REDMOND, Wash., and AUSTIN, Texas, June 22, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. and Collective Technologies, a leading client/server systems management consulting firm, today announced a joint effort to help large organizations address the complexities of integrating Microsoft® Windows NT® operating system-based and UNIX resources in their enterprise.
The two companies will collaborate to deliver seamless UNIX and Windows NT integration services, taking advantage of Collective Technologies’ expertise in systems management and integration. These services are critical in all phases of technology deployment in a heterogeneous enterprise: design, planning, rollout and daily operations.
”
We believe customers need organizations with high-quality cross-platform
expertise to help them integrate Windows NT into existing UNIX environments and build comprehensive solutions that maximize return on investment,
“said John Ford, channel development manager, organization customer unit at Microsoft.”
We think Collective Technologies is exactly that kind of company.
“
Microsoft teamed up with Collective Technologies in part because of its rigorous hiring practices. Furthermore, the Collective Intellect, Collective Technologies’ knowledge-sharing system, enables consultants to quickly resolve issues and save clients money. Collective invests millions of dollars in this asset by compensating technical staff for quickly responding to their peers in the field.
“We are unique in our ability to provide interoperability solutions between Windows NT and UNIX in complex enterprise networks,”
said Glyn Meek, chief operating officer of Collective Technologies.
“Now, through this joint effort with Microsoft, we can put our complete understanding of the distributed enterprise together with the Windows NT operating system. I truly believe that we can now offer the best of both worlds to our customers.”
New Services, New Methodologies
As part of this joint effort, Microsoft and Collective Technologies have agreed to contribute significant resources for rolling out a series of new services focused on integration of Windows NT and UNIX:
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Accelerated MCSE certification programs. Collective Technologies will launch Collective Challenge ’98, a commitment for Collective Technologies to train and certify 25 consultants per month as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs).
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Developing new collective methodologies. Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) personnel will work closely with Collective Technologies consultants to review and expand the existing Collective methodologies and create a set of
“best practices”
detailing consulting and integration services supporting both companies’ mutual customers. While initially focusing on the integration of Windows NT and UNIX, both firms will work closely together to ensure that future Collective methodologies also address Windows NT 5.0, Novell to Windows NT migration and Windows NT clustering.
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Creating Collective Technologies strategic planning division. Collective Technologies’ commitment to this effort is exemplified by the creation of a strategic planning division within the organization. This division will be dedicated solely to championing the objectives set forth by Collective Technologies and its partners.
Collective Technologies will rely heavily on its technical consultants to help build this new division and expand its already diverse interoperability services for UNIX and
Windows NT. To further develop the strategic planning division, six seminars, held at district levels, will enable Microsoft and Collective Technologies to easily inform and educate selected clients on the details of the Collective Technologies service offerings. These seminars will describe how Collective Technologies’ services, together with Microsoft products, can assist clients in their UNIX and Windows NT migration needs. Collective Technologies predicts sales of its interoperability services to increase to more than 10 percent of revenues for 1998-99.
“To show that we are committed to this joint effort with Microsoft at a national level, Collective Technologies has made a significant investment in training our consultants in the emerging Windows NT-based technologies. It will clearly benefit our clients by providing more systems management choices,”
said Ed Taylor, president and founder of Collective Technologies.
“Most of our clients already recognize the cost savings inherent in combining the UNIX back end with the graphically integrated front end of Windows NT. Now that Windows NT is becoming a significant influence, our strength in enterprise integration becomes increasingly important.”
Bruce Wynn, training and certification manager for Collective Technologies, agrees.
“The Windows NT operating system is making major inroads into the IT enterprise,”
Wynn said.
“We believe that the best way to provide value services is to take our consultants who are traditionally grounded in UNIX, add a deep knowledge of Windows NT and, ultimately, provide a unique insight into the integration issues our clients are facing.”
About Collective Technologies
Collective Technologies is the leading provider of systems management consulting services for highly complex, distributed computer environments – keeping the complex computer systems of Wall Street and the Fortune 100 running reliably – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Collective Technologies specializes in providing the full range of systems management solutions included in the SPECTRA Solutions management model: strategy, planning, evaluation, classification, transition, recurring operations and audit (SPECTRA).
Collective Technologies was formed in 1994 as a division of the largest technical recruiting firm in the world: Pencom Systems Inc. Collective Technologies has its headquarters in Austin, Texas, with offices in all major technology corridors. If you are interested in viewing additional information on Collectives Technologies visit the Collective Web page at (http://www.colltech.com/) .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Collective Technologies, Collective Intellect and SPECTRA Solutions are registered trademarks of Pencom Systems Inc./Collective Technologies.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
