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BackOffice Server Conforms to the 2000 Naming Convention

In a surprise to no one, Microsoft Corp. today officially revealed that the next version of BackOffice Server would be called BackOffice Server 2000.

The move follows decisions by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com ) to slap 2000 on the end of every new release of existing products such as Windows (NT), SQL Server, and Exchange Server; redesigned products such as Host Integration Server; and brand new products such as Application Center.

Microsoft says BackOffice Server 2000 won’t be available until “toward the end of 2000.”

The projected release date could be ambitious given that few components of BackOffice Server 2000 have been released yet. While Windows 2000 Server has been out for 1 ½ months, Microsoft still must deliver Exchange Server 2000, SQL Server 2000, Host Integration Server 2000, the next release of Proxy Server, and Service Pack 2 for Systems Management Server 2.0.

Microsoft also seems to be ramping up to push the Active Directory hard with BackOffice Server 2000. Published materials from Microsoft say BackOffice Server 2000 is built for the Active Directory. If Microsoft manages to deliver BackOffice Server 2000 late this year or early next year, it might coincide with actual deployments of the Active Directory among real customers as opposed to the Joint Development Program and Rapid Deployment Program customers currently implementing Active Directory-based networks.

The current release of BackOffice Server is version 4.5. Microsoft won’t reveal pricing for BackOffice Server 2000 until the product is released. Scott Bekker

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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