| FAR Attains Gold Certified Partner Status in Microsoft Partner Program |
Ottawa, Canada — April 14, 2010 — FAR, a leading information today announced it has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program with a competency in Networking Infrastructure Solutions and Information Worker Solutions recognizing FAR’s expertise and impact in the technology marketplace. As a Gold Certified Partner, FAR has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and a proven ability to meet customers’ needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in the channel.
“FAR is thrilled to have attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program. This allows us to clearly promote our expertise and relationship with Microsoft to our customers,” said Osama Faris, FAR’s chief executive officer. “The benefits provided through our Gold Certified Partner status will allow us to continue to enhance the offerings that we provide for customers.”
An information technology managed services provider (MSP) with 50 networks globally, FAR is one of a growing number of information technology firms that specialize in solving very complicated IT challenges cost-effectively for small and medium businesses. A boutique, the company provides on-site and remote network monitoring, systems architecture and design services and unified communications solutions to a global, Microsoft-centric customer base. FAR is also a Microsoft Small Business Specialist.
“Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities,” said Allison Watson, corporate vice president of the Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft Corp. “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 recognizes FAR as a new Gold Certified Partner for demonstrating its expertise in providing customer satisfaction using Microsoft products and technology.”
As one of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Partner status, FAR 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. Within select Competencies, there are Specializations that focus on specific solution areas that recognize deeper expertise within that Competency. Serving as a specialized path to earning those Competencies, Specializations give direct access to the tools and resources that support that specific area of focus.
The Information Worker Solutions competency is for partners that have demonstrated proficiencies in Microsoft information worker technologies. These partners are equipped to address key customer challenges by developing solutions and deploying services based on the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Specializations within this competency include Search, Data Visualization, Enterprise Project Management, Portals and Collaboration, Office Solutions Development, Enterprise Content Management, and Office Systems Deployment.
“Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers leveraging the Microsoft Office system,” said Jigish Avalani, managing director, Microsoft IW Partner Ecosystem. “The value of solutions competencies is that they enable Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners meeting their customer needs. And for partners, the opportunity to highlight their expertise to customers is tremendous in the growing information worker solutions market.”
Microsoft partners enrolled in the Networking Infrastructure Solutions Competency have proven their proficiency in implementing solutions based on Microsoft’s Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 Operating Systems, or Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008. 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 Ward Ralston, group product manager for Windows Server at Microsoft Corp. “Solutions competencies provide an integrated partnering framework that recognizes 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 broad knowledge of building wide-ranging solutions based on Microsoft technologies, such as setting up networks using Windows Server 2008 and the Windows Essential Server Solutions product line.”
The Microsoft Partner Program 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.
About FAR
FAR is a leading provider of Microsoft-centric IT managed services in Ottawa's National Capital Region. A boutique that focuses on delivering excellence in customer service, FAR delivers enterprise level quality, professionalism and know-how at a small business price point. FAR's services include network planning and deployment, systems integration, onsite and remote technical support, as well as unified communications. FAR is the intelligent choice for aggressive, competitive small and medium-sized businesses who demand nothing but excellence from their network and premium, hands-on technical support services.
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For more information:
Vincent Guihan
Chief Marketing Officer
FAR
(613) 727-1115 ext 301
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