Microsoft has used the SoftSummit conference in California to launch a new add-on to help firms manage multiple applications and desktops. The firm said the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance could potentially lead to an 80 percent reduction in application management costs.

The product, which will only be available to Software Assurance customers, will be released in January. It is made up of four elements: Microsoft SoftGrid, Asset Inventory Services, Advanced Group Policy Management, and Diagnostic and Recovery.

The firm said the software will help IT departments to virtualise applications, perform software audits, pinpoint performance problems, find lost data and carry out web site performance analysis.

“Our goal is to put companies back in charge of their IT systems,” said Gavriella Schuster, senior director for Windows Client Product Marketing, in a statement.
The release is an amalgamation of technologies the firm got through acquisitions such as Softricity and Winternals. Current users of these tools will continue to get non-maintenance support until 2007 at current prices.

On his blog, Alex Heaton of the Windows Vista Team said, "For those already planning Windows Vista deployments, it should be reassuring to know that they will have an even richer set of tools available to manage those deployed desktops.”