Microsoft defers Australian security summits

Microsoft security lead, Ben English, said the capital city summits -- originally slated for November after tours earlier this year -- were being deferred due to clashes with a number of other events, including a small business roadshow and another also involving Cisco and Dimension Data.

English said the summits would take in Australian capital cities and possibly New Zealand as well.

The timing of the summits was, he said, likely to coincide more closely with the release of Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, a near-final or "release candidate" version of which is due by the end of the year.

English also raised the prospect of future security events being run using a new Live Meeting online dial-in function whereby information technology professionals could listen to presentations by telephone, view accompanying slides and submit questions via instant message. Such a move he said, would "allow us to reach out more broadly...and more easily get international speakers".

He said Microsoft had trialled the service internally within the Australian operation about a month ago and was moving to a wider pilot involving about 50 Microsoft valued professionals.