Today Microsoft announced its enhanced worldwide Microsoft Certified Partner Program and new endorsement brand, Microsoft Certified Partner. The program will offer new certification criteria that are based on the services, applications and hosting capabilities provided by companies that architect, develop, deploy, and manage technology. The program will also feature benefits that provide partners with new types of support and resources to prepare their business to build solutions around Microsoft`s .NET Enterprise Servers and other Microsoft technologies.
The Microsoft Certified Partner Program is an enhancement of the current Microsoft Certified Solution Provider (MCSP) Program, which has been in place in South Africa since 1993. The new program will simplify partner`s engagement with Microsoft and bring system integrators and custom developers together with application service providers (ASPs), independent software vendors (ISVs), Microsoft Support Centers and other e-business and enterprise systems providers. Customers will benefit from the single, recognisable brand for partner organisations endorsed by Microsoft as certified in delivering solutions ranging from hosting services to vertical industry applications to .NET services. Through certified partners, customers can accelerate their innovation, reduce time to market, and mitigate risk with their organisations technology.
The new program will also offer a new level of certification, Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. This certification will allow partners to differentiate themselves based on their area of specialisation, thus enabling customers to more easily identify a partner that has demonstrated their abilities with comparable projects. Gold Certification will be based on the verification of real-world customer references and advanced certification requirements that demand deep technical competency in complex business solutions. This track record in innovative solutions provision, application development and proven project management will mitigate customer risk and accelerate time to market.
Microsoft Gold Certified Partner areas of certification will include E-Commerce Solutions, Hosting and Application Services, Enterprise Systems and Support Services. Additional Gold Certified Partner tracks will be announced during the program year.
Current members of Microsoft`s MCSP Program will see a number of improvements with the new Microsoft Certified Partner Program when it officially launches on January 1, 2001. Expanded benefits will focus on two key areas: market readiness and technical readiness. Gold Certified Partners will receive a set of incremental benefits that are closely related to their areas of specialisation. In all, Microsoft will invest approximately US $ 1 billion in partners in 2001.
"Microsoft`s success depends entirely on our partners," said Craig Nielsen, partner group manager at Microsoft South Africa. "We will continue to increase our investment in our certified partners to ensure that they keep investing in Microsoft as their technology platform and partner of choice. With our current technology including Windows 2000, the .NET Enterprise Servers and the expanded Microsoft Certified Partner Program, we have the ideal combination for partner and customer success."
Partners will receive a variety of new and expanded technical and market readiness benefits based on their business needs. New offerings will include an Enterprise Service Offering which deliver prescriptive architectures developed by Partners and Microsoft Consulting Services to help guide technology customers` solutions through all stages of the IT lifecycle. Microsoft Certified Partners may also offer exclusive ASP licenses to customers through the ASP Licensing Program. Additionally, Microsoft Official Curriculum is now available for partners that are interested in offering customer training. The new .NET readiness materials will prepare partners to deliver .NET solutions to customers enabling truly distributed web services.
"Business Connection has become a true Microsoft enterprise partner over the last couple of years and the new program will make it far easier for customers to identify the solutions we offer", says Benjamin Mophatlane managing director at Business Connection.
Sigal Utian, Microsoft line of business manager at Logical adds, "Our partnership with Microsoft has been ongoing for several years now and as a global company Logical is looking forward to interacting with companies internationally via the Partner Portal, allowing us to network with other Certified Partners and continue to deliver global Microsoft solutions through this channel".
Another key new benefit to the program will be new opportunities for peer networking that will help partners with varying areas of specialisation come together and explore ways of building end-to-end customer solutions together. In addition, many partner types to-date have received only the specific resources related directly to their area of specialisation through their path of engagement with Microsoft. As Microsoft Certified Partners, these companies will now enjoy a whole new level of programmatic benefits.
"Dimension Data views the Microsoft partnership as strategic to our business", says James Murray, managing director Dimension Data Enterprise Systems. "The improvements in the program will provide us with faster access to more information which at the end of the day improves the service levels to our customers. Dimension Data has always been a leader in providing best of breed solutions to the market and its good to know we have a strong, innovative and responsive partner program to back us up".
"In the past, we`ve gotten quality resources from Microsoft that have helped us improve our Support Center offerings," said Ted Wood, business initiative manager at Unisys South Africa. "However, the new universe of resources through the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Program are going to increase our exposure to new benefits, business development, and information that will allow us to take a broader, new perspective on our Microsoft business.
The requirements for basic membership in the program will remain the same as last year and current MCSPs will be automatically qualified to renew their membership as long as they continue to employ a minimum of two Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs). However, Microsoft will provide new options in 2001 for partner organisations such as ASPs, ISVs and Support Centers to substitute product and platform certifications for individual certifications, thus providing them with access to the unified Microsoft Certified Partner Program and brand.
Current program members and new partners interested in renewing or joining the new Microsoft Certified Partner Program can visit www.microsoft.com/mcsp/ for more information. Partners will be able to enroll, renew membership and apply for the Gold Certified partner membership on or after Nov. 27 2000.
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