John Fontana

Microsoft Corp. next week will issue a revision to the latest beta of its Windows Server 2003 for 64-bit Extended Systems and offer a license exchange program for users who buy 64-bit hardware before the final version of the operating system ships next year.

Reactivity Inc. has juggled its Web services lineup, adding a stand-alone management component and a silicon-based acceleration engine. The additions will create a product suite designed to help companies secure, manage and boost performance of Web services deployments.

Reactivity Inc. this week juggled its Web services lineup, adding a stand-alone management component and a silicon-based acceleration engine. The additions will create a product suite designed to help companies secure, manage and boost performance of Web services deployments.

IBM/Lotus on Friday fired another shot at rival Microsoft Corp. by adding what it calls an "Exchange Killer" to its line of Express software for small- and medium-sized businesses.

IBM Corp. next week for the first time will add support for Microsoft Corp.'s .Net development tools to its access management software, letting corporations build support for IBM's identity management platform directly into Windows-based applications.

IBM Corp. this week made a brash move onto the desktop with the introduction of middleware designed to give corporations alternatives to Microsoft Corp. It also provides the flexibility to run component-based software without sacrificing the sophistication or power of a fat client running natively on a client PC.

Microsoft Corp. Thursday for the first time announced the timeframe for shipment of its Longhorn Server and unveiled a partial list of its capabilities as part of a five-year roadmap that includes a plan to release feature-packed server updates between major versions of the operating system.

Desktop management vendor AutoProf Inc. next week is scheduled to release software that will let users streamline the centralized management and configuration of servers and desktops.