REDMOND, Wash., March 20, 1996 —
— According to figures released today by Microsoft Corp., Windows NT®
Server is expected to account for 25 percent of worldwide server operating system shipments by the completion of fiscal year 1996, ending in June.
The growth, fueled by reseller, partner and applications support, has established Windows NT Server as the industry’s fastest-growing network operating system.
Microsoft indicated that shipments of Microsoft® Windows NT Server in fiscal year 1996 are expected to exceed last year’s by more than 100 percent. Shipments of Windows NT Server are expected to surpass those of Novell® NetWare®
version 4.1 by June 1996.
“We are very pleased that more than 100,000 organizations have chosen Windows NT Server over other alternatives,”
said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft.
“Customers have told us that they prefer Windows NT Server because it combines ease of use with file and print server performance, application server power, and communications server capabilities at record-setting price points.”
Customers Moving to Windows NT Server
While the early success of Windows NT Server was exclusively as an applications server, a Microsoft survey of customers shows that now, more than 80 percent of installed copies of Windows NT Server use its file and print capabilities. Similarly, more than 80 percent of the customers use the built-in directory services, providing them with a single network logon.
“We moved from NetWare to Windows NT Server because Windows NT offered multipurpose server capabilities along with a comprehensive directory service that gives our users secure access to their files, printers and databases with a single password,”
said Dave Juchniewicz, director of global communication and networking at American Standard Plumbing Products.
“We are now in the process of deploying hundreds of Windows NT-based servers throughout Europe, North America and Asia.”
Even just as a file server, Windows NT Server share continues to grow. According to International Data Corp. (IDC), Windows NT Server utilized as a file server more than doubled its market share, from 6.7 percent of nodes in 1994 to 15.7 percent of nodes in 1995. IDC expects that Windows NT Server will continue its strong sales gains during 1996.
Partner, Reseller Support Continues to Grow
Between June and November 1995, the number of resellers carrying Windows NT Server grew 116 percent, and Windows NT Server revenue among small value-added resellers (VARs) grew 54 percent. More than 11,000 resellers have attended Microsoft’s Net Results seminar series, a 67-city tour that educates resellers about Windows NT Server and the Microsoft BackOffice
™
family. Among Net Results attendees, 60 percent intend to become Microsoft Solution Providers. In addition, more than 4,400 Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers support Windows NT Server today, up 342 percent from last year.
Further momentum for Windows NT Server was announced earlier this month when SAP AG, a leading provider of client-server business applications, indicated that more than 1,000 customers using SAP®
R/3
™
now run on Windows NT Server. SAP R/3 is one of the more than 1,900 applications now shipping for Windows NT Server, a number that represents an increase of almost 60 percent since June 1995. Pricing and Availability
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51 is available now through resellers. A 10-user network pack is available for approximately $999; additional client access licenses are available for approximately $39.95 each.
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.
Microsoft, Windows NT and BackOffice are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of Novell Inc.
SAP is a registered trademark and R/3 is a trademark of SAP AG.
