Microsoft announced Online Management Suite

Microsoft unveiled System Center Online Desktop Manager, the first online service built around its management tools. It will provide desktop management capabilities that are focused on software updates, protection from spyware and malware, monitoring, group policy and configuration management, asset management, update management and remote assistance. The Online Desktop Manager console is based on Microsoft's Silverlight. The service will likely find favor among small and medium sized businesses or those without major investments in System Center tools they run inside their firewall. Microsoft plans to launch a private beta of Online Desktop Manager in the next 60 days and will put out a public beta before the end of 2009. The online management suite is another milestone in Microsoft's strategy to push its infrastructure software into the online services market.