AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/NEWSdesk -- Microsoft opened its second technology center in Austin, Texas on October 12, called the Microsoft Technology Center (MTC-Austin). The industry partners will be led by Dell, one of the world's most successful e-businesses with more than $50 million per day in online sales, to serve its dot com customers.
MTC-Austin is a 12,000-square foot development with individual labs that boast a hardware rich setting configured to match each customer's deployment environment. Incorporating advanced tools from Microsoft, Dell and other industry partners, customers have access to a variety of service offerings including scalability and testing, transaction cost analysis, security assessments and hardware and software compatibility.
Customers can also explore new and developing Microsoft technologies. Microsoft hopes to enable customers to develop, test and fine-tune their online capabilities in order to move them quickly to market.
"We wanted to match our proven e-commerce solutions with the escalating needs of today's dot com community," said Peter Boit, vice president, Microsoft E-Commerce Solutions Group. "As a booming market for e-businesses, Austin is an ideal location to establish this resource."
Adds Bob Laskey, managing consultant, Microsoft E-Commerce Practice, "The Microsoft Technology Centers offer customers wishing to capitalize on cornerstone Microsoft.NET technologies the service, infrastructure and development environment to accelerate their projects and reduce their risk."
Dell joins Microsoft to power the MTC - Austin with extensive computing resources, including several high-end PowerEdge servers, PowerApp Web appliance servers, PowerVault storage systems, and Precision workstations.
"This center is another milestone in the collaboration between Microsoft and Dell to bring e-commerce solutions to the marketplace," said Gene Austin, vice president for worldwide marketing, Dell Enterprise Systems Group. "This working lab will help customers develop and test next-generation e-commerce technologies and further demonstrate the value of Windows platforms and industry-standard systems for powering e-business."
Also joining Microsoft and Dell to provide additional tools and services for the MTC are: APC Corp., BMC Software, CyberSource, EMC Corp., Epicenter Inc., FG SQUARED, Giganet Inc., Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Interwoven Inc, Rainbow Technologies and Symantec Corp.
Operational since August 21, the Austin facility has already begun supporting customers with site development and launch preparation. eCertain, an Austin-based Internet company, has utilized the MTC to fine-tune multiple components of their site.
"Microsoft is a true partner. As we roll out eCertain's Digital Certainty service, it's essential to remain focused on performance, scalability and the user experience," said Neil Iscoe, CEO, eCertain. "The Microsoft Technology Center, as well as the 'can do' attitude of their talented staff, has greatly contributed to our ability to provide the confidentiality, integrity and accountability that our customers require."
In addition to MTC - Austin, a center was recently opened in Boston. Microsoft also plans to launch locations in Toronto, Chicago and Silicon Valley during the next six months.
