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Headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with 17,000 employees, Avaya is a global provider of business communications applications, systems, and services. To manage all of the hardware and software in an enterprise IP telephony network, Avaya created an application in 2005 called the Hosted Solution Element Manager (HSEM), which it built using the Microsoft® .NET Framework 1.1. To make the HSEM more efficient and easier to manage, Avaya upgraded the HSEM using the Windows® Workflow Foundation and Windows Communication Foundation functionality in the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0. The result is key HSEM functions that run automatically, without manual operation. Some operations run a hundred times faster in the new version, and the performance gains mean less costly, more reliable operations for Avaya’s customers.
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Choicelinx is a subsidiary of CIGNA HealthCare and provider of health benefits technology solutions. Both companies are committed to advancing consumer-driven products that will redefine the benefits industry. Choicelinx’s Benefits Configurator decision-support tool and online enrollment application allow consumers to tailor their health benefits packages and enroll in them over the Internet. Choicelinx teamed with Microsoft to create a solution that would extend personalization capabilities to partner enrollment applications while maintaining a seamless consumer experience. Using Microsoft® Windows® Communication Foundation, developers created the Choicelinx Authenticator—a Web service that supports cross-authentication and eliminates the need for separate sign ins to multiple systems. The solution also supports a quick adoption and can be tailored to meet the needs of each partner.
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In the 1970s, Crutchfield’s car stereo catalogs revolutionized the industry by catering to do-it-yourself audio enthusiasts. Today, Crutchfield leads in expertise and service for a range of consumer electronics and relies on IT to support a growing and diverse online presence. While the company’s entrepreneurial approach to building systems resulted in unique and valuable capabilities, it also made those systems difficult to manage. In order to increase business agility, Crutchfield needed to move to a service-oriented architecture where applications share core services. To help solve interface issues and ease development of these new services, Crutchfield chose Windows® Communication Foundation, part of the Microsoft® .NET Framework 3.0. Using the service-oriented architecture of Windows Communication Foundation, Crutchfield expects to respond more quickly to business needs.
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Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group serves value-conscious travelers through its familiar brands, Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental. However, modifications to the company’s COBOL, mainframe-based, car rental system were time consuming. Dollar Thrifty remedied its problems by using Microsoft® .NET Framework 3.0 (formerly WinFX®) with Windows® Workflow Foundation and Windows Communication Foundation. To create the company’s next-generation car rental application, codenamed Rent Our Cars (ROC), developers are using Microsoft Visual Studio® Team Edition for Software Developers, and designing ROC to take advantage of Windows Server® 2003 today and the Windows Vista™ operating system in the future. With a consistent programming model, Dollar Thrifty improves developer productivity and connects emerging technologies and devices with existing systems.
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Kiwibank has quickly grown to become a leading New Zealand retail bank with half a million customers, largely due to a strong brand proposition, rapid product deployment, and a “can-do” attitude. When the bank wanted to deliver a better, more consistent customer experience, it turned to the Microsoft® .NET Framework 3.0 programming model. In-house programmers relied on Windows® Communication Foundation and Windows Workflow Foundation to simplify, automate, connect, and future-proof disparate services and systems. Now, programmers, business analysts, and IT staff alike can be more productive and efficient. More importantly, with a seamless, secure, and reliable connection across product channels and platforms, Kiwibank can provide a superior customer experience.
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German retailing giant OTTO is always looking for ways to offer innovative shopping experiences. A pioneer in multichannel retailing, OTTO is known for its specialized mail-order catalogs that offer customers high-quality fashion, furnishings, and technology at good value. In order to extend its lead in retailing innovation, OTTO wanted to build a virtual store for fashion apparel—a shopping experience that would break through perceived barriers in online shopping. Working with Microsoft®, Microsoft Gold Certified Partner ATE Software, and design specialists from SinnerSchrader, OTTO built the groundbreaking OTTO Store application that takes full advantage of the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 programming model and Windows Vista™ operating system capabilities. The solution provides customers with stunning visuals and secure e-commerce functions.
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Schneider Electric works with partners and customers worldwide to build and deploy the electrical systems that power homes, workplaces, and industrial machinery. The company relies on the deep area expertise of its 92,000 employees to make these projects possible. To empower its internal specialists and differentiate the company from competitors, Schneider Electric needed to connect its internal experts with partners and customers, and enable them to collaborate on projects. Schneider Electric worked with Microsoft® to build a proof-of-concept application design solution that integrates with the 2007 Microsoft Office system. The solution takes advantage of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 technologies for stunning visuals and seamless workflow across applications. With this conceptual solution, the company has the tools to build closer business relationships and launch new revenue streams.
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Over the past 20 years, asset managers at hundreds of firms have relied on Thomson Financial PORTIA® to securely and reliably account for and manage portfolios. Although PORTIA’s functionality is second-to-none, Thomson felt that customers and prospects needed a more modern approach to workflow. In two days, Thomson worked closely with architects at the Microsoft Technology Center in Waltham, MA, to design the future of PORTIA workflow, called PORTIA Workspace. In just six months, designers and programmers created the Workspace by using the Microsoft® .NET Framework 3.0 application programming interface and cutting-edge Microsoft design and development software. The highly customizable PORTIA Workspace is poised to take advantage of advances in the Windows Vista™ operating system, extend the value of a trusted Thomson brand, and help asset managers achieve unprecedented efficiency.
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