Dimension Data and Microsoft South Africa have reconfirmed their commitment to KwaZulu-Natal, by launching the first Centre of Excellence in the region.
"The Centre of Excellence is designed to showcase the various solutions and product sets that Microsoft has on offer to its customers, complemented by the skills, services and support that Dimension Data has built for each offering," says Steve Morgan, coastal director for Microsoft South Africa.
The purpose of the centre is to enable customers to explore, test and pilot all of Microsoft`s products and solutions in a controlled and managed environment using their own data and information.
"The Microsoft Centre of Excellence negates the need for an organisation to perform `proof of concepts` or pilot projects as it allows customers to explore, test and pilot all of Microsoft`s products and solutions in a controlled and managed environment using their own data and information. As a result, customers are able to make strategic decisions about upcoming roll-outs by establishing key factors with regard to timing of deployment, integration and contingency planning," says Craig Ireland, managing director of Dimension Data KZN.
Hot Labs have also been set up to demonstrate the integration of new Microsoft products to offer solutions in various business areas including portals, business intelligence, communication and collaboration as well as security.
Technologies that will be demonstrated within the Centre of Excellence include:
* Microsoft Windows Server 2003
* Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
* Microsoft Office System 2003, including Microsoft Windows Sharepoint Services, Microsoft Office Professional 2003, Microsoft One Note 2003 and Microsoft Info Path 2003
* Microsoft SQL Server 2000, including BI reporting and analysis
* Microsoft SMS 2003
* Microsoft Customer Relationship Management
* Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management Solution 2003
* Microsoft Office Sharepoint Portal Server 2003
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Dimension Data Holdings plc (LSE: DDT) is a leading global technology company. The group provides solutions and services that optimise and manage the performance of IT infrastructures to enable business to build competitive advantage. To achieve this, the group delivers solutions using its proprietary `Application Network` architectural framework and its expertise in networking, application integration and managed services.
Dimension Data, founded in 1983, had revenues of $2.1 billion in 2003 and operates in 30+ countries with over 7 500 employees.
Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Microsoft, Windows Server, Windows Server System, Windows, Windows Mobile, Windows NT, Active Directory and BackOffice are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp in the US and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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