10 Updates From Microsoft Partner Network Companies

CRN highlights some of the companies – including Green House Data, Arq Group and Fujitsu -- moving up in the Microsoft Partner Network.

Microsoft partners Green House Data, Arq Group and Fujitsu recently earned the coveted Azure Expert Managed Services Provider status.

Azure Expert MSP partners, who receive badges to differentiate themselves from other Microsoft partners, gain top priority in the Microsoft referral engine, are prioritized for co-sell engagements, receive support when developing new practices and get access to exclusive events.

Quali, TechFabric, Science Applications International Corp., Provisions Group, Code Pilot, Perspecta and Productive Edge also have new Microsoft partner designations and competencies.

Microsoft has announced some changes in its Microsoft Partner Network in the runup to its July 14-18 Inspire partner conference in Las Vegas, where it’s expected to roll out additional updates. The changes include advanced specializations, new competencies, benefits to help partners build their technical and marketing capabilities, and a new program for independent software vendors (ISVs).

Click through to read about some of the companies moving up in the Microsoft Partner Network.

Quali Becomes Microsoft Prioritized Co-Sell Partner

Quali, a cloud-agnostic, environment-as-a-service solutions provider for development testing, sales demo/proof of concept and DevOps, announced it’s become a Microsoft Prioritized Co-Sell Partner.

The designation allows the Santa Clara, Calif.-based independent software vendor to work with Microsoft account executives on joint customer opportunities. The program helps accelerates sales for ISVs by deploying on-demand, self-service environments for pre-sales proofs of concept (POCs) running on Azure and a path for companies to transform their applications in the public cloud.

“Quali's environment-as-a-service solutions are very complimentary to Azure's service offerings,” Quali chief executive officer Lior Koriat said in a statement. “(They help) companies maximize infrastructure consumption efficiency for their demo-as-a-service and DevOps needs."

Quali’s CloudShell platform, which helps organizations with POCs and accelerating their sales by providing a scalable path to application transformation, is available on Microsoft Marketplace.

TechFabric Gets Microsoft Gold Solution Partner Cloud Competency

Phoenix-based TechFabric’s cloud development team has met the requirements for the Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform competency.

The application development company specializes in information technology software development and automation with a focus on developing web, mobile, and cloud-based applications using Microsoft technologies.

With its new competency, TechFabric can help customers modernize their infrastructure, migrate applications and data to the cloud, build analytics solutions on Microsoft data platforms and access software-as-a-service (SaaS) and platform-as-a-service solutions in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.

“TechFabric chooses platforms with clear intent – and only those that lead in their field,” Preetham Reddy, TechFabric’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “The platform that has demonstrated flexibility and reliability in providing a true hybrid cloud solution that delivers a consistent experience across a customer’s entire digital ecosystem is the Microsoft Azure Stack.”

SAIC Achieves Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform, Application Development And Datacenter Competencies

Reston, Va.-based Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has achieved Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform, Application Development and Datacenter competencies.

The three new competencies validate SAIC’s experience in the delivery of modern information technology (IT) infrastructures and cloud services, application migration and modernization, and datacenter transformation, according to SAIC, a technology integrator that provides cloud and IT modernization solutions to federal civilian agency, national security, defense, state and local government, and commercial customers.

Coby Holloway, SAIC vice president for information technology modernization, said the competencies highlight the company’s capabilities to support customers’ information technology modernization efforts.

“These achievements recognize our expertise in leveraging the latest Microsoft technologies for successful customer outcomes as well as the expansion of our capabilities as a Microsoft Gold Partner,” Holloway said in a statement. “Our Gold partner status demonstrates our ability to deploy the best available technology solutions and highlights our investment in developing the technical expertise necessary to thrive in a digital world.”

Provisions Group Earns Microsoft Gold Competencies

Provisions Group, an IT staffing and consulting and software development company based in Franklin, Tenn., has earned Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform and Data Platform competencies.

The Cloud Platform Competency is designed for partners to capitalize on the growing demand for infrastructure and SaaS solutions built on Microsoft Azure. The Data Platform Competency recognizes specialties in SQL database and big data for on-premises and hybrid environments. Provisions Group provides Microsoft SQL Server deployment planning services.

"These Microsoft Gold competencies are the culmination of a lot of work that showcases our expertise in today's technology market and demonstrates our knowledge of Microsoft's robust products and services," Scott Schreier, Provisions Group’s chief strategy and partnerships officer, said in a statement.

Code Pilot Approved As A Microsoft AI Inner Circle Partner

Austin, Texas-based Code Pilot, which specializes in artificial intelligence (AI) enablement and acceleration solutions, is now a Microsoft AI Inner Circle Partner.

The Microsoft AI Inner Circle Partner program is for partners that provide custom services or enhanced AI product solutions utilizing Microsoft AI technologies. It recognizes a partner's expertise in specific industries.

Code Pilot develops and deploys production-grade AI solutions for Fortune 500 customers. Its AI Accelerators provide ready-to-deploy AI solutions that address common business scenarios, including product recommendations, personalizing the customer experience, sentiment analysis and fraud detection.

“Being selected as a Microsoft AI Inner Circle Partner is a huge endorsement of our platform,” David Lemphers, CEO of Code Pilot, said in a statement. “As enterprise organizations look to improve the success of their AI initiatives, we can help them reduce risk and increase ROI (return on investment) by 20 percent on average.”

Perspecta Named A Microsoft Gold Partner for Cloud Migration

U.S. government service provider Perspecta is now a Microsoft Gold Partner and Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider.

The Chantilly, Va., company offers mission services, digital transformation and enterprise operations capabilities to its U.S. government customers in defense, intelligence, civilian, healthcare and state and local markets. With the new designations, it will manage and deliver office, cloud and collaboration services built on solutions such as Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics.

"It is through strong, long-standing commercial relationships like this one, that we are able to provide the very best in cloud and productivity to our U.S. government customers," Mac Curtis, Perspecta’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Productive Edge Also Achieves Microsoft Gold Partner Status

Productive Edge, a digital strategy, customer experience and technology services company, has earned Microsoft Gold Partner status for its cloud platform capabilities.

The designation acknowledges the Chicago solutions provider’s experience in cloud services including machine learning, data streaming, internet-of-things data collection, hosting and support.

“This important designation recognizes that our certified associates are at the leading edge of cloud knowledge and are able to offer clients the best technical guidance and solution execution available,” CEO Wyatt Kapastin said in a statement.

Productive Edge’s partners include APICS, Care Innovations, Healthways, Humana, Kronos, Legends, Major League Baseball, Merchants Fleet Management Vitality, One World Observatory, PepBoys, Priority Health, Sidley Austin and Ulta Beauty.

Gold Microsoft Azure Expert Partner Status For Arq Group

Microsoft Gold Partner Arq Group, a digital solutions provider, has landed Azure Expert Managed Services Provider (MSP) status.

Arq Group managing director of enterprise Peter Wright said the achievement recognizes the Sydney, Australia, company’s commitment to customer service and innovation.

“It acknowledges our expertise in cloud solutions, agile operations and excellence in customer service and delivery,” Wright said. “The award reflects our passion for keeping the customer in the center of everything we do.”

Azure Expert MSPs get showcased to Microsoft Azure customers, gain top priority in Azure’s referral engine, are prioritized for co-sell engagements and leads, get sales and business development support and can participate in monthly calls with Azure engineering.

Green House Data Also Earns Azure Expert MSP Status

Green House Data, a managed IT and advisory services company, has earned Azure Expert Managed Services Provider status.

The certification, created in 2018, recognizes Microsoft partners most capable of assisting customers in their migrations to the cloud and with IT modernization. The required audit process covers MSP capabilities including staff aptitude, customer support process, documentation, system architecture design and customer evidence.

“This certification is validation of years of accumulated effort and experience from our talented team, especially within cloud services and advisory services,” Thomas Burns, chief technology officer at Cheyenne, Wyo.-based Green House Data, said in a statement. “We are excited to continue to help clients drive revenue and organizational success while they leverage their Microsoft Azure investments.”

Green House Data also holds Microsoft Gold competencies in Application Development, Datacenter, Cloud Platform, Cloud Productivity, Collaboration and Content, ISV, Messaging, Windows and Devices.

Fujitsu Achieves Is Another Microsoft Azure Expert MSP

Toyko’s Fujitsu was named a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider three months after announcing a global systems integrator partnership with Microsoft.

The distinction recognizes the information and communication technology company’s expertise in the delivery, integration and management of Azure to drive infrastructure, applications and broader business transformations.

Fujitsu’s qualification process included an independent audit of its Azure services, capabilities, people, processes and technologies, for which it provided evidence of more than 25 Azure-related services verified by customers for meeting key requirements across areas including critical infrastructure, applications and DevOps.

"We are focused on enabling customers to take advantage of the compelling economics and greater agility resulting from a cloud-based delivery model,” Megumi Shimazu, head of digital infrastructure services at Fujitsu Limited, said in a statement. “Fujitsu's know-how in complex multi-cloud deployments and systems integration grant it the capability to deliver hybrid IT environments and critical applications for large organizations across the world.”

Fujitsu’s recent examples of leveraging Microsoft Azure include the digital transformation of Nylon 6 manufacturer AdvanSix's application platforms, including a transition to SAP HANA on Microsoft Azure, and managing Finnish pension provider Keva’s systems on Azure.