What lies behind Microsoft's reorganization?

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON WINDOWS NETWORKING TIPS
09/26/05
Today's focus: What lies behind Microsoft's reorganization?

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Microsoft creates new business units, shuffles execs
* Links related to Windows Networking Tips
* Featured reader resource
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Today's focus: What lies behind Microsoft's reorganization?

By Dave Kearns

Last issue I called Microsoft's recently announced mid-market
server bundle (codenamed Centro) a marketing gimmick. While you
were reading that, Microsoft was announcing a re-organization
among its executive ranks
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt7563>. Some would say that the
re-org is just another marketing gimmick, a way to distract
attention from the fact that we're still quite a ways from
shipping another version of the Windows operating system.

That's always a possibility and could be one motivation behind
the timing of the re-org announcement. Annually, it seems,
Microsoft either ships a new operating system (or a major rev of
Office) - or announces a re-organization. But I don't see that
as the driving force behind this one.

Included with the re-org announcement was the news that Jim
Allchin, currently group vice president of platforms, will be
retiring at the end of 2006. Allchin has been involved with each
version of Windows since Version 3 back in 1990. He'll be
leaving after shepherding Windows Vista onto the market late
next year.

While Bill Gates might be "Mr. Microsoft," Allchin is definitely
"Mr. Windows." There are many people in the industry who feel
that Microsoft will have more trouble surviving the loss of
Allchin than it would have if Gates or CEO Steve Ballmer left
the company. By announcing (and doing) the reoorg now, Redmond
is giving us 15 months to get used to new operating system
honcho Kevin Johnson.

Johnson and Allchin will share duties as co-presidents of the
new Microsoft Platform Products & Services Division, one of the
three new operating units announced as part of the re-org. (The
other two are the Business Division and the Entertainment &
Devices Division.) Johnson is currently group vice-president,
worldwide sales, marketing and services. Whether or not he also
has the "vision" for the operating system that Allchin has had
is yet to be determined. But it's hoped that between now and the
end of next year, Johnson will be able to both develop that
vision and begin to sell it to not only Microsoft's customers
and partners but also to the internal product teams that will
have to deliver it.

One place Johnson could look for inspiration is in the office of
Microsoft's CTO. Ray Ozzie was named to that post last spring
when Redmond bought his Groove Networks company last spring
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt7564>, but hasn't had any - at
least publicly-acknowledged - role in guiding Microsoft. That
has apparently changed in the reorganization, as Ozzie has been
given responsibility for driving Microsoft's strategy and
execution across the three new divisions.

Ozzie was the man who almost single-handedly created Lotus Notes
and drove it to success, overcoming major marketplace skepticism
in the process. Groove took the collaborative aspects of Notes
and built on them to create the "virtual office" best described
as a way to bring together team members from both inside and
outside the company, with no IT assistance required and no need
to waste time thinking about firewalls, servers, security, or
network access. That's vision. That's the kind of vision Ozzie
shares with Allchin and - it's to be hoped - the kind that will
rub off on Kevin Johnson.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. McAfee, Omniquad top anti-spyware test
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt6903>

2. IT pros share their tales of making ITIL work
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt7677>

3. The rise of the IT architect
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt7033>

4. Wireless: Volunteers give voice to evacuees
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt7678>

5. How to solve Windows system crashes in minutes
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt7679>

_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Dave Kearns

Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's
written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print
"Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be
found at Virtual Quill <http://www.vquill.com/>.

Kearns is the author of three Network World Newsletters: Windows
Networking Tips, Novell NetWare Tips, and Identity Management.
Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these

respective addresses: <mailto:windows@vquill.com>,
<mailto:netware@vquill.com>, <mailto:identity@vquill.com>.

Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books,
manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing,
technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill
provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail at
<mailto:info@vquill.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Nokia
Empower Your Mobile Enterprise

Nokia believes that business mobility will fundamentally change
the way work gets done-and for the better. To allow the entire
organization to get the most from this paradigm shift in
productivity, Nokia Enterprise Solutions focuses on delivering
increased efficiency through enhanced mobility. Learn more by
downloading this white paper today!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=115793
_______________________________________________________________
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<http://www.networkworld.com/go/trendmicro/trend_frr>
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