Microsoft Picks Keynote Systems as Certification Partner

Microsoft Corp. (www.microsoft.com) announced the enhancement of the Windows Media® Hosting Provider Certification Program with the addition of the Premier designation and chose Keynote Systems Inc. (www.keynote.com) as its certification partner.

"This certification program gives content owners confidence that certified hosting providers have been evaluated and tested to ensure they have the technical expertise to deliver the best the Windows Media platform has to offer," said Jonathan Usher, director of the Windows® Digital Media Division at Microsoft.

The first providers to upgrade their certification to this new level are Akamai Technologies Inc., Limelight Networks, Nine Systems Corp., SAVVIS Communications Corp. and VitalStream Inc.

To achieve Premier certification status, members of the program must pass stringent network quality assurance tests administered by Keynote Systems using its Streaming Perspective® service. T

Since its inception in December 2002, the Windows Media Hosting Provider Certification Program has been a symbol of proven excellence in the delivery of Windows Media Audio and Video streams.

Keynote is The Internet Performance Authority due to the company's global infrastructure of over 1,600 measurement computers in more than 50 cities worldwide that capture and store on a daily basis over 40 million Internet.