WPC Preview: Azure, Nokia, Vertical Opportunities, P2P Networking
- Keep updated with the latest WPC news at RCP's WPC 2011 page here.
In a Twitter chat Thursday, Microsoft channel executives offered a few previews of the 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, which takes place in Los Angeles in a little over a week.
There was nothing earth-shattering, but Microsoft corporate vice president for the Worldwide Partner Group, Jon Roskill, gave a few clues about things to expect:
- There should be a lot of activity around Azure, Microsoft's cloud infrastructure platform that has been heavily advertised across the Web lately. Roskill wrote that there will be discussions of vertical opportunities in Azure and said "there will be awesome Partner Azure apps."
- A Cloud Accelerate Push. Cloud Accelerate is a Microsoft on-ramp program for helping partners sell more Microsoft cloud services such as Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online. Roskill wrote that Microsoft Partner Account Managers will be evaluated on their partners' progress within Cloud Accelerate during Microsoft's FY12, which starts Friday. Cloud Accelerate Partners will also be important "on the all important Subsidiary Scorecard," he wrote.
- Program stability. "Big improvements to MPN in the last year, next year is about stability and building on the great competency foundation," Roskill wrote. (Check out my cover story interview with Roskill in the July issue of Redmond Channel Partner magazine for more on the Microsoft Partner Network transition and for Roskill's take on his first year running Microsoft's global channel.)
- Windows Phone 7 and Mango. "Definitely expect great mobility demo and news and Nokia will be in our Partner Expo along with hundreds more," Roskill Tweeted.
A major push for the show, as usual, will be driving connections among partners via lunches, parties and one-on-one meetings, noted Roskill, adding, "WPC11 will still be about Partner success but we want to focus on mapping technology to business outcomes for Partners."
In another Tweet on Thursday, Ross Brown, vice president of worldwide partner strategy in the Microsoft WPG, wrote, "Come to LA in July and hear how leading with Microsoft will be your most profitable move you can make."
For more on what to expect at WPC, check out the RCP WPC 2011 page and our breakdown of the keynote lineup.
Posted by Scott Bekker on June 30, 2011