Logicalis today announced it has attained Gold Certified status in the Microsoft Partner Programme in recognition of its expertise in the implementation and management of Unified Communications (UC) solutions for business. As a Gold Certified Partner, Logicalis has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and a proven ability to meet customers’ needs in implementing Microsoft’s portfolio of UC products based on Live Communication Server (LCS), its client Office Communicator and including Microsoft Speech Server, Active Directory and Microsoft's various mobility solutions. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Logicalis will receive a rich set of benefits including access to a variety of exclusive resources and early product information including training, support and non-disclosure evaluation of new products and technologies, to ensure it remains up to speed on the latest Microsoft product developments and future market trends. Logicalis is a committed advocate of ubiquitous IP communications and improving the way individuals, groups and companies interact and perform. Its newly acquired Gold Certified Partner status will add further credibility to the company’s UC Centre of Expertise which includes strategic partnerships with BT, Cisco, HP and IBM, and will be a vital component of fulfilling Logicalis’ aim to become a dominant supplier in the UC sector. “Microsoft’s recognition of our expertise in the field of Unified Communications, with Gold Certified Partner status, is further proof that Logicalis is the best long-term partner for customers who want to stay ahead in the race to take advantage of today’s’ changing communications opportunities. Microsoft and Logicalis have an aligned vision of the changes shaping the work place, and the benefits advancements in UC, presence and collaboration will deliver to enable people-centric and rich, intuitive working environments,” says Tom Kelly, UK managing director, Logicalis. Karl Noakes, director of the Partner Development Group at Microsoft, said: “Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities. They need to trust in someone 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. As a Microsoft Gold Certified partner, Logicalis can offer its customers the reassurance of a truly professional organisation with the backing of Microsoft's resources.” As one of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Status, Logicalis 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. Designed to provide additional benefit and support to partners specialising in collaboration, portals and other productivity solutions, the Information Worker Solutions Competency is utilized by Gold Certified Partners that provide their customers with solutions built on familiar programs which enable them to better manage, prioritise and collaborate on increasing volumes of information. Partners, such as Logicalis, that have obtained the Information Worker Solutions Competency have demonstrated an ability to help customers realise increased service revenues and new market opportunities. Specialisations within the competency are Enterprise Project Management, Messaging and Collaboration, Office System Desktop Development, and Portals and Enterprise Content Management. “Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers with the Microsoft Office system,” said Karl Noakes, director of the Partner Development Group at Microsoft. “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.” The Microsoft Partner Programme was launched in December 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.