Microsoft Corp is now shipping version 2.0 of its LAN Manager network operating system for MS-DOS, Windows and OS/2 users, and claims that it has come up with an innovative pricing scheme to provide all users with top-of-the-line functionality, regardless of the size of their network. It reckons that traditional server-based pricing schemes for networks restrict functionality for small networks and require users to buy dramatically more expensive versions of the product for more powerful servers. With LAN Manager 2.0, there is one version, costing $1,000, with support for the first five users. Customers then buy as many, or as few, additional user packs as they need to support the number of users connected to the server, with each additional set of 10 users costing $1,000; you pay $5,500 for an unlimited number of users. All pricing levels offer the same features, from 80386 and 80486 support to fault tolerance, Micro soft says. The company will put the product through its new Network Spe cialist Programme resellers, announ ced last month (CI No 1,478). Feat ures include 80386 and 80486 server support with automatic configuration for server type, including installa tion of a 32-bit network-optimised input-output subsystem; administrat ion tools with support for domains, so that multiple servers be adminis tered as a single server; network security; fault tolerance for disk subsystems, and support for uninter ruptible power supplies; and Sytos Plus File Backup Manager, from Syt ron Corp, for programmable server back-up on a wide range of media including 2.3Gb digital audio tape.
