Are small-business and home users ready to sign up for subscription-based security services from Microsoft Corp.?
Next week, on February 6, Microsoft is officially ending the testing phase of its “PC Satisfaction Trial.” But the company is still refusing to say how, when and if it will go live with the various security services it has been testing.
Some PC Satisfaction testers have speculated the services will be rolled into Longhorn; others think they could debut in a future release of MSN.
Microsofts PC Satisfaction Trial was designed to test Microsoft and third-party anti-virus, firewall, backup and PC-health-monitoring services. Sources said that Microsoft was testing whether these kinds of security services—when provided as hosted, managed services—would appeal to typically less-security-savvy small-business and consumer customers. These customers, who seldom have strong IT departments at their beck and call, are typically the ones hurt worst by worms and viruses like MyDoom, Blaster, SoBig and the like.
Microsofts PC Satisfaction Trial was designed to test Microsoft and third-party anti-virus, firewall, backup and PC-health-monitoring services. Sources said that Microsoft was testing whether these kinds of security services—when provided as hosted, managed services—would appeal to typically less-security-savvy small-business and consumer customers. These customers, who seldom have strong IT departments at their beck and call, are typically the ones hurt worst by worms and viruses like MyDoom, Blaster, SoBig and the like.
Read More About the PC Sat Trial Here
Since April 2003, the Redmond software vendor continually updated the bits with which testers were working. During the course of the test, sources said, Microsoft tested F-Secures hosted antivirus, among other managed services.
“You will need to take steps to make sure that your data and your PC are fully protected when the PC Satisfaction Trial ends on Friday, February 6, 2004,” reads the note that Microsoft its testers on its BetaPlace Web site, according to NeoWin. “Specifically, we recommend that you: Restore any files you have archived with the backup utility prior to uninstalling the PC Satisfaction Trial software. (And) Obtain and install current anti-virus and firewall software.”
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