IT edge

Microsoft is updating its Active Directory Rights Management Services product to completely remove the application manifest expiry feature. This update is particularly relevant for AD RMS customers using Internet Explorer, because the certificate for the RMA add-on for Internet Explorer will expire on February 22. The RMA add-on for Internet Explorer allows users to view content with restricted permission in Internet Explorer.

It is critical that the update is installed before February 22, in order to avoid any issues accessing or protecting Web-based content.

If the update is not installed before February 22, it will not be possible to create or access protected content when using the following applications:

· Outlook Web Access 2000, 2003, 2007

· Word, Excel, PowerPoint Web Viewers

· Any web-based application with protected content

This update will be available on http://update.microsoft.com for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows 7 users beginning on February 9. Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 users will have an update available on the Download Center beginning on February 9^th and on Windows Update by February 23.

Once this update is applied and the manifest expiry feature is removed, the AD RMS aware applications (including Internet Explorer) will no longer need to renew their manifests. This will eliminate the possibility of having manifests expire accidentally. The change will be effective for both new as well as existing RMS products. Applications will still need to have a manifest and RMS Partner ISVs will still need to have a Microsoft issued production certificate for creating that manifest.

Timeline

More Information

For further details, please see the RMS Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/rms/.