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According to Microsoft, there are 1.4 million businesses it would class as middle-sized around the world with an annual projected growth rate of 5 per cent. These companies have an installed base of 68 million PCs, with an average of 49 per company, as well as 4.8 million servers. In total, midsize businesses spent $134 billion on software and IT services in 2004.

The role-based based solutions will be integrated with Microsoft's existing range of business platforms including Office, SharePoint Portal

In addition, Microsoft says that new Business Solutions products will be rebranded under the Microsoft Dynamics name over the course of the next year. The company says it will launch versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains) and Microsoft Dynamics CRM (formerly Microsoft CRM) later this year and versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX (formerly Axapta), Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) and Microsoft Dynamics SL (formerly Solomon) in 2006.

Finally, Microsoft is promising new levels of support to ease the transition to Dynamics solutions.

Microsoft also revealed that it is developing a new server infrastructure solution tailored to the non-IT professional but whose role includes keeping the systems running. Codenamed 'Centro' the mid range solution will bring together Windows Server Vista, the next version of Microsoft Exchange, enhanced security technologies, and new management tools.

'Centro' is scheduled to be available soon after the release of the next version of the Vista Windows Server.