Features

Commerce Server 2006 Beta 1 Rolled Out

By Indu Britto

Microsoft plans to deliver the beta version of Microsoft Commerce Server 2006, a .NET-based solution for e-commerce sites designed to simplify the creation of full-featured Web sites. In beta release today, the product is scheduled to be released in July 2006. With the release of Commerce Server 2006, customers will be able to link their e-commerce solutions to their existing line-of-business applications and trading partners through integration with Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 and its broad portfolio of adapters, such as those from SAP AG and Oracle Corp.

In addition, Commerce Server 2006 will jump-start e-commerce deployments via a new production-ready starter site and help customers build e-commerce solutions based on Web services and service-oriented architectures through tight integration with the latest Web development technologies such as ASP.NET 2.0.

Although still in beta, Commerce Server 2006 includes significant new capabilities for all levels of e-commerce solutions:

Connectivity through BizTalk Server. Built-in BizTalk Server adapters greatly ease integration with existing line-of-business applications and trading partners.
Out-of-the-box starter site. The new starter site capabilities in Commerce Server 2006 provide customers with a blueprint for building core e-commerce solutions. Capabilities include catalog browsing, searching, shopping cart, checking out, profile management and personalization.
Globalization support. The starter site also includes multilingual and multicurrency support to enable customers to create a global presence.
Business user tools. New tools such as Customer and Order Manager, Catalog Manager, Marketing Manager, and Reports and Analytics help business users directly interact with their e-commerce sites. Using the familiar look and feel of Microsoft Windows®, these new task-based interfaces and wizards help customers lower maintenance costs, accelerate site updates, and capture increased revenue.
Business analytics. Customers can customize and expand reports with full life-cycle management using Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services and can view business data with deep insight using Commerce Server 2006’s powerful business intelligence functions.
Performance and availability. Significant performance and scalability enhancements such as native 32- and 64-bit support, integrated staging functionality, and support for server clustering allow customers to build robust, enterprise-level solutions.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2006 Beta is available on Microsoft Connect. Sign-up instructions are available online at http://www.microsoft.com/commerceserver/evaluation/2006/beta.mspx. Commerce Server 2006 is schedule to be released in July 2006. Pricing and licensing details are unavailable at this time.


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