REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 3, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that global technology companies and leading systems integrators are making significant investments in Microsoft® SQL Server
™
7.0-based solutions, service and support. As a result, enterprise customers will be able to quickly deploy strategic line-of-business and infrastructure solutions based on the latest Microsoft database platform, scheduled to be launched Nov. 16 at COMDEX/Fall ’98. Microsoft also announced today that 13,000 Microsoft Certified Solution Providers (MCSPs) are ready to support Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 for organizations of all sizes.
The worldwide commitment to SQL Server 7.0 by these global technology companies and systems integrators, and the breadth of service offered by MCSPs, represents unprecedented service and support in advance of a product launch. Global technology companies geared to support SQL Server 7.0 include Amdahl Corp., Arthur Andersen LLP, Cambridge Technology Partners, Compaq Services, Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC), Data General Corp., Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS), Ernst & Young, ICL Retail Systems, KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, NCR Corp. and Unisys Corp.
“Through broad beta distribution, vendor engagement and targeted training activities around SQL Server 7.0, we have reached an unparalleled service capacity in advance of a product launch,”
said Jeff Raikes, group vice president, sales and support at Microsoft.
“The commitment that companies have made to prepare for SQL Server 7.0 will offer Microsoft customers the expertise they need to deploy database solutions critical to their businesses.”
Global Technology Companies and Systems Integrators Prepare for SQL Server 7.0
The world’s largest technology companies and systems integrators are incorporating SQL Server 7.0 into new and existing service practices to bring enterprise customers strategic solutions for running their businesses. These include solutions for electronic commerce, customer management, ERP, data warehousing, knowledge management, decision support and sales force automation. Technology companies and systems integrators are building their knowledge base by training and certifying consultants as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Developers (MCSDs) and by collaborating with Microsoft and enterprise customers on early adoption programs for SQL Server 7.0.
Skilled MCSPs and IT Professionals Are Engaged
Currently, there are more than 35,000 Microsoft Certified Professionals that have passed exams for SQL Server. Each week, an average of 1,360 individuals register for a one-day SQL Server 7.0 training course offered by Microsoft Certified Technical Education Centers (Microsoft CTECs). With this demand that is expected to continue and additional training offerings that will be made available, Microsoft estimates its training channel will educate approximately 50,000 individuals worldwide on database administration and development in the next nine months as part of a $20 million SQL Server 7.0-based database administration training investment.
MCSPs are developing, deploying and managing SQL Server 7.0-based solutions by participating in rapid deployment programs, completing beta testing, and engaging with Microsoft consultants and Microsoft CTECs on training. Through this advance engagement, many MCSPs are already working with customers on deployments of SQL Server 7.0.
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Metrosoft is in the process of deploying a SQL Server 7.0-based solution at Wall Street Connect, a leading provider of automated services to brokerages and banks.
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PCSI is implementing a SQL Server 7.0-based solution at Transamerica Flood Hazard Certification, a premier servicer to the real estate mortgage industry.
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Walklett Group is actively engaged with a SQL Server 7.0-based solution at PJM Interconnection LLC, the largest electrical control area in North America and the third-largest in the world.
“With the momentum we’ve already seen around the SQL platform, we believe that SQL Server 7.0 will become a core technology for many of our customers,”
said Leszek James, president, Metrosoft.
“Our advance engagement with Microsoft has enabled Metrosoft to prepare our consultants to provide the highest quality of service, beginning with immediate availability of the product.”
Global Technology Companies Support SQL Server 7.0
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Amdahl. Amdahl’s entire suite of Global Information Sharing products and associated services are being expanded to support SQL Server 7.0, including the multiplatform data movement capabilities of SQL Server 7.0. Amdahl Global Information Sharing is a suite of products and services for enterprisewide data mapping, distribution routing, synchronization and scheduling across heterogeneous platforms. In addition, Amdahl will provide server hardware that assists in database queries and replication across a wide spectrum of platforms and applications.
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Arthur Andersen. Arthur Andersen was among the first consulting firms to integrate SQL Server 7.0 into its SAP R/3 development and testing environment. The company’s Enterprise Innovation Center is entirely based on Microsoft’s platform, including SQL Server 7.0; the company is also implementing SQL Server 7.0 in clients’ enterprise deployments.
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Cambridge Technology Partners. An international management consulting and systems integration firm, Cambridge has more than 200 consultants qualified to deploy SQL Server-based data warehousing solutions. Through its fast fixed-time and fixed-price methodology, Cambridge’s data warehousing solutions practice can identify clients’ core business needs and provide data warehouse solutions that deliver business value with unprecedented efficiency.
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Compaq Services. Compaq Services provides a complete portfolio of life cycle services to help enterprise customers plan, design, implement and manage SQL Server 7.0 in their IT environments. These services are delivered through a number of focused practices that provide a flexible and comprehensive set of solutions for business intelligence and enterprise resource planning applications. With more than 700 SQL Server-certified professionals worldwide, Compaq Services helps customers reduce the time and complexity of implementing SQL Server-based enterprise business solutions.
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CSC. CSC has ported PharmIQ to SQL Server 7.0 running on a Data General four-way AviiON 8700 platform. PharmIQ is an information environment that enables companies struggling with outdated or inflexible tools to establish a single information infrastructure that maximizes the power of sales, marketing and contract data for effective decision-making. The typical implementation size of the repository ranges from hundreds of gigabytes to terabytes.
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Data General. Data General offers a wide range of services and solutions for customers deploying SQL Server 7.0, including information warehouses. With Jump Start Services, Data General uses a scalable AViiON server running Windows NT Server operating system 4.0 and SQL Server 7.0 to deliver an operational prototype information warehouse containing real corporate information in four to five weeks. This prototype demonstrates the analytical advantage of the Microsoft OLAP Services and provides a road map for expanding the prototype into a robust decisions-support tool.
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EDS. EDS provides decision support system integration services – including data warehouse planning, technical blueprint consulting and project development – based on SQL Server 7.0 for the insurance industry and other areas. EDS also offers customers a migration service from SQL Server 6.5 to SQL Server 7.0.
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Ernst & Young. Ernst & Young has expanded its Data Warehouse Center of Excellence with a research and development laboratory dedicated to testing Microsoft Windows 2000 with SQL Server 7.0. Activities have focused on vertical applications compatibility, third-party OLAP integration and stress-testing product differentiators. In addition, Ernst & Young has demonstrated its capability in providing conversion services from other non-SQL Server-based database products such as Oracle, Sybase and Informix to SQL Server 7.0.
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ICL. Under the alliance with Microsoft, ICL is developing a new breed of consumer-focused solutions based on Windows NT Server and SQL Server 7.0, the foundation of the Microsoft enterprise platform. These solutions are designed to meet the business-critical computing needs of customers in the government and education sectors across Europe as well as the retail sector worldwide .
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KPMG. KPMG has installed, evaluated and tested solutions with SQL Server 7.0 within its solutions centers worldwide and is working with early adopter clients to implement customer management and supply chain management solutions on SQL Server 7.0. KPMG and Microsoft have formalized a SQL Server 7.0 rapid training program for KPMG’s MCSEs and MCSDs. In addition, KPMG is working with leading ISVs to incorporate SQL Server 7.0 into their customer management solutions.
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NCR. NCR and Microsoft are collaborating on a wide spectrum of solutions that take advantage of Microsoft’s robust technologies such as SQL Server 6.5 and 7.0, Exchange Server and Windows 2000 for the Enterprise that enable businesses to dramatically improve the way they attract and retain customers.
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Unisys. Through its Worldwide Enterprise NT Services organization, Unisys is committing database consultants to develop enterprise-class solutions using SQL Server 7.0. The company is also developing a breakthrough financial application that capitalizes on the scalability and multiterabyte database support capabilities of SQL Server 7.0
Microsoft Product Support Services
Product Support Services is prepared for the launch of SQL Server 7.0 with a 70 percent increase in SQL Server support engineers, armed with the latest hands-on experience. SQL Server 7.0 support engineers completed training courses to become equipped to help customers upgrade to SQL Server 7.0 and become familiar with the technical aspects of the product. Support engineers also participated in weekly two-hour
“tech talks”
and internships with development and provided support for the SQL Server 7.0 beta through newsgroups, Web Response ( http://support.microsoft.com/support/webresponse.asp ) and telephone support.
Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Created by a world-class development team, Microsoft SQL Server is a leading
Windows NT Server-based database, bringing business advantage and improved decision-making to all levels of an organization through the power of data warehousing, industry solutions and integration with Microsoft Office. Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 enables independent software vendors and customers to build and deploy scalable database solutions for electronic commerce, line-of-business, mobile computing and data warehousing.
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