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By Suzanna Kerridge, 4 May 1999 16:48

NEWS Businesses should avoid deploying Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system (OS) until it can prove its reliability, according to research company, the Gartner Group. Speaking at Gartner's annual conference in the US, Tom Bittman, senior vice president and research director at Gartner, said companies should wait until nine months after the release date before deploying the OS on the desktop. Companies considering server side deployment should wait as long as 18 months, he added. Windows 2000 has no fixed release date, but is slated for launch by the end of the year. Bittman warned users that Windows 2000 did not offer as many extra features for users as Microsoft originally promised. He said the enhanced directory services, internal management and security services benefited ISVs (independent software vendors) rather than users. Martin Brampton, analyst at Bloor Research, also urged caution. "If you've already got Windows NT4.0 then there is less justification to rush into Windows 2000. Unless of course you're running Windows 3.1, but even then you need to review the risk. I'd be reluctant to implement it without seeing a proven technology." Brampton said it was worrying that the Windows Service pack will be released later than the product. "In principle, I'd like to think that Microsoft has changed its ways and not released a product unless it is robust, but I'm not sure I'm ready to make that leap of faith yet," he said.