Microsoft lays out server roadmap

Microsoft has laid out its server roadmap, outlining a series of releases including Longhorn Server, the next major OS edition, targeted to arrive in 2007.

Among the features of Longhorn Server will be support for Indigo, Microsoft's new web services architecture, as well as improved manageability and support for dynamic partitioning and other features designed to enable Windows "mainframes", said Bob Muglia, the senior vice president in charge of Windows Server development.

Plans for Longhorn Server had been an on-again, off-again proposition for some time. Since late last year, the company has said there would be a server version, but until now has said little about what it would contain. The new timetable is an attempt by Microsoft to clarify its plans so that corporate buyers know what to expect. "Our expectation is that we will ship Longhorn Server in 2007," Muglia said.

Muglia also said Microsoft has slated both a service pack and an update for Longhorn. "We are thinking about an update release to Longhorn that will come in the 2009 time frame; 2008 will probably be the service pack, 2009 will be the update release."

In Microsoft parlance, a service pack is a bug-fix release that's free to customers. An update is typically a more extensive refresh of Windows that Microsoft sells. "It's, effectively, a new release of the server," Muglia said. He said customers under Microsoft's Software Assurance licensing program will receive the update at no additional cost.

Ina Fried writes for News.com