Microsoft announced that 47 applications and tools from 39 vendors qualified for Microsoft Data Warehousing Alliance 2000. Alliance members and partners are committed to delivering tools and applications based on the Microsoft Data Warehousing Framework 2000, an open architecture for building Business Intelligence (BI) and analytical applications based on the open standards and services built into the Windows 2000 operating systems, SQL Server 7.0, and Office 2000. The Microsoft Data Warehousing Framework simplifies and speeds data integration and expands customers’ ability to deliver valuable BI and analysis to decision-makers at all levels securely over the Web. Customers also benefit from having a comprehensive platform combined with the ability to seamlessly integrate best-of-breed tools and applications for competitive advantage. As a result, organizations using the framework and member products are able to better align local decision-making around key business drivers to harness the Web’s full potential to gain new customers, retain and extend customer relationships, and work more effectively with partners. “The delivery of business intelligence—combined with collaboration and relevant Web content—needs to be integrated into the working environment of knowledge workers to speed the process of turning information into results,” says Colin White, DataBase Associates International’s president. “The Microsoft Data Warehousing Framework 2000 makes it easy to build digital dashboard applications integrating business intelligence, collaboration, and Web content right into the environment …” For a complete list of alliance-qualifying companies, tools, and applications, see http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/todaynews.htm. Criteria and information about how member products support alliance standards and services are available at http://www.microsoft.com/industry/bi/developers/initiatives/initiatives.stm.