New Business Opportunities


Kicking Off a Simpler Era in Office 365 Migrations?

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Microsofties' startup called SkyKick automates the process for partners to sell, plan, provision, migrate, manage and set up Office 365.

Microsoft Gets Serious in the Cloud with Office 365 Open

With its Open Licensing move, Microsoft finally enlists all partners in the Office 365 effort.

Tales of Partner Successes in Microsoft's 'Cloud OS'

The combination of Windows Server 2012, System Center 2012 SP1 and Windows Intune have given Microsoft partners new opportunities to expand their businesses into the cloud. Here are a few examples.

IT Communities: A Primer for Microsoft Partners

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Channel communities are key for partners who want to network, shore up resources and bolster their access to the larger organizations they are partners with. But given their wide variety, it can be a challenge for partners to know which communities suit them best. In this primer, Howard runs down the different types of partner communities to help you find the best fit for your partner company.

59 Real-World Marketing Tactics for Microsoft Partners

From specialization to audience targeting, content creation, traffic generation and more, marketing consultant Barb Levisay offers proven tips for bolstering your name recognition.

VMware Revamps Partner Competency Program, Launches 'Cloud Credits'

VMware has overhauled its Partner Competency program, as well as added new revenue-generating incentives for solution providers selling cloud services, the company announced at this week's VMware Partner Exchange Conference in Las Vegas.

Partners To Get Direct Billing for Office 365 Wednesday

Seven months after announcing that partners would soon be able to handle customer billing for the Office 365 suite, Microsoft will officially start the program tomorrow.

Parallels Overhauls Platform, Launches APS 2.0 and Cloud Storage

Parallels on Tuesday unveiled an overhaul of its channel-focused platform for delivering cloud-based services to SMB customers.

Introducing the RCP/Rocket Award for IT Services Companies

Is your IT services firm's recent history a great growth story? Redmond Channel Partner and consultancy Revenue Rocket want to hear about it for the first-ever Excellence in Growth Award.

Microsoft ISVs and VARs Finding Success in Partner-to-Partner Deals

The days of the one-stop-shop Microsoft partner are over. But sometimes customers want more than a partner can deliver. Smart partners turn to P2P relationships to keep their businesses strong.

Office 365: Microsoft Partners Reset Their Plans Around Direct Billing

With the introduction of a mainstream partner billing option for Office 365, Microsoft overcame the biggest partner objection to its cloud productivity suite. Now happier partners are looking for ways to restart their efforts with new business-model options.

Can Microsoft Cloud Partners Compete with Windows Azure?

Microsoft's recent cloud moves threaten to push providers away from Redmond and toward virtualization juggernaut VMware.

What Microsoft's About-Face on Office 365 Billing Means

Despite snubbing its OEMs with the Surface, Microsoft's decision to allow direct billing with Office 365 shows that Redmond still has its partners' back.

A Microsoft Partner's Guide to Managed Services, Part 2: 9 Add-On Opportunities for MSPs

Top ways for MSPs to add value and revenues range from standards such as business continuity and security, to newer approaches like mobile-device management and bundled consulting.

For Top Partners, Microsoft Extends Invitation into 'Elite' Clubs

Microsoft is looking to add U.S. partners to special programs serving SMB customers both on-premise and in the cloud.