All About Microsoft:

CodeTracker
A monthly look at Microsofts codenames and what they reveal about the direction of the company.

All About Microsoft CodeTracker

Keeping track of Microsoft's myriad codenames is an (almost) full-time occupation. I know, as I spend a lot of my work hours tracking down the latest names in the hopes of being able to better keep tabs on what's coming next from the Redmondians. Each month, I'll be releasing an updated, downloadable version of the CodeTracker. I'll add new codenames -- arranged in alphabetical order by codename -- of forthcoming Microsoft products and technologies. I also will note timing changes (date slips, the release of a new test build, the disappearance of a planned deliverable) for entries that are already part of the Tracker. Once Microsoft releases the final version of a product or technology I've been tracking, I will remove it from the Tracker. In that way, the CodeTracker will remain focused on futures. (An aside about the Tracker: A question mark in place of an entry means I have insufficient information to hazard even an educated guess about a particular category.) If you have suggested new entries or corrections to existing ones, please drop me an e-mail at mjf at microsofttracker dot com. Thanks! Mary Jo Foley, Editor, ZDNet's "All About Microsoft" blog Note: This months Tracker includes updates from June and July. I am trying to get back on track with my publishing schedule. There was no June Tracker. This is the July Tracker.

Julys CodeTracker Theme: Internal-only Microsoft projects get codenames, too While most Microsoft codenames represent products and technologies that are designed to be commercially available (somewhere down the line), there are a few that apply to internal Microsoft projects only. One example: Cosmos, the petabyte-scale store and computation platform, plus the ecosystem of tools and libraries, upon which Microsofts Bing search engine is built. Another and new entry in this months Tracker, is D2.

D2 is a data validation strategy and framework that also is used by the Bing team. Here's a description of D2 from Microsoft's job site: "The Data Quality team within the Bing Domains group has been developing a Data Validation strategy and framework, to verify many aspects of the quality of the data were ingesting and surfacing in Bing. This powerful solution (code-named D2) has been leveraging a worldwide vTeam effort to develop a growing library of data extraction and validation modules, easily stitched through simple config files into powerful data validation tests." There's some evidence that D2 could end up being used by external developers. The job post notes that there are some external partners "clamoring to push this solution upstream to content providers even outside Microsoft, to intercept and fix bad data before it even reaches us." D2 isnt the only brand-new name in this Tracker update. Others include Daytona, Emondex, Metallica, O and Nuggets. Ive also updated many of the existing entries, including but not limited to, BizTalk, Denali, Dryad, Mango and Roslyn. Without further ado, it's on to the July 2011 Microsoft CodeTracker:

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Codename

Expected Product Name

Description of the product

Projected Due Date for final release

Latest Milestone achieved

Additional info

Alchemy

The customizable shell/framework for Embedded Compact builds

May be part of still-unannounced mobile devices under development at Microsoft

More Alchemy information

Apollo

New column-store database technology in Denali, aiming to provide greater query performance

Late 2011 (?)

Third Denali CTP out in July 2011

More Apollo information

Apollo (2)

Windows Phone 8

Next major release of Windows Phone (after Mango)

Late 2012

More Apollo (phone) information

Atlanta

System Center Advisor

Configuration monitoring cloud service for SQL Server deployments

Delayed to second half 2011

Release Candidate delivered in March 2011

More Atlanta information

Aurora

Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials

A small business appliance built around Windows Server 2008 R2, includes Active Directory functionality. Half onpremises; half in cloud

General availability as of July 2011. O365 integration tool not until fall 2011

RTMd late March 2011

More Aurora information

Austin

Azure-hosted eventprocessing service. StreamInsight on Azure

Private CTP in May 2011; public CTP in 2nd half 2011

More Austin information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Axum

(formerly codenamed Maestro); final name: ?

Domain-specific language for concurrent programming. Built on top of Microsoft's CCR engine

In internal incubation as of 2009. New build supporting VS 2010 released in mid-April

More Axum information

Azurelight

Cloud-based product support service

Source code and documentation was due summer 2009 on MSDN

In development

More Azurelight information

Barcelona

New index server and related tools, crawlers that are part of a metadata server. Part of big data analysis strategy

Team blog launched in April 2011

More Barcelona information

Barrelfish

Multikernel OS project from Microsoft Research Cambridge and ETH Zurich researchers

Updated test build available as of July 2011

More Barrelfish information

BizTalk vNext

Cloud service (plus an on-premises software version) of next-gen BizTalk built on top of AppFabric

2013 (?)

Preview due in 2011 (?)

More BizTalk vNext information

Blackbird

Platform for deploying, managing and monitoring MS cloud services

Already being used by SQL Azure

More Blackbird information

BlueDB

Sounds like, as of mid-May, this is still an active project and not an early codename for SQL Azure or Azure storage. Not sure what it is, other than a database-futures effort

More Blue/database futures information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Broadway (BW)

Microsoft-Nokia partnership

Codename for the Microsoft-Nokia partnership

Partnership announced in February 2010

More Broadway information

Breckenridge

Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

SMB-targeted version of Windows Storage Server

OEMs got access to the bits in early April 2011. First products integrating the new OS likely this summer/fall

RTMd in late March 2011

More Breckenridge information

Bunker-V

Microsoft Research project; focus is on improving hypervisor security in the cloud

Paper presented in early June 2010 at MS Research summit

More Bunker-V information

C3

Microsoft Research and UW research project on nextgeneration platform/browser for HTML applications

White paper coming in June 2011 at Usenix conference

More C3 information

CamCube

Microsoft Research project investigating routerless connectivity for datacenter servers

Prototype system exists (as of summer 2010)

More CamCube information

CamGraph

Microsoft Research project (with FUSE) to create an appliance that uses machine learning to analyze big data sets

Experimentation done with Bing and Xbox Live as of early 2011

More CamGraph information

Carbon

Xbox Live TV (?)

MediaRoom IPTV for Xbox. New codename is Orapa

RTM was/is slated for July 2011; available thru operators in fall 2011

New codename is Orapa.

More Carbon information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Commute UX

Car info-tainment system from Microsoft Research

Demonstrated at TechFest 2009 in February

More Commute UX information

Concero

System Center Orchestrator 2012

Self-service portal for managing onpremises and cloud servers. Member of Systems Center family

Beta and RTM both slated for second half 2011

Microsoft demod at MMS 2011 in March

More Concero information

Configuration Manager v.Next

System Center Configuration Manager 2012

Adds multiple device management (iOS and Android) to Config Manager product

Second half of 2011

Beta 1 made available in May 2010; Beta 2 out in March 2011

More Configuration Manager v.Next information

Cosmos

Storage/file system build by Microsoft Research. Used by Bing and some other teams

No plans to commercialize. Internal use only. Daytona team looking for synergies

Microsoft continually making updates.

More Cosmos information

Courier

Theres another Courier not the dual-screen tablet incubation that Microsoft killed in April 2010 but a synchronization platform/service for mobile/PCs from Microsoft Research

Been in development since 2008

More Courier information

Crescent

Self-service alerting and reporting

Web-based, data visualization and presentation solution, and follow-on to the PowerPivot. A feature of SQL Server Denali

Late 2011 (?)

Third Denali CTP including Crescent released in July 2011

More Crescent information

D2

Data validation framework and strategy for Bing (and possibly other MS products)

No plans to commercialize

More D2 information in the introduction to this months tracker

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Daytona

Iterative MapReduce for Azure. A big-data analytics tool from Microsoft Research

Test build out in July 2011

More Daytona information

Denali

SQL Server 2011

Version of SQL Server that will follow SQL Server 2008 R2

Late 2011 (?)

Third CTP released in July 2011

More Denali information

Descry

Open-source visualization samples and code

Sample code available on CodePlex and Mix Online site starting in February 2009

More Descry information

Digital Lens

MS Innovation Labs (Israel) tool for developers writing apps that can be viewable by those with vision impairments

Test version downloadable as of early June 2010

More Digital Lens information

Doloto

Microsoft Research (and now Dev Labs) tool for making Ajax page downloads faster

Test version available for download as of September 2009

More Doloto information

Dorado

Zune software for the PC

Microsofts rough equivalent to iTunes. Being updated to support both Zune HD players and Windows Phones

New version out in late October. Update was rumored to be coming in March 2011

Current version supports Zune HD, Windows Phone 7

More Dorado information

Drawbridge

MSR project demonstrating Library OS concepts applied to Windows

Prototypes using Windows 7, Windows 8 and MinWin demonstrated in March 2011

More Drawbridge information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Dryad

Linq to HPC

Technology for writing/running parallel/distributed apps. Similar to Googles MapReduce and Apaches Hadoop

Was supposed to be part of HPC Server 2008 R2 SP2. Missed the June RTM of SP2. No new word on commercialization plans

CTP 1 out in December 2010. Beta 2 delivered in July 2011

More Dryad information

Dynamics AX 6

Dynamics AX 2012

Next version of Microsofts Dynamics/AX platform

RTMd June 30, 2011. Launch is September 8, 2011.

Beta released in April 2011

More Dynamics AX 6 information

Dynamics CRM Next

Microsofts next-gen CRM product and service

Next update: Fall 2011 for both online and onpremises

Microsoft promising two updates per year for both online and onpremises, going forward

More Dynamics CRM Next information

Dynamics NAV 7

Next version of Microsofts Dynamics/NAV ERP platform. Will be hosted on Windows Azure

Originally due in 2010/11; now in 2012

Microsoft confirmed 2012 RTM date in late April 2011

More Dynamics NAV 7 information

Echoes

Platform for distribution/delivery of Live Mobile services to Microsoft groups and thirdparty phone/IPTV providers

Target was mid2008 to carriers. No updated word on status

Various carriers and providers been testing since spring 2008

More Echoes information

Emondex

CompanyCrowd

FUSE Labs project focusing on aggregating and sharinginformation on companies

Commercialization plans unknown

Made available to testers in July 2011

More Emondex information

Emporia

A Twitter-viewing client from Microsoft FUSE Labs

No longer an active project (as of summer 2011)

Public beta with limited functionality commenced in late May

More Project Emporia information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

Experiment 19

Graphics component of the Menlo mobile project from Microsoft research

More Experiment 19 information

Felix

Microsoft Office Docs

A Facebook-centric version of Office Web Apps from Microsoft FUSE Labs

Ongoing beta refreshes

More Felix information

Gestalt

Gestalt (?)

Library that allows coders to use Python and Ruby as alternatives to the JavaScript language in building (X)HTML pages on PCs or Macs. Silverlight is under the covers

Test version available for download as of late July 2009

More Gestalt information

Glimmer

A jQuery interactive design tool

Test bits posted on MSDN in April 2009

More Glimmer information

Grava

Semblio

Educational add-in for Office that is now morphing into a service

Shift from software to service occurred in April 2010

More Grava information

Greenfield

Microsoft Research project. Sensor application built on top of Menlo mobile environment

Prototype demonstrated summer 2010

More Greenfield information

Gustav

Immersive digital painting research project

Research project demonstrated at TechFest 2010 in March 2010

More Gustav information

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Hawaii

Microsoft Research project to create new cloud-centric mobile apps and services. Building blocks are Azure, Win Live ID, Orion and other Microsoft services

3 universities currently building Hawaii projects

More Hawaii information

Helios

Microsoft Research project to develop a satellite-kernel-based operating system. Built on top of the MSR Singularity OS

Internal testing. (Microsoft applied for patent for Helios in 2009.)

More Helios information

HomeOS

Microsoft Research project dedicated to building a .Net homeautomation OS and related app store (HomeStore)

More HomeOS information

Houston

Database Manager for SQL Azure

Browser-based Silverlight control enabling direct interaction with SQL Azure. Goal is rapid cloud database development

Before the end of calendar 2010 was integrated into Azure Management Portal

CTP 1 went to testers in July 2010; refresh in August 2010

More Houston information

Huron

Data Sync Service for SQL Azure and SQL Azure Data Sync

"Cloud-based data hub" based on SQL Data Services plus Sync Framework. One of the projects of SQL Services Labs

Preview versions of these tools released in June 2010

More Huron information

Hyper-V V3

Next version of Microsofts hypervisor virtualization technology. V3 expected to be available in both client and server versions

2011/2012 (?) if part of Windows 8/Windows Server 8

More Hyper-V V3 information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

11

Incarnate

Service for finding/reusing your avatars from the Mix Online Labs

In test form since early 2010

More Incarnate information

Internet Explorer 10

Internet Explorer 10

Successor to IE9 with even more standards support and more reliance on Windows for native HTML5 support

First half 2012 (?); expected to be integrated into Windows 8

First developer preview released in April 2011. Second in June 2011

More IE 10 information

Internet Explorer Mobile 9 JSMeter

Internet Explorer Mobile 9

Version of IE for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango)

Will be part of Mango update, due in Fall 2011

More IE Mobile 9 information

Research project focused on analyzing and altering JavaScript benchmarks and engines

New findings to be presented in June 2010 at Web Apps 10 conference

More JSMeter information

Juneau

Add on to Visual Studio that will provide a single IDE for developing database, business intelligence (BI) and web solutions

Late 2011 (?) or 2012 (with the rest of VS 2012) (?)

CTP 3 of the tools released in July 2011, alongside SQL Server Denali CTP 3

More Juneau information

Jupiter

XAML layer on Windows 8 to help facilitate creation/distribution of immersive apps

2012 (as part of Windows 8 and .Net 5)

In development since 2010

More Jupiter information

KittyHawk

Visual Studio LightSwitch

FoxPro-like RAD development tools/framework for line of business apps

Available for purchase as of late July 2011

Beta 2 out in March 2011

More KittyHawk information

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Kobe

Web 2.0 service development kit; has met with some internal criticism for not making good use of ASP.Net

First test release out in April 2009

More Kobe information

LightSpace

Microsoft Research project that melds Surface with augmented reality technology

Prototypes demonstrable in Microsoft Research labs

More LightSpace information

Lime

Internal integration technology in Office 15 for developers

2013 (?) unlikely to be exposed to the user when the suite ships

Office 15 Milestone 2 includes Lime (as of summer 2011)

More Lime information

Limestone

User interface utility in Office 14/15. For developers, not end users

Not clear if Lime and Limestone are the same technology

In early leaked Office 15 builds

More Limestone information

LongARM

Rumored port of Vista to the ARM processor. Successor is the Windows 8 port running on ARM

2012 in Windows 8/Windows Server 8

First test build expected in September 2011

More LongARM information

M (was formerly codenamed D)

Microsoft's Oslo modeling language

Could be folded into future version of Visual Studio or other Microsoft product. Word (as of August 2010 is M is being refocused

New CTP out in November 2009. No word since

More M information

MFx

Managebility Framework

New management system for Global Foundation Systems datacenters. Possible replacement for Microsofts current AutoPilot system

More MFx information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

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Madison

Ad-funded version of Windows

More Madison (2) information

Malta

Microsoft Bitlocker Administration and Monitoring Tool

Due to be part of MDOP 2011

2011

Beta available via Connect as of March 2011

More Malta information

Mango

Windows Phone OS 7.5

Update to Windows Phone OS that adds HTML 5, IE 9 Mobile, third-party appmultitasking, private/beta app handling

Fall 2011 on new phones. Not clear when Mango will be pushed to existing WPs

RTM announced in late July 2011

More Mango information

Manual Deskerity

Research project developing pen+touch tools like those demod with the Courier tablet, but available on the Microsoft Surface tabletop

Prototype in Microsoft Research labs

More Manual Deskerity information

MAUI

Mobile Assistance Using Infrastructure

Part of Microsoft Researchs Hawaii Project, which is focused on getting students to build cloud-centric mobile apps/services

3 universities engaged so far

More MAUI information

Menlo

Research project investigating a new mobile interface/environment that will work on a variety of processors

Menlo layer on a mobile phone in prototype phase as of summer 2010

More Menlo information

Metallica

Next Bing refresh

Due before yearend 2011

More Metallica information

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Midori

Concurrent, distributed operating system which could be the successor to Windows

Post-2011 (if and when it comes out of incubation)

More Midori information

MinSafe

New codename may now be XYZ (?)

Related to RedHawk; the Windows' side of an incubated project to replace Win32 with managed .Net technologies

In development inside Microsoft

First results could be integrated into Windows 8 (2012?)

More MinSafe information

MinWin

MinWin

Project to slim down the Windows core. Also refers to the slimmed-down core itself

The MinWin concept is influencing Windows development thinking already

MinWin is in the Windows 7 main branch; users unlikely to see MinWin "surfaced" before Windows 8 (2012)

More MinWin information

Mobile Studio

Mobile Studio (?)

A revised version of Kin Studio for Windows Phone that would sync status info, video content, photos, etc.

The phone team is seeking members for the team (as of March 2011)

More Mobile Studio information

Mojave R2

Commerce Server 2009 R2

Next update to Commerce Server. Expected to be 64-bit only and will possibly no longer support Windows Server 2003 and SQL Server 2005

Early 2010 was the original target. Now second half of 2011

Release Candidate build out in late May 2011

More Mojave R2 information

Monaco

Media Center for MediaRoom (?)

If it ships with the rest of Orapa, will be out in fall 2011

More Monaco information

Monsoon

Network architecture for commoditizing and scaling datacenters

Microsoft white paper implies this is in development now

More Monsoon information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

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Moorea

New application (possibly Office Labs Canvas for OneNote) that will be in Office 15

2013 (?)

Screenshots in leaked Office 15 milestone build made it to the Web in April 2011

More Moorea information

Morro

Microsoft Security Essentials

Free anti-malware service; successor to Live OneCare; Downloadable for XP, Vista and Windows 7 users

V2 released to the Web in December 2010. Version 2.1 released in summer 2011.

V2 test builds released thru summer-fall 2010

More Morro v2 information

MoSH

Modern shell/immersive interface for Windows 8 client

2012

Windows 8 in early milestone builds; public test build expected September 2011

More MoSH information

Mouse Mischief

Mouse Mischief (?)

App for building PowerPoint-based apps that builds on the MultiPoint SDK. Aimed primarily at students in developing nations

Final due first half of 2010

Beta out in January 2010

More Mouse Mischief information

Nano Touch

MSR technology for adding touch to small-screen devices (including wearable PCs). Successor to the Lucid Touch project

Demonstrated at TechFest 2009 in February

More Nano Touch information

Nectar

Microsoft Researchcreated datamanagement tools for distributed/clustered servers. Related to Dryad

(?)

Not part of the Dryad CTP

More Nectar information

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Newport

Collaborative mobile application from Microsoft Research for sharing photos, notes, etc.

More Newport information

Niagara

Hohm

Microsoft-hosted energy-management service. First in a line of energy-related software/services

Microsoft closing down Hohm, as announced in June 2011

Invitation-only beta out in late June 2009

More Niagara information

Nirvana

Refresh of Bing, postMetallica

Mid-2012 (?)

More Nirvana information

NoDo

First major update to Windows Phone OS 7. Includes copy-andpaste

March-May+2011

Rollouts began in late March. Still not done as of late April 2011

More NoDo information

Nuggets

Social media meets micro-documentation incubation project

More Nuggets information

Lasso

Touch-search technology first delivered on Bing on iPad; coming to more MS products

First on Bing for iPad in July 2011

No word on what other deliverables are in the pipeline for O

More O information

Oahu

Consumer-focused Surface tabletop retailing for about $1,500

Microsoft surveying users about interest; no prototypes yet

More Oahu information

Office 15

Follow-on to Office 2010

Rumored date is 2012/2013

Leaked early builds hit the Web since August 2010

More Office 15 information

Office 16

Follow-on to Office 15

2015/2016 (?)

Microsoft gathering input as of early 2011

More Office 16 information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

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OfficeTalk

Twitter for business (similar to Yammer) concept test from Office Labs

Microsoft shopping OfficeTalk around to various teams internally for commercialization (as of early 2011)

Microsoft adding select outside testers to the project as of March 2010

More OfficeTalk information

OneAlbum

Face-recognition research project with uses across Webbased photo galleries

Researchers demonstrated at TechFest 2010 in March 2010

More OneAlbum information

Orapa

Xbox Live TV (?)

Next-generation Xbox platform with IPTV, media (Ventura) and social features incorporated

Holiday 2011

Slated to go to operators in test form in March and to RTM in summer 2011

More Orapa information

Orleans

Next-gen programming environment for Azure; similar to CLR for Windows. Developed by eXtreme Computing Group

Prototypes being used by other MSR projects

More Orleans information

Paris

New Windows Presentation Foundation and Silverlight controls for OCS 14; this could be the Silverlight Web client for OCS 14 Communicator

Online version of Lync due in early 2011

Lync RTMd in October 2010. GA commenced Decewmber 1 2010

More Paris information

Ping

Ping (?)

Tool for sharing Bing search results

Invitation-only test phase kicked off in September 2009

More Ping information

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PlayAnywhere

Mobile Surface

Research project focused on enabling 3D interaction with mobile devices using a camera and a projector

Researchers demod at TechFest 2010 in March 2010

More PlayAnywhere information

Plex

Office Labs' Virtual canvas software underlying TouchWall and other future productivity technologies

TouchWall is a 2019 thing; Plex is part of prototypes

More Plex information

Protogon

New file system in Windows 8 (supplementing NTFS)

2012

Leaks in M2 builds in summer 2011 mention Protogon

More Protogon information

Quant

Cost model for patch management; MS and Securosis developing in tandem. Results will be available under Creative Commons license

White papers and information available for download

More Quant information

Quincy

Microsoft Researchs scheduling system for distributed clusters. Related to Dryad

(?)

White papers mentioning Quincy available in summer 2010. Not part of Dryad CTP

More Quincy information

RearType

Microsoft Research project to put keys on the back of tablets/slates

Prototypes available for demo purposes

More RearType information

Red Dog

Windows Azure

The lowest level OS piece of Microsoft's cloud environment. Similar to Amazon's EC2.

Microsoft began charging for Red Dog on Feb. 1 2010

In beta since fall 2008; new updates released regularly

More Red Dog information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

19

RedHawk

Microsoft incubation project to replace Win32 with managed code. One expected deliverable: A backend compiler for Midori

Part of Windows 8, expected in 2012

Evidence of Redhawk elements in Windows 8 leaked to the Web in April 2011

More RedHawk information

Relay

MS Research project allowing mobile phones to communicate with each other directly

Part of the Hawaii inititiative. No word on final release target

Beta included in new WP7 SDK released in January 2011

More Relay information

Rendezvous

MS Research project that provides a mapping service for Relay (mentioned above)

Part of the Hawaii initiative. No word on final release target

Beta included in new WP7 SDK released in January 2011

More Rendezvous information

Rome

Mediaroom 2.0 client for Windows Phone 7

In development (as of 2010)

More Rome information

Rosetta

Visitmix Labs training project to help developers learn new technologies based on skills they currently have

Current focus of Project Rosetta is to help Flash developers learn Silverlight

More Rosetta information

Roslyn

Compiler as a service technology. Possibly a new feature of C# 5.0

More Roslyn information

Santa Fe

MediaRoom set top box (which may be connected to Silverlight for MediaRoom, a k a Taos)

More Santa Fe information

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Seahorse

Pivot

LiveLabs project using visual search to help users view the Web as a web

Live Labs dismantled in late 2010; Pivot technology now going to Silverlight team

Invitation-only test preview out in November 2009

More Seahorse information

Seawall

Microsoft Research and Cornell project looking at ways to improve multitenancy performance and security in the cloud

Researchers presented Seawall paper at Usenix 2010 in June

More Seawall information

Second Light

Latest incarnation is Mobile Surface

Microsoft Research project that marries touch technology with projection technology. One of the successors to MSR's Play Anywhere technology.

Mobile Surface demonstrated at TechFest 2010 in March

More Second Light information

ServiceOS

Verve (?)

Microsoft Research SaaS project that is the successor to Gazelle (browser-OS mashup)

Post Windows 8/WinPhone 8 (?)

Internal prototype exists inside Microsoft Research

More ServiceOS information

Sift

Sift (?)

Could be the name for an operating system software for mobile phones; computer search engine software; computer programs for searching email, text messages, address and contact information.

Microsoft's trademark attempt "initially refused" by the PTO; not clear if and when Redmond will reapply

More Sift information

Silverlight 5

Silverlight

Next version of Silverlight, which adds 40 new features (but, so far, no new platforms not already supported)

Final due before end of 2011

Beta 2 out at Mix in mid-April 2011. Another beta to come later this year

More Silverlight 5 information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

21

Sitka

SQL Azure (formerly known as SQL Data Services)

Once viewed as Microsoft's equivalent to Amazon's SimpleDB. Now looking more like Microsoft-hosted SQL Server

Microsoft began charging customers for it on Feb. 1, 2010

Ongoing updates being made

More Sitka information

Skinput

Research project showing how human body can be used as an input surface

Demonstrated at TechFest 2010 in March 2010

More Skinput information

SmartFlow

Microsoft alternative to Adobe LightRoom, but with more socialnetworking emphasis

Now a project of Microsofts FUSE Lab

More SmartFlow information

Social Desktop

Internal MS codename is/was "Tattoo"

MSR project to integrate social networking and online sharing more directly into PC-client experience

Demonstrated at TechFest 2009 in February 2009

More Social Desktop information

SONGO

Search on the Go search/ad cache for mobile devices

Demonstrated at TechFest 2010 in March 2010

More SONGO information

Soundgarden

Bing refresh, postNirvana

2nd half of 2012 (?)

More Soundgarden information

Spindex

FUSE Lab project similar in concept to FriendFeed social aggregation service. May or may not be the same as Tulalip

Invitation-only test period kicked off in early May 2010. Newest test build out in Jan. 2011

More Spindex information

StartKey

Windows and/or Windows Live settings on a thumb drive

Beta was slated for late 2008. No word on if/when it happened

More StartKey information

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Stout

Microsoft Research/UC San Diego project; adaptive interface for scalable cloud storage

Researchers presented info at Usenix 2010 in June

More Stout information

Surface 2.0

Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface

Smaller, thinner and cheaper version of Surface multitouch tabletop

Q2 2011 was the goal. Maybe now Q3 2011?

Microsoft, Samsung showed nearfinal prototype at CES 2011 in January

More Surface 2.0 information

Swivel

Swivel (?)

Another mysterious Microsoft trademark for something mobilerelated. Could be a search brand or maybe even the final potential name for the Pink phone/services. Who knows?

Microsoft applied for trademark

More Swivel information

Sydney

Windows Azure Connect

IPSec/IPV6-based technology for securely connecting on-premises and cloud servers. Incorporates Geneva federated identity capabilities

First half 2011

CTP 1 out in fall 2010. CTP refresh out in March 2011

More Sydney information

Tahiti

Microsoft's family of multi-core deliverables -everything from libraries to operating systems

2010+ (different times for different technologies)

Some elements, like PLINQ, Concurrent Runtime, CCR/DSS in testing now

More Tahiti information

Taos

Silverlight for MediaRoom

More Taos information

Thunderbay

Microsofts three-year strategy for its Entertainment & Devices unit

More Thunderbay information

All About Microsoft: Codename Tracker by Mary Jo Foley

23

TidyFS

Distributed filesystem for use with Dryad parallel/distributed clusters. May be the replacement for Cosmos (?)

Menioned in Microsoft Research white papers (summer 2010).

More TidyFS information

Titan

Windows Embedded Handheld

Titan is said to be the successor to Win Mobile 6.x; not clear if its the same as Embedded Handheld (a combo of Win Mobile and Embedded Compact)

If Titan is Embedded Handheld, first version due out in second half 2010; Embedded Compact 7 version no longer on MS roadmap

More Titan information

Trebuchet

High-level, cross-lab strategy for making datacenter infrastructure and services more scalable. May be connected to the "Gen 4" datacenter initiaves

Gen 4 datacenters are being built in 2010

Pieces, like Monsoon, are in the works now

More Trebuchet information

Tribeca

GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance) guidance documentation

In beta as of January 2009.

More Tribeca information

Tulalip

Socl.com (?)

A social-aggregation tool/service which may nor may not be same as Spindex

Microsoft no longer using Tulalip codename due to disagreement with Tulalip tribe

More Tulalip information

UCop

Utility co-processor middleware project from MS Researc h; goal is to speed up desktop applications using cloud infrastructure

Researchers shared info on UCop at Usenix 2010 in June

More UCop information

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Uno

Data Classification Toolkit (DCT) for Windows Server 2008 R2 (?)

Compliancemanagement Solution Accelerator

Latest beta delivered in June 2011

More Uno information

Vancouver

Social media app/API running on SQL Azure

More Vancouver information in the intro to this months Tracker

Vedea

Visualization language for programming newbies from Microsoft Research

Test build expected in early 2010

More Vedea information

Venice

Next-generation security/identity platform for Windows Azure and Azure Appliance

More Venice information

Ventura (Media Services)

New audio/video platform for Xbox that is successor to Zune services (?)

More Ventura information

Video Kinect

Avatar Kinect

Connector that will allow Lync to connect to Kinect sensors

Avatar Kinect RTMd and made available in late July 2011

Execs said will be available shortly in November 2010

More Video Kinect information

Visual Studio v.Next

Visual Studio 2012

Successor to VS 2010

2012 (?)

Possible first test build out in fall 2011 (in conjunction with Build)

More Visual Studio V.Next information

Viveri

Sandbox site for Microsoft to test new search concepts

Demonstrated at TechFest 2009 in February

More Viveri information

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Volta

Originally codenamed Tesla. Current incarnation is Reactive Extensions for .Net

Cloud programming toolset somewhat akin to Google's GWT

Volta from Microsoft's Web site in fall 2007 with no further update

Developer preview released late 2007

More Volta information

WinC++

WinC++ (?)

The name of the team working on Visual C++ vNext with possible parallel extensions

Part of Visual Studio 2012, due in late 2011/early 2012 (?)

More WinC++ information

Windows 8

Windows 8 (?)

Successor to Windows 7

On PCs in time for holiday 2012. Maybe RTMing as early as April 2012 (?)

Milestone 2 to be completed in early 2011; first public test build by fall 2011

More Windows 8 information

Windows 8 Server

Windows Server 2012 (?)

Successor to Windows Server 2008 R2

RTM anywhere from April 2012 to fall 2012 (?)

First public test build by fall 2011

More Windows 8 Server information

Windows Embedded Compact v.Next Windows Embedded Handheld 7

Successor to Windows Embedded Compact 7

More Windows Embedded Compact v.Next information

Windows Embedded Handheld 7

Successor to Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, but which will be based on Windows Embedded Compact 7 core

Was slated for second half of 2011

No longer listed on the Microsoft roadmap (?)

More Windows Embedded Handheld 7 information

Windows Server App-V

Will be part of Virtual Machine Manager 2012 and available for Windows Azure

One key to moving existing applications to the cloud

Second half of 2011 (for both versions)

Beta 2 of SCVMM 2012 available in March 2011; CTP of ServerApp-V for Azure out in Dec. 2010

More Win Server App-V information

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WinWESS

The tweaked Windows Server core upon which Essential Business Server and Small Business Server are based. Unclear whether Microsoft will license this core at some point to other OEMs

More WinWESS information

Xdrive

Windows Azure Drive

Tool for creating automatic backups of apps to be moved to Windows Azure cloud OS

Beta released in early February 2010

More Xdrive information

xRM

Microsoft's "relationship management" software/service platform. Similar to Salesforce.com's Force.com

No word on whether current platform is "final" or "beta"

Being used by software and services developers inside and outside of MS now.

More xRM information

XYZ

The new codename for the "MinSafe" Windows managed code work being done by Mark Russinovich/Jon DeVaan & Co.

Could debut as part of Windows 8 in 2012

In incubation now

More information on XYZ

Zune HD2

Successor to Zune HD that is more like an iPod Touch

2011 (rumored date)

Microsoft may no longer be planning such a device (official statements too vague to tell)

More Zune HD2 information

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