IT architects identify business threats posed by vulnerabilities in their software, but lack of integration with Visual Studio is likely to hamper adoption

Expression Web Designer Previewed

The upcoming Expression Web Designer supports important Web standards, such as CSS and XHTML, as well as ASP.NET, and increases Microsoft's competition with Adobe

Business Applications & Services

Excel 2007 Speeds Graphics, Calculation

Faster calculation and quicker formatting are coming with Excel 2007, the next version of Microsoft's spreadsheet application

Custom Code Moves to Office 2007

Office 2007 changes could affect macros and other application code written for earlier versions of the Office suite

Office 2007 Retires Web Controls

Office 2007 will ship without the Office Web Components, a set of ActiveX controls that enable users to view and chart data in Web pages

Genuine Advantage Comes to Office

Office will be added to the Genuine Advantage antipiracy program, which requires users to demonstrate that they have genuine copies of software

MapPoint Client Updated

MapPoint 2006, an update to Microsoft's desktop mapping client for businesses, includes new map data and location-finding capabilities; the MapPoint Web service is moving to Virtual Earth

Future Work Center Updated

The Center for Information Work has been updated to demonstrate new priorities for Microsoft's Information Worker organization

Consumer Products & Services

Understanding Windows Live

Windows Live will capitalize on fast growth in Internet advertising and respond to innovations from competitors, but it is not a fundamental change in Microsoft's business

Xbox Live, Add-Ons Highlight E3

At the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Microsoft announced PC connectivity to Xbox Live, an HD DVD add-on, and other updates

MSN Embracing Content Again

MSN will once again produce exclusive TV-like shows; increased broadband penetration, experienced content partners, and advertiser interest could help it succeed where past efforts failed

Sales & Support

Partners Get US$30M for Training

To meet demand among partners for more trained people, Microsoft will put US$30 million toward certifying 45,000 individuals on new skills over the next year

Corporate News

Expenses Grow in Q3'06

Expenses in Q3'06 were higher than expected as Microsoft increases its investment in several areas, including online services

Latest Antitrust Deals and Other Legal News

Antitrust settlements are reached with New York State and California municipalities; patent litigation brings wins and losses