Microsoft readies new database software
The software giant announces that it is just one step away from shipping its next-generation database software.
Microsoft announced today that it is just one step away from shipping its next-generation database software.
The software giant today said it has sent the final software code to its internal manufacturing process, the last move before the software is sent to customers.
The new product, called SQL Server 2000, is part of Microsoft's aim to make its Windows 2000 operating system more attractive to businesses that need to create e-commerce Web sites.
The database, which stores and manages Web content and other corporate information, should be available to customers within four to six weeks, said Jeff Ressler, Microsoft's lead product manager for SQL Server.
As previously reported, SQL Server 2000 features more Web support, more security and improved analysis for business information. Microsoft executives have touted the new database as powerful and reliable enough for large businesses and e-commerce Web sites and hope it can better compete against rival offerings from Oracle, IBM and Informix.
The product is part of a family of Web development software--recently renamed .Net Enterprise Servers--that the software giant plans to ship soon. .Net Enterprise Servers serves as the foundation of Microsoft's new Internet software strategy.
Microsoft will hold an official launch event for SQL Server and its family of .Net products on Sept. 26. Other products include Commerce Server 2000 for building e-commerce Web sites; Exchange 2000 messaging software; BizTalk Server, the company's XML-based software for linking different computing systems across the Net; and Application Center 2000, for managing e-commerce Web sites.
Ressler said Microsoft expects all the products--except BizTalk Server--to be sent to its internal manufacturing process by the launch event. BizTalk Server will ship in the fall, according to Microsoft.
All versions, including personal edition, developer editor, desktop edition and enterprise edition, of SQL Server have already been sent to manufacturing, except for the mobile version for Windows CE devices, which will ship in the fall, Ressler said.