PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc. has partnered with Microsoft to offer 50 free developer sandbox servers for a 30-day trial. Web developers now have a chance to work with full control on a collection of Microsoft website development applications in a dedicated server environment. Microsoft and PEER 1 invite developers to apply to participate in the sandbox. Once approved developers gain free root access to a server set up in PEER 1's San Antonio data center for 30 days with no contract and no obligation.

    As a bonus, developers who decide to order a server from PEER 1 at the end of the free sandbox server period will receive a Microsoft tool package, including Microsoft Expression Web ($299 value), Microsoft Expression Studio and Microsoft ASP.NET training ($1099 value), at no additional cost. "Our product has unique requirements and PEER 1 has not let us down. They have been great to work with, have earned our business and have proven to be a strong ally," said Lane Merrifield, Co-Founder.

    The 30-day free period is a unique opportunity for web developers and agencies to explore both the internal and external aspects of testing and developing a website and other online applications using some of the latest Microsoft software that has been pre-loaded into the sandbox server and is connected into PEER 1's extensive online network infrastructure.

    "This program is a good opportunity for developers in any field," commented John Zanni, director of hosting for the Microsoft Communications Sector. "Working together in a more collaborative and supportive environment enables developers to build better applications and compatible offerings, which can better meet customer needs and increase both business and customer revenue."

    "We are pleased to offer this great program that meets the needs of developers who want to explore new applications and ensure that they work well before exposing them in a production environment," stated Robert Miggins, vice president of business development for PEER 1. "With the sandbox servers we give developers the platform and tools they require to build applications, test, and deploy, all with a seamless experience."

The developer sandbox supports IIS 6, .ASP.NET 2.0 and PHP 5 and provides the following design and management tools:  
    - Microsoft Expression Studio: Expression Studio includes Expression Blend, Expression Web, and Expression Design - The professional design tools and innovative technologies in Expression Studio give you the flexibility and freedom to bring your vision to reality.
    - Microsoft Visual Studio Express Editions: Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition and Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition - This is the ideal tool for productively building object-oriented applications for Windows on the .NET Framework.
    - Microsoft Silverlight - A cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIAs) for the Web.
    - Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2005 - This tool contains features that will help your team develop data applications in a fraction of the time, helping to drive data to the corners of your business.