The Microsoft Solutions Partner Program is designed to recognize and support partners who excel in delivering Microsoft Azure solutions across three critical domains: Data & AI, Infrastructure, and Digital & App Innovation. Each domain has its own specific Microsoft Solutions Partner title, which partners can attain by meeting the qualification criteria through their performance, skilling, and customer success scores. These scores are evaluated automatically, ensuring a fair and transparent process. This article will guide you through the prerequisites, metrics, and detailed requirements necessary to achieve a Solutions Partner designation for each Azure domain, helping you understand how to accumulate the necessary points and excel in the program.
In order to achieve a Solutions Partner designation, you need to:
Accumulate at least 70 points.
Attain points in each of the following five categories.
Performance
Skill development: intermediate certifications
Skill development: advanced certifications
Customer success: increased usage
Customer success: deployments
Let's delve into the details of these requirements and metrics in the following sections.
Performance
The category of Performance assesses how well your company can grow the number of customers utilizing Azure services and workloads. The sole metric within the Performance category is Net customer adds.
Net customer adds
Scoring
Every new customer adds 10 points, with a limit of 30 points per customer.
Calculation
Net customers added = (Eligible Customers last month) – (Eligible Customers same month last year)Eligible Customers
The number of unique customer tenants who have generated at least USD 1,000 in Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) from eligible Azure services associated with specific partner association types is displayed for the last two months.
Eligible workloads
All Azure Service Level 2 services are considered eligible workloads. (Workload eligibility may change. Make sure to check regularly for the most up-to-date workload eligibility information.) Refer to the Directory of Azure Cloud service for the comprehensive list of Azure services included at the second-highest level. For instance, you can locate Azure Machine Learning under the AI + Machine Learning section.
All offers can be availed except for Support, Internal, Benefit Program, and Trial offers. Eligible types of association include CSP (CSP Tier 1 and CSP Tier 2), Digital Partner of Record (DPOR), and Partner Admin Link (PAL).
Skilling
The skilling category measures partner capabilities and skills based on the number of certified individuals in an organization.
This category consists of two metrics:
- Intermediate certifications
- Advanced certifications
Different certifications are needed for each of the three Azure areas, as explained in the upcoming sections.
Intermediate certifications
Infrastructure
Step 1: Mandatory certifications
In order to qualify for the Intermediate Infrastructure certification, you need to have a minimum of two individuals who hold the Azure Administrator Associate certification.
If you fail to meet this requirement, you will not receive any points for this criterion.
Step 2: Additional certifications
Once you fulfil the prerequisite in step 1, you will receive points towards Intermediate certifications for each individual who has obtained any one of the following:
Azure Network Engineer Associate
Azure Stack Hub Operator Associate
Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate
This certification was retired on July 31, 2023. However, it will still count towards partner capability score points until July 2024.
Scoring
Each qualifying person who fulfils the listed certification requirements earns you four points, up to a maximum of 20 points.
Important consideration(s)
Completion of Step 1 is required before advancing to Step 2, and it does not directly contribute to earning points. However, completing Step 1 is a prerequisite for earning points in this category. Points are only granted for certifications obtained in Step 2 after the completion of the first step.
Individuals can be counted multiple times across different steps, but only once per step. Each certified individual is counted only once towards the points, even if they have completed multiple certifications in Step 2. However, the individuals qualifying for Step 1 can be the same or different from the individuals qualifying for Step 2.
Advanced certifications may be obtained by the same or different individuals as compared to the Intermediate certifications.
Some certifications might have prerequisites specified on the certification website, which must be fulfilled by the individual in order to complete the certification.
Examples
Individuals A and B complete Step 1, while individuals C and D complete Step 2. In this scenario, two individuals qualify (C, D), and the organization would be awarded 2*4 = 8 points.
Individuals A and B complete both Steps 1 and 2. In this case, since the prerequisite is fulfilled, two individuals (A, B) qualify for points, resulting in the organization being awarded 2*4 = 8 points.
Individual A finishes Step 1, while individuals B and C complete Step 2. If at least two individuals complete Step 1, then no points are given. When one additional person (B, C, or others except A) finishes Step 1, two individuals (B, C) would meet the criteria, and the organization would receive 2*4 = 8 points.
Advanced certifications
Infrastructure
Step 1: Mandatory certifications
In order to accumulate points for Advanced certifications, a minimum of two individuals must hold the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certificate. If there are fewer than two certified Azure Solutions Architect Experts in your organization, you will not receive any points in this category, even if you fulfil the rest of the certification criteria.
Step 2: Other certifications
Points towards Advanced certifications are awarded for each individual who has achieved any one of the following certifications:
- Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty
- Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty
Scoring
Four points are granted for each person who fulfils the specified certification requirements, with a maximum of 20 points.
Important point(s) to consider
Step 1 is necessary before proceeding to Step 2 and does not contribute any points directly. However, Step 1 must be finished before any points are given in this category. Points are awarded only for certifications obtained in Step 2 once the first step is finished.
Individuals can be counted multiple times across different steps, but only once per step. Each certified individual counts only once toward the points, even if they have completed multiple certifications in Step 2. However, the individuals counting toward Step 1 can be the same or different as the individuals counting toward Step 2.
The same or different people can earn intermediate certifications and advanced certifications.
Some certifications may have prerequisites listed on the certification website (select the link for the individual certification). These prerequisites must be fulfilled for an individual to complete the certification.
Examples
Persons A and B carry out Step 1, while persons C and D carry out Step 2. In this scenario, two individuals (C, D) are eligible, and the organization receives 2*4 = 8 points.
Persons A and B complete Steps 1 and 2. The requirement is met, and two individuals (A, B) are eligible for points, resulting in an allocation of 2*4 = 8 points.
Person A completes Step 1, and persons B and C complete Step 2. No points are granted in this situation, as at least two individuals must complete Step 1 before any points are awarded. Once one more individual (B, C, or others excluding A) finishes Step 1, two individuals (B, C) would be eligible, and the organization would receive 2*4 = 8 points.
Customer Success
The customer success category measures your ability to
Increase the use of Microsoft products (Usage growth)
Expand Microsoft Azure services and workloads utilized by customers (Deployments)
Usage growth
The customer success metric for usage growth assesses your capacity to boost the utilization and uptake of eligible products. Points are awarded for growth in ACR (Azure consumed revenue) across all your eligible customer tenants. Each 1% increase in ACR results in one point, with a maximum of 20 points.
Scoring
Percentage usage growth = (Total qualifying ACR last month - Total qualifying ACR same month last year) * 100 / (Total qualifying ACR same month last year)Qualifying ACR
For the past 12 months, the total amount of Azure consumed revenue (ACR) from qualifying Azure services associated with specific partner association types across the entire customer base is considered for qualification.
To be eligible for scoring, the total ACR must be a minimum of USD 1,000.
All Azure Service Level 2 services are considered eligible Azure services.
All offers are valid for consideration except Support, Internal, Benefit Program, and Trial.
CSP Tiers 1 and 2, Digital Partner of Record (DPOR), and Partner Admin Link (PAL) are all considered eligible association types for attributions across all Azure areas.
Deployments
The deployments metric measures the occurrence of advanced Azure services within ACR over the past 12 months. An Azure service is a unique, top-level Azure workload identified by the Service Level 2 data for the deployed tenants. Each qualifying deployment contributes two points, with a maximum of 10 points.
Qualifying deployments
This represents the count of distinct Azure services utilized by all customers which have generated an Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) greater than zero in the past 12 months. These services come from eligible Azure offerings associated with specific partner affiliation categories.
Eligible Azure services
All Azure Service Level 2 services are applicable except for Virtual Machines and Virtual Machine Licenses. Refer to the Directory of Azure Cloud services for the list of Azure services bundled at the Second-highest level. For instance, locate Azure Machine Learning in the AI + Machine Learning section.
Eligible offers
All offers are eligible except for Support, Internal, Benefit Programs, and Trials.
Eligible association types
CSP (CSP Tiers 1 and 2), Digital Partner of Record (DPOR), Partner Admin Link (PAL)
Solution Partner Designations Infrastructure (Azure) Product Benefits
Data freshness:
The Performance and Customer Success subcategories are generally updated by the 20th day of each month. However, there may be additional minor data updates throughout the month.
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