Find out what’s new for Microsoft partners. We’ll connect you to resources that help you become market-ready, connect with customers and prospects, and differentiate your business. Read previous issues of our online newsletter.
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Top stories
Getting started with the cloud competencies
Demonstrate the scope of your expertise and the depth of your experience to your current customers and prospects with a competency. In MPN, there are competencies for partners with active practices around Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, and Enterprise Mobility Suite.
- Get details and resources about the cloud competencies
- Download the Azure Performance Qualification guide
- Learn about the cloud performance requirements
- Find customer-ready resources about Digital Partner of Record
New marketing website for ISVs and Application Builders
Once you’ve built your amazing app, what’s next? Microsoft now offers a website dedicated to helping you build the right marketing plan for your solution. You’ll find information about how customers buy today, practical guidance about identifying and qualifying prospects, and more.
- Visit our new partner marketing website for ISVs
- See our list of recommendations and resources for ISVs
Azure Partner Community: November blog series and community call
US Partner Technology Strategists Nick Johnson and Jonathan Gardner are covering the topics of business continuity and disaster recovery using Microsoft Azure.
Office 365 Partner Community: focus on the new E5 suite
With the release of Office 365 E5 on December 1, Microsoft is bringing deeper enterprise value to the Office 365 suite, with enhancements in real time collaboration, personalized insight, security, and compliance.
- Read the blog series by Michael Panciroli
- Join the December 5 community call
- Sign in to the Drumbeat portal for E5 sales training and resources
New to MPN? Join our November 18 US Partner Orientation call
If your company is new to the Microsoft Partner Network, you are a new employee at an MPN member company, or if you want a refresher on the Microsoft partner program, join our next orientation call on November 18 at 12:30PM Eastern / 9:30AM Pacific. You’ll get program basics and links to resources that will help you manage your company’s program membership and involvement.
- Download the calendar invitation for the November 18 orientation call
- Join the MPN 101 US Partner Community Yammer group
Starts November 17 for SMB Partners: Add Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online to your Office 365 practice
This new roadshow starts November 17 in New York City and November 19 in Washington, DC and visits 9 more cities in December and January. You’ll learn the fundamentals of building a profitable practice with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online; how to position and market your practice to gain new customers; and the next steps to take to capitalize on the opportunity.
Register for your December 4 Regional SMB Partner Insider call
The December calls in our series for East Region, Central Region, and West Region will be held on Friday, December 4. Being a US SMB Partner Insider helps you stay better connected with the Microsoft US team, enabling you to be among the first to know, act, and help customers transform in this mobile-first, cloud-first world.
Plan ahead for training during the holidays with the Hot Sheet
As we head into Thanksgiving and the December holidays, planning ahead can help you stay on track with your training goals. Refer to the US Partner Community Hot Sheet for a schedule of in-person training and virtual courses, calls, and office hours are available. The current Hot Sheet includes listings into January, and we’ll add new courses as we learn about them.
- Go to the current Hot Sheet
- Find on-demand technical training on Microsoft Virtual Academy
- Find on-demand sales training from our Sales Excellence series
- Download our one-page partner training reference sheet
Microsoft and Red Hat partner to deliver more flexibility and choice
The partnership Microsoft has with Red Hat extends the commitment to offer unmatched choice and flexibility in an enterprise-grade cloud experience across the hybrid cloud. Working with Red Hat lets us address common enterprise, ISV, and developer needs for building, deploying and managing applications on Red Hat software across private and public clouds.
Two new offers help you utilize your internal use rights
Internal Use Rights cloud services and on-premises software give partner organizations firsthand knowledge of product features and capabilities. They are available to partners that have purchased a Microsoft Action Pack subscription or attained a silver or gold competency. Through June 2016, get free Office 365 migration and data backup services so you can make the most of your Office 365 and Microsoft Azure internal use rights.
- Learn more about acquiring, activating, and utilizing the MPN internal use rights benefit
- Use SkyKick Cloud Backup offer to back up your Exchange, SharePoint, or OneDrive for Business data (offer ends June 2016; Terms and conditions apply)
- Use SkyKick Migration Suite offer to migrate your company to Office 365 (offer ends June 2016; Terms and conditions apply)
These support articles will help you with different products available to you for internal use:
- Internal use rights overview and activation summary
- Sign up for Office 365 using your internal use rights
- How to activate your Enterprise Mobility Suite internal-use rights licenses
- How to activate your Microsoft Azure internal use rights licenses
- Activate and assign Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional internal-use rights licenses
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