IBM, Software Vendors Team to Make Netfinity Server- and Windows NT-Based Solutions Easy
ServerProven Program Helps Resellers and Customers “Snap” Together Netfinity Hardware and Windows NT-based Business Software
Somers, N.Y (November 13, 1998) – In the one year since its introduction, the IBM Netfinity ServerProven program (FN) has become an unqualified hit with solution developers, value added resellers and end users — yielding one of the largest published collection of Windows NT-based business applications compatability tested for any server platform.
To date, more than 300 applications from 200 vendors — including those for accounting, financial management, health care, distribution, manufacturing, engineering, retail, telephony, construction, and property management — have received the IBM Netfinity ServerProven Value Mark, indicating that the software has been compatibility tested for specific configurations of IBM Netfinity servers and options.
“The Netfinity ServerProven Solutions’ program gives commercial software developers the opportunity to test their business solutions on Netfinity servers in real-world environments, minimizing integration risks and offering smoother installation and more reliable implementation for end users,” says Kate Connolly, Program Director, Netfinity Worldwide ServerProven Solutions. “The program’s success has exceeded even our expectations.”
Netfinity Team Brews Up Solution for Leading Coffee Company
Typical of the program’s ability to meet the diverse needs of ISVs, VARs and end users alike is the case of Evans Quality Coffee. When the Moonachie, N.J.-based coffee distributor added water delivery to its routes earlier this year, it realized it was quickly outgrowing its old server and needed a better way to schedule its deliveries, track equipment repairs and create useful financial reports.
IBM’s line of Netfinity servers and the ServerProven program proved to be the solution.
“We decided to go with the IBM Netfinity platform, based on recommendations from both the software supplier, PC Data Processing, and the systems integrator, NWS Corp.,” says Lou Geraci, Vice President for Evans Quality Coffee. “The Netfinity 5500 not only gave us the enterprise level functionality we need today, it also provides an upgrade path to the latest Intel Pentium II Xeon processor. It was important for us to have the right processing power and scalability to grow. We wanted to start right and not have to worry about changing out the whole server in the future.”
For PC Data Processing, Evans Quality Coffee’s software supplier, the decision to turn to the Netfinity ServerProven program was an easy one. “IBM’s ServerProven program offered the added confidence that all this technology works together,” says Lorraine Keating, President, PC Data Processing Inc., which developed the “Visual WaterMate” software chosen by Evans to run their operation.
Reducing concern over hardware/software compatibility by reseller partners such as PC Data Processing is precisely the reason AccountMate joined the ServerProven Solutions program. “We tested our software to run on IBM Netfinity servers, selecting configurations that run Visual AccountMate at peak performance,” said Bob Steps, Vice President of Corporate Development at AccountMate. “By selecting a ServerProven Solution, our resellers will spend their valuable time fine tuning the solution, not waiting for some hardware problem to be resolved.”
Says Glenn Mulhare, President of NWS Corp., the Netfinity integrator that PC Data Processing partnered with for the Evans Quality Coffee project: “All equipment aside, the reason we recommend Netfinity servers is largely based on the idea of getting proven, tested, solution software, coupled with dedicated service and support from IBM. This is something we just don’t see from most of the other hardware manufacturers out there.”
IBM Lends Its Marketing Muscle to ServerProven Program Members
What started as a technical assistance program a little over a year ago has grown into both a technical and marketing program. As it marks its first birthday this November, the Netfinity ServerProven program is expanding to include a wide range of joint marketing programs between participating independent software vendors and IBM.
Already, charter ServerProven members Great Plains, AccountMate, QAD, SAGE, Macola, CallWare, Com2001 and Symix are jointly marketing their ServerProven Solutions with IBM. The first elements of this effort were demonstrated in a regional advertising campaign that included local radio and TV spots coupled with print and direct mail demand generation. This campaign targeted small and medium businesses seeking accounting and manufacturing solutions.
IBM also has begun a radio and television advertising campaign aimed at educating businesses about the advantages of its Netfinity server line. “Being a small business owner is great,” one radio ad states. “You’re the boss. You work as hard as you want, go home when you want, and when you go to sleep, so does your business. Not so great. The solution? Be an e-business, one that’s open 24/7 on the Web. Start with an IBM Netfinity server, featuring the Intel Pentium II processor. It’s sleek. It’s powerful. It starts at less than $2600.” (Estimated reseller price. Actual price may vary)
Source: IBM