SINGAPORE--1 Jun--Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet/InfoQuest Datacraft, the region's leading independent IT solutions and services company, has signed an agreement to help a leading provider of microcontrollers and analog semiconductors, Microchip Technology, keep its network for its Asian production lines running smoothly. The chipmaker is making use of Datacraft's Uptime powered by Cisco Services to support and maintain its Thai network. Originally designed for local connectivity, the network in Thailand is now linked to its corporate network in the US and also controls the production line in Thailand. Microchip is relying on Datacraft to minimise the likelihood and impact of unplanned network downtime that could halt production and have a serious impact on order fulfilment. Uptime powered by Cisco Services is a collaborative service offering developed by the Datacraft-Cisco Global Services Alliance. By signing up for Uptime powered by Cisco Services, Microchip will benefit from Cisco's industry-leading technology expertise and problem escalation to the Cisco Technical Assistance Centre, as well as Datacraft's enhanced service value including robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and local language helpdesk support. With the support of this service, Microchip can enjoy quality onlineand on-site engineer support to minimise network downtime, thereby resulting in business continuity. "We have had a strong relationship with Datacraft since year 2001 and are confident of their expertise and ability to deliver. Uptime powered by Cisco Services allows us to increase our operating efficiency at a time when reducing costs and refocusing on our core business is essential to succeed in a highly competitive environment." said Mr. Kitti Thara, Principal Engineer, MicrochipTechnology. "This latest contract for the newly launched Uptime powered by Cisco Services is particularly exciting because it follows an in-depth search and evaluation exercise by Microchip to identify the most qualified Cisco Certified Gold partners for the job," said Somchart Kahna, General Manager, Datacraft Thailand. "Datacraft was an obvious choice -- being the only system integratorin Asia which has Cisco Gold Partner certification in all the 13 Asia Pacific countries in which we operate." "Microchip's bottom line was to ensure that its business was able to continue functioning, 24-hours a day even if there was a problem with network equipment. They chose Uptime powered by Cisco Services partly because of our existing six year track record and the compelling benefits offered by our Global Services Alliance with Cisco," said Kanha. "This is a significant evolution in our Global Services Alliance," said Dr. Tatchapol Poshyanonoda, Managing Director, Cisco Thailand. "By utilizing Uptime powered by Cisco Services, Microchip will have a collaborative maintenance service offering where they get Cisco's networking skills and Datacraft's systems integrator capabilities and in-depth customer knowledge. Microchip will get the collective expertise of both companies, combining the best of both worlds" In addition to traditional break-fix support such as troubleshooting and incident restoration within agreed upon service levels, Datacraft is providing consultancy and full 24x7 coverage as well as critical hardware spare parts which are pre-deployed and stored at Microchip's warehouse ready for use. As part of the SLA, Datacraft will respond to customer issues within 4 hours after it is lodged, thus ensuring quicker resolution of IT infrastructure problems. About Datacraft Datacraft is the leading independent IT services and solutions company in Asia Pacific. The company helps clients plan, build, support and manage their IT infrastructures. Datacraft combines an expertise in networking, security, Microsoft operating environments, storage and contact centre technologies, with advanced skills in consulting, integration and managed services, to craft IT solutions for businesses. A member of the Dimension Data Group, Datacraft is listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange and is a component company of the Straits Times Index. Headquartered in Singapore, Datacraft operates in more than 50 major offices and has over 1,300 employees across 13 Asia Pacific markets. More information can be found at http://www.datacraft-asia.com . Esther Quah (Datacraft Asia) Tel: +65-6322-6688 Email: [email protected] Bee Kee Lim (Datacraft Asia) Tel: +65-6322-6605 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Datacraft --Distributed by AsiaNet ( www.asianetnews.net )--