1. ABSTRACT
This document is intended for Microsoft Partners looking to build Windows
Azure into their existing practices. It provides a project plan guide for
developing a sustainable practice.
December 2013
Frank Campise, Microsoft Partner Technology Strategist
Amanda Hill, Microsoft Partner Technology Strategist
David Kirkman, Microsoft Partner Technology Strategist
WINDOWS AZURE PRACTICE
BUILDING “Don’t Build a Cloud Practice, Build Cloud
into all of your Practices…”
Partner Practice Roadmap
Windows Azure Partner Practice Building Roadmap
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2. Business
Decision
Makers
Why add Windows Azure to your offerings
• Customers are looking to access their business applications and information anytime, anywhere, on any device
o 2.5 billion people are connected to the Internet (1/3 WW Population)
o 10 billion devices to double in 2 years
o $110 billion Cloud Services to double by 2016
o 84% of organizations have remote workers
• Modern Applications and mobile trends are changing end-user expectations, Modern apps need to be…
o Personal & Contextual
o Always connected
o Always accessible
o Data Intensive
o Always evolving
• Provides another alternative to how you deploy solutions for your customers versus traditional on-premises or hosting
• Can shorten time to billing by expediting ability to start projects sooner vs. having to wait for customer’s IT to procure
•
•
hardware
Opens the door to additional offerings
o Mobile solutions for remote workforce or a customer’s consumer presence
o Managed services
o Highly scalable infrastructures
Channel Incentives – If part of the Azure Circle Program, you can receive incentives for the amount of Azure consumption
that your solutions help drive
Integrating into Your Business

Take a look at your existing Practices and see where Windows Azure features could augment or compliment some of the
existing solutions/go-to-market offerings that you already have in place. Some examples are as follows:
Practice Area
Solution Ideas
Custom Application Development
 Extend Legacy / Hybrid Applications (coming soon)
 Extend to Consumers across Devices (link)
 Extend to mobile workforce (BYOD) (link)
 Extend Dev/Test labs to the Cloud (link)
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3. 
Robust infrastructure services for SQL Server (coming soon)
Portals and Collaboration
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Extend SharePoint Applications (link)
Extend Dev/Test labs to the Cloud (link)
Storage (coming soon)
BI / Data Management
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Extend Dev/Test labs to the Cloud (link)
Robust infrastructure services for SQL Server (coming soon)
Storage (coming soon)
Identity & Security
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Connect hybrid infrastructure services with a single identity
(coming soon)
Management and Virtualization


Extend Dev/Test labs to the Cloud (link)
Scalable, on-demand infrastructure for apps (coming soon)
Customer Relationship Management

Extend Dev/Test labs to the Cloud (link)
Mobility
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Extend to Consumers across Devices (link)
Extend to mobile workforce (BYOD) (link)
User Experience / Digital Agency
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Extend to Consumers across Devices (link)
Extend to mobile workforce (BYOD) (link)
Extend SharePoint Applications (link)
Managed Services
Business
Decision
Makers
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Extend Legacy / Hybrid Applications (coming soon)
Extend to mobile workforce(BYOD) (link)
Extend SharePoint Applications (link)
Extend Dev/Test labs to the Cloud (link)
For more information take a look at the WPC PowerPoint decks for…
o US06 Modern Apps and the Partner Opportunity (link)
o US24 How U.S. Partners can monetize Windows Azure IaaS (link)
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4. Business
Decision
Makers
Integrating into Your Business (continued)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Learn more about the Cloud OS (link or http://aka.ms/about-cloud-os)
Learn more about Windows Azure Pricing/Licensing (overview, calculator, purchase options)
Understand the Azure Sales Motions and Channel Incentives
o Windows Azure incentive guide (MPN link, Yammer Link)
o WPC 2013 US24 How U.S. Partners can monetize Windows Azure IaaS (link)
Understand the Windows Azure Support options:
o Windows Azure Support Overview (link)
o Partner Support - Partners in the Microsoft Partner Network(MPN) can use their designated MPN support
benefits towards Azure support
o Partner interested in the best available support should explore Premier Support for Partners (link)
Understand ISV integration opportunities: Windows Azure Store (link)
General
o WPC 2013: BL02 – Faster, Higher, Stronger: Understanding the Drivers of Profitable Cloud Partners (link)
o WPC 2013: US03 – Secrets of a successful U.S. Windows Azure Partner (link)
o IDC Study: Successful Cloud Partners, Higher, Faster, Stronger: What IT Solution Providers need to know to build
high-performance cloud businesses (full study link, “cliff notes” version)
Investment
•
•
Commit to train one (1) Sales Resource/Account Manager per office/region to champion solutions using Windows Azure
Commit to train two (2) consultant per office/region and one (1) architect per office/region on using Windows Azure
Next Steps
• Get to know the MPN Resources(link) around Windows Azure and access Benefits (MSDN Benefits, BizSpark, Microsoft Partner
Network, Free 30-day trial)
•
Think about joining the Windows Azure Circle Program after your first win. Note however that you will only have until
December 30th, 2013 to be grandfathered into this program before it rolls into the standard MPN competencies (click here
to learn more)
o One Windows Azure win in the last 6 months
o A commitment to complete Windows Azure readiness training for: 1 seller, 2 developers, 1 architect
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5. Business
Decision
Makers
Next Steps (continued)
o A commitment to register all Windows Azure opportunities via PSX
o Work with Azure BDM and PTS to enroll in the Azure Circle Program
o Once registered for Azure Circle program, register to provide Azure Deployment and Planning Services (link)
•
Work with your PSE or PTS to make better connections with the Microsoft field sales teams
o U.S. Azure Partnerships team
o Windows Azure SSPs/TSPs
o Regional SSP/TSP (i.e. Data Center, App Plat, etc)
•
Gain Real world experience with Windows Azure - It’s hard to sell the benefits of moving over to the Windows Azure
Platform if you haven’t done so yourself within your business. It is important that you find an internal application or
process and move that to the cloud. Both your technical and sales resources will be better positioned to sell the cloud if
they can point to something they use on a daily basis. For this particular scenario we would recommend the following
ideas:
o Move your company facing website or one of your websites to Windows Azure Websites
o Use Windows Azure for back-end to your own mobile workforce applications (i.e. time-reporting application, sales
enablement tools for your sales resources)
o Move your Dev/Test environment to the Cloud
o Etc.
•
Demonstrate technical skills through Microsoft Competencies:
o Application Development: Application Integration, Application Development or Mobility competency
o Infrastructure: Collaboration and Content , Messaging or Management & Virtualization competency
o MPN Competency Changes coming first half of 2014: There will be Azure cloud track inside the following
competencies: Datacenter, Data Analytics, Data Platform and Application Development. (click here to learn more)
•
Have your sales/marketing, architect and technical resources utilize the guidance and readiness provided in the following
sections as well as the individual scenario documents.
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6. Selling / Go To Market
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Understand: Understand what materials are available to support your activities. Work with PSE, PTS, or Azure BDMs
as well as use the readiness defined within this document.
Plan: Sit down with your Solution Practice Leads and figure out how to best position Windows Azure as part of your
existing offerings.
Sell: Continue to talk to your existing and potential customers about your firm’s offerings and remember to position
cloud as part of the solution.
Pricing a Deal:: work with your PSE/PTS to figure out best resource to pull in, but don’t be afraid to ask for help when
it comes to pricing Windows Azure ( i.e. U.S. Azure Partnerships team, Windows Azure SSP/TSP, regional SSP/TSP such
as Data Center or App Plat). Also have your practice lead take a look at the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP)
Toolkit for Windows Azure Platform (link)
UpSell / Cross-sell opportunities
o Managed Services
o Dev/Test: Think about building a ‘dev/test in the cloud’ option into every SOW you write
Build up reference able clients and/or case studies to help with selling
Sales and
Marketing
Marketing

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
Cloud OS Campaign (link)
Be Lean and Stay Lean SMB Campaign (link)
Visual Studio campaign (link)
Readiness
Core

Azure At Your Door Step – Virtual 2 hr. Recorded Webcast
What is Azure? How do you sell Azure? How do you increase your revenue, profit, and customer satisfaction with Azure? Please join
Microsoft for this 2-part series on Windows Azure. During the first hour, we’ll explain the Azure story of today and provide real world
examples of customers who are using Azure and the Microsoft partners that sold it. In the second hour, we’ll dive deep into the top Azure
sales scenarios that every customer facing resource in your organization should know. This is a virtual edition of the highly acclaimed inperson Azure @ Your Doorstep event series. Sellers, consultants, marketers, architects, and executives from all partners (SI, LSP, VAR, MSP,
ISV, etc.) will benefit from both sessions.
See recordings of this Webcast here: Monetizing Windows Azure Now and How to Position Windows Azure and the Modern Data Center to
Customers
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7. Readiness (continued)
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
Sales and
Marketing
What is Infrastructure Services – YouTube (link)
What is Windows Azure (PaaS) – YouTube (link)
Recommended


People Central University (PCU) – Scale what you want when you need – Azure IaaS (link)
People Central University (PCU) – Winning workloads with Azure PaaS (link)

Get a high understanding of the services and features of the Windows Azure Platform
o Server and Cloud Platform – Cloud OS site (link)
o What is Windows Azure (100 level) (read)
o Big Data (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Data Management (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Dev and Test (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Identity and Access Management (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Infrastructure Services (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Integration (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Media (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Mobile (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Storage, Backup and Recovery (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Web Applications (100 level) (read) – Benefits and Scenarios
o Windows Azure Pricing/Licensing (overview, calculator, purchase options)
o Compliance, Privacy and Security of Windows Azure can be found on the Windows Azure Trust Center (link)

Take the Windows Azure Sales Readiness Assessment

See Scenario breakout documents for additional Sales & Marketing readiness that is specific to the given scenarios
Optional / Additional Readiness Resources

Azure Topics on Partner Learning Center (PLC):
o PLC: How to have the initial Conversation with Your Customers on Windows Azure – 1 hour(link)
o PLC: How to Qualify and Disqualify Windows Azure Opportunities – 1 hour (link)
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8. Readiness (continued)
o
o
o

PLC: Overview of Windows Azure Licensing and Transacting Opportunities – 1 hour (link)
PLC: Understanding Windows Azure Security and Compliance – 1 hour (link)
For full list of Windows Azure/PCL courses take a look at the Microsoft Sales and Marketing Windows Azure
Learning Plan (~6 hrs) (link)
Additional Resources:
o WPC 2013: SM04 – Five Keys to utilizing mobility offerings in your portfolio to win more business (link)
o WPC 2013: SM20 – Presenting to C-Level: how to close the deal with CxO’s (link)
Sales and
Marketing
Dealing with Objections / Compete

Microsoft Server and Cloud Resources (link)
o Why Microsoft? (link)
o Amazon Web Services
 10 Questions to Ask Customers about Amazon Web Services (link)
 Partner Gear Up – Amazon Web Services (link)
o VMware
 10 Questions to Ask Customers about VMware (link)
 Partner Gear Up – VMware (link)


PLC: Handling Customers’ Objections with Windows Azure Sales – 1 hour (link)
PLC: Answers to common questions (Windows Azure) – 30 minutes (link)
Case Studies
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Case Studies Homepage (link)
Telenor – SharePoint Development/Test on Windows Azure [IaaS, SharePoint 2013] (link)
Blackbaud - SQL Server on Windows Azure [IaaS, SQL Server] (link)
Digital Air Strike [IaaS, PaaS] (link)
NBC News Picks Windows Azure over Amazon to Host Push Notifications to Mobile Apps [Push Notifications] (link)
Think Big Partners: Startup Gain 20 to 50 Percent More “Runway” with Cloud Services Platform [IaaS, Dev/Test,
Windows Azure Mobile Services] (link)
Cloud Makes it Possible for Small Businesses to Quickly Control, Expand Distribution Ops [IaaS, Azure SQL DB] (link)
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9. Practice
Lead /
Architect
Scenarios
 Please take a look at the individual scenario documents for more guidance that is specific to each scenario.
Building Blocks
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Compute
Cloud Services (description, tutorials & guides)
Mobile Services (description, tutorials & guides)
Websites (description, tutorials & guides)
Virtual Machines (description, tutorials & guides)
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Data Services
Cache (description, tutorials & guides)
HDInsight (description, tutorials & guides)
Recovery Services (description, tutorials & guides)
Storage (description, tutorials & guides)
SQL Database(description, tutorials & guides)
SQL Reporting (description, tutorials & guides)

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Network Services
Traffic Manager (description, tutorials & guides)
Virtual Network (description, tutorials & guides)
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App Services
Active Directory (description, tutorials & guides)
Biztalk Services (description, tutorials & guides)
Media Services (description, tutorials & guides)
Multi-Factor Authentication (description, tutorials & guides)
Notification Hubs (description, tutorials & guides)
Service Bus (description, tutorials & guides)
Readiness / Guidance
Core

Platform as a Service (PaaS)
o Operation Azure for Developers training that ran spring 2013 – Sessions only (link)
o Building Blocks above (Cloud Services, Mobile Services, WebSites, Storage, SQL Database, SQL Reporting, Biztalk
Services, Media Services, Notification Hubs, & Service Bus) (link)

Infrastructure as a Services (IaaS)
o Building Blocks section above(Virtual Machines, Recovering Services, Virtual Network, Storage, Active Directory,
Multi-Factor Authentication, Traffic Managers) (link)
o Infrastructure as a Service Product Line Architecture Deployment Guide (link)
o Path #1
 Microsoft Virtual Academy – Introduction to Windows Azure (link)
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10. Practice
Lead /
Architect
o



Path#2

Microsoft Virtual Academy – Windows Azure for IT Pros Jump Start (link)
Microsoft Virtual Academy – MVA Live Q&A (link)
Microsoft Virtual Academy – Windows Azure Security Overview (link)
Operation Azure Virtual IaaS Training (coming soon)
Recommended

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Standard Responses to Request for Information on Security and Privacy (link)
TechEd: Designing Cloud Architectures (link)
TechEd: Building Modern Business Applications (link)
TechEd – Lap Around Monitoring, Management and DevOps Solutions in Windows Azure (link)
TechEd – Key Ingredients for Building Hybrid (Cross-Premises) Cloud Applications (link)
Windows Azure Web Sites, Cloud Services, and VMs: When to use which? (link)
TechEd: Windows Azure Internals by Mark Russinovich (link)
Build: Advanced Windows Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – Michael Washam (link)
Optional / Additional Readiness Resources

Leverage MPN Partner Advisory Hours to create specific training for your technical team. This is customizable, instructor
led virtual training. Contact your PTS. An example of a getting started package that used 2-4 Partner Hours around IaaS
includes: introduction to Azure IaaS, how to set up a trial account, walkthrough of Azure portal, understanding
accounts/subscriptions, affinity groups, availability set, creating a VM and disks/storage. It also includes the IaaS
components overview, understanding virtual networks, IP addresses, DNS name resolution, endpoints, point to site VPN
and site to site VPN.

General
o Learn more about Microsoft Datacenters across the globe (link)
o Partner Learning Center: Architecting for Cost – 2 hours (link)
o Partner Learning Center: “FailSafe” – Designing Resilient Scalable Architectures – Design – 2 hours (link)
o Partner Learning Center: “FailSafe” – Designing Resilient Scalable Architectures – Implementation – 2 hours
(link)
o Partner Learning Center: Managing and Securing your Windows Azure Solutions – 1.5 hours (link)
o Partner Learning Center: Hybrid Architectures with Windows Azure: Connecting on-premises applications with
Windows Azure – 2 hours (link)
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11. Practice
Lead /
Architect
o
o
o
o
o
o
TechEd: Windows Azure from the Pulpit to the Whiteboard (or Boardroom) (link)
TechEd – Lessons Learned: Real-world Architectures and Examples (link)
TechEd – Patterns and Practices for Running Large Multi-Tenant SaaS Service on Windows Azure (link)
TechEd – Building Elastic, Autoscalable Solutions with Windows Azure (link)
TechEd – Lap Around Monitoring, Management and DevOps Solutions in Windows Azure (link)
TechEd – Key Ingredients for Building Hybrid (Cross-Premises) Cloud Applications (link)

Virtual Machines
o TechEd – Windows Azure Virtual Machines and SQL Unplugged (link)
o Windows Azure Virtual Machines Gotchas (link)

Websites
o TechEd: Windows Azure Web Sites: An Architecture and Technical Deep Dive (link)

Storage
o TechEd: Get the Most out of Windows Azure Storage (link)
o TechEd – Lap Around non-relational Data Stores on Windows Azure (link)
o TechEd – Pushing Data to and from the Cloud with SQL Azure Data Sync (link)

Security
o TechEd – Bridging the Gap: Securely connecting Windows Azure and Private Clouds (link)
o TechEd – Running your Active Directory in Windows Azure Virtual Machines (link)
Utilizing third party services
 Windows Azure Store (link)
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12. Getting Started


Access benefits / Getting Started with Windows Azure (MSDN Benefits, BizSpark, Microsoft Partner Network, Free 30-day trial)
Please take a look at the individual scenario documents for more guidance that is specific to each scenario
Readiness
Technical
/ Delivery
Core

Platform as a Service (PaaS)
o Download Windows Azure Platform Training Kit
o Operation Azure for Developers training that ran spring 2013 (link)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
o Path #1
 Microsoft Virtual Academy – Introduction to Windows Azure (link)
 Microsoft Virtual Academy – Windows Azure for IT Pros Jump Start (link)
 Microsoft Virtual Academy – MVA Live Q&A (link)
 Microsoft Virtual Academy – Windows Azure Security Overview (link)
o Path#2
 Operation Azure Virtual IaaS Training (coming soon)
Recommended

Tutorials and Guides – Building Blocks(link)

Get Certified
o Exam 70-487: Developing Windows Azure and Web Services
o Exam 70-583: PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications
Optional / Additional Readiness Resources




Free eBook: Introducing Windows Azure for IT Professionals (link)
Free eBook: Rethinking Enterprise Storage – A Hybrid Cloud Model (link)
Building Hybrid Applications in Windows Azure (link)
Windows Azure Hybrid Networking with IaaS (link)
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13. 
Microsoft IT/Developer Events
o Build 2013: Azure related sessions (link)
o TechEd 2013: Azure related sessions(link)

Optional Classroom Training
o Course 20487B: Developing Windows Azure and Web Services
o Course 50592A: Advanced SQL Azure
o Course 50466B: Windows Azure Solutions with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010
o Course 20482B: Advanced Windows Store App Development Using HTML5 and JavaScript
Technical
/ Delivery
Support

Understand the Windows Azure Support options:
o Windows Azure Support Overview (link)
o Partner Support - Partners in the Microsoft Partner Network(MPN) can use their designated MPN support
benefits towards Azure support
o Partner interested in the best available support should explore Premier Support for Partners (link)
o Windows Azure Support Forums (link)
o DIY Windows Azure Troubleshooting Series (short DIY videos) (link)
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14. Keeping
Current
Microsoft Partner Technical Communities
• Just send an email to the following aliases to ask to be added to the community
o Modern Applications (uspmac@microsoft.com)
o Modern Data Center (uspmvc@microsoft.com )
o Office 365 (uspotc@microsoft.com)
o Data & BI (uspdatac@microsoft.com)
o Devices (uspdevc@microsoft.com)
Latest Azure News


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
Facebook
Twitter
Windows Azure Blog
Windows Azure Newsletters
MPN Cloud OS Page
People to Follow


Windows Azure - General (Scott Guthrie)
Partner Practice Building Roadmap: Azure/Modern Apps: (Frank Campise)
If you have feedback on this document/scenario please send us an email or join the U.S Partner Azure Partners Yammer group
and participate in the discussion around this scenario.
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