CLRS/MSFT/CSCO Text of news story:
Microsoft and Cisco Collaborate to Provide ASPs With End-to-End Solution
for Deploying Hosted Applications and Services
Clarus, Great Plains and Pivotal to Team With ASPs
REDMOND, Wash., and SAN JOSE, Calif. - Oct. 26, 1999 - Microsoft Corp. and
Cisco Systems Inc. today announced they will collaborate to provide application
service providers (ASPs) with an end-to-end solution for deploying outsourced
applications and services. The two companies are delivering industry-leading
infrastructure and support while working with independent software vendors (ISVs)
such as Clarus Corp., Great Plains and Pivotal Corp. to provide specific service
offerings to midsize businesses in corporate purchasing, business management and
customer relationship management, allowing ASPs to offer these services to
customers.
Today's announcement enables midsize companies to leverage these powerful
business applications with minimal IT resources. Hosted applications give
customers an alternative to the resource-intensive process of deploying and
managing complex applications internally by providing a cost-effective scalable
method to rapidly deploy solutions with a reduced initial investment.
To ensure that customers receive the highest level of expert support, Microsoft and
Cisco have formed alliances with best-in-class ASPs, enabling them to rapidly and
reliably deploy services and applications to customers. These ASPs are able to
meet customer expectations for reliability, security and performance by deploying
hosted application solutions on Cisco Systems' intelligent networking infrastructure
and the Microsoft® Windows NT® Server operating system. Building on a series of
partnerships, equity investments and pilots, these ASPs now offer a wide variety of
application hosting services on the Windows NT Server platform, Microsoft SQL
Server™ 7.0 database, Site Server Commerce Edition and Cisco networking
solutions.
"We are excited about the opportunity to work with Cisco, as well as several leading
ISVs and application hosting providers, to better meet customer demand for
integrated hosted solutions and business services based on the Microsoft
BackOffice® family and Cisco networking solutions," said Thomas Koll, vice
president, Network Solutions Group, Microsoft. "To accelerate the deployment of
services, ASPs can leverage Microsoft and Cisco's combined expertise and
programs in regard to marketing, operations and sales."
Customers will also benefit because the installation process will be simplified,
allowing them to concentrate on their core business competencies. The Microsoft
and Cisco alliance enables ASPs to offer other value-added services, such as
business, commerce and knowledge management services, that differentiate their
solutions in the industry. The teamwork between Microsoft, Cisco, the ISVs and the
ASPs also will streamline the implementation and management of hosted
application services for customers, resulting in reduced total cost of ownership.
"Microsoft and Cisco, together with our ISV teammates, have opened new customer
segments for ASPs, allowing customers to implement new technology solutions
that will enhance their business productivity," said Eugene Lee, vice president of
marketing for Cisco Systems' Small/Medium Line of Business. "Our efforts today
build on Microsoft's participation in the Cisco Hosted Application Initiative, which is
designed to provide businesses of all sizes with access to powerful applications that
were previously beyond their reach. It also creates an emerging ecosystem of
technology partners that are best able to meet customer needs."
Packaged Services Provide ASPs With a Framework for Deploying Hosting
Solutions
Starting today, ASPs interested in offering business services as part of an
end-to-end hosting solution for midsize customers can download deployment kits
designed to accelerate their ability to provide services for corporate purchasing,
business management and customer relationship management. Each deployment
kit includes a customizable sales presentation, a customer demonstration, an
integrated software and hardware configuration and installation guide, and a
partnership sales guide, as well as a technical white paper ("End-to-End Platform for
ASPs") on how to deploy these services within an intelligent network infrastructure
and server configuration that scales to meet customer needs. More information on
the deployment of these services is available at
microsoft.com or
cisco.com.
To date, these services are offered by the following application hosting service
providers: Data Return Corp., DIGEX Inc., FutureLink, Interliant Inc., QWEST
Cyber.Solutions, The Taylor Group and USInternetworking Inc.
"Microsoft and Cisco's grasp of the speed and direction in which this market is
developing is reflected in their internal commitment," said Clare Gillan, vice
president, Applications and Information Access, International Data Corp. "These
new services are creating a framework for deploying line-of-business and commerce
services through ASPs to help meet the needs of customers wanting rapid
deployment and better cost and performance."
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems (Nasdaq "CSCO") is the worldwide leader in networking for the
Internet. Cisco news and information are available at cisco.com.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software 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.
Microsoft, Windows NT and BackOffice are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of
Cisco Systems Inc. in the United States and other countries. The use of the word
"partnership" does not imply a partnership between Cisco and any of its resellers.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective
owners.
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