News

Microsoft Partners with Directory Management ISVs

• By Scott Bekker
• March 17, 1999

The agreements are separate and distinct, but Microsoft is offering the same thing to all three independent software vendors (ISVs). Microsoft will take joint ownership of customer issues, share technical support information and enable experts from Microsoft and the ISVs to work together as a team. The result for customers will be seamless support, even when incidents involve both Windows NT and directory management software from the ISV.

"We’re trying to make a single, unified approach to support, rather than sending customers back and forth between us and Microsoft," says Olivier Thierry, vice president of marketing with Mission Critical.

Under the agreements, Microsoft will work with the ISVs to cross-train support professionals, share technical information such as white papers, knowledge bases, product updates and best practices for solving customer issues as well as provide a 24x7 problem-solving path.

When the program is up and running, which the companies expect to happen within approximately 30 days, either the directory management ISV or Microsoft will be better equipped to handle the call, and both companies will write up a trouble ticket and follow the problem to a resolution.

The companies are also investigating the development of an electronically linked support system for immediate access among support professionals at the various companies. – Thomas Sullivan, Senior Reporter/Northwest Correspondent