EMC and Microsoft Form Strategic Alliance to Enhance Enterprise Computing Capabilities

Strategic Insights -

EMC Corporation and Microsoft Corporation announced a comprehensive strategic alliance aimed at empowering organizations worldwide to build and deploy robust, reliable, and manageable business solutions using Microsoft's Windows 2000 Server network operating system. The alliance brings together EMC's leading storage solutions and services with Data General's end-to-end solutions and services to address the computing needs of customers with the most demanding information technology environments. As part of the agreement, Data General is offering a 99.9 percent uptime service guarantee for Windows 2000, enhancing its high-availability solutions for customers running mission-critical operations on Microsoft enterprise platforms.

Key Takeaways:

  • The alliance will focus on providing storage networking solutions for Windows NT Server and Windows 2000 operating systems using EMC storage systems and software.
  • The companies will deliver a suite of packaged, end-to-end solutions combining Data General's "In-a-Box" products, Cluster-in-a-Box, Exchange-in-a-Box, and TermServer-in-a-Box, along with lifecycle services and a 99.9 percent uptime service guarantee for Windows 2000, Windows NT Server 4.0, Exchange Server, and SQL Server 7.0.
  • The alliance will enable easy upgrades from Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2000 Server and establish highly available, scalable, and manageable Exchange messaging and collaboration environments.
  • The companies will drive the adoption and migration to Windows 2000 Server-based solutions for the healthcare market, addressing the unique requirements of hospitals, managed-care providers, and physician offices.
  • HomeLife, a large furniture retailer, has already started to see the benefits of the implementation, citing high-availability, reliability, and manageability benefits.
  • The companies have invested funds for joint marketing, certification, and training on Microsoft technologies, with Data General training and certifying 400 professionals as Microsoft Certified Solution Developers and Microsoft Certified System Engineers in the next 12 months.
  • EMC's Data General division will provide global support to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including solutions development in its target markets, and will engage Microsoft Premier Support Services to assist in providing this level of service for enterprise customers.

Statistics:

  • The alliance will focus on the Windows 2000 Server network operating system and related storage solutions.
  • The companies will develop and market integrated solutions using servers and services from Data General and EMC's storage solutions and services.
  • EMC and Data General will train and certify 400 professionals as Microsoft Certified Solution Developers and Microsoft Certified System Engineers in the next 12 months.
  • Data General has established Microsoft-focused Solution Centers for developing, delivering, and supporting Microsoft-based business solutions.

Sources:

  • "EMC and Microsoft Form Strategic Alliance to Enhance Enterprise Computing Capabilities"
  • "Microsoft and EMC Announce Strategic Alliance"
  • "Data General and Microsoft to Drive Adoption of Windows 2000 Server-based Solutions in Healthcare Market"
  • "EMC Corporation" (http://www.emc.com/)
  • "Data General" (http://www.dg.com/)