Kent Compton : Windows Server "Centro"

Windows Server "Centro" has a New Name

Kentc — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:11:52 GMT

I'm happy to announce that my product, after being called Windows Server code name "Centro" for over two years, finally has a name--Windows Essential Business Server!

Essential Business Server will be in Beta 2 in the next couple of months and as a daily dogfooder I have to say the code is coming along nicely.

I'll be at IT Forum in Barcelona, Spain next week so if you're in the neighborhood please stop by our booth, so I can chat you up and show you what Essential Business Server will do for Midsize Businesses.

I know I've been clandestine for quite a few months on exactly what is in Essential Business Server so I'm happy to finally reveal that today. As I'd mentioned in previous blogs, we've worked hard to combine our latest, greatest products into an integrated server infrastructure solution designed specifically for the unique needs of IT Administrators in Midsize Businesses.

There will be two versions: Standard and Premium. The Standard Edition includes Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, Forefront Security for Exchange Server, System Center Essentials, and ISA Server code name "Nitrogen". The Premium Edition includes everything in the Standard Edition plus SQL Server 2008. Essential Business Server will have a single Client Access License (user and/or device) for all included products and those CALs will be managed on the licensing tab/page in the Essential Business Server Administration Console.

Here are some functional highlights:

Integrated Security

Many defense-in-depth multi-level security features with integrated security workloads
Pre-configured and optimized protection from common threats
Integrated and automated setup limiting vulnerabilities during and arising from installation
Centralized security feature management with a consolidated view of your security state across your systems – integrating both Microsoft and third-party applications
More automated patching and update processes make it easier for you to keep systems up
and running

Less Complexity, More Control

A centralized administration console enables you to proactively manage your customers’ IT
environment from a single location while leveraging the included product's consoles for advanced tasks
The integrated setup reduces installation steps to ~5 hours!
A single server license and Client Access License for all included products greatly simplifies licensing

Predictable Platform, Designed for Midsize Businesses

Architected for extensibility to easily “plug in” other applications
Remote Web Workplace, an out-of-the-box feature, enables IT to easily set up secure
remote access
More efficient to manage, maintain, and control, and more affordable to own than
stand-alone products

We are on a path to ship Essential Business Server in the 2H of 2008.

You can read more about this announcement from our group's director at Microsoft PressPass. RSS this blog to learn when you can participate in our public beta. BTW, click on each images to see our sexy UI!

Cheers

Windows Server "Centro" Community Technology Preview (CTP) has RTMed!

Kentc — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 03:59:00 GMT

Another milestone for Windows Server code name "Centro" occurred this afternoon with the official signing off of the CTP (5241) build. The CTP builds on the foundation established in Beta 1 while moving into new areas such as enabling legacy Active Directory domain joins, including Windows Server 2008, etc. If you're in the TAP or TechBeta you should be able to download it from connect.microsoft.com within a few hours. Please test it, push it, break it and then file those bugs! We looking forward to hearing from you.

We're on the road to Beta 2...

Windows Server "Centro" Beta 1 has shipped!

Kentc — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:34:00 GMT

I'm happy to announce that we posted the first beta of Windows Server "Centro" to Microsoft Connect this past weekend. The team (developers, testers, user experience designers, user assistance writers and editors, program managers and product planners) have worked long hours (especially the testers who seemingly are here all the time) over the past month to fix all of the show stopper bugs for the scenarios we want tested, document the expected experience and configuration and get it all packaged up for the TechBeta and TAP testers (see post below to sign up). Beta 1 is a "closed beta" meaning you can't simply download the software from microsoft.com and it also means I cannot discuss what exact features/functionality are in the product other than what you can read about on the Press Pass page. Needless to say, this is a very important milestone in the product's development. All three servers can be installed and configured via the integrated setup wizards, all the servers can be monitored and managed from a single administration console and it certainly gives the user a good feel for what the end result will be like when the product is RTM. I encourage you to sign up and give us your feedback. Now the march begins to ship beta 2... !

Windows Server "Centro" Technical Beta and Technology Adopter Program is looking for a few good testers...

Kentc — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 06:32:00 GMT

We are looking for a few good testers (OK, lots of) to help give us feedback on Windows Server “Centro”. If you have three 64 bit (x64) machines that you can use to test some next generation technology we’re working on then we can use your help. I know three spare x64 servers is not a trivial request but they’re required to fully test Windows Server "Centro". If you are already on the Windows Server “Longhorn” Beta or the Exchange Server 2007 Beta, then you are already two thirds of the way there. <g>

Technical Beta

If you are interested in joining the Windows Server "Centro" Beta please go to http://connect.microsoft.com click on Invitations sign in with your Windows Live ID (Passport ID) and enter the following invite ID; Extr-GHBC-JCJM. You will be asked to take a short Survey. Once you complete the survey look for an email from MsftConn@microsoft.com. If you don't already trust this address, please add it to your trusted email addresses.

Technology Adopter Program

If you are an IT Administrator in a Midsize Company (say one with 25 – 250 computers) and you want to eventually put Windows Server "Centro" into production (not for a while—don’t get nervous <g>) then the Technology Adopter Program (TAP) is for you! Unlike the Technical Beta, you will get access to product support once you deploy Windows Server "Centro" in production; you will have an assigned program manager from Microsoft who will work with you to mitigate risks in deploying and maintaining Windows Server "Centro"; you will participate in weekly conference calls with the product group; and you will be invited to participate in 1-2 onsite training sessions in Redmond. If you’re interested please email centrott@microsoft.com and we’ll get you the materials you need to nominate your company.

If you have any questions what so ever, please post a comment here. For your privacy, please don’t post any information other than your name that could be used to identify you.

I'm excited to finally be starting this next milestone in the Windows Server Centro's development. Just today, I installed one of the builds on the three workstation-class computers in my office. Get on the beta or join the TAP. I want you to experience Windows Server "Centro" as well!

Cheers,
Kent

What do YOU want in Windows Server "Centro"?

Kentc — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 20:57:00 GMT

I'd to get your opinions on the types of functionality and features you'd like to see in Windows Server "Centro". The skies the limit! Please note: I won't reply to your comment unless I need clarification (we might already plan on doing the feature).

I'd like to understand better what are the kinds of IT tasks in your Midsize Business you perform on a day-to-day basis that you would like to see Microsoft fix?

Oh, and please let me know if you are a partner or a mid-size business. Thank you in advance.

What diagnostic tasks wouid you want at your fingertips for Windows Server "Centro"?

Kentc — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 02:43:00 GMT

For those of you that have used Microsoft's Operations Manager 2005 you know that you can access some basic server diagnostic tasks in the right hand pane including Computer Management, Event Viewer, IP Configuration, Ping, and Remote Desktop.

If you could force your will on the Windows Server "Centro" product group (and if fact that's what you'll do by posting a reply <g>) to manage your mid-size company's computers, what other server (and maybe client) diagnostic tasks would you want at your fingertips? Feel free to be as verbose as you'd like. We'd really like to make sure we're prioritizing those tasks that you perform over and over. If you're like me you say to no one in particular "why can't I capture that task easily so I could just click a button and I could run it again!?" then this is your chance.

If you're good with the Windows Scripting Host (and if you are I'd really encourage you to look at our Scripting Center) what sort of diagnostics scripts have you written?

I appreciate your feedback.

Kent

Announcing Windows Server "Centro" !

Kentc — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 03:08:00 GMT

I'm pleased to finally be able to write about a new currently under development integrated product, code-named Windows Server "Centro." Windows Server "Centro" brings together Windows Server, next-generation Exchange and security technologies, and a new integrated management experience designed specifically for the IT professional in a midsize business. Windows Server "Centro" was officially announced today at the Business Summit 2005 by none other than Bill Gates, our Chairman and Chief Software Architect. It's quite a relief to finally be tell my friends, partners and customers what I'd "moved to Redmond" to do. I am one of several product planners for Windows Server "Centro" in the Product Management Group. I work with the engineering team to insure that customer, partner, ISV and OEM feedback is baked deep into the product.

Developing a product that is meant to solve Mid-size customers' needs is both fascinating to watch and even more fun to contribute to. Even the simplest decisions have multiple choices and potentially serious ramifications so everything gets debated. Having worked directly with customers prior to moving to Redmond and as a former small and midsize business owner and systems integrator I'm keenly interested in giving time back to and increasing the productivity of customers' mostly overworked IT Administrators and our value added provider Partner channel.

Please feel free to share your ideas, concerns, kudos and dings. Please know that I still cannot be overly forthcoming about Centro's details yet because we're still figuring out what needs to get done and what will be moved to the next version. I'd hate to set an expectation about a feature or some functionality only to have it cut during the version's development. Believe me, it's almost better to not know what isn't going to make the final version because inevitably it'll be the one feature you just have to have. As a consumer of lots of software and having really high expectations meant I've felt that sting a number of times. Fortunately, there is almost always a next version and the product will continue to evolve. I promise that as soon as I can share more details I will. You'll be able to read about them right here and on the Midsize Business Center web page.

Kent