Cambridge Technology Partners and Microsoft Announce Strategic Alliance To Speed Adoption of Mission-Critical Solutions

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 15, 1998 —
Cambridge Technology Partners (Massachusetts) Inc., a leading management consulting and systems integration firm, and Microsoft Corp. today announced their strategic alliance designed to speed the adoption and deployment of innovative, mission-critical solutions that rapidly deliver business value and competitive advantage to enterprise customers worldwide.

Under this agreement, Cambridge Technology Partners will quickly deliver scalable, replicable solutions based on the Microsoft® enterprise platform, with emphasis on electronic commerce, customer loyalty, data warehousing and investment trading platforms. Cambridge will also work with customers to rapidly develop and deploy customized next-generation applications using Microsoft COM+ technology and the Microsoft Visual Studio® development system.

Cambridge will deliver the Microsoft-based solutions via its hallmark fixed-time/fixed-price methodology. This approach lowers costs and risks for enterprise customers, reduces the time of deployment, increases the solution’s reliability and speeds the delivery of business value.

Supporting the commitments in the key market areas of the alliance, Cambridge will build a global team of 1,000 Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs) and Microsoft Certified Solution Developers (MCSDs). Microsoft and Cambridge will collaborate in developing technical frameworks and sales and marketing programs that promote the awareness and deployment of the solution areas. Cambridge also will establish capabilities to develop and demonstrate client solutions based on the Microsoft enterprise platform throughout its existing offices worldwide. Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) personnel will engage in assisting Cambridge in knowledge transfer, solutions architecture and practice development activities. In addition, Cambridge will engage the Microsoft Premier Support organization to provide the company with direct Microsoft support during client projects.

The Microsoft enterprise platform is a comprehensive, integrated set of products and technologies that enables organizations to develop secure, reliable and manageable solutions for running the business. Based on the Windows NT® Server operating system, the Microsoft enterprise platform comprises Internet solutions, development tools, Office desktop applications, and the Microsoft BackOffice® family of server applications.

This alliance significantly extends Cambridge’s seven-year relationship with Microsoft, whose products and technologies play a critical role in the majority of Cambridge client engagements. Microsoft desktop and server products are already being utilized in solutions for more than 60 percent of all Cambridge client projects. In addition, Microsoft is one of Cambridge’s largest clients. Cambridge has been engaged in several of Microsoft’s strategic technology initiatives including customer service and support, sales force automation, electronic commerce and Web assimilation. Microsoft and Cambridge have jointly delivered solutions to a number of clients, including the following:

  • Infinium Software Inc. Leading the industry in developing an integrated Service Enterprise Management (SEM) solution, Infinium is working with Cambridge to implement the Materials Management component of its Windows NT Server-based software suite. The Cambridge/Infinium team is utilizing several Microsoft technologies including Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition, which includes Microsoft Transaction Server, COM, Internet Information Server (IIS) and DCOM.

  • Liberty Pensions Services. Liberty Pensions Services is a division of Liberty International Holdings plc, for whom Cambridge built an integrated, three-tier Customer Service Center that utilizes Microsoft technologies throughout, including Microsoft Windows NT Server, Windows NT Workstation, Microsoft Transaction Server, Microsoft SQL Server
    ™
    and Microsoft Visual Basic.

  • Telstra Corporation Ltd. Australia’s largest telecommunication services provider, Telstra will market globally a business-to-business e-procurement product based on Microsoft technologies and developed by Cambridge.

“Windows NT and BackOffice are quickly emerging as the platform of choice for companies that need scalable, interoperable and reliable technology to run their businesses,”
said Jeff Raikes, group vice president of sales and support at Microsoft.
“Microsoft’s alignment with Cambridge Technology Partners brings value to enterprise customers by ensuring reliable deployments of Microsoft-based solutions on time and on budget. Cambridge is a leader of a new generation of consulting and systems integration firms, and we are excited to be aligned with them. In addition, customers will benefit immensely from Cambridge’s expertise in providing specialized solutions in areas such as electronic commerce, customer loyalty, data warehousing and sophisticated investment trading platforms.”

Cambridge will utilize its existing consulting resources, as well as those of newly acquired Excell Data Corp., to form a Microsoft-centric consulting force. Excell, a Microsoft-centric systems integrator based in Bellevue, Wash., is recognized for its technical expertise and close working relationship with Microsoft. Excell’s capabilities will provide Cambridge with significant resources to support this new alliance, including the addition of three offices and more than 500 employees, including nearly 120 MCSEs and MCSDs.

“This global alliance will leverage the strengths of both organizations – leading-edge Microsoft technologies and Cambridge’s unique approach to business systems implementation,”
said Jim Sims, president and CEO of Cambridge Technology Partners.
“By deploying Microsoft Windows NT- and BackOffice-based solutions in accordance with Cambridge’s core values, which deliver guaranteed technology and business results in rapid implementation time frames, together we will help customers not only keep pace with today’s constantly changing business and technology cycles but also help them create a unique and sustainable competitive advantage.”

Microsoft and Cambridge will work together on the rollout of specific technology and service solution packages based on the Microsoft enterprise platform in the following areas:

  • Electronic commerce. Cambridge and Microsoft will collaborate in building business solutions that utilize Internet technology and advanced architectures to create new commerce opportunities. These New Business Ecosystems (NBEs) will digitally link multiple businesses to create sophisticated online commerce communities. Deployed via a broad range of Cambridge services – including Interactive Solutions, Customer Management Solutions, Enterprise Resource Solutions and Management Consulting – NBE solutions will be based on the Microsoft Commerce platform, which includes Microsoft Site Server Commerce Edition, Microsoft Internet Information Server and Microsoft SQL Server. These solutions will also make full use of the Microsoft Value Chain Initiative (VCI).

  • Customer loyalty. Cambridge will team up with Microsoft to help customers build and sustain customer loyalty strategies through innovative technology deployment and process consulting. The alliance will focus on the creation of common frameworks that deliver competitive advantage through technology-enabled identification, segmentation and retention of key customers. Solutions will include sales force automation, sales effectiveness, customer relationship management, customer service and support, enterprise marketing, customer self-provisioning and computer telephony solutions. These solutions will be based on Microsoft
    Windows NT, Microsoft SQL Server, the Microsoft BackOffice family and solutions from key industry software vendors (ISVs) in customer management. Cambridge will deploy these solutions via its market-leading Customer Management solutions practice.

  • Data warehousing. Cambridge and Microsoft will help customers design and implement departmental data mart and enterprisewide data warehousing solutions that enable organizations to address pressing business issues and deliver business value in rapid time frames. These business intelligence applications will fully utilize the speed, scalability and enterprise capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server version 7.0, which includes data warehouse functionality such as an integrated online analytical processor (OLAP) server. Cambridge has more than 200 consultants qualified to deploy Microsoft SQL Server-based data warehousing solutions.

  • Financial trading solutions. Cambridge will work with the aid of Microsoft to develop and deploy the computing framework for innovative trading systems. By making optimal use of Cambridge’s Money Management and Trading specialty practice and the Microsoft Windows® Distributed interNet Applications architecture for Financial Services (Windows DNAfs) framework, this alliance will provide innovative trading solutions that will connect the brokerage and investment management communities. Consulting services will include architecture, design, development, integration and deployment and management of portfolio management and trading applications.

  • COM+ rapid application deployment (RAD). Cambridge, the industry pioneer of customized rapid application deployment (RAD), will work with Microsoft customers who are embracing COM+ technologies to drive the development of the next generation of enterprise-class line-of-business applications, middleware and solutions according to its RAD methodology. These solutions, which will include prototypes, customer applications and custom extensions to enterprise applications, will be based on the Microsoft Windows Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture and will utilize Microsoft COM+ technologies and the Microsoft Visual Studio suite of development tools.

In addition, Microsoft and Cambridge will collaborate to help clients build the necessary infrastructure to support these application areas. Cambridge will design and deploy network, messaging and intranet infrastructure solutions based on Microsoft Windows NT Server, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Internet Information Server and Microsoft Site Server and Site Server Commerce Edition.

Cambridge also plans to internally standardize worldwide on the Microsoft enterprise solutions platform across more than 4,300 desktops. This standardization includes deployment of Windows NT, BackOffice, Microsoft Site Server, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Exchange for global messaging and collaboration.

About Cambridge Technology Partners

Cambridge Technology Partners (Nasdaq
“CATP”
) is a new breed of consulting and systems integration firm. Since its founding in 1991, the company has applied its unique core values to the consulting and application development markets to fundamentally reinvent the way business and technology solutions are delivered. Working within a fixed-time/fixed-price model, Cambridge’s services span management consulting, process innovation, custom and package software deployment (including ERP applications), networking and training to rapidly deliver end-to-end business systems that create immediate bottom-line impact for its clients. Cambridge has 53 offices and more than 4,300 employees worldwide. Cambridge can be found on the Web at http://www.ctp.com/ .

About Microsoft

Microsoft and its worldwide enterprise solution providers deliver a total solution: integrated platforms, powerful business applications and comprehensive global services that drive the success of its enterprise customers. Large organizations can work directly with Microsoft or choose among the many highly qualified Microsoft enterprise solution providers to implement solutions based on the Microsoft enterprise platform. Based on Microsoft best practices and supported by over 340,000 Microsoft Certified Professionals, almost 14,000 customers in 55 countries are realizing significant business value and competitive advantage from Microsoft’s worldwide enterprise solutions.

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, Visual Studio, Windows NT, BackOffice and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.


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