Microsoft to introduce new Web server suites next week

Microsoft will announce and demonstrate its new Web server suites next weekat the NetWorld+Interop show in Las Vegas. The two suites, dubbed Site Server, work with Internet Information Server and Windows NT Server to provide an array of site management and Web content authoring tools. Thesuite will come in two editions, including a high-end Enterprise Edition,that includes Merchant Server and other secure order-processing software.

"We realize commerce will become a critical part of most corporate Websites, and decided to make commerce an integral part of a comprehensive Website environment," said Jonathan Weinstein, one of many group product managers at Microsoft.

While the Enterprise Edition will cost customers about $5000, a stripped-down edition, simply called Site Server, will be priced at $1500 and bepositioned for businesses that wish to publish content to the Web and easily manage intranets. Both editions include a site analysis tool andwill be placed within the BackOffice line of servers