development; prior to starting IDV Solutions, previous path, but the integration inherent in
Access to information.
n
Access to information. IDV Solutions now
they spent four years developing a data
visualization solution using Java. “We initially
chose the Java and Linux path because of our
expertise in those areas and because of the
perception that the technology was free,” says
Ian Clemens, Chief Technology Officer for IDV
Solutions. “But we discovered that we couldn’t
get a product to market fast enough. With
open source software, we were dealing with
scattered technologies, scant documentation,
and no integration.”
In some cases, IDV Solutions found that Java,
Linux, and other open-source technologies
didn’t do what they claimed or lacked support
because they were developed by individuals.
“One product was built by a guy in a basement
somewhere—we can’t market to Fortune 1000
enterprises and government organizations
with a product that isn’t based on
technologies backed by a legitimate
company,” says Clemens.
Solution
IDV Solutions decided to switch to the
Microsoft® .NET Framework and the Microsoft
Visual Studio® 2005 development system.
“We felt that if we based our products on
Microsoft technologies, we would be able to
make great gains in terms of both
development time and product acceptance,”
says Jim Keenan, Director of Business
Development for IDV Solutions. “Plus,
Microsoft technologies would provide us with
a solid foundation for growth.”
The IDV Solutions developers began working
with Visual Studio and were surprised at how
quickly they were able to build a solution,
even with no prior .NET–related experience.
“Within three months, we were able to
conduct a demonstration for a customer,”
says Clemens. “It probably would have taken
us another 18 months if we had stayed on our
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Document published March 2007
Microsoft products significantly decreased
our time-to-market.”
As it began to market its new offerings, IDV
Solutions had the opportunity to join the
Microsoft Partner Program. The company
became a Microsoft Registered Partner in
September 2004, and by the end of 2004,
IDV Solutions was a Microsoft Gold Certified
Partner. “It was easy to get involved, and we
quickly saw how much help we could receive
in developing and promoting our solutions,”
says Clemens.
One such solution helps organizations
handle contingencies, such as pandemics,
severe weather, natural disasters, acts of
terrorism, and political instability. For
example, a large oil company uses an
application from IDV Solutions to respond to
hurricane threats in the Gulf of Mexico. With
it, the customer can see its assets and
personnel, along with weather predictions
and risk-analysis data, all visually
consolidated and overlaid on a map using
Microsoft Virtual Earth™ mapping software
and Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server
2007. When there’s potential for a
hurricane, the customer can use the
application to see which of its personnel and
assets lie in the path of the incoming storm
and determine its best course of action.
Benefits
Being a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
contributes to the continued success of IDV
Solutions. “Microsoft is a fantastic partner
because it has a vested interest in seeing its
partners succeed,” says Keenan. “Rather
than competing with its partners, Microsoft
has supported us in at every turn, including
helping us to develop valuable strategic
partnerships with other partners in its
program.” Benefits include:
has early information about new product
releases, conferences, and technical
opportunities. “We also get to work closely
with some of the product teams, so we
know what’s going into the upcoming
Microsoft products and can develop our
own solutions with that knowledge in mind
to provide better value for customers,”
says Clemens.

Marketing assistance and lead
generation. The company has made the
most of the publicity and exposure offered
by the partner program, even appearing
on stage with Bill Gates at the May 2006
CEO Summit. “As a small organization, we
have limited resources,” says Keenan.
“It’s extremely advantageous for us to tap
into the Microsoft marketing machine—
we’ve had the chance to show off our
products in ways that we could not have
done on our own.”

Increased legitimacy. IDV Solutions has
found that its partnership with Microsoft
lends validity to both the company and its
products. “Trying to convince an
enterprise organization to adopt an
assortment of operating systems and
widgets is risky,” says Clemens.
“Customers are more accepting of a
Microsoft-based solution because they
already know and trust Microsoft
technologies.”

Increased revenue. The support and
visibility that it has received has had a
significant positive effect on the
company’s bottom line. “Thanks in large
part to our participation in the Microsoft
Partner Program, we’ve experienced more
than 100 percent revenue growth every
year, and there’s no sign of that slowing
down,” says Clemens.