[The articles below were posted between Jul. 28, 2008 and Aug. 18, 2008 and appear in the September 2008 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Business Applications & Services

Dynamics AX Continues Upmarket Push

Multiple site and time zone support in Dynamics AX 2009 will help large, distributed manufacturers better manage production and inventory, but product implementation remains daunting

Essential Business Server Targets Midsize Market

Essential Business Server provides midsize businesses that have an IT administrator with a multiserver computing infrastructure

Windows & Mobile

Licensing the Windows Client

Outlines the licenses and subscriptions organizations must acquire from Microsoft to provide a Windows desktop to users under the most common desktop architectural scenarios

Systems Management and Security

Identity Lifecycle Manager 2 Improves Workflow and Self-Service

Identity Lifecycle Manager will gain better user account provisioning, improved workflow for approving user access requests, and self-service password resets

ISA Server 2006 SP1 Ships

The first service pack for ISA Server 2006 enhances configuration and troubleshooting tools but does not support Windows Server 2008

Security Response Center Updates Procedures

Changes in information provided about software vulnerabilities, combined with new partner programs, should help Microsoft's customers

Operations Manager Now on Windows Server 2008

Updates for Operations Manager provide support for Windows Server 2008, but the OS needs updates too

Application Platform

Entity Framework Promises Simpler Data Access

A planned data access technology called the ADO.NET Entity Framework could reduce repetitive coding and simplify maintenance in business applications, but significant change is likely in future versions

Visual Studio, .NET Framework Updates Ship

Visual Studio and the .NET Framework received significant updates in a service pack released in Aug. 2008

Acquisition Targets Scalability for SQL Server

Acquisition of data warehouse specialist DATAllegro could help Microsoft make headway in the market for large databases, but it could be several years before SQL Server incorporates DATAllegro technology

Zoomix To Match Data

In July 2008 Microsoft acquired Zoomix, a vendor of software that examines corporate data streams and automatically makes corrections and modifications to improve data accuracy and consistency across systems

Consumer and Small Business

New API for GPS Devices

A new API for MSN Direct will let developers code their Web sites so that users can send information directly from the site to a GPS device

Sales, Marketing, and Services

Server Virtualization Rules Relaxed

Changes to virtualization licensing rules will make it much easier to create dynamic and automated data centers, although the rules don't apply to all Microsoft products

Evaluating Enterprise Agreements

An Enterprise Agreement eases desktop license management and offers great discounts, but it's not best for every company and requires careful analysis

Corporate and Legal

Five Businesses Plan for FY'09

Four of Microsoft's five business segments showed outstanding results in FY'08, but the company's troubled Online segment seems to have dragged the stock price down

Data Centers Critical to Online Expansion

Because of the strategic importance and expense of its data centers, Microsoft has become quite systematic in the way it sites, designs, and operates them

Online, Windows Chief Johnson Leaves

Platforms and Services President Kevin Johnson is leaving Microsoft to become the CEO of Juniper Networks