4 Microsoft Office 365 Suites for Enterprise Cloud Partners
At first glance, the Microsoft Office 365 web site doesn’t say much about cloud channel partners. But if you take a closer look at the Office 365 beta program — particularly for the Office 365 Plan E family — you’ll notice Microsoft connecting the dots between cloud software and channel partners.
First, a little background: Microsoft announced a broader Office 365 beta earlier this week. As you’ll recall, Office 365 is the forthcoming successor to Business Productivity Online Suite, which includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Lync Online and more. The new beta arrives as some channel partners express concerns about Microsoft controlling customer data and end-customer cloud billing. Also, Microsoft’s initial FAQ about Office 365 barely mentions channel partners.
Still, Microsoft seems to be working channel partner programs into the Office 365 strategy. Most eyeballs are on the basic Office 365 P1 plan. But take a closer look a the Office 365 Plan E1 through E4. Things get really interesting with E3 (which includes Office Professional Plus) and E4 (which includes a full-blown PBX service). Monthly prices range from $10 to $27 per person.
But here’s the interesting part: The Microsoft Office 365 Plan E page directs customers to top channel partners that can assist Office 365 deployments. That’s refreshing. In recent months, TalkinCloud has openly wondered which channel partners are truly betting on Microsoft’s cloud strategy. TalkinCloud in March stumbled onto a list of Microsoft’s Top 10 U.S. cloud channel partners. And with the Office 365 Plan E beta, Microsoft seems to be putting a brighter spotlight on more channel partners.
It’s a step in the right direction.
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