.Net Corporate Role

The software giant is preparing a beta test this summer of a notification server that service providers and customers can purchase and host in-house, so they can integrate .Net notifications with .Net Enterprise Servers, the sources said.

The offering builds on Microsoft's .Net Alerts service, which lets applications, Web sites and XML Web services send realtime updates to users and groups on any device, anytime, anywhere, they said. The technology is scheduled for commercial availability in late 2002 or early 2003, the channel sources said. At Microsoft's TechEd conference, the company demonstrated notification services with SQL Server, Exchange and Commerce Server.

Microsoft recently said that instead of acting as the sole host of services such as .Net Alerts, it now plans to license the technology to service providers. It will also sell enterprise software to corporations bundled with XML Web services that they can host in-house.

One source familiar with the notification server plans said Microsoft is concentrating first on .Net Alerts and .Net Passport.

A spokeswoman said the TechEd demonstration of SQL Server 2000 notification services was intended to showcase how the technology worked and was not necessarily a demonstration of a specific server offering. However, two sources close to the project said the technology will likely become a stand-alone product.

One channel partner said Microsoft's decision to offer some parts of its .Net My Services platform, part of Microsoft's broad Web services initiative, in other forms is positive.

"I see the move to license .Net My Services to corporate customers as a huge boost to certified partners," said Michael Cocanower, president of ITSynergy, Phoenix. "This significantly enhances the potential market for service revenue around these offerings. In terms of the notification services, I see a tremendous potential for companies with significant outside labor forces."