Microsoft codename Oslo is a suite of technical investments spanning across multiple years to come and involving a wire set of products, designed to permit the spanning of software applications between technologies, bridging the business environment with IT. The Microsoft 2007 Service Oriented Architecture and Business Process Management conference was the stage where Oslo was unveiled as the company's vision to streamline SOA, while at the same time transitioning composite applications to mainstream and focusing on the Software plus services strategy.

"Many customers are challenged to realize the promise of SOA given today's complexities," said Jeff Raikes, president of Microsoft Business Division. "The combination of our current software-plus-services approach and the new wave of 'Oslo' technologies will enable IT to deliver high-impact business solutions."

The start of the conference was undoubtedly the showcasing of the forthcoming Microsoft BizTalk Server, in the stage of a community technology preview. In this manner, Microsoft illustrated its commitment to SOA and BMPO with a range of products involving servers, services, framework, tools and repository.

The Redmond company promised to deliver community technology previews of Oslo products throughout 2008, but failed to designate the specific items or to provide a time table to customers. Still, users should keep an eye out for Microsoft BizTalk Server 6, BizTalk Services 1, Microsoft .NET Framework 4 and Visual Studio 10.

"It's time to help developers and IT professionals extend the capabilities of SOA to address the new 'blended' world of software plus services and cross-boundary collaboration," said Robert Wahbe, corporate vice president of the Connected Systems Division at Microsoft. "'Oslo' will enable a new class of applications that are connected and streamlined - from design through deployment - reducing complexity, aligning the enterprise and Internet, and simplifying interoperability and management."