NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of Microsoft® Transaction Server 1.0, formerly code-named
“Viper,”
a key component of the Microsoft Active Server platform. Developers and information management professionals can evaluate Microsoft Transaction Server at no charge for 120 days by downloading it from http://www.microsoft.com/transaction/ (connect-time charges may apply).
Building on the Windows NT® Server network operating system, Microsoft Transaction Server provides the application infrastructure – including transactions, cross-platform integration and scalability – required to build reliable distributed business systems easily. This enables developers to focus on business solutions instead of application infrastructure, lowering the cost and complexity of building and supporting server applications.
“Managers are looking for ways to quickly build applications that are reliable enough to run a business,”
said Jim Allchin, senior vice president, personal and business systems group at Microsoft.
“With Transaction Server, Microsoft is making it possible for many more organizations to build distributed business solutions that are reliable and scalable, yet easy to deploy, manage and maintain.”
Microsoft Transaction Server uses open standards to work with the systems customers have today. Transaction Server will support a variety of transaction processing protocols including OLE Transactions, XA, SNA LU 6.2 Sync Level 2, and Transaction Internet Protocol. This will enable businesses to deploy Transaction Server applications that integrate with UNIX and mainframe-based systems.
The introduction of Transaction Server is the next step in an important evolution that began with Microsoft SQL Server 6.5. Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Transaction Server are integrated through common support for the native OLE transaction protocol and common use of the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator. Integration with DTC also provides common management of both Microsoft SQL Server and the Transaction Server. DTC was first released as part of Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 in April of this year and is included with Microsoft Transaction Server.
Momentum Behind Microsoft Transaction Server
Over 80 technology vendors and software companies have committed to Microsoft Transaction Server and plan to support it in their products. These vendors include test vendors SQA and NuMega Technologies Inc., tools vendors Powersoft Development Tools Division of Sybase Inc. and MicroFocus, solution vendors Software 2000 and Marcam, and database vendors Informix Software Inc., Sybase Inc. and IBM with DB2.
“Microsoft and Informix are working together to integrate Transaction Server applications with INFORMIX-Universal Server,”
said Brett Bachman, general manager of the enterprise products business unit at Informix.
“Transaction Server’s support for XA and OLE Transactions means that businesses will soon be able to deploy transactional, component-based applications on Windows NT Server that natively interoperate with Informix databases running on UNIX and other operating systems.”
Microsoft Delivers Key Components of the Active Server
With the release of Transaction Server, Microsoft ships a key component of the Active Server. Other Active Server technologies include the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), Active Server Pages in Internet Information Server (IIS) 3.0, and message queue technology (currently code-named
“Falcon”
). The Active Server is the set of technologies that enables developers to build and deploy component-based server applications easily without the complexities generally associated with network programming. IIS 3.0 is scheduled to be released this week. The message queue technology is scheduled for delivery in mid-1997.
A free 120-day evaluation copy of Microsoft Transaction Server 1.0 is available this week for download from http://www.microsoft.com/transaction/ (connect-time charges may apply). Microsoft Transaction Server will retail for a promotional price of approximately $2,000 and is scheduled to be available in stores by mid-January. Support for UNIX databases should begin to appear in approximately the first quarter of 1997.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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