Apps briefs

The fledgling management service provider (MSP) vendor community has formed the MSP Association to define and promote what its members do: offer outsourced management services to customers on a subscription basis. The group initially includes 19 companies, such as start-ups SilverBack and InteQ, as well as companies that sell to MSPs, such as Hewlett-Packard. Although the industry is still in its infancy, consultancy IDC in Framingham, Mass., estimates revenue could reach $78 million this year and grow to $524 million by 2004. In the next few weeks, the association will hold its first meeting and elect officers, as well as set priorities and form working committees.

MSP Association: www.mspassociation.org.

NetLock Technologies has unveiled NetLock 3, a $100-per-seat desktop application for controlling security policies on file encryption and use, with policy control managed from a separate $3,600 console. NetLock, Anderson Consulting and SAP plan to debut a hosted application service this fall based on NetLock technology. Pricing has not been set.

NetLock: www.netlock.com.

Sequoia Software last week announced XML Portal Server 3.0, the company's business-to-business Web application server, which costs about $300 per user. The latest version includes an XML-based personalized content-delivery capability for presenting targeted information at user-profile groups or individuals and also supports the Wireless Application Protocol for making Web information available to handheld computers.

Sequoia: www.sequoiasoftware.com