Systems Management and Infrastructure

Products for managing Windows computers including Systems Management Server and Microsoft Operations Manager. Also includes network security products such as the Internet Security and Acceleration Server firewall and caching softwar; software that supports interoperability between Windows and other platforms, including Identity Integration Server, Services for Unix, and Services for Netware; and the planned Data Protection Manager backup product.

Microsoft’s systems management roadmap for the next two years has become increasingly clear. The company has consolidated all of its systems management technologies and products under a single manager and brand (called System Center), and will eventually rely on a uniform client infrastructure for software patching. Meanwhile, interoperability software, such as the free Services for Unix emulation and migration package, will play a strategic role in competing with Linux for customers moving from proprietary Unix systems and Netware, but virtualization products such a virtual server could ultimately overshadow interoperability products.