New Windows Server Boss: 'Longhorn' On Schedule

Published: March 15, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft announced yesterday that it has a new server chief. Bill Laing, an eight-year Microsoft veteran and a native of Scotland, takes over the job of general manager of the Windows Server Division, which was vacated last fall by Bob Muglia when he accepted a promotion to senior vice president of the Server and Tools Business. In his first public statement as the new Windows server chief, Laing said Windows Server "Longhorn" is still on track for delivery in 2007.

In a PressPass Q&A available on Microsoft's Web site, Laing said his top priorities as general manager are shipping Windows Vista, getting the next beta of Windows Server "Longhorn" out to customers, and, finally, shipping Longhorn in 2007.

Asked by the unidentified Microsoft public relations representative if the leadership change has put the development and delivery of Longhorn behind schedule, Laing replied "Not at all," and described the company-wide commitment to deliver Longhorn as "rock-solid." "Windows Server Longhorn is on track for general availability in 2007, and we are excited about the opportunities it will bring to customers and our partners," he said.

The stakes are obviously high, and both of these operating systems have been delayed numerous times. Microsoft, you will recall, even had to remove important new features in 2004 to meet its promised delivery date of 2006. Windows Vista is on track to ship later this year, while Longhorn is still in the beta stage.

Laing said he thinks the Windows Server Division has done a good job with three major releases since 2000, including Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2003 R2 last year. "In creating this rhythm to our release cycle, I think we've succeeded in delivering continual value in a predictable manner to our customers," he said. "The performance really speaks for itself as Windows Server has significantly contributed to the Server and Tools Business' double-digit year-over-year revenue growth."

Windows has done well in the recent past, but there are no guarantees for the future, and all the chips are on Longhorn. "Windows Server Longhorn will be the ultimate gauge of how we are doing," Muglia said last fall when he left the Windows Server Division during a corporate shakeup. Muglia headed the Windows Server Division from 2003 through 2005, and took over a position vacated by Eric Rudder, who is now working directly with Bill Gates.

Laing, who has worked extensively on Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003, Microsoft's foray into high performance computing (HPC), described the challenges and the high level of communications required to put together new operating systems. "Building a complete operating system (OS) requires integration of software from many different divisions within Microsoft--from other parts of the Server and Tools Business, the core OS team, the networking team, the client teams, and even the Microsoft Business Division--but we drive the integration of the overall project."