The .NET Platform

The .NET platform is Microsoft’s family of software products for developing Web services and other applications. The most important new element of the platform is the .NET Framework, a set of software libraries and developers tools that layer on top of the Windows operating system and essentially take over the role of the Windows application programming interfaces (APIs). .NET Enterprise Servers is the latest name for the server products (such as Exchange and SQL Server) previously called the BackOffice or DNA 2000 servers. The HailStorm Foundation Services are Microsoft-hosted Web services for user authentication, file storage, mail, and instant messaging that will work as components in applications built on the platform. The Windows operating system will gradually evolve to incorporate some of the .NET Framework technology and provide hooks to the Foundation Services. Finally, an updated version of the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE), Visual Studio.NET, will deliver graphical tools and wizards that developers will use to create Web services and applications on top of the .NET Framework.