KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., June 16, 1998 — Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) and CoreTech Consulting Group Inc. today announced the establishment of a Microsoft® Windows® Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture development lab for corporate development teams and the independent software vendor (ISV) community. The lab, located within the Northeast technology corridor in suburban Philadelphia, was created as a joint venture among the software, hardware and information technology consulting firms to provide corporate and ISV development teams with hands-on experience in harnessing Windows DNA technologies and understanding how they can be applied in their respective enterprises.
This new development lab was modeled after Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash., Porting Lab, which was designed for ISVs interested in quickly porting their applications to the latest multitier architectures. When a waiting period for interested ISVs extended well over three months, Microsoft began talks with CoreTech and HP to create a national facility that could serve corporate developers as well as ISVs.
“AETNA sent a development team to this new lab in order to kick-start a brand new initiative to migrate to a true three-tier client/server architecture,”
said Rob Fetterman, application general manager, Aetna U.S. Healthcare.
“The lab really delivered value to our team: We gained hands-on knowledge of Windows DNA technologies and received expert architecture advice and direction from both Microsoft and CoreTech’s team of professionals – all specific to AETNA’s current environment framework. The most significant benefit was that we walked out of the lab with a portion of our project completed and we received sample code, object models and other tools for our reference – all in just one week’s time. It really helped us rapidly move into this new technology.”
Windows DNA is an architectural framework for building modern, scalable, multitier distributed computing solutions that can be delivered over any network, and offers a unified approach for integrating the Web, client/server and host computing models. The lab provides a means to transfer knowledge on all required technological tools and associated interconnections in the context of the customer application, with the benefit of on-site skilled technical experts to achieve the desired solution.
“Windows DNA is the most effective way to extend legacy applications to the Internet, and the demand for customized, rapid training in Windows DNA is overwhelming,”
said Brian Campbell, general manager, mid-Atlantic region, Microsoft.
“Customers understand the value of the strategy and are very interested in using Windows DNA with their applications and their developers.”
The lab provides a one-week knowledge transfer
“boot camp”
for corporate and ISV development teams that want to migrate their applications to Windows DNA technology. Clients send a team of three to five developers to the lab to work with their project to attain specific goals, customized for their organization. Because the work is specific to the client, it enables real, applicable deliverables at the end of the lab, and it is viewed as an ideal starting point for organizations trying to kick-start concepts, develop proof-of-concept, integrate new applications and jump-start a project or team for ongoing applications development.
“It is vital that development teams have a clear understanding of the technology so that good architecture decisions can be made, especially as corporations adopt new and emerging technologies such as Windows DNA,”
said Mark Warren, director of Microsoft solutions at CoreTech.
“Here, significant efficiency can be gained with experienced architects and developers on hand to walk customers through the process. With our No Excuses DevLab environment, we are seeing organizations achieve unprecedented success in getting applications rapidly developed and educating teams in Windows DNA.”
Through the relationship, Microsoft has contributed all software and development tools, has direct involvement through Microsoft Consulting Services and provides access to its top corporate product group resources in Redmond, Wash. CoreTech has provided the lab site at its corporate headquarters in King of Prussia, as well as a dedicated team of Microsoft consultants who are experts in architecture, development, deployment and support. Through HP, the lab is equipped with the latest high-performance equipment, including HP NetServers and HP Kayak PC Workstations.
Hewlett-Packard Co. is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 121,900 employees and had revenue of $42.9 billion in its 1997 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at (http://www.hp.com/) .
CoreTech Consulting Group, a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider, is a leading information technology consulting firm that partners with organizations to assist in the
assimilation of new technologies. CoreTech acts as both an information and knowledge broker, helping its clients understand how new technology affects IT functions across an organization, and serves as an implementation partner, providing a full range of consulting services to effectively manage technology change. With offices in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver and New York, CoreTech provides capabilities that include IT strategy and planning, networks and communications, applications and development, desktop and workgroup systems, support services, IT human resources, and knowledge transfer and learning. More information on CoreTech’s services is available on the World Wide Web at (http://www.coretech.com/) .
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.
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Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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