Just when you thought you'd gotten familiar enough with the names of our Operations Management (MOM) and Systems Management (SMS) products, the marketing minds at Microsoft decided to change it all up again. These two products have been renamed under the umbrella of the System Center line of products along with a slew of other solution products aimed at helping IT professionals overcome the daily challenges of their IT environment. Here's a rundown of the System Center products that have been released to date:

• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 is the next version of Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003.  It possesses deep integration with Office 2007, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Exchange. Configuration Manager 2007 is designed to be easier to use:  Simplified UI, Added branch support, new schedule features, Wake on LAN advanced Task Sequencing, Branch Office support, improved scheduling and Greater control including Wake-on-LAN.
• Data Protection Manager V2 is the new standard for Windows backup and recovery -- delivering continuous data protection for Microsoft application and file servers using seamlessly integrated disk and tape media. DPM enables rapid and reliable recovery through advanced technology for enterprises of all sizes.
• Operations Manager 2007 provides end to end service management that is easy to customize and extend to help improve service levels across your IT environment.
• Virtual Machine Manager provides rapid provisioning of virtual machines by administrators and authorized users. It delivers simple, complete support for consolidating multiple physical servers within a virtual infrastructure, increasing overall utilization of physical servers.

If you're in the Mississauga area on November 28, come and join the System Management Showcase full day seminar at the Microsoft Canada Headquarters to learn more about the Systems Center product line and see these tools in action.

You can also download trial versions of System Center products and learn more about these products online.