Microsoft Gold Partner certification acknowledges Infra's track record as a provider of innovative software solutions

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April 9, 2001

Following the successful testing and certification of Infra for Windows 2000 Server, EMC Infra has been certified as a Microsoft Gold Partner.

Infra is the first Australian company to be awarded Gold Partnership for Software Products. The certification acknowledges Infra's "deep technical competency in complex business solutions" and "track record in innovative solutions provision, application development and proven project management".

As stated by Microsoft, the test for Windows 2000 certification "is rigorous, but is endorsed for business-critical applications by analysts and enterprise customers alike, because it verifies features that make applications more robust and manageable, as well as ensuring applications are easier to use, or work with the latest technologies.

The stringent standards used in the certification program mean that all server applications that pass testing-those that bear the Certified for Microsoft Windows 2000 logo-will leverage the enterprise features of the Windows 2000 operating system to the greatest possible extent.

For Infra's clients, the certification ensures a faster time to market, fewer hours spent chasing problems, a shorter amount of time needed to test the application, an overall smoother deployment of Windows 2000 and associated applications, and the confidence that the Infra application will actually work correctly.

Windows 2000 certification follows independent testing of Infra by VeriTest Inc. in Los Angeles.

What is Windows 2000 certification?

The Windows 2000 certification program is based on a comprehensive specification developed by end users and others. The specification covers the core set of enterprise server features and functions in Windows 2000. VeriTest, an independent PC testing lab, administers the program.

Applications earn the certification from VeriTest, not from Microsoft. GartnerGroup claims that using applications that conform to the certification specification will result in lower total cost of ownership.

How does an application pass the program?

There are 700-plus pages on VeriTest's site that cover the specific tests run on the application seeking to be certified. In broad terms, the tests include:

Windows 2000 fundamentals (32-bit support, core application stability, long file names, etc.); install/uninstall procedures (certifying that the application doesn't try to replace files that are protected by Windows File Protection and that it installs shared files in the correct locations, etc.); user interface fundamentals (certifying that the application supports standard sizes, colors, font settings, etc.); Active Directory (which checks how the application uses Active etc.) and Security Services (which checks support of single sign-on required for certain types of applications). Advanced Server applications must also support Cluster Services (they must be able to install on two nodes and support failover, etc.).

The specification is a roadmap for building highly reliable applications for Windows 2000, and certification is a guarantee that the application will fully exploit the benefits and new features of Windows 2000.

For more information about the Gold Partner program, seewww.Microsoft.com/certpartnerandwww.veritest.com

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