Microsoft Announces Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack
LAS VEGAS, May 6, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced development of the Microsoft® Windows NT® Services for UNIX Add-On Pack, which will make it easier for customers to integrate Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0 into their existing UNIX environments. The Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack will deliver the features and benefits that customers have most frequently requested, including resource sharing, remote administration, password synchronization and common scripting across platforms. Microsoft is scheduled to deliver a beta version of the Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack this summer for both Intel and Alpha platforms.
The Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack will provide customers with access to core interoperability components in a single, integrated, fully supported package. Customers are expected to benefit from lower deployment costs, improved supportability of mixed environments, and the most complete integration with current and future Windows NT-based technologies and initiatives.
“Customers are rapidly deploying Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0 alongside and in place of UNIX systems to achieve an integrated business environment and lower the total cost of ownership,”
said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the personal and business systems group at Microsoft.
“This product will deliver the core interoperability our customers require most as they increasingly move to Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server.”
Features of the Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack will include the following:
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Resource sharing. Users of Windows NT Workstation 4.0 will be able to access files on UNIX systems, and UNIX workstation users will be able to access resources on
Windows NT. To provide resource-sharing capabilities, Microsoft is licensing Network File System client/server software from Intergraph Corp. Intergraph is a leading vendor of Windows NT and UNIX interoperability solutions. -
Remote administration. Remote administration through Telnet gives remote users the ability to remotely log into and execute commands on Windows NT- or UNIX-based systems.
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Password synchronization. One-way password synchronization will allow customers to maintain a common password between their Windows NT- and UNIX-based machines. Changes made to a password for Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server will automatically synchronize on UNIX systems. It also will provide a seamless navigation environment, so users can work with data on Windows NT-based servers and UNIX systems without entering their password multiple times.
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Common scripting across platforms. Windows NT Services for UNIX will also allow users to run many existing UNIX scripts on Windows NT-based systems. As part of these scripting capabilities, Microsoft has licensed from Mortice Kern Systems Inc. (MKS) more than 25 UNIX scripting commands and its leading KornShell, which gives users the ability to automate common processes and administrative tasks across both Windows NT and UNIX platforms. MKS is a leading provider of Windows NT scripting and migration tools and software configuration management (SCM) products.
Independent software vendors like NetManage Inc. and Softway Systems Inc. look forward to the availability of Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack.
“Windows NT Services for UNIX validates the UNIX to Windows NT interoperability market,”
said Douglas P.C. Miller, CEO, Softway Systems.
“The Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack from Microsoft complements the OpenNT middleware solution, which lets customers re-host UNIX applications on Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server.”
“By moving into the UNIX connectivity area, Microsoft is further strengthening Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server, UNIX and legacy system interoperability,”
said Patrick Linehan, senior vice president and general manager, NetManage.
“As a result, we look forward to seeing an expansion in this area, and view this as an opportunity to provide our established, full-featured UNIX connectivity solutions to new customers. Microsoft customers looking to augment this Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server offering with connectivity for Windows® 3.X, Windows 9X, as well as Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server, will find that NetManage fills any gaps with our Chameleon UNIXLink product. Additionally, Microsoft and NetManage are working together to provide full compatibility between Chameleon UNIXLink and Microsoft’s Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack.”
Windows NT Services for UNIX illustrates Microsoft’s broad commitment to enterprise interoperability, which also includes products or services for Apple Macintosh, Novell NetWare, mainframes and IBM OS/400. Microsoft supports common industry standards such as TCP/IP, LDAP and Kerberos. Recently, the company announced several new interoperability initiatives including direct licensing and support for its Component Object Model (COM) for use on non-Windows-based systems.
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