UPCOMING RELEASE OF SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT SERVER 1.2

Since the release of Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.1 in 1995, Microsoft has spent a great deal of time talking to customers to understand how they are using Systems Management Server. The consistent feedback from these customers was that there are a number of key improvements that would help them manage Windows® based desktops more efficiently. As a result, Microsoft has begun an accelerated development effort to add these features and to make the system faster and easier to use. This new version of Systems Management Server, version 1.2, is scheduled to be released in the second half of 1996. This market bulletin provides more information about the features of the next release of Systems Management Server, as well as some common questions and answers.

IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF WINDOWS BASED DESKTOPS AND SERVERS

New features of Systems Management Server 1.2

There are a number of new features in Systems Management Server 1.2, including the ability to take remote control of any Windows NT™ Workstation or Windows NT Server from a central location. This feature will allow a system administrator to perform any operation on a Windows NT based machine as if he or she were actually sitting at the machine itself. This will be supported over a local area network, a wide area network, and the Internet, using a variety of protocols, such as TCP/IP, IPX, X.25 and ISDN. Systems Management Server 1.2 will also improve the speed of the remote control program when remotely managing Windows based desktops.

This new version will also make it easier to manage systems running Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server by adding a Windows NT event to an SNMP trap converter. Essentially this will allow any SNMP Management console to manage critical events that occur on a Windows NT based system, such as low disk space or a security violation, and generate a SNMP trap. The SNMP trap can be forwarded to a management console to alert the administrator of the critical event. Typical management consoles that can be used with this feature are HP® Openview® IBM® Netview® AIX, Digital POLYCENTER™ and Microsoft Systems Management Server.

To help administrators with the management of Windows 95 based computers we have also updated Systems Management Server 1.2 with Shared Application support for Windows 95.

IT'S FASTER TO OPERATE

Systems Management Server 1.2 will also improve the overall speed and performance of the system in a number of areas to help both the administrator and users of Systems Management Server.

The new version will provide faster services to process the software and hardware inventory information that is collected into the Systems Management Server database. In addition a faster administration, programs used to manage the overall system will help improve the performance of Systems Management Server.

IT'S EASIER TO USE

To make it even easier to accurately and quickly inventory your installed base of applications, we have also nearly doubled the number of automatically detected software applications to more than 4,500. This provides administrators the ability to easily audit what applications are installed on their machines and how many copies they have throughout the network.

This new version also includes a new documentation set that is geared towards systems administrators with differing levels of experience using Systems Management Server. For example, a new administrator who has not used Systems Management Server before can get the system up and running quickly with the "Getting Started Guide". For more advanced users of the system, the new documentation set will provide capacity planning and configuration information, essential for full scale deployment. As with previous releases of Systems Management Server, this documentation set will also be available in electronic form.

COMMON CUSTOMER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT SERVER 1.2

Q: Will there be a beta for the Systems Management Server 1.2 release? How can I enroll?
A: Yes, there will be a beta. This is scheduled to be available Q2 1996. If you are interested in becoming a beta site for Systems Management Server 1.2 please send email to smsbeta@microsoft.com. Exact details will be published in March 1996. Enrollment will be limited.

Q: When will Systems Management Server 1.2 be released?
A: We should have an approximate time frame when we receive initial feedback from the beta. This feedback will allow us to determine when the product is stable and ready for customer deployment.

Q: Wasn't Microsoft going to ship a Service Pack 2 for Systems Management Server 1.1?
A: Yes. However, after speaking to customers we have modified our plans to bring forward the release of key features that our customers need as they deploy Systems Management Server. Please see the information above for details of these new features. We will also be providing a number of customer fixes in the 1.2 release.

Q: What happens if I have a problem with Systems Management Server today? Do I need to wait for the 1.2 release to get a fix?
A: Not necessarily. Many problems can be resolved through our Quick Fix program. Please contact Product Support Services (PSS) for additional information, at 1-800-936-3500 or ://www.microsoft.com/support.

Q: Where can I gain more detailed information about this release?
A: Additional information will be released as it becomes available, approximately at the time that the beta is released.

Q: What versions of Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server will be supported by the new remote control functional?
A: Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server version 3.5, Service Pack 2 and later will be supported.

Q: What is the cost of the SMS 1.2 upgrade?
A: We will announce pricing when the product is released.

Q: What are the plans for the next major release?
A: At the moment, we have not released details of our next major release after Systems Management Server 1.2. When these details are confirmed, we will make them available to customers.

Q: Will Systems Management Server 1.2 be available in future releases of Microsoft BackOffice™ ?
A: Yes. Systems Management Server will continue to be supplied as an integral part of the Microsoft BackOffice.

Q: Will this release have any of the SNMP functionality that you purchased from Network Managers?
A: In this release we will provide initial SNMP support with an SNMP trap generator (detailed above). Further SNMP functionality will be provided in later releases of Systems Management Server.

The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.

This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and the BackOffice logo, BackOffice, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

IBM and NetView are registered trademarks of Internal Business Machines Corporation. HP and OpenView are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company.

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