Microsoft unveils Stirling to challenge Symantec and McAfee

Microsoft unveils Stirling to challenge Symantec and McAfee

Microsoft is doing it again. They are expanding their software offerings by adding a new integrated suite of security applications and the product has been codenamed Stirling.

Microsoft announced the plans to launch such a product by mid 2009 at the TechEd 2007 training conference.

The company now aims to challenge similar integrated security suites provided by rivals including Symantec and McAfee.

Stirling would include Microsoft’s Antigen server anti-virus, anti-spam and content filtering technologies such a Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Forefront Security for SharePoint products in addition to the company’s Internet Security and Acceleration Server software, Windows Live OneCare desktop defense system, and network access protection tools.

Microsoft added that this toolset would also integrate elements of Microsoft’s Systems Center IT management platform.

They would be releasing a preview version of this application set this year and a public beta version is expected to be released sometime next year.

Microsoft also released the beta 2 release of Forefront Server Security Management Console at the event.