Microsoft's Essential and Forefront Now in India
By Sonal Desai
Mumbai, May 21, 2007

Microsoft, last weekend, launched its Windows Essential 2007 and Forefront Security Systems in India.

Tim Sinclair, general manager (management practices) of Windows Enterprises Division, Douglas Hauger, chief operating officer, and Pallavi Kathuria, director of server business at Microsoft gave a low-down on the products, and the company's India strategy in a free-wheeling chat with CXOtoday.com

Haugher said that System Essentials 07 would cater to the needs of all organizations in the small and medium enterprises to large enterprise segments. It would primarily integrate IT into strategic assets.

Sinclair explained, "The products are essentially system server configuration and operation manager to enable automated emails. Essential 07 is a unified console designed to simplify tasks such as managing clients, servers, hardware, software, etc. Forefront is more on the IT services side and takes care of messages, mail files, and database servers. It is for business desktop computers, laptops and servers."

He informed that Forefront integrates 8 network against (NA) virus engines, and was also customized as per geographic needs. 70% of an IT department's time is spent in maintaining infrastructure. No vendor offers management and security across the board, he alleged.

Kathuria said, "We also sought help from local partners in the APAC region to develop these engines."

It was reported sometime back that people abroad were a bit apprehensive on whether Microsoft's security solutions were comprehensive enough, especially virus scanning. However, Sinclair clarified, "It is good to be paranoid. On a serious note, the system has intelligent application gateway, with personalization of access. It has depth and is granular."

He added that the security systems are interoperable with third party solutions. Citing an example, he mentioned that Symantec and MacAfee products have rested on Microsoft's operating system for more than a decade. "The ecosystem is very healthy. We want them to continue operating on our OS, and we will fully support them."

Talking on the relevance of acquisitions of Sybari and Whale Communications, Sinclair said, "These acquisitions have played a vital role. The antigen product of Sybari (based out of Long Island) helps translate security into client application at the server level. Boston-based Whale Communications has enhanced our approach towards intelligent application gateway (personal access)."

It must be mentioned here that both these acquisitions were made between 2005 and 2006, when Microsoft had just started dropping hints that it would develop Essentials and Forefront.

Commenting on investments into the projects, Kathuria informed, "We have spent millions of dollars. But the investments were targeted largely towards 3 broader aspects of vision/strategy and approach; products, technology and support.

She elaborated that vision would include trustworthy computing and core infrastructure optimization that comprise risk, cost of managing, and agility.

She added that the investments also included marketing communication, air cover, and acquisitions.

When questioned about the delay of Microsoft's entry into the security market, the trio replied in unison, "Technically we are not late, we have had security products from time to time, but this took long as we did listen to a lot of customer needs and their views on what they wanted from us."

Microsoft's foray into end to end security solutions may have come at a right time, considering some statistics IDC released recently.

"The security software market in India is expected to grow at a 2006-2011 CAGR of 28.06%, and the Indian system infrastructure software market projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% over the same period, as per IDC's latest Packaged Software market forecast (December 2006). Thus, they have emerged as key focus areas for organizations across India - be it large enterprises or small & medium businesses," said Kapil Dev Singh, country manager of IDC (India).

"Microsoft has started focusing on the system management and infrastructure security markets in India, and the launch of its comprehensive product suite, will offer new options to enterprise users in India," he added.