Microsoft Corp. and Softricity Inc., innovators in powering software services, today announced an agreement to promote a complementary solution that allows enterprise companies to improve IT productivity by managing existing Microsoft® Windows®-based applications as XML Web services over corporate networks. Softricity's SoftGrid (TM) platform enables applications to be delivered as network services, which reduces the time, complexity and cost associated with providing access to applications across an enterprise. Microsoft .NET connected technologies will enhance the SoftGrid platform with automated and time-saving features such as application discovery and provisioning, and user authentication through Microsoft Passport to applications outside the firewall. With Microsoft .NET Alerts, IT administrators can automatically send messages to clients when a new application service has been added, updated or terminated. Finally, SoftGrid's integration with Microsoft SQL Server (TM) and Microsoft BizTalk® Server software products will allow IT administrators to gather and review real-time information about application performance and usage.