The public beta of Microsoft Forefront Client Security is available starting this morning!  I have been waiting for this for a long time, as I’m more than willing to switch clients over from Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition to a Microsoft antivirus solution, assuming it is a good product.  Given my positive experiences with Windows Live OneCare, I have high hopes for Forefront Client Security.  Another nice aspect of this beta being released is that it will run on Windows Server 2003, which OneCare cannot do.  The RTM of Forefront Client Security is currently targeted at the second quarter of 2007.

Forefront Client Security nicely complement Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Microsoft Forefront Security for SharePoint, which are currently in public beta, and will be available to volume-licensing customers in December.

What really excites me about the Microsoft Forefront products is that they integrate multiple scanning solutions from leading security firms, such as Kaspersky Labs, Computer Associates and Sophos.  That means that if one scanning engine is offline for an update, the others are still running.  I’m always a fan of leveraging exisiting technologies to produce a superior result, and when that means a simpler solution in a neat package, I’m all for it!

Download the public beta of Microsoft Forefront Client Security at:
http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/clientsecurity