As a provider of system administration and security tools for Windows 2000 systems, BindView Development Corp. is in demand these days because most corporate entities are just now getting around to rolling out Microsoft Corp.'s latest platform for the enterprise.

In an interview with InfoWorld Editor in Chief Michael Vizard, BindView CEO Richard Gardner and company founder and CTO Eric Pulaski talk about the issues that companies will need to deal with as they begin to roll out Windows 2000 and why security is now an integral part of systems management.

InfoWorld: What's the history behind BindView?

Gardner: We've been in existence for about 10 years and started out originally with products in the Novell (Inc.) area. We'll probably be somewhere in the $100 million range this year, and we're profitable. We have about 650 to 700 employees, about 5,000 customers, and our predominant focus today is Microsoft-centric. Probably three-quarters or more of our revenue is expected in the Microsoft environment. Our products help people manage and administer networks, manage security, and migrate to Windows 2000 from Windows NT or other operating systems.

Pulaski: We've got a comprehensive line of products for role-based administration as well as vulnerability assessment, audits, and security management for a wide variety of platforms, services, and applications.

InfoWorld: What's different about the migration to Windows 2000 from previous incarnations of Windows?

Gardner: I think this is a process, not an event. If you think about it, this is not a desktop migration -- this is an infrastructure migration. People can't just switch everything over at once, so they've got to look at priorities. Because you've got applications that rely much more on Active Directory -- for example, Exchange 2000 -- I think anyone going to Windows 2000 needs to prepare for a full-blown implementation of Active Directory. We've got the first product to manage the security administration of Active Directory. Obviously it's going to take a little time for it to sell in volume. But I think it's inevitable.

InfoWorld: What exactly do you do in the security space?

Gardner: We sort of bridge a systems administrator and a security administrator. We allow the customer to come up with a security policy and actually enforce it. There are no other tools that really allow you to enforce and find out if your security policy is being complied with or adhered to.

InfoWorld: How secure are Windows environments?

Gardner: Windows as it was designed was not secure. Windows itself, and then Windows NT, had a bunch of holes. And now Windows 2000 will introduce new holes, but they are taking steps to improve the level of security. There are just as many security issues actually on Unix and different platforms; I think the focus that Microsoft has in the market really magnifies any security problems. It's always, 'let's talk about Outlook problems.' There are just as many problems with Send Mail on Unix, but nobody talks about those.

InfoWorld: How much of your existence as a company might be owed to Microsoft's inherent weaknesses in these areas?

Gardner: Generally

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