Microsoft has announced a series of new systems
management products, to be launched over the next 18
months.
The new System Centre products, announced at Microsoft’s annual
management summit, are designed to help IT professionals manage
their infrastructure. They will be built around the Microsoft
Operations Framework, which is based on ITIL industry best
practice.
The launches will include System Center Operations Manager 2007
and System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
Also expected towards the end of 2007 is a new product,
codenamed Service Desk, with a workflow engine to provide the basis
for automating IT processes. It will include workflow templates
based on ITIL best practice.
A configuration management database will underpin Service Desk's
asset and change management capability.
Microsoft also announced that Windows PowerShell – formerly
known as Monad, an administrative command shell and scripting
environment –will be available as a free download in the second
half of this year.
The next version of Exchange – Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 –
will be the first application to deliver new automation capability
based on PowerShell. It will allow routine and repetitive tasks to
be automated through a scriptable command-line shell.
Exchange Server 2007, expected at the end of 2006 or in early
2007, will include a graphical management console.