The servers they are a-changing

Microsoft's shifting server strategy is shifting some more.

The company is working to combine SharePoint Portal Server (SPS) and Content Management Server (CMS) functionality into a single server system due in 2006, CRN has learned.

SPS, the focal point of Microsoft's collaboration strategy, hosts departmental collaboration sites and deals with web pages. CMS is geared more for traditional content management use.

"CMS and SharePoint are merging, and it makes sense," said one source close to Microsoft.

A US ISP said the rationale was sound. "We're doing a lot of point integration between CMS and SPS. I don't think we have one CMS deal that does not also include the portal," the partner said.

Microsoft kept mum.

"It's too soon to comment about the future of SharePoint products and technologies or Content Management Server at this point," said Erik Ryan, product manager of Microsoft Office SharePoint.

But several sources said the plan is a go for 2006, with the new server system to be part of the Office 12 product launch wave. Office 12 is the planned successor to Office 2003.

Three years ago, Microsoft announced -- and then nixed -- plans for an e-business suite that would have combined functions from its content management, e-commerce and BizTalk servers.

Since then, it has worked to tighten both organisational and technical ties between SPS and CMS.

A year ago, Microsoft moved CMS into the SPS group, part of the company's broader Information Worker business unit.

Microsoft is building Office-labelled servers with ties to Office front-end applications  to sell more Office packages and upgrades, partners have said.

There are even plans for server versions of some Office desktop applications.

Another US partner said Microsoft research indicated better CMS/SPS integration was needed.

"As a result, they're doing a server system that will offer collaboration, portals and content management," the partner said.

A US VAR said Spark, the year-old connector for CMS and SPS, left much to be desired.

The melding of the offerings would come under the rubric of a Microsoft Document Lifecycle Management push, others said.