Codename of the day: Nitrogen

As I announced last week, I’m holding a short but sweet Microsoft codename contest this week, with the prize being a free signed copy of my Microsoft 2.0 book (which I will ship anywhere in the world to the winner).

Since I announced the rules and regulations, I’ve gotten more than a few interesting submissions. I was seeking from readers new (but real and existing) Microsoft codenames which I’ve had yet to detail as part of my growing Microsoft Codename list. I will be running some of the best ones (as judged by yours truly) on my blog this week.

Without further ado, let’s get to it.

Codename of the day: Nitrogen

Best guess on what it is: The next version of Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server

Meaning/context of the codename: There are a bunch of elements floating around the Microsoft codename space. The confusing part is how seemingly unrelated some of them are.... So Nitrogen is part of Microsoft's forthcoming integrated security suite (which has the completely unrelated codename Stirling). But Helium had to do with the Xbox -- a project, now said to be scrapped, to integrate Xbox 360 into a PC in some way.

Back story: The next version of Microsoft’s Forefront suite of integrated enterprise security products is codenamed Stirling. (Stirling is named for Stirling Castle in Scotland.) In 2006, Microsoft rebranded a number of products in its security portfolio (ISA, Antigen Antivirus and anti-spam solution and others) as “Forefront.” In June 2007, company officials said it had started work on the next-generation versions of Forefront Client Security, Server Security and Edge Security and Access solutions, plus a new, unified management console for these products.

Additional info: Microsoft has been trying out Nitrogen among select testers for a while now. Originally, Nitrogen was expected to be christened ISA Server 2007. Oh well....

Update: One reader says that there was a bit of a reset around Nitrogen. A subset of the Nitrogen functionality ended up being moved into Windows Essential Business Server ("Centro"). The rest is going to be delivered as part of Forefront "Stirling" suite in the first half of next year.

Got a Microsoft code name you’ve been wondering about? Send it my way before the end of this week and you just might win my end-of-summer codename contest. (Winners names will be kept confidential unless they want them publicized. So don't be shy: Microsoft employees, customers, partners, competitors and others are all eligible!)

Meanwhile, if you want to keep track of the full month’s worth of Microsoft code names I end up posting, bookmark this “Microsoft Codenames” page.