The Australian based developer attained the certification based on the release of its enterprise and asset and maintenance management software suite, Mainet (rhymes with Renee).

The application had been in development since 2002 and was built from the ground up using Microsoft's .NET platform, Mainpac CEO James Kirk said.

".Net was vital in Mainet's development because it allowed us to develop and deploy a solution across multiple sites and enterprises while being cost efficient and very effective," he said.

Kirk said the Gold partner accreditation was a rigorous process that required the company to attain customer references and to submit the software to Microsoft for independent assessment.

"It was a lengthy process but the branding is excellent for us and in real terms it keeps us on the front foot with the latest Microsoft innovations," Kirk said.