Reaching Out to Microsoft Partners in Australia : Partner Program

Congrats to all partner conference award winners

nickmayhew — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:02:00 GMT

CRN published the full list here – well done to all winners and finalists !

http://www.crn.com.au/News/154929,didata-four-time-winner-at-microsoft-channel-awards.aspx

Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, Virtualisation Partner of the Year

Winner: Jasco Consulting Pty Ltd
Finalist: Hostworks Limited
Finalist: Emantra Pty Ltd

Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, Windows Desktop Deployment Partner of the Year

Winner: Dimension Data
Finalist: Gen-I Australia Pty Ltd

Business Intelligence Partner of the Year

Winner: Hands-On Management Pty Ltd
Finalist: IntelliMax Solutions Pty Ltd
Finalist: Calumo Labs Pty Ltd

Competitive Partner of the Year

Winner: Ensyst
Finalist: Zap

Data Management Solutions Partner of the Year:

Winner: Wardy IT Solutions Pty Ltd
Finalist: Dimension Data
Finalist: Calumo Labs Pty Ltd

Distributor Solution Partner of the Year:

Express Data Holdings

Enterprise Partner of the Year:

Winner: Dimension Data
Finalist: Data#3 Limited
Finalist: OBS

Environmental and Sustainability Solution Partner of the Year

Dataract

Information Worker Solutions, Portal and Collaboration Partner of the Year:

Winner: Unique World
Finalist: Ensyst Pty Ltd
Finalist: OBS
Finalist: Avanade

Information Worker Solutions, Search Partner of the Year:

Winner: Ensyst Pty Ltd
Finalist: OBS

Information Worker Solutions, Office Deployment Partner of the Year:

Winner: Dimension Data

ISV / Software Solutions Innovation Partner of the Year:

Winner: Zap
Finalist: Mobilise IT Pty Ltd
Finalist: CDC Software

ISV / Software Solutions Partner of the Year:

Winner: Brookstone Technologies Pty Limited
Finalist: MYOB Australia Pty Ltd
Finalist: Task Retail (NSW) Pty Ltd

Learning Partner of the Year:

Winner: New Horizons Learning Centres Pty Ltd
Finalist: Excom Education
Finalist: Dimension Data Learning Solutions

Licensing Solutions, License Delivery Partner of the Year:

Winner: Data#3 Limited
Finalist: Dimension Data
Finalist: Insight Enterprises Australia Pty Ltd

Licensing Solutions, Software Asset Management Partner of the Year:

Winner: Dimension Data
Finalist: Insight Enterprises Australia Pty Ltd
Finalist: Data#3 Limited

Microsoft Dynamics, CRM Partner of the Year:

Winner: Jaythom Pty Ltd
Finalist: Oakton Services Pty Ltd
Finalist: Professional Advantage Pty Ltd

Microsoft Dynamics, ERP Partner of the Year:

Winner: Hands-on Systems
Finalist: Eclipse Computing Australia Pty Ltd
Finalist: Professional Advantage Pty Ltd

Microsoft Dynamics, Industry/Vertical Solution Partner of the Year:

Winner: Eclipse Computing Australia Pty Ltd
Finalist: Sable Systems
Finalist: Scalable Data Systems Pty Ltd

Mobility Industry Solution Partner of the Year:

Winner: Mobilise IT Pty Ltd
Finalist: Retriever Communications Pty Ltd

Mobility Solutions Business Application Partner of the Year:

Winner: LogicalTech
Finalist: Mobilise IT Pty Ltd

Networking Infrastructure Solutions Partner of the Year:

Winner: Solutionware Pty Ltd
Finalist: Calvert Technologies
Finalist: Comcity Technology Pty Ltd

Notes Transition Partner of the Year:

Winner: Emantra Pty Ltd
Finalist: Quest Software Pty Ltd
Finalist: Thomas Duryea Consulting Pl

Public Sector Education Industry Solutions Partner of the Year:

Winner: Ensyst Pty Ltd
Finalist: Calumo Labs Pty Ltd
Finalist: OBS

Public Sector Health Industry Partner of the Year:

Winner: Fred Health Pty Ltd
Finalist: Eclipse Computing Australia Pty Ltd
Finalist: Senetas Corporation

Software+Services Hosting Partner of the Year:

Winner: BlueFire Corporation
Finalist: Emantra Pty Ltd
Finalist: WebCentral, a Melbourne IT Company

Security Solution Partner of the Year:

Winner: Data#3 Limited

Small Business Solution Partner of the Year:

Winner: Comcity Technology Pty Ltd
Finalist: Correct Solutions Pty Ltd
Finalist: Evolve IT Australia

Unified Communications Partner of the Year:

Winner: Jasco Consulting Pty Ltd
Finalist: Gen-I Australia Pty Ltd
Finalist: Empired Ltd

Community Impact Initiative Partner of the Year:

Winner: OBS

News on Action Pack Pricing for Australia

nickmayhew — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:19:34 GMT

As per the Australia Partner blog:

“

Microsoft Action Pack Subscription Price Changes for Australia

On behalf of Microsoft I would like to thank everyone who has given us feedback over the past couple of years around the price of the Microsoft Action Pack for Australian Partners. I am happy to share with you that as of today Microsoft Corporate have reduced the price of the Microsoft Action Pack to

Digital Distribution only - $396 Australian Dollars after tax
Physical Media and Digital Distribution - $660 Australian Dollars after tax

”

http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/archive/2009/08/24/microsoft-action-pack-subscription-price-changes-for-australia.aspx

I hope that this is well received news – it’s something that has been raised as an issue for years and we are pleased to have got the change approved to ensure pricing is more compatible with that shown for US partners.

Let me know what you think via this blog in comments or mail.

Australian Partner Award Finalists Announced

nickmayhew — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:13:03 GMT

Sarah Arnold has just announced the finalists in our local partner awards. Congratulations to everyone recognised and good luck for the final announcements:

http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/archive/2009/08/11/australia-partner-awards-finalist-announced.aspx

Partner Program Changes – clarification on exams and news on briefing events across the country

nickmayhew — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:58:41 GMT

I saw this article published in ARN and it was interesting to read the concerns expressed by Tony Banks over losing the investment in certifications for his team. I wanted to take a moment to clarify that this does not need to be a significant concern as long as certifications are kept up to date. Credit for certifications aligned to relatively new technology sets will continue to be an important part of meeting the requirements of a competency under the new Microsoft Partner Network. Indeed this is no change per se from the current program where keeping certifications up to date was a requirement of the competencies.

The new competency list is shown here for further reference and we’ll be providing more information at the next level of detail in the coming weeks. Partners attending the Australian Partner Conference will also have the chance to ask questions directly of the Microsoft team of course. For those of you not attending Australia Partner Conference, Inese Kingsmill and her team will be doing state sessions over the next two weeks. If this is of interest to you please register and attend one of the events below:

August 17: Victoria, Melbourne -

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423237&Culture=en-AU

August 18: Perth, WA -

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423242&Culture=en-AU

August 19: Adelaide, South Australia -

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423238&Culture=en-AU

August 20: Canberra, ACT -

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423239&Culture=en-AU

August 25: Brisbane, QLD -

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423241&Culture=en-AU

August 26: Sydney, NSW –

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423245&Culture=en-AU

August 31:Gold Coast, QLD -

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032423243&Culture=en-AU

Windows 7 Updates

nickmayhew — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:35:01 GMT

Some important milestones this week in the Windows 7 area.

1. Windows XP Mode Technology is now available in release candidate:

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/08/04/windows-xp-mode-rc-now-available.aspx

2. RTM (final) code for Windows 7 will be available on MSDN and Technet for ISV partners any minute now and Gold/Certs on 16th August:

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/07/21/when-will-you-get-windows-7-rtm.aspx

I’ll be upgrading my much loved RC version to RTM any day now !

Latest from the Partner Network Blog

nickmayhew — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:54:20 GMT

Sarah Arnold’s been busy on the blogging front recently – don’t forget to check out her excellent resource for Aussie partners. Here are some recent posts (http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/):

Action Pack Update: http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/archive/2009/07/23/microsoft-action-pack-update.aspx

Australian Partner Winners at Worldwide Parrtner Conference (congrats !) : http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/archive/2009/06/25/australian-partners-win-8-awards-at-worldwide-partner-conference.aspx

Special offer on MS Press for Windows 7 (finishes July 31): http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/archive/2009/07/07/hit-the-ground-running-with-windows-7.aspx

Australia Partner Conference 2009 - Agenda Now Available!

nickmayhew — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:53:44 GMT

The Australia Partner Team have worked hard to assemble a critical agenda to help you gain a competitive advantage, and deliver you the tools and business intelligence you need to compete and win in the current economy. This year’s agenda is focused on helping you - our frontline Partners - engage, grow and monetise the opportunities that Microsoft will deliver in FY10.

You can now view the Agenda overview here. Make sure you check back at the Partner Portal in the next week, as you’ll be able to customise your own agenda and preview the content!

News just released - Philip Fawcett, Principal Program Manager, Microsoft Research has been locked for the Locknote on Friday 4^th September. Philip provides an amazing insight into Future Trends, New Technology and Principals of Breakthrough Technology. Not to be missed!

New to this years conference – We have an entire stream allocated to Enterprise / Corporate Accounts, Public Sector & SMB customer segments! Specific ISV, Hosting, S+S sessions are also targeted in this years agenda! Take a closer look here.

Secure your place – register today!

WPC Highlights

nickmayhew — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:07:06 GMT

Don’t forget to check out Digital WPC for all the goodies from last week’s WPC. I’ve been watching the keynotes in the past few days for example. There is lots of content up on the site including all the other sessions and importantly you can find out more on the details of the Microsoft Partner Network announcements.

Congratulations Computercorp! Winners of the “I’m Open” initiative

nickmayhew — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:47:50 GMT

As part of the recent Microsoft “I’m Open” campaign for Resellers, Microsoft ran a promotion where each new Open Value customer agreement signed between February and April 2009 earned a reseller an entry into a draw to win AUS$20,000! We are pleased to announce that Computercorp was the winning reseller! Congratulations Computercorp! We look forward to working with you to offer the great benefits of Open Value licensing to more customers in the future.

Well done and please do investigate reselling Open Value if you don’t already. Find out more here.

Australian Partner Conference Awards – get your entry in !

nickmayhew — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:53:57 GMT

Hurry! You have just two weeks left to enter your submission in the Microsoft Australia Partner of the Year Awards. Entries close 24th June 2009, and award finalists will be announced on 10th August 2009, so make sure you submit your solution as soon as possible.

This year there are 30 award categories.

Don’t miss this chance to:

Receive your award in front of the Microsoft Partner community - at the popular Partner of the Year Gala dinner.
Gain press coverage in a Microsoft press release about the awards, and the October issue of Qantas Magazine.
Feature on the Find A Partner homepage.
Gain use of a web part and email signature promoting your business as an award winner.
Provide a testimonial about the award, and feature on Partner TV.

Submit today

Voices for Innovation – have your say

nickmayhew — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:44:32 GMT

Education, healthcare, innovation, the environment, the digital economy are all key policy issues at the heart of the political agenda for governments - local, state and federal. This means that the Australian technology industry will be affected by decisions made by government in areas such a procurement, privacy, technology standards, infrastructure, interoperability, intellectual property and accessibility to name a few. Given their role as both policy maker and the largest purchasers of ICT in the country, it is essential for government to remain informed and advised on the progress of technology and its contribution to business development, job creation, education, and government services.

Microsoft Australia regularly engages with governments, academics, thought leaders and regulators on policy development and would welcome the input of our partners. We want to have a complete picture of how regulation and legislation will affect our industry, but importantly how the technology industry can assist government in promoting choice, innovation and economic development.

Voices for Innovation (VFI) is one way for you to get engaged, keep informed and to connect with other members of the industry on issues of shared interest. With the support of Microsoft, VFI members educate thought leaders and elected officials about new technologies and the positive impact they have on global economies and jobs. By participating in VFI, members raise the profile of their company, learn from tech leaders and help win policies that are beneficial for our industry. Our members include Microsoft Partners, software developers, consumers, vendors, suppliers, shareholders, user groups, academics and others.

Partner Conference Registrations Open

nickmayhew — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:28:23 GMT

https://www.infosalons.com.au/APC2009/ticket.asp

New Local Partner Program Blog from Sarah Arnold

nickmayhew — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:20:51 GMT

http://blogs.msdn.com/auspartners/

Sarah is known to many of the local MS partner community as the person responsible for running the partner program, and associated things like worldwide partner conference attendance amongst many other things.

It’s great to see Sarah join the blogging world – so go subscribe to her blog today to ensure you stay in touch with the key news in her part of the Microsoft partner world.

In her own words:

“Hi, my name is Sarah Arnold and I am the Partner Program Manager for Australia. I am very excited to share my new blog with all of you. This blog is a new addition to the Microsoft Blog network and is dedicated to Microsoft Australian Partners of all levels. I hope this new form of digital inclusion provides another insight into the Microsoft Australia Partner Team and keeps you up to date on all the latest news.

I welcome your comments and feedback to my blog, and look forward to sharing with you my thoughts on the Microsoft Partner Program. Please stay tuned for new blog postings. “

Australian Partner Webcasts on Windows Server, Virtualisation and Windows 7

nickmayhew — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:33:43 GMT

Our local readiness team has prepared some webcasts for partners too busy to come to hands on training – learn all about these important technoligies by attending the following:

OVERVIEW OF WINDOWS SERVER 2008 R2

Wednesday, 27 May, 2009

12:00-1:00pm AEST

REGISTER NOW

Level: 200

Partner Role: Implementer, Architect, Developer, Exec/Owner, Marketing, Sales, Support

Microsoft is excited to launch Windows Server 2008 R2 the newest release from the Windows Server family. This one hour session provides a high level overview of product key features and benefits, the business value and differentiators. Keeping with our 2/4 year major/minor release cadence, Windows Server 2008 R2 will be an 'R2 Style' release to address important industry trends including multi-core/many-core, virtualization, power management, componentization, and the change to 64-bit only architecture. After attending this session you will be armed to engage customers in conversations about Windows Server 2008 R2 and saving money through an upgraded infrastructure.

BETTER TOGETHER – WINDOWS SERVER R2 and WINDOWS 7

Wednesday, 3 June, 2009

12:00-1:00pm AEST

REGISTER NOW

Level: 200

Partner Role: Architect, Developer, Exec/Owner, Implementer, Marketing, Sales, Support

We in the midst of a very exciting time for Microsoft and our customers. Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 stand to introduce ground breaking technology that will save our customers money while also increasing their efficiency. However, one of the most important considerations for our customers will be how they can achieve a larger ROI and efficiency by deploying Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 together. Come learn how these two releases work together. We will talk about BranchCache, DirectAccess and other solutions this platform will deliver.

MICROSOFT VIRTUALISATION

Wednesday, 10 June, 2009

12:00-1:00pm AEST

REGISTER NOW

Level: 200

Partner Role: Architect, Developer, Exec/Owner, Implementer, Marketing, Sales, Support

Microsoft provides a comprehensive set of virtualization products, tools, and services that span from the datacenter to the desktop. Our offerings cover server virtualization with Hyper-V, application virtualization with Terminal Services, presentation virtualization with Softgrid, and desktop virtualization with Virtual PC and VECD. This webcast will address how to present the virtualization story, create a buying and deployment vision for the Technology Decision Maker (TDM) using Core IO, and create momentum behind sales opportunities.

Webcast on conducting a SAM engagement – 14th May

nickmayhew — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:26:45 GMT

I often speak to partners, typically licensing and infrastructure partners, who would like to better understand the world of software asset management, and indeed how to deliver a value-adding service to customers in this area.

Well coming up is an interesting-looking webcast, that has a second timeslot that works for Australia (so you can join and ask live questions):

Content: Sales Management and Readiness

Target Microsoft Role: Marketing, Other

Target Partner Type Audience: Authorized Education Reseller, CPLS, Enterprise Software Advisor, Independent Software Vendor, Large Account Reseller, Managed (Field Managed Service Partner), Microsoft Employee, Original Equipment Manufacturer, System Builder, Systems Integrator, Value Added Reseller, Value Added Provider

Target Partner Role: Architect, Exec/Owner, Implementer, Marketing, Sales, Support

Level: 200

Description:

This webcast will provide Software Asset Management Partners guidance and a more detailed understanding of the SAM Engagement process or Software Asset Management review. It will explain and look at each step of a SAM Engagement from the initial kick off meeting, generating an ELP, performing a SOM Assessment, presenting your findings and working with your customer. This is intended to help to jumpstart the development or refinement of partner SAM consulting service and help to identify current areas of expertise that may need to be improved in order to carry out a successful SAM engagement.

Thurs 14th May, 11am Sydney time.

Register here:

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=266537

Before the Webcast:

To attend our upcoming Webcast you will need:

A computer with access to the Internet to view the visual portion of the event.
A functioning sound card and speakers or headphones for your PC.
Windows Media Player 9 (WMP 9).
A compatible computer configuration. Verify Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 System Requirements
Use the Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 Windows Console Compatibility Test to join a meeting to see if your computer is compatible with Live Meeting 2007.

During the webcast:

Webcast Link: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoftevents/join?id=SAM04PAL2&role=attend&pw=OIM878
Passcode: OIM878
Telephony: (877) 766-4798
Pin: 9534