Local technology providers are celebrated by Microsoft Partner Programme Awards 2005

Issued by Microsoft SA
Johannesburg, 18 Aug 2005

Microsoft South Africa has announced that 18 local companies have been recognised as winners of the 2005 Microsoft Partner Programme Awards. The awards recognise top Microsoft partners that are delivering market-leading, Microsoft-based solutions. Award winners were announced on Friday, 12 August at the Partner Summit held at Sun City.

The winners are:

Customer Experience Award - Integr8 IT
Winning Customers Award - Enterprise Connection
Small Business Initiative Award - Netsurit
Distributor of the Year Award - Rectron
Managing Directors Award - Axiz
Competency Award: Advanced Infrastructure Solutions - Business Connexion
Competency Award: Business Intelligence Solutions - Information System Partners
Competency Award: Custom Development Solutions - nVision IT
Competency Award: Information Worker Solutions - Fulcrum Information Technologies
Competency Award: Integrated e-Business Solutions - 3fifteen
Competency Award: ISV / Software Solutions - Sandbox
Competency Award: Learning Solutions - Inobits Consulting
Competency Award: Licensing Solutions - Enterprise Connection
Competency Award: Microsoft Business Solutions - Datasmith
Competency Award: Mobility Solutions - Leaf Wireless
Competency Award: Networking Infrastructure - Integr8 IT
Competency Award: OEM Hardware Solutions - Mustek
Competency Award: Security Solutions - Shaya Infosec

"It is our pleasure to congratulate the winners for the outstanding technology solutions they have delivered for their customers over the last year," said Bradley Hopkinson, SMS&P director at Microsoft South Africa.

"Microsoft`s success is built on our close relationship with our partners and by working with them to ensure we are meeting the unique needs of our customers. It is this level of collaboration that enables Microsoft and our partners to continue helping local businesses maximise technology for their own success."

The Microsoft Partner Programme Awards recognise Microsoft Partners that have developed and delivered exceptional Microsoft-based solutions over the past year. Multiple awards are distributed in several categories. The Microsoft Partner Summit is Microsoft`s premier annual event for Microsoft Partners. The Microsoft Partner Programme helps partners build successful Microsoft technology-based businesses by offering a variety of resources including training, technical support, products and peer-networking opportunities.

Microsoft`s Partner Summit

Microsoft`s Partner Summit provides Microsoft`s partner community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace. Along with informative learning opportunities covering sales, marketing, services and technology, the summit is an ideal setting for partners to garner valuable knowledge from their peers and from Microsoft.

Microsoft Partner Summit 2005 Partner Programme Awards

Competency Awards

The Advanced Infrastructure Solutions Award recognises partner excellence in delivering solutions including Web-based applications, internal and external portals, solutions for managing large amounts of data and translating it into business intelligence, and more-efficient communications both within the enterprise and from remote sites.

The Business Intelligence (BI) Solutions Award recognises the year`s most innovative and effective solutions in complete end-to-end BI reporting and analysis.

The Custom Development Solutions Award recognizes the year`s top partners in providing custom-developed solutions to customers that require value-added capabilities.

The Information Worker Award recognizes solution providers that help customers realise increased service revenues, new market opportunities and a renewed focus on high-value customer engagements via technology.

The Integrated E-Business Solutions Award recognises partners that help organizations build integrated, interoperable, modularised, extensible and security-enhanced e-business solutions.

The ISV/Software Solutions Award recognises partners that develop packaged software solutions based on Microsoft technologies.

The Learning Solutions Award demonstrates a partner`s commitment and ability to deliver superior consultative learning services to provide the skills and knowledge that businesses and individuals need to get the most from their investments in Microsoft technology.

The Licensing Solutions Award recognises partners that have developed new approaches to simplify licence acquisition, management and planning.

The Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Award rewards partners that successfully sell, deploy and implement specific MBS solutions with unique skill, expertise and business acumen.

The Mobility Solutions Award recognises partners that specialise in developing, deploying, supporting and marketing packaged software solutions and services based on Microsoft Windows Mobile technologies.

The Networking Infrastructure Solutions Award recognises technology partners that have proved the highest level of proficiency in implementing solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 operating systems, with a particular focus on Microsoft Small Business Server 2000 and Windows Small Business Server 2003.

The OEM Hardware Solutions Award recognises partners that build and promote desktop or server hardware systems preinstalled with genuine Microsoft software and provide key support services to end users. As customers expand and upgrade their information technology assets, demand correspondingly increases for high-quality hardware solutions, such as desktops and servers, built with Microsoft technologies.

The Security Solutions Award recognises partners that work in tandem with Microsoft to develop superior approaches to continually update and improve Windows platform security. Security is one of the top concerns in today`s technology environment.