It is not only Microsoft's latest Windows client that is evolving, via the move from Vista RTM to Vista Service Pack 1, but also the company's ecosystem of solutions built around the platform. In this context, Christopher Flores, Director Windows Communications, revealed that the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2008 is now available. Offered to Windows Software Assurance customers, MDOP is a solution designed to accelerate and streamline the optimization of desktop infrastructures in IT environments. Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack is set up to integrate with Windows Vista Enterprise and as such it is an offering aimed at corporate customers. The 2008 version features a couple of product updates, namely the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset 6.0 (DaRT) and Desktop Error Monitoring 3.0 SP1 (DEM).

"DaRT provides a set of tools for IT Pros to debug and troubleshoot unbootable PCs. DaRT 6.0 brings in some new tools worth taking note of. Tools such as Locksmith can reset a local administrator password, while Hotfix Uninstall can remove a bad hotfix. This is especially useful if the hotfix was the cause of the PC crash. Perhaps one of the simplest uses for DaRT is to recover files from the PC, even if they have been removed from the recycle bin. One of the new features in DaRT 6.0 is the Standalone System Sweeper, an antimalware product that runs while the Windows operating system is unbootable. This tool, which can receive updated virus/spyware definitions via USB thumb drive or online, will scan the PC's hard drive and is even effective at removing malware which use rootkits to avoid detection," Flores stated.

Made available as an add-on subscription license exclusively through Software Assurance, MDOP contains a number of technologies which enable everything from application deployment, to reduced management and decreased TCO and even the fixing of unbootable systems. MDOP comes to the table with Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization, Microsoft Asset Inventory Service, Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management, Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset and Microsoft System Center Desktop Error Monitoring.

"DEM 3.0 SP1 brings improved performance and scalability to the product, as well as an improved look-and-feel of the reports which can be generated for key metrics such as Top Application Crashes and Top Error Groups. Additionally, the new version of DEM can be upgraded to System Center Operations Manager 2007 through an in-place upgrade. This will allow IT Departments a deeper level of monitoring for your machines and the added ability to monitor your servers," Flores added.