Archives


Database Mirroring Not Ready for Production When SQL Server 2005 Ships

When SQL Server 2005 is released to manufacturing in the next few months, Microsoft will take the exceptional step of designating one of its high-profile features as being intended for evaluation only.

NuView Aims to Speed File Restores

NuView will ship in the next month a new product aimed at providing fast, on-demand file restoration following a failure or for routine maintenance.

Microsoft, Google Both Claim Victory with Judge’s Ruling

Tuesday’s highly-anticipated ruling by the judge hearing Microsoft’s ongoing lawsuit against Google was a bittersweet irony with both sides declaring victory. The suit itself will grind on until trial early next year, however.

Version 2 Posted of Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 SP4

Microsoft on Tuesday posted version 2 of the Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 less than three months after originally releasing the security-focused update. The new version addresses four serious problems with the original Update Rollup but does not fix several issues with prominent third-party software.

Windows Sidebar Makes a Comeback

Microsoft's on-again, off-again Windows Sidebar feature, a prominent new interface element that could make it into the Windows Vista desktop, is definitely on again.

'Monad' Beta Widely Available

Microsoft posted a second beta of its "Monad" shell, the interactive command-line and task-based scripting technology that appears to be on a separate timetable from the Windows Vista release.

Sun to Ship New x86 Servers

Sun Microsystems introduced three new AMD Opteron x64-based servers this week – servers it says begin a new generation of 64-bit x86, multi-core systems. To round out the offering, the company announced four new storage products as well.

Microsoft Cancels Only Security Patch Planned for September

Due to quality concerns, Microsoft cancelled the release of a critical security bulletin for Windows that was supposed to be posted on Tuesday.

Microsoft Handing Out Vista CTP at PDC, More CTPs on the Way

Microsoft is distributing a Community Technology Preview of Windows Vista to attendees at its Professional Developers Conference 2005 in Los Angeles this week. The September Vista CTP, loaded with new features, comes fast on the heels of Windows Vista Beta 1.

Office 12 to Sport a New UI

Microsoft showed off Office 12 publicly for the first time on Tuesday, featuring user interface changes that the company describes as the "biggest, most visible change to the way the core Office applications work since the introduction of the toolbar in 1997."

Microsoft Storage: WinFS, R2 and DPM

Microsoft has been busy when it comes to storage. One of Microsoft's highest-profile technologies in development aims to change the way storage is handled in the operating system --WinFS. In the near-term, Microsoft will roll out a new backup and recovery server later this month and also has storage improvements coming to Windows Server 2003 R2 later this year.

WinFS' Groove Factor

Whenever Microsoft talked about WinFS in the past, the emphasis was on the technology's usefulness for search and file navigation.

System Aims to Block IM Attacks Proactively

At a time when security threats are multiplying for corporate instant messaging users, IMlogic says it has a solution. The Waltham, Mass. company just shipped its Real-Time Threat Protection System – and if that just doesn’t roll right off the tongue, call it RTTPS for short.

Notes and Domino 7 Now Shipping

IBM Lotus officials announced on Wednesday that the company is shipping version 7 of its Notes and Domino collaboration platform.

CipherTrust Ships New, Improved Secure E-mail Appliances

Secure e-mail vendor CipherTrust released one new model and one significantly upgraded model in its line of reputation-based secure e-mail appliances.

'Project Green' Renamed Microsoft Dynamics

The realignment of the Microsoft Business Solutions product set previously referred to as "Project Green" got its official name Wednesday -- Microsoft Dynamics.

Microsoft Lays Out Long-term Commitment to Midsize Business Server

Microsoft on Wednesday laid out a roadmap extending the recent Windows Server System Midsize Business promotion to 2007 and beyond with a Windows "Longhorn" Server version of the package code-named "Centro." "This is really the equivalent of Small Business Server for the midmarket," said a Windows Server senior director.

Neupert Returns to Microsoft for Health Strategy Role

Peter Neupert, onetime director of operating systems responsible for OS/2, rejoined Microsoft last week to fill the position of corporate vice president for health strategy.

DVD-Only Distribution Planned for Exchange 12

The distribution media for Exchange 12 will be exclusively DVD, Microsoft announced in a blog posting.

PromptPal Spiffs Up Command Prompt with Windows Look and Feel

Technology Lighthouse is shipping PromptPal, an add-on user interface for the Microsoft command prompt that converts the popular administrators’ command line tool into a Windows program.