14 DAY TRIAL // The first quarter of 2008 will bring not only the launch of Windows Server 2008, formerly codenamed Longhorn and that of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, but also the first release of Office 14, the successor of the Office 2007 system. Just one year after Microsoft made available Office 2007 for the general consumers alongside Windows Vista, a tad longer if you take into consideration the business launch in November 2006, the company will deliver the first testing versions for the next generation of its productivity suite. A Microsoft IT Pro Evangelist revealed that the initial version of Office 14 will be intimately connected with the company's Master Data Management solution. You have to think at Office 14 in terms of a product number rather than a codename, a tradition established by Steven Sinofsky, Senior Vice President, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group.
"Microsoft customers want a solution that leverages their technology investment, integrates with their software assets, is easy to install and maintain, and provides a low total cost of ownership. In June 2007, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Stratature, a privately held company based in Alpharetta, Georgia, and a leading provider of master data management (MDM) software. This was the first step in Microsoft establishing a presence in the master data management space, and will accelerate Microsoft's delivery of technology in the MDM market. It represents the culmination of a company-wide effort across the Microsoft Office SharePoint, Microsoft SQL Server, and Business Intelligence technology groups to deliver on a unified Master Data Management solution," the IT Pro Evangelist stated.
The upcoming Microsoft Master Data Management (MDM) solution is codenamed Bulldog and is an integer part of Office 14. As far as Bulldog is concerned, the Redmond company regards it as a piece of the Office Business Platform puzzle. The solution is essentially designed to help enterprise customers deal with the management and centralization of distributed and heterogeneous data. "Bulldog includes Microsoft process and standards applied to the Stratature code base as well as several important new capabilities. Bulldog will meet these requirements while laying the foundation for the long-term master data management vision at Microsoft. In concert with the product enhancements, we will be building the product ecosystem including sales channels, customer support, partner readiness, demos and training materials," the IT Pro Evangelist added.
Microsoft currently plans to make available a Technology Preview of Bulldog to a select pool of customers in the first quarter of the upcoming year. Additionally Bulldog will be synchronized with Office 14, when it comes down to the Community technology Preview and Technology Adoption Program, and Release to Manufacturing dates. "The codename for the subsequent release of the Microsoft MDM product is "Greenwich". We will release major new features in the Greenwich timeframe, including integration, analytical & transactional capabilities," promised the IT Pro Evangelist.