Microsoft deploys Application Center 2000

Microsoft launched its Web application deployment system yesterday at the Internet World Spring 2001 show in Los Angeles. Application Center 2000 [sic] is based on the use of Web clusters, or "Web farms" - rather than a monolithic central server - to manage "capacity on demand". That is to say, it automatically adds server capacity where the need is identified, and it makes adjustments to manage infrastructure failures. ...more

Microsoft previews real-time corporate messaging

Microsoft is hoping the popularity of instant messaging will put a fire under its corporate communications version, which supports a number of encryption technologies as well as logging mechanisms. Hugely popular in the consumer space, AOL leads the instant messaging market with its AIM service, despite Microsoft's ability to bundle its version of instant messaging with other key products such as Windows XP. But with the first public beta of 'Greenwich', the company is hoping to tackle the enterprise market with a real-time messaging system that authenticates users, supports industry standard security protocols, including SSL encryption, Digest and Kerberos, and offers logging functions needs to comply with financial and securities regulations. ...more

.NET catches major European telco

As another announcement coming out of CeBIT, Deutsche Telecom is to adopt Microsoft's .NET approach to the delivery of Web services for mobile devices. The avowed intent of Deutsche Telekom (DT) is to advance the deployment of advanced XML-based services across Germany and Europe. ...more

Apple takes a surprise Safari on Windows

Apple has once again caught the computer industry by surprise by launching its Safari web browser on Windows. The company's chief executive, Steve Jobs, claims Safari will be Windows' fastest browser, rendering pages at twice the speed of Internet Explorer and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox. ...more