Windows Server 2003 Logo and Certification Programs

Independent software vendors (ISVs) who want to ensure that their software is compatible with Windows Server 2003, or earn the right to display a logo to that effect, have a broader array of options than in the past. In addition to its usual distinction between software that will run on its new server and software that is specifically designed to take advantage of the new server’s features, Microsoft will for the first time certify software for specific versions of its server OS. In addition, the company is putting extra promotional effort behind its Datacenter and 64-bit server OSs.

Supported vs. Certified

As in the past, Microsoft will distinguish between applications that will run on its server OS, but that don’t provide full support for all its features, and those that have been more extensively tested for compatibility and feature completeness.

Applications in the former category are called “Supported by Windows” and need only pass tests that ISVs themselves can run with their applications. They receive no logo, but can be listed in the Windows Server Catalog, a new online directory of compatible server applications that complements the client-oriented Windows XP Catalog. This catalog lists not only compatible software but also hardware certified to run Microsoft server OSs.