Updated: July 10, 2020 (June 6, 2001)

How ".NET" Are the Current .NET Enterprise Servers?

Rob Horwitz analyzes and writes about Microsoft licensing programs and product licensing rules. He also trains organizations on best Microsoft... more

The chart below classifies the current (or imminent) releases of the .NET Enterprise Servers with the various levels of .NET technologies they support or utilize. Although Microsoft has not formally defined what makes a server product “.NET,” Directions on Microsoft envisions five ways in which a server might be considered to be .NET. Ordered in increasing use of .NET technologies, one or more of the following categories may apply to each of the .NET Enterprise Servers:

1. Provides a core “infrastructure” capability that an architect of a Web service might require. For example, many Web services will require a database management system, which SQL Server provides.

2. Uses some of the protocols associated with a Web service but is not implemented as a Web service per se. Applications in this category can accept incoming requests and/or answer with data formatted as XML, or even via SOAP packets, but do not implement other protocols required by a Web service, such as WSDL and UDDI.

3. Makes use of precursor .NET “building-block” services, like Passport or MSN Messenger.

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