Microsoft Corp. is hard at work to make "Longhorn," the next iteration of its Windows Server product, do more for less by integrating various server software systems.

To do it, the company plans to extend .Net's capabilities even further with common execution environments and complete .Net Common Language Runtime support, said Valerie Olague, a Windows Server System director, in an interview.

In addition, when Longhorn ships (expected late next year or early in 2006), the new WinFX set of managed APIs that are designed to supersede Win32 will play a big role across all the server stacks, said Olague, in Redmond, Wash.

"Customers will look for all server products to be essentially enabled for the new programming model around WinFX support," Olague said.

"We are also looking at common workflow services, where, say, we take workflow services delivered today in BizTalk Server and essentially bake that into the platform so that workflow is an inherent part of what customers get right out of the box when they ... install Windows Server. BizTalk Server adds additional high-value orchestration capabilities right on top of that," she said.

Microsoft is looking to help customers manage costs by enabling and preconfiguring all its server products for Microsoft Operations Manager support, Olague said.

To read the full story, click here.