OneNet has become the only company across New Zealand to achieve Microsoft's Gold Hosting Partner status.

The software provider is keen to build on the success, hoping to attract more resellers in the near future.

To earn gold competency, companies require the right number of Microsoft Certified Professionals having passed different certification exams, while also submitting customer references and showing their commitment to customer satisfaction through annual surveys.

Branding the process "fairly long", OneNet's GM Roman Paljk says the status required numerous staff to sit through a variety of Microsoft exams, as well as submitting ten customer referrals.

"The longest component was the engineers certifications, it took 4 to 6 months," Paljk said.

"It could have been quicker but they had to fit in studying with other work," says Paljk.

"A total of five staff, with in excess of 50 years collective employment with OneNet, studied and passed the exams to achieve this certification.

Company founder and director Michael Snowden echoed Paljk's comments, saying OneNet saw a "rapid uptake of cloud hosting last year" and hopes to build on the momentum during the coming year.

“Every year we invest in achieving Gold level status because we believe that it shows our commitment to stay on top of Microsoft-related technologies, helps us maintain a strong relationship with Microsoft, and serves as a differentiator between OneNet and other organisations late into the cloud computing market," he says.

The company currently has 120 active business partners across New Zealand.