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Wonderware Solution Provider Program
The Advantages of Certification
The January 2003 release of the Wonderware® Industrial Application Server, the first product built on the ArchestrA® industrial automation and information software architecture, has changed the typical solution provider's business environment. Upon its release, Wonderware immediately began to see a shift in application opportunities. The flexibility and power of the Industrial Application Server brought in opportunities for creating even more powerful applications and solutions. However, powerful applications sometimes meant more focus and emphasis on multifaceted concerns such as system framework, security, infrastructure and scalability issues — and customers have been relying more and more on solution providers to provide the answers because in-house engineering groups just didn't have enough resources to cope with the new requirements.
The involvement of IT Departments in implementing automation systems has also become an increasing trend, especially in key industries and strategic accounts executing Production and Performance Management Software Solutions. The demand for solution providers who can implement solutions that integrate manufacturing and business systems grew with the increasing requirement for multi-level projects.
Leverage Wonderware's Global Presence
Wonderware solution providers have one of the best opportunities in the market today. It has the largest installed base in the industry with more than 325,000 licenses in over 100,000 plants. Many of our customers have adopted the Industrial Application Server in their plants, and many of the existing customers will be moving their legacy systems into solutions that leverage ArchestrA technology.
Wonderware is continuing to drive customer adoption of the Industrial Application Server, and the many new features and enhancements offered by each new version. This adoption will ultimately affect all system integrators (SIs) , value-added resellers (VARs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as more customers want to fully leverage the ArchestrA technology.
Eventually, companies come to realize that not all solution providers are equal. Some provide better services than others. Others select a solution provider based on capabilities, which is measurable through product certification. When plant owners and end-users evaluate solution providers for their projects, they now rely on certification as an important metric to prove that an SI, VAR or OEM has the technical capabilities to do the job.
Why Is Certification Important?
Participation in the Wonderware Certification Program is ever-increasing because it provides value to Wonderware customers. Wonderware's current strategic initiatives dictate that key customers become directly involved with properly trained and certified solution providers. This is especially true for work requiring enterprise-to-plant-floor integration.
Who Pays Attention to Certification?
Wonderware customers have begun to pay attention to certification because they want to reduce their project risk and are moving out of in-house solutions. More importantly, customers want to avoid the syndrome of a provider "learning on the job" at their expense. Wonderware customers use the certification program to ensure that their projects will be completed on-time, and work when they are deployed.
Wonderware Distributors have also been putting a premium on certification and are increasingly working with certified solution providers in winning projects for large customers. They want to ensure successful project implementation and increase customer satisfaction to ensure repeat business.
