Open Specifications

Take advantage of your access to information about protocols, binary file formats, and other specifications for Microsoft’s high-volume products.

Windows Protocols

Specifications for protocols that are used by Microsoft Windows Server operating systems

Microsoft Office File Formats

Specifications for Microsoft Office file formats

Exchange Server Protocols

Specifications for Microsoft proprietary protocols used by Microsoft Exchange Server to communicate with other Microsoft products

Microsoft Computer Languages

Specifications for certain Microsoft computer languages implemented by Microsoft products

Microsoft Office Protocols

Specifications for Microsoft proprietary protocols implemented and used by Microsoft Office 2007 to interoperate or communicate with other Microsoft products

SharePoint Products and Protocols

Specifications for Microsoft proprietary protocols implemented in Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies software and used to communicate with other Microsoft products

Microsoft SQL Server Protocols

Specifications for Microsoft proprietary protocols used by Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (with Service Pack 2 applied) to communicate with Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies

Microsoft Standards

Specifications for standards supported in releases of Microsoft's high-volume products

Microsoft Exchange Server and Outlook Standards

Open Specification Forums

Windows Protocols

Using the Open Specifications

Using the SharePoint Products and Technologies Protocols

File Services

Using the Exchange Server Protocols

Using the Office Protocols

Office Binary File Formats

Using the Microsoft SQL Server Protocols

Documentation on Standards

Interoperability Scenarios: Technical Questions

Office Open Document Format Implementation

Patent Licensing

Some of the Microsoft protocols include patented inventions, and others do not. You may benefit from a patent license if you are distributing implementations of these protocols commercially or if you use an implementation of any of the protocols covered by Microsoft patents. For more information, go to www.microsoft.com/protocols or contact the Microsoft Open Protocols Team.