Microsoft rolls out 'reliability' programs

REDMOND, WASH. - Microsoft rolled out a set of programs and services last week aimed at bolstering the reliability of its Windows Server 2003, which the company plans to release in April.

The support programs are aimed at strengthening the software maker's relationship with its customers by providing expertise and tools to help them manage their systems, says Bob O'Brien, product manager of the Windows Server 2003 division.

The Microsoft Reliability Service will monitor customers' event data and supply reports and analysis, as well as allow customers to monitor software and hardware components within their systems.

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REDMOND, WASH. - Microsoft rolled out a set of programs and services last week aimed at bolstering the reliability of its Windows Server 2003, which the company plans to release in April.

The support programs are aimed at strengthening the software maker's relationship with its customers by providing expertise and tools to help them manage their systems, says Bob O'Brien, product manager of the Windows Server 2003 division.

The Microsoft Reliability Service will monitor customers' event data and supply reports and analysis, as well as allow customers to monitor software and hardware components within their systems.

The Datacenter High Availability Program builds on the best practices of the company's initial data center program, launched in September 2000. Enhancements include certified and pretested OEM configurations, and wider support center options from OEMs, resellers and systems integrators.

The programs are meant to complement the reliability enhancements in Windows Server 2003. A few of the key software improvements are application process isolation, application recycling and memory mirroring for fast failover of fault-tolerant servers, O'Brien says.

Application process isolation assures that one application crash does not interrupt Web service uptime, O'Brien says, while application recycling for Internet Information Service 6.0 prevents application and systems failure because of memory leaks in poorly written code.

Memory mirroring, which writes memory to two different areas, can reduce blackout sessions to less than 1 second, O'Brien says.

Microsoft says that because of these enhancements, Windows Server 2003 had a 40% reduction in unplanned system downtime in internal tests.

Pruit is a U.S. correspondent with IDG News Service.

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