Microsoft has appointed Bell Micro and Computer 2000 as the first two disties to qualify as Value Add Distributors(VAD).

The two were appointed 1 January. The scheme offers "additional rewards" for disties focussed on new and less mature technologies.

The VAD scheme focusses on security, unified communications and virtualisation.

To qualify for the programme, disties must show a business plan for one of the three technologies and agree a specific investment in terms of money and people. ®