Forster: What are the implications for System
Center?
Anderson: At MMS, we’re demonstrating the
combination of Microsoft Application Virtualization
version 4.5 and how it integrates
with the SCCM 2007 R2 release. With Softricity,
you package—we call it “sequence”—the
application. Now from within the Sequencer,
you’ll be able to automatically publish that
application into SCCM, just like you can any
other MSI application. SCCM will automatically
replicate those applications around the
world, down to your end devices, and put
them in your cache. So when the end users
click on the application, they won’t know if
the application is virtual or standard. The other thing we’ve done is taken the ability
to stream down the bits required to get an
application running and then bring the other
bits. This streaming server now becomes a
role inside SCCM.
Forster: How do you summarize the focus of
MMS this year?
Anderson: There are all these different computing
models and ways of accessing data
and applications. System Center can give you
one consistent way to get to your applications
and data, the things you need to do your
work, anytime, anywhere. And we’ll manage
all that intelligently. The goal is a consistent
working experience, independent of device
or location.
The Big Picture
Microsoft is moving from fear of opensource
competition to a newfound
confidence in the value proposition of
a consistent and unified management
infrastructure across servers, clients, and
applications. (For Anderson’s and Orecklin’s perspective on the “Dynamic Desktop”
aspect of the new strategy, see the
Web-exclusive sidebar “System Center and
Anytime, Anywhere, Any-Device Management,”
InstantDoc ID 98434.) This revolution
has been developing for the past
couple of years. But the breakthrough
came when Microsoft realized that virtualization
creates an opportunity to embrace
competition while defining a competitive
edge based on a unified management
infrastructure. Combine that with emphasis
on playing nicely with (some) competitors,
Software + Services, a platform
orientation, and reliance on established
Microsoft skill sets, and the company looks
to have a new determination and energy to
dominate the market.