Download Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 Beta

Microsoft has made available for download Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 Beta at the start of this week. Designed as a security solution component packaged into the Forefront Protection Suite (formerly codenamed “Stirling”), Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 should have been offered to customers running Windows 7 client and server operating systems a tad earlier. However, in October 2009, the Redmond company announced what it referred to as a schedule and strategy update for Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010, essentially, the delay of the product’s release.

“Forefront Endpoint Protection simplifies and improves endpoint protection while greatly reducing infrastructure costs. It builds on System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2, allowing customers to use their existing client management infrastructure to deploy and manage endpoint protection. This shared infrastructure lowers ownership costs while providing improved visibility and control over endpoint management and security,” Microsoft explained.

Back in 2009, Microsoft explained that it was precisely because it was looking to achieve a much more intimate connection between Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) and System Center Configuration Manager, that the security solution was being postponed. The delay gave Microsoft the time necessary to offer customers not only an anti-malware for Windows desktops and servers, but in accordance with feedback and market trends, a product integrated with its management solution designed to streamline various administrative tasks including assessment, deployment, and updating servers, clients, and devices.

With Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010, customers running its predecessor, Forefront Client Security (FCS) can now plan to upgrade. In this regard, Microsoft is working to deliver on the promise of offering Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 in the second half of 2010. At the same time, the software giant already made available a range of security solutions under the Forefront brand, including Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server, Forefront Online Protection for Exchange, Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010 and Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010, but also Forefront Protection 2010 for SharePoint, Forefront Identity Manager 2010.

UPDATE: various changes for clarity.

Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 is available for download here.

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