Microsoft Windows Datacenter Program – All Systems Go

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 26, 2000 — Today at the Microsoft Enterprise 2000 Launch, Steve Ballmer, president and CEO of Microsoft Corp., together with industry partners kicked off the availability of the Windows® Datacenter Program. The launch marks the delivery of Microsoft’s and industry partners’ joint commitment to provide customers with reliability, scalability and the best business investment for mission-critical computing environments. Industry partners announcing solutions today include Compaq Computer Corp., Unisys Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Dell Computer Corp., IBM Corp., Stratus Computer Systems, Amdahl Corp., ICL, Fujitsu Ltd., Fujitsu-Siemens, Bull and Hitachi. Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, coupled with the Microsoft® .NET enterprise servers, represents a significant step toward the delivery of the .NET Platform.

In addition, Microsoft launched the Datacenter Infrastructure Vendor Program (DIV) to qualify strategic infrastructure vendors such as enterprise storage and enterprise backup vendors. The DIV provides customers with additional choice while preserving overall system integrity.

Today, EMC is announcing that it is the first vendor to become authorized under the DIV program.

“With the delivery of the Windows Datacenter Program, we have changed the way we do business,”
Ballmer said.
“Microsoft has teamed with industry leaders to provide innovative technology and broad alternatives to expensive proprietary systems, offering customers uncompromising reliability, flexibility and scalability.”

“Windows 2000 Datacenter Server will finally allow Microsoft to make a legitimate bid for new datacenter business opportunities,”
said Al Gillen, research manager for system software at International Data Corp.
“Combining the operating system with the certification and support infrastructure that Microsoft and partners have built helps position Windows Datacenter Server as a viable alternative to many UNIX-based solutions and makes it possible for companies to extend Windows 2000 computing into their enterprise environments.”

Customer Requirements Exceeded With Windows Datacenter Program

Today’s enterprises are embracing the Windows Datacenter Program. Key customer benefits include faster time to market, improved price/performance and the freedom to select from a range of datacenter product and services offerings by their choice of hardware vendor. Case studies highlighting key customer wins and the benefits they are receiving from the Windows Datacenter Program can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/datacenter/ .

“FreeMarkets is the leading B2B e-marketplace, conducting auctions worth millions of dollars each day, and there isn’t a market if our system goes down,”
said Bill Blair, senior vice president and CTO at FreeMarkets.
“We chose the Windows Datacenter Program over proprietary systems to ensure our global e-marketplace would scale up and out in addition to boosting our system uptime from 99.9 percent to 99.999 percent. We are ensuring buyers and suppliers that our system won’t fail, and we anticipate a six-month payback on our investment.”

Industry Forces Rally to Provide Enterprises With Greater Flexibility and Choice

Windows 2000 Datacenter Server is now available and only offered through Authorized Datacenter Partners as part of the Windows Datacenter Program. Authorized partners currently include Amdahl, Bull, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu Ltd., Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, Hitachi, IBM, ICL, Stratus and Unisys. Each is bringing to market its specific configurations and solution offerings.

Application certification testing for Windows 2000 Datacenter Server will begin today at the VeriTest worldwide labs. Datacenter Server Application Certification extends the existing Windows 2000 certification process for the Windows 2000 operating system, requiring that applications be rigorously stress tested to run on complete solutions qualified by the Windows Datacenter Program. These certified applications will provide customers with the ability to distinguish which offerings provide the highest levels of reliability, availability and serviceability. ISVs already involved in the VeriTest labs for Windows 2000 Datacenter application certification include BMC Software, Computer Associates, NetIQ and VERITAS Software.

About the Windows Datacenter Program

The Windows Datacenter Program represents a complete combination of software, hardware and support services, giving today’s enterprise a high level of reliability, scalability and serviceability for line-of-business e-commerce solutions and hosting environments. It has been designed to address the demanding requirements of enterprise customers and includes a joint support team with server vendors for single-point-of-contact support with maximum onsite response time of four hours, professional services such as installation and availability assessments, rigorous system testing and qualification focused on the entire system vs. individual components, coordinated maintenance and change control for hardware and software updates, and an application certification process conducted by VeriTest.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

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