For Application Development & Program Management Professionals (Length: 6 pages)

Executive Summary (This is a document excerpt)

Microsoft is a Leader in our evaluation of application server platforms, due to the strong and mature development, deployment, management, and interoperability features of its Windows Server platform, which is based on .NET. Microsoft isn't pushing advanced features like real-time, business event management, and business rules as aggressively as its Java/J2EE/Java EE competitors, but it has a comprehensive set of features. Microsoft doesn't disclose either the growth or market presence of its application platform suite, but Forrester believes it to be strong and growing based on survey and anecdotal evidence. Microsoft's lower prices and cost advantages on multicore servers, compared with the other players, helped drive its strategy scores to the highest levels in the evaluation.