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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Captain Jack who wrote (41604)	4/8/2000 9:10:00 AM
From: Captain Jack	Respond to of 74651

There is more comment on the wires today than on weekdays. Could it be because it is almost entirely proMSFT? Apr. 07, 2000 (InternetWeek - CMP via COMTEX) -- The addition of middleware functions arguably makes Windows a more robust enterprise solution. Now that Microsoft has been found to be in violation of antitrust laws because it bundled Internet Explorer with Windows, what's the fate of other products that have become part of the Windows package, and what does this mean to IT managers? What about Active Directory and COM+? For IT shops, adding an ever-increasing collection of features to an operating system is both good and bad news. The good news is that an all-in-one operating system saves IT organizations from reconciling several products from a number of different vendors. On the other hand, an all-in-one solution drains precious IT resources and comprises more features than any IT organization would ever use. Active Directory is a significant example of a bundled product that concerns IT managers. On one hand, it provides Windows 2000 with a directory service tightly integrated with the operating system. On the other, it consumes vast resources, and it's not interoperable with other directory services on other operating systems. IT managers must run multiple directory services unless they want to run only Windows. In addition, Microsoft has said in the past that it intends to tie its applications tightly to Active Directory as well, meaning that IT managers must run Microsoft applications in an Active Directory environment if they are to deliver full functionality. Although such a plan is not considered likely, forcing Microsoft to unbundle Active Directory would open Windows 2000 to other providers of directory services and reduce the need for companies to be forced into a Microsoft-only environment. Microsoft's bundled software includes other operating system features that are sold by other vendors as standalone products. Active Directory, for example, is a direct assault on Novell Directory Services. The addition of COM+ elements, including Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) and Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) places Windows in competition with offerings from middleware vendors. From an IT perspective, the addition of middleware functionality arguably makes Windows a more robust enterprise solution because it optimizes system resources. On the other hand, the added functionality creates an even bigger monolith. In this case, it's a monolith that adds complexity, consumes system resources and demands far greater performance and capacity from the platforms on which it runs than would otherwise be required. Richard Watson, director of telephony partners at Symbol Technologies, a San Jose, CA-based voice-over-IP solution provider, adds, "from a technical perspective, a higher level of integration from a single vendor potentially lowers costs. From a business perspective, you become dependent on a sole source, which is very risky. If they trip, you trip. And if they decide to raise prices you have to pay." The result -assuming Microsoft ultimately loses and extreme measures lead major features of the operating system such as Active Directory, the middleware products, or even Internet Explorer to be unbundled-is far less than a catastrophe. The operating system that emerges will be leaner, faster and consume less in resources than it currently does. In addition, managers will find it easier to match other products to their specific needs. On the other hand, they will lose the benefits of tight integration, including known compatibility with the operating system and the efficiency that brings.