Microsoft Commits Multibillion-Dollar Partner Investments

Los Angeles - Microsoft Corp. unveiled updates to the Microsoft Partner Network, to better help partners grow their businesses and meet evolving innovation needs of clients around the globe through tools, training and incentives totaling $5.8 billion for fiscal year 2012.

The same time with our partners today

"Winning at the same time with our partners today, and long into the future, means delivering incredible world-class technologies to meet customer needs, as so then as the right partner incentives, tools and training, which will ultimately drive business growth for them," said Jon Roskill, corporate vice president of the Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft, speaking earlier more than 15,000 attendees from around the globe at the company's Worldwide Partner Conference. "We are bringing our partners to the cloud with us - they can use the tools and skills they have now to take their customers to the cloud."

Roskill announced new or extended solutions and online service incentives that are available and aligned to key priorities just as customer projects, accelerated growth of public and private cloud adoption, and tools demonstrating a broad commitment to partners' success. Partners are encouraged to engage through the Microsoft Partner Network to benefit from the incentives.

• The newly separated Messaging competency and Communications competency help differentiate companies with the explicit skill set and depth of experience to provide a holistic unified communications solution that includes voice and video. The competency split as well will enhance recognition for partners' investments in advanced capabilities with Exchange, Lync and Microsoft Office 365. • The merger of the Systems Management and Virtualization competencies in May 2012 will strengthen partners' ability to help clients realize the benefits of cloud computing on their terms with Microsoft private cloud solutions. Partners can prepare now by attaining the current competencies for System Center management and Windows Server Hyper-V virtualization.

• Expanded Internal Use Rights will offer increased Lync and Windows Intune licenses for partners. The number of licenses allotted to Cloud Accelerate partners will grow to 100 from 25 and those to Cloud Essentials partners will grow to 25 from 10. • New partner toolkits and possibility guides will help partners start paving a path to profitability with public and private solutions for the following four markets: small business, midmarket segment, enterprise and public sector.

Choice in working with us

"We understand that partners have a choice in working with us," Turner said. "As they evolve their businesses to embrace cloud technologies, partners can count on Microsoft to provide the tools for cloud training, the resources to generate sales leads, and the ability to boost revenue and increase value for clients. We're committed to our partners' profitability and long-term business success."

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.