Microsoft introduced its FastTrack program to help businesses adopt services like Office 365, and more recently Windows 10 and Dynamics 365. Now, the firm has expanded the aforementioned program to include its flagship cloud offering, Azure.
In a post on the Partner Network blog, GM of Partner Programs, Worldwide Partners and Programs, Toby Richards, stated:
FastTrack is designed to help customers accelerate their transition to the cloud so that they can realize business value faster while also providing partners with new opportunities to deliver value added services. According to a study by IDC, for every $1 of Microsoft cloud services a partner sells or influences, they make an average $4.14 through their value-added services and solutions. This expansion of FastTrack brings together a portfolio of cloud services including Office 365, Dynamics 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS), Windows, and now Azure.
The program, which is set to kick off in preview form on August 1st, will allow customers to check out backup and restore, disaster recovery, development and test, as well as line of business applications like Database Migration, App Modernization or App Lift & Shift. As is the case with most previews, there are certain characteristics for eligibility:
During preview, FastTrack for Azure is available through Microsoft-field nomination to customers that are:
- Located in the United States, Canada, or Australia (English-only).
- Have an Azure project of USD $60,000 or more per year or equivalent in local currency.
- Not supported by a Microsoft Cloud Solution Architect.
- Aim to deploy a supported solution.
If accepted, customers can also be eligible for an up to $15,000 USD incentive "to be used with FastTrack for Azure to help offset the cost of services provided by the partner."
More resources and details are available at the dedicated portal.