MPN Competency Evolution to Cloud

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More customers are demanding cloud solutions and that trend is expected to continue. IDC Research predicts that by 2020 “Greater Cloud Spending” will exceed $500B. With this continuing trend we need to evolve together and as such Microsoft is announcing MPN program changes. These changes will align Partners with earning a cloud competency, while streamlining the program.

Earning a cloud competency provides core competency benefits you’re already familiar with, including additional Internal Use Rights (IURs), Visual Studio subscriptions, a monthly credit for Microsoft Azure, and a competency logo to help market yourself. Plus, you’ll get additional help to support providing cloud solutions, such as technical pre-sales assistance, unlimited Signature Cloud Support, and access to additional incentives. 

There are many tools to help Partners with this transition. The MPN Evolution page includes information on each of the competencies that are being retired from the Microsoft portfolio. We encourage you to visit this page for more information, including FAQs, transition timelines and the latest news. You can also read the blog post from Gavriella Schuster, General Manager, Microsoft Partner Network, as she explains the program strategy and provides greater details on the competency changes.

The MPN Evolution schedule has been designed to give you time to develop capabilities in cloud solutions, build new practices, transform your business, and transition into one or more of the cloud competencies available. 

July 30, 2016 is the last day to sign up for a retiring competency. We will no longer accept new applications for retiring competencies after July 31, 2016.

  • October 30, 2016 is the last day to renew a retiring competency. You must renew the retiring competency on or before your anniversary date or before October 30th, 2016, whichever is earlier. We will no longer accept renewals for retiring competencies after October 31, 2016.
  • January 30, 2018 is the last day to be active in a retiring competency. The competencies officially retire on January 31, 2018.

Next steps for MPN program members:

1) Go to the MPN Evolution page and read about the retiring competencies, FAQs, offers and other resources.

2) Use the MPN Evolution Competency Guide to understand the best path for your company.

3) Visit the Partner Membership Center to check your anniversary date and manage your competency membership.

If you have any questions about these changes, please contact Microsoft’s Regional Service Centre at 1-800-676-7658.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    June 04, 2016
    I host a Hyper-V server on my own hardware for a few non-profit organisations and tech individuals who want to use Windows but do not wish to host their online presence via a major hosting provider, be it Azure or whoever. I signed up to the SPLA as it was the only avenue I could host these services for them and be compliant with licensing. Obtaining a MPN ID is a requirement before I can sign up or renew my SPLA. The Hosting competency is targeted as part of the MPN Evolution. The way I am reading this "evolution" is that I will need to be generating a minimum of $100,000USD a year to maintain my MPN. If I can't maintain my MPN, then I can't renew my SPLA. Unless I am missing something big, this leaves me and most SMB hosting providers with no legal avenue to provide Microsoft based hosting off their own infrastructure. If this is the case, just curious why Microsoft don't want my money? Because if I am left with a choice of having to use a large hosting provider or moving myself and my customers to Linux, the choice is clear.
    • Anonymous
      June 13, 2016
      Hi John,The new Hosting option coming in the Cloud Platform competency does require a minimum of USD $100,000 SPLA revenue and/or Microsoft Azure customer consumption through CSP within the previous 12 months.That said, to maintain your SPLA, you do not need an MPN ID, nor do you need a Hosting (or any) competency to maintain your SPLA agreement.You can have an MPN ID without having a competency. There is no risk or requirements (ie: no cost, etc) from you to have an MPN ID. You would be considered a "network member". You do have some options (but they are not required):1) Sign up for the CSP program - an MPN ID would be required. 2) Sign up for Microsoft Action Pack (MAPS) in the MPN program which will allow you additional benefits such as internal use rights, that you wouldn’t have access to as a Network Member. CSP program info: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-CA/Solutions/cloud-reseller-overview MAPS: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-ca/membership/action-pack Hope this helps. Thanks.