Managed Services Beginning to Gel

The embryonic Microsoft Managed Services (MMS) group has developed new tools and is providing input to product groups that could significantly reduce the cost of managing desktop PCs. Through a managed services contract with Energizer Holdings, the group is also learning how well its management tools and techniques tools work in a production environment. The future of this effort remains unclear, however: signing additional customers has taken longer than projected, and the services and products that MMS will sell have not been announced, making it difficult for partners to assess the impact of Microsoft’s entry.

In any case, end users are likely to see some benefit from the unit’s efforts: what Microsoft learns about managing desktops is likely to find its way to market in the form of more manageable products, new partner services, and management and hosting services provided by Microsoft itself.

MMS Services and Objectives

Energizer Holdings has contracted with Microsoft to provide several services, including the following: