Microsoft has started a competition to find the best British network designer.

The competition has two parts: the DesignIT award for most innovative network; and the DesignIT for Charity award in which IT professionals can design a network costing up to £15,000 for the charity of their choice.

The DesignIT winner must submit an "innovative and elegant design" with a brief explanation of its strengths and benefits. The winner will win an all expenses paid trip to the Ice Hotel in Sweden, and presumably a chilling night in.

The DesignIT for Charity winner will have their design paid for and built by Microsoft engineers for the named charity. The network can be platform agnostic and use any combination of proprietary and open source designs.

"IT is now a central part of all our lives," said Bruce Lynn, director of server technologies at Microsoft UK, and chairman of the DesignIT judging panel.

"Whether it's through the PC on the office desk or the in-car satellite navigation system that guides you home, the practical 'nuts and bolts' contributions of IT professionals are clear, but the creativity they apply is often less appreciated.

"DesignIT is about giving IT professionals the recognition they deserve for being great designers and innovators."

The competition runs until Wednesday 3 May and full entry details can be found here.