Welcome to this week’s issue of the US Partner News Online. We’ll connect you to resources to help you be market-ready, connect with customers and prospects, and differentiate your business. You can read previous weeks’ issues at http://aka.ms/uspnewsletter.
If you’d like to see the next post in your email inbox, go to the main US Partner Community blog page and enter your email address under “Subscribe and follow” on the right hand side.
We provide real-time updates about the topics covered in this newsletter and other partner-related news and information on our US Partner Community Twitter feed.
To stay in touch with me and connect with other partners and Microsoft sales, marketing, and product experts, join our US Partner Community on Yammer and see other options to stay informed.
Top stories
What’s Next for Windows? Live Webcast on January 21
Tune in at 9:00AM Pacific Time on Wednesday, January 21 for a live webcast about what’s next for Windows 10. You’ll hear directly from senior leaders from the Operating Systems Group including Terry Myerson, Joe Belfiore, and Phil Spencer, as well as Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella.
Cloud Adoption Planning and Profitability Resources
If you’re just starting to evaluate your options for building a cloud-oriented business, we have resources to help, including a new playbook about Cloud Adoption Partner Profitability. You’ll learn about the opportunities and best practices for driving adoption of Microsoft cloud services, and explains the three cloud partner business models for increased profitability.
- Cloud Adoption Partner Profitability Playbook
- Weekly cloud profitability webcasts
- Our US Partner Community Yammer note is regularly updated as new resources become available
Sales and Licensing Excellence Webcasts: Dynamics CRM and Enterprise Mobility
Our Sales and Licensing Excellence webcasts connect you to Microsoft experts for product and licensing updates and real-life sales scenarios. Watch our recent Azure Government executive keynote and webcast on demand, and register for these upcoming training sessions. For the latest information about this series, go here.
- January 29: Sales Productivity Solution – How CRM Can Grow Your Revenue (Level 100)
- February 5: The Evolution of Enterprise Mobility (Level 100)
Renew Your Competency and Retain Your Benefits
Your Microsoft Partner Network silver or gold competency comes with the distinction of your company being among the top 5 percent of Microsoft partners. You can renew your competency up to 90 days prior to your company’s anniversary date in the Microsoft Partner Network. On our blog, we provide step-by-step guidance, tips, and links to what you need to know for a smoother renewal.
Resources
2014 in Review, and What’s Ahead in 2015
Phil Sorgen, the Microsoft Channel Chief and leader of the Worldwide Partner Group, reflects on the accomplishments of Microsoft and its partners in 2014, and shares what he sees as emerging trends in 2015.
Aligning Your Company’s Branding and Positioning with Microsoft
Our blog post explains how to showcase your company’s expertise, differentiate your business, and connect with new and existing customers through partner resources like Logo Builder and Microsoft Pinpoint. We also explain the basics about Microsoft brands and trademarks.
Catch Up on Office 365 Partner and Azure Partner Community Topics
Each month, our Partner Technology Strategists focus on a topic for the Office 365 Partner and Azure Partner communities, and share information about that topic through blog posts, community calls, Yammer, and newsletters. Go to our Microsoft US Partner YouTube channel to see previous calls on demand, and participate in these communities through the links below.
| Azure Partner Community | Office 365 Partner Community |
|
|
Windows Server 2003 End-of-Life Campaign
Show customers how to get the most from today’s technology by migrating to Microsoft Azure, Windows Server 2012 R2, and cloud services like Microsoft Office 365. Support for Windows Server 2003 ends July 14, 2015.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 Internal Use Rights Benefit
Microsoft Action Pack subscribers and competency partners now have access to internal use rights for the latest release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, both on-premises and Online versions. For Action Pack Subscribers, there is a sales requirement to earn CRM Online seats. Download this document for more details.
Training and certification
Stay informed about opportunities that align to your business and role. For real-time updates and reminders about upcoming training, follow @mslearningcurve on Twitter.
February Hot Sheet: Register for Training, Office Hours, and Community Calls
The Hot Sheet is a frequently updated schedule of live virtual and in-person training, Office Hours, and community calls that are coming in the next few weeks. The current Hot Sheet has listings for the rest of January, all of February,and into early March, so you can plan ahead. Subscribe to the US Partner Learning blog to receive the Hot Sheet in your email inbox.
Endpoint Zone with Brad Anderson: Biggest Month for Microsoft Intune Releases Ever
In this latest edition of the Endpoint Zone you’ll hear about the biggest month yet in Microsoft Intune releases. Brad and Simon discuss Intune Secure Browser, Exchange On-Prem, and Office 365 conditional access and other groundbreaking new features.
January 21: Cloud Profitability Program Webcast
The weekly Cloud Profitability web series features streaming videos to help Microsoft partners learn how to become profitable in the cloud. On January 21 at 8:30AM Pacific Time, learn P&L Modeling for Office 365.
January 22–23: Partner Technical Services Practice Accelerator for SMB Partners Partner Technical Services has just introduced a new Office 365 Practice Accelerator for SMB. From January through March, you can take this new training offering at no cost. In this Practice Accelerator, you will learn fundamental deployment principles and processes that lead to repeatable successful deployments of Office 365 for small and medium business customers.
Microsoft WebCamp for Developers
Take your websites to the next level with the new release of ASP.NET and Web Tools for Visual Studio 2013. Learn how to build a cutting-edge site, deploy and scale it fast with Microsoft Azure. Join us for Microsoft WebCamp for Developers in Chevy Chase, Detroit, Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York.
Featured video
Watch this video, a recording of the January 8 Office 365 Partner Community call about security, privacy, and compliance—topics that are top of mind for many of your customers. Guest speaker, Vijay Kumar, explains how you can keep data safe in Office 365; understand how Office 365 ensures your customers' data is kept secure, private, and compliant with industry standards and regulations; and provides an overview of the controls available to tune up or tune down security within an Office 365 environment and tailor the experience for each customer.
Calendar through January 30
The list below is a sampling of upcoming partner calls, training, and events. Refer to the February Hot Sheet for a comprehensive, frequently updated list covering the next several weeks.
Week of January 19–23
- January 19–20 – Partner Technical Services: Starter Kit for Enterprise Mobility Suite
- January 19–23 – Azure Partner Practice Enablement (PPE): Technical Training
- January 19 – Partner Technical Services: Ask the Experts Communications – Unified Messaging
- January 20 in Los Angeles, CA – Microsoft WebCamp for Developers
- January 20 – Tap into Microsoft’s new Cloud Virtual Machine Disaster Recovery Solution
- January 20 – Windows Apportal Office Hours
- January 20 – Creating the Digital Bank
- January 20 – Resource Management and Team Collaboration with Microsoft PPM
- January 20 – QuickLane: Extending Your Infrastructure Practice with Azure in the Cloud First, Mobile First World
- January 20 – Partner Technical Services: Office 365 Initial Journey – Office 365 Internal Use Rights, Get the Best From Your Partnership
- January 21 – Introduction to AngularJS
- January 21 – Partner Technical Services: Voice for Office 365 – Introduction to a Lync 2013 Environment
- January 21 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Series: Cracking the FRx to MR 2012 Report Migration Process
- January 21 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Series: Reporting in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015
- January 21 – Windows 10: The Next Chapter
- January 22 in Dallas, TX – Microsoft DevCamp for Developers
- January 22–23 – Partner Technical Services: Office 365 Practice Accelerator for SMB
- January 22 – Office 365 Rainmaker Series: Optimizing Security, Privacy, and Compliance with Office 365 and Azure
- January 22 – Partner Technical Services: Project Life – Strategize Your Project Offerings for Office 365
- January 22 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Series: CRM 2015 – Product Catalog New features
- January 22 – QuickLane: Extending Your Application Development Practice with Azure in the Cloud First, Mobile First World
- January 23 in New York, NY – Microsoft DevCamp for Developers
- January 23 – Compute, Networking, Data Insights
Week of January 26–30
- January 26 – The Big Shift in Process Manufacturing and Resources
- January 26 – Partner Technical Services: Introduction to the Azure Starter Kit
- January 26 – Partner Technical Services: Ask the Experts – Collaboration
- January 26 – Partner Technical Services: Branding Internet Facing Websites with SharePoint Online/Office 365
- January 27 – Windows Apportal Office Hours
- January 27 – Partner Technical Services: Windows Server 2003 Modernization
- January 27 – Partner Technical Services: Office 365 FastTrack, What’s New?
- January 28 – Get a Fresh Start in 2015 with New Windows Devices
- January 28 – Cloud Profitability Webcasts: Valuation
- January 28 – Partner Technical Services: Configure a Basic Voice Infrastructure For Your Customer
- January 28 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Webcast: Field Service Series in Dynamics GP
- January 29 – Sales and Licensing Excellence Webcast: Sales Productivity Solution – How CRM Can Grow Your Revenue (Level 100)
- January 29 – Getting Started Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions, presented by New Horizons
- January 29 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Webcast: Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Transportation Management
- January 29 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Webcast: Enriched Business Rules, Business Process Flows and Security Enhancements in Dynamics CRM 2015
- January 29 – Partner Technical Services: AADSync – Synchronization Deep Dive with Office 365
- January 29 – Partner Technical Services: Microsoft Azure Solution Scenarios – Migrate VMware VMs to Azure
- January 29 – Partner Technical Services: Enterprise Mobility Scenario – What’s New in Microsoft Intune
- January 30 – Dynamics Bite-Sized Webcast: Dynamics AX 2012 Dynamics CRM 2011 with Connector V2