Microsoft buys admin tools firm Winternals

Future releases of Windows stand to gain some handy built-in admin tools as Microsoft snaps up Winternals

Microsoft has acquired Winternals Software, a developer of systems-recovery and data protection tools for companies with Windows-based infrastructure. The software giant said it is now evaluating how best to integrate Winternals software and technologies into its own product range.

Winternals’ offerings include Recovery Manager, a tool that can remotely restore Windows systems across a network; and Protection Manager, which helps administrators govern the privilege level users need to run apps. The company was privately owned, so financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

Microsoft said the addition of Winternals will help it to lower the total cost of ownership of the Windows platform for customers.

Jim Allchin, co-president of the Platforms and Services Division at Microsoft, said in a statement that the addition of Winternals’ deep kernel-level expertise will allow Microsoft to improve the quality and functionality for Windows on both the client and the server.

Microsoft will continue to meet all customer support agreements for Winternals products, but said it is still deciding how the firm’s products and technologies can best be integrated.

Winternals co-founders Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell also run the Sysinternals web site offering free utilities and security tools such as the RootKit Revealer tool for finding hidden malicious code.

The Sysinternals site will continue as it is for now, while Microsoft decides how to integrate it with its own community efforts. The tools will still be free to download.