Microsoft Releases Windows Server 2003 to Manufacturing
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Microsoft is good to go for the April 24 launch of the "Whistler" kicker to Windows 2000, which will be called Windows Server 2003; last Friday the company released the gold code (Microsoft's word for "final version") of Whistler to manufacturing. Now the company is cranking out shrink-wrapped Windows 2003 packages like crazy, so it can begin selling at the end of April. Microsoft said 550,000 companies participated in the Whistler beta program, the highest number for any Windows release. READ MORE >

Gartner Forecasts Thaw in IT Ice Age, Sunny Days for IBM
by Dan Burger and Alex Woodie

Looking beyond the current economic uncertainty and global unrest, Gartner analysts are forecasting a general upturn for the technology sector. Gartner also believes IBM is the company best positioned to take advantage of the pending turnaround. Polishing his crystal ball at the Gartner symposium in San Diego last week, Gartner CEO Michael Fleisher explained why the IT sector is on the verge of rejuvenation, which will likely take shape late this year and blossom in 2004. READ MORE >

It's Still a Buyer's Market in Server Land
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

It's still a buyer's market out there in server land, according to the most recent statistics from researchers at IDC and Gartner. Both organizations get buckets of money from the IT vendor community directly, and they do not want to spook the IT consumers with doom and gloom, because that would hurt them, too. But their numbers show further contraction in server sales worldwide in 2002. Them's the facts, and spin don't change them. READ MORE >

Red Hat's Enterprise Linux Sales Up in Q4
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Commercial Linux distributor Red Hat announced its fourth quarter and fiscal 2003 financial results last week. Revenues were up by 40 percent to $25.9 million in Q4, with a loss of $56,000. This was a lot better than the $42.3 million loss it racked up in last year's fiscal fourth quarter. For the full year, Red Hat booked $90.9 million in sales, an increase of 15 percent, and a net loss of $6.4 million, which is a lot better than the $140.2 million loss it booked in fiscal 2002. READ MORE >

New BPCS Release Targets FDA Auditing Requirements
by Alex Woodie

SSA Global Technologies recently issued a new release of its flagship ERP system that features enhancements that will be beneficial to companies in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, among others. With BPCS Version 8.2, SSA GT is offering a new component called e-Signatures that will help companies regulated by the Food and Drug Administration come into compliance with regulations, commonly referred to as 21 CFR Part 11, which bring new auditing requirements for electronic records. READ MORE >

But Wait, There's More

War in Iraq Crimps IT Spending, or Maybe Not . . . WebSphere Application Server 4.04 Vulnerability Could Leave Passwords Exposed to Hackers . . . Disk Market Grew 12% in Fourth Quarter of 2002 . . . NetIQ Improves Manageability of Cross Platform Password Manager . . . GMx Bolsters Linux Config File Management in Response to Reported Security Vulnerability . . . Manhattan Associates Teams with PeopleSoft for Supply Chain Integration . . . READ MORE >

Reader Feedback and Insights

We value your feedback and insights on the Windows and Linux server markets. Feel free to send a letter to the editor. We will consider your letter a candidate for the reader feedback column for this newsletter, but we will contact you before we publish your e-mail. READ MORE >