Microsoft keeps MOM with application management

Microsoft yesterday released its latest Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 and MOM 2005 Workgroup Edition (previously named MOM 2005 Express) system and application management offerings to manufacturing.

The software giant said the products - both part of its ongoing Dynamic Systems Initiative - were designed to simplify and automate the way enterprise and mid-market businesses design, deploy and operate distributed systems.

MOM 2005 features tools to provide IT professionals with easier set-up and implementation, through simple deployment wizards and automated tasks for targeting management packs across the system.

It also includes an integrated framework designed to provide web-services-based interconnection with other management systems already in place, and an enhanced management console.

"MOM 2005 and MOM 2005 Workgroup Edition provide our broad set of customers with richer monitoring knowledge and analysis tools to ensure that they're getting every penny from their IT investments," said Bob Muglia, senior vice president at Microsoft.

According to the company the latest version of MOM also boasts built-in security features, such as the capability to mutually authenticate agents and servers, which is designed to help protect organisations from misuse of the management system.

Licensing for MOM 2005 has been also been revamped, to bring it into line with similar Microsoft products such as Systems Management Server 2003. Customers must purchase a licence for their central server and an Operations Management Licence (OML) for each MOM 2005-managed device.

Estimated retail pricing for MOM 2005 and MOM 2005 Workgroup Edition is as follows:

MOM 2005 Server Licence: $729
MOM 2005 OML five pack: $2,689
MOM 2005 Workgroup Edition (manages up to 10 devices): $499