As a Gold Certified Partner, Accelerated Technology Laboratories (ATL) has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven ability to meet customers' needs
Accelerated Technology Laboratories has attained the status of Gold Certified Partner in the Microsoft partner programme with a competency in data management solutions and networking infrastructure solutions, recognising ATL's expertise and impact in the technology marketplace.
Microsoft gold certified partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in the channel.
ATL pioneered Windows-based Laboratory Information Management Systems (Lims) with Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle data management solutions in 1994.
Today, ATL's Lims and data management solutions are installed in over 350 laboratories around the world with over 10,500 users.
ATL's laboratory informatics solutions are described as powerful, flexible and scalable to meet the constantly changing data management requirements of today's laboratory.
"We are extremely pleased to have attained gold certified partner status in the Microsoft partner programme.
"This allows us to clearly promote our expertise and relationship with Microsoft to our customers," said Donald Kolva, president of ATL.
"The benefits provided through our gold certified partner status will allow us to continue to enhance the offerings that we provide for customers".
"Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities," said Allison Watson, vice president of the worldwide partner sales and marketing group at Microsoft.
"They need to trust in a company that can act as an expert adviser for their long-term strategic technology plans.
"Microsoft gold certified partners, which have certified expertise and direct training and support from Microsoft, can build a positive customer experience with our technologies.
"Today, Microsoft recognises Accelerated Technology Laboratories as a new gold certified partner for demonstrating its expertise providing customer satisfaction using Microsoft products and technology".
As one of the requirements for attaining gold certified partner status, ATL had to declare a Microsoft competency.
Microsoft competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner's capabilities with specific Microsoft technologies to customers looking for a particular type of solution.
Each competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry.
The data management solutions competency is designed for Microsoft certified and gold certified partners that have proved their competency in deploying data warehousing, online analytical processing, data mining, decision support and in-depth reporting solutions.
Specialisations within the competency are business intelligence and database management.
"Microsoft competencies make it easier for our partners to position their offerings to our mutual customers, better align their business with Microsoft's marketing initiatives and form closer relationships with other industry partners," said Bill Baker, general manager of business intelligence for SQL Server at Microsoft.
"Through the data management solutions competency, we can assist our industry partners' proficiency in developing and deploying business intelligence applications more quickly and easily, and help them align with our goal of making business intelligence solutions more pervasive and accessible to everyone".
Microsoft gold certified partners enrolled in the networking infrastructure solutions competency have proved their expertise in implementing technology solutions based on either the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Server operating system, with a particular focus on Microsoft Small Business Server 2000 and Windows Small Business Server 2003.
These implementations may include crafting solutions that connect Windows-based servers, PC locations and the Internet; installing a server farm; or building a small-business Windows Server stand-alone solution that includes file and print capabilities.
"We place tremendous value on our partners, which help us deliver solutions and applications to customers," said Allison Watson.
"Solutions competencies provide an integrated partnering framework that recognises an enterprise's expertise and rewards it for the effect it has in the technology marketplace.
"It also allows companies to demonstrate for customers their knowledge of building solutions based on Microsoft technologies, such as setting up networks using Windows Server 2003 R2 and Windows Small Business Server 2003".
The Microsoft partner programme was launched in October 2003 and represents Microsoft's ongoing commitment to the success of partners worldwide.
The program offers a single, integrated partnering framework that recognizes partner expertise, rewards the total impact that partners have in the technology marketplace, and delivers more value to help partners' businesses be successful.
