Microsoft reviews response to their second cloud profitability eBook, which finished its ‘rolling thunder’ rollout at WPC, and looks at what’s ahead to assist with partner profitability.
Office 365 business continues to show impressive growth, although Microsoft is impressing upon partners that the real money here doesn’t come from selling subscriptions, but in integrating it into other solutions and building their own custom offerings on top.
ConnectWise has built its Microsoft practice up massively in a very short time, and the full support for Azure should continue that trend.
BitTitan and DropBox will collaborate on an integrated go-to-market strategy where the services of each will be bundled together and available to both channels.
Sonus sees significant opportunities here for partners, who are their sole go-to-market in the enterprise space. They also announced their SBC portfolio has been certified for Skype for Business.
SkyKick offers a three-pronged cloud management solution which facilitates migration, backup and management, using a 100 per cent channel model. They recently extended the platform by adding the capacity for partners to offer a white-labelled syndicated version from their own websites.
The on-prem specialist announces it will make a belated entry into the cloud backup space, to allow existing partners to get both their on-prem and cloud products from a single vendor, and to expand their partner base among MSPs.
Data protection vendor Acronis announces a Backup Cloud Extension for Azure, as well as the future availability of a Backup Cloud Extension for Microsoft Azure Stack – which will be available when Microsoft releases Azure Stack.
The new IndependenceIT cloud management platform now uses Azure Active Directory for its authentication of record. Changes permitting multi-tenanted application delivery will also allow partners to push many more app services out, to the point the company’s licensing policies are being changed to accommodate this.
In addition to the Odin enhancements, Ingram Micro is emphasizing the relevance of their new referral program for Advisors, in the wake of Microsoft’s announcement that the program is being sunsetted.
Enterprise-focused cloud monitoring service Datadog also supports the rest of the Microsoft stack, and assisted by select channel partners, aspires to be a one-stop shop to monitor the Microsoft ecosystem.
Metalogix built up a strong business on a model where the channel business was limited and basically transactional. The company has now implemented a more complex go-to-market model in which an expanded channel with practices around migration is a key part.
The turnkey solutions are expected to build up Equinix’s base of MSP and VAR partners, something that has been a focus for the company this year. Equinix is especially interested in partners with strong Microsoft practices.
The SAP company’s program works on the referral model, and they think that the program will attract partners looking to extend their cloud business to this new sphere.
The series, done in collaboration with IDC and available as free downloads, will continue with a new chapter every month until the final one rolls out at WPC in July.
Microsoft announces its Worldwide Partner Conference will come to Toronto next summer, the third time WPC has come to the Canadian city.
Cloud Workspace Suite v 4.1 also includes enhancements to their API to make it easier for partners to integrate their own API on top.
As it proclaims that every partner needs to support cloud solutions, Microsoft prepares to roll its cloud program into the Microsoft Partner Network.
Channel chief says tablets will be available to all partners someday, but the software company has to learn how to sell hardware in the channel first
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer presents hybrid cloud as a step in the path to public cloud as the company further opens Office 365 to partner billing.
