Competencies & Certification - Terry Stein - It's an IW World, and I'm Just Living In It!

6/2/2008

Apologies for the gap since my last blog post. I was out on vacation last week taking care of my daughter's graduation from high school. One down...three to go!

Anyway, I stumbled across a great tool today that I thought I would bring to your attention in case you aren't aware.

We now have a tool that helps map the new generation certification exams to the various certifications, and competencies and specializations within the MSPP program. It's an Excel spreadsheet that has multiple tabs for viewing the data by exam, by certification, by legacy certification, and by competency.

Included are links for learning plans, requirements for certifications, and so on. It's a great one-stop shop tool for answering your questions around the technical requirements for certification.

Here's your link to download the tool.

Posted at 1:25 PM by NORTHAMERICA\terrys | Category: Competencies & Certification | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/23/2008

Get Your Search Training Here

Last July, we implemented a new MSPP Specialization within the Information Worker Competency for Enterprise Search. You've also heard from many of the Microsoft folks in the past year that Enterprise Search is a key focus for us to get our partners up to speed. So far, we've had very few partners who have actually obtained the Enterprise Search specialization.

Given that piece of information, I thought it interesting when I stumbled across this Technet page that showcases 14 training videos specifically focused on Enterprise Search. Need to get up to speed? Take some time to look over these videos and you'll be walking the walk and talking the talk on enterprise search.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc505994.aspx

Posted at 11:29 PM by NORTHAMERICA\terrys | Category: Competencies & Certification; Search | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/20/2008

Upcoming Partner Competency Changes

You've probably heard that some changes are coming soon regarding competencies and specializations within the Microsoft Partner Program. These changes are effective beginning May 30th, 2008. There are lots of details on the partner portal by clicking here, but here are some of the high level details.

Business Intelligence, Unified Communications, and Hosting Solutions are now breaking out into their own competencies.

Business Intelligence

The new competency consists of the Business Intelligence Platform specialization (currently the Business Intelligence specialization within the Microsoft Data Management Solutions competency) and the Performance Management specialization (currently within the Microsoft Information Worker Solutions competency).

Your transition to the new Business Intelligence competency will happen automatically. The next time you sign in to the Microsoft Partner Program after May 30, 2008, your membership status will reflect the changes. If you are active in the Performance Management specialization, you will be listed as active in the Performance Management specialization within the Business Intelligence competency. And if you’re active in the Business Intelligence specialization, you’ll be listed as active in the Business Intelligence Platform specialization within the Business Intelligence competency.

Business Intelligence Platform and Performance Managements are the two specializations under the Business Intelligence competency

Since Performance Management specialization is moving away from the Information Worker Competency, you will maintain your IW Competency through your anniversary date if this was your only specialization in IW. If you have other IW specializations, you will continue to maintain your IW competency as long as those specializations are maintained.

There are no new or additional exams required to obtain the Business Intelligence competency.

Unified Communications

Unified Communications is the second new competency being added to the MSPP. this competency is designed to position partners to better take advantage of one of the most exciting and growing markets today and take advantage of one of Microsoft’s most important areas of investment.

The new competency provides partners with the necessary technical, marketing, and sales resources to develop and recognize expertise in streamlining communications through the Microsoft unified communications technologies, including Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Office Communications Server.

With Microsoft® unified communications technologies, you can deliver integrated, intuitive solutions that combine email, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), instant messaging (IM), and audio, video, and Web conferencing. All built around people, not technology.

The Unified Communications Solutions competency will include three specializations:

IM/Presence specialization, designed to showcase expertise in the planning, deployment, and management of these solutions.
Messaging specialization, designed to showcase expertise in email/calendaring migration and deployment solutions.
Voice specialization, designed to showcase expertise in implementing VoIP, unified messaging and conferencing solutions.

If you are already active in the Exchange Migration and Deployment specialization within the Advanced Infrastructure Solutions competency, and/or or the Unified Communications specialization within the Information Worker Solutions competency, you will be automatically transferred to the new competency after May 30.

Those partners who currently have the Unified Communications specialization within the Information Worker competency will automatically move to the IM/Presence specialization within new competency.

Partners who currently have the Exchange Migration and Deployment specialization within the Advanced Infrastructure Solutions competency will be automatically moved to the Messaging specialization within the new competency.

Partners who have obtained either the UC specialization or the Exchange Migration and Deployment specialization will maintain current benefits in the previous competencies through the anniversary date.

The Voice specialization is brand new starting on May 30th and there will be no transitions to this specialization from other areas. Stay tuned to the partner portal and this blog for the new requirements when they are posted.

There are no new additional requirements to be met for the IM/Presence or the Messaging specializations.

Hosting Solutions

The Hosting Solutions specialization within the Advanced Infrastructure Solutions competency will become the new Hosting competency. You’ll still have access to the Microsoft platform, software, tools, and services to help you meet your customers’ needs. But now you’ll be able to leverage your activity in the Hosting competency to better distinguish your organization as a hosting expert.

All partners who currently have the Hosting Solutions specialization within the Advanced Infrastructure and Solutions competency will automatically be moved to the new Hosting Solution competency until the anniversary date.

IMPORTANT NOTE - To maintain status in the Hosting Solutions Competency, two employees or contractors must pass exam 70-501: Windows Server 2003 Hosted Environments - Configuring and Managing prior to the anniversary date.

Additional Changes

Beginning May 30th, 2008, the Business Process and Integration Competency will become the SOA and Business Process Competency.

Microsoft will also be aligning partner certification requirements across the commercial agreements and the Business Solutions competency. Check the partner portal for further details after May 30th.

Microsoft will also change exam requirements for five competencies and programs. The five competencies or programs affected are:

ISV/Software Solutions
Identity and Security Access
Small Business Specialist Community
Advanced Infrastructure
Mobility

Please check the partner portal for specific impact to your organization, or work with your Microsoft field partner team to learn more.

Posted at 10:21 AM by NORTHAMERICA\terrys | Category: Competencies & Certification; Business Intelligence; Office Communications Server | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/14/2008

SharePoint Deployment Planning Services Available to Qualified Customers Worldwide on May 19th!

On May 19th,we will announce the release of SharePoint Deployment Planning Services (SDPS), a new partner and MCS delivered offering designed to help Software Assurance customers successfully plan and deploy SharePoint. SDPS includes a broad range of planning tools and services that help optimize the effectiveness of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server’s core capabilities (Portals & Collaboration, ECM and Search) and help lower the cost of deployment. Reception of this program has been VERY well received by both partners, customers and the field during our 4 month pilot that took place from January – April this year.

SDPS is a packaged service offering that is a benefit for customers with qualifying Software Assurance. Customers now have the flexibility to choose Desktop Deployment Planning and/or SharePoint Deployment planning services as part of their SA investment.

The number of Packaged Service days is determined by a combination of the number of qualifying Office licenses and the number of Core CAL suite and Enterprise CAL suite licenses.

Currently we have over 300 certified consultants that are available to deliver an SDPS engagement.

Over 18,000 Customers can leverage this service starting May 19th.

What does an SDPS engagement entitle customers to receive?

A 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 day deployment planning engagement will be offered depending on the customer’s SA benefit level.

The types of services delivered will depend on the length of the engagement

1. A Strategy Briefing defines the vision for achieving technical and business goals and is part of all engagements,

2. An Architectural Design Session introduces SharePoint technologies, solutions and concepts is added in a 3 Day Engagement,

3. A Deployment Planning Session covers a specific SharePoint capability in depth is added in a 5 Day Engagement, and

4. A Proof of Concept demonstrates the solution in the customer’s environment is added in a 10 and 15 day engagement.

Where do Customers find information on their SA benefit?

To determine the software assurance the customer has purchased, they must identify who, within the organization, “owns” the contract with Microsoft. This could be a legal resource, a contracting specialist, or an IT executive and is known as the Notices Contact and the Agreement Administrator. This person would receive their entitlement details at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/sa/default.mspx.

What is the value of SDPS to Customers and Partners?

Customers

§ SDPS enables customers to obtain a roadmap to understand how to effectively deploy SharePoint within their Organization and helps remove the customer-perceived risk and cost of planning for a SharePoint deployment.

§ SDPS offers an engagement that is customized for each customer, addressing their specific business or technical challenges.

§ SDPS enables customers to get more value out of their existing Software Assurance investment, and is available to them at no additional cost.

Partners

§ Partners receive the SDPS tools, training, and support to help customers deploy SharePoint and increase their revenue in the process.

§ SDPS helps minimize the up-front partner investment and pre-sales planning and helps customers get a SharePoint deployment plan in place, opening the door for increased partner service revenue opportunity.

§ Microsoft pays qualified partners to deliver SDPS services.

Where can I find more information?

The external site for partners to register is www.microsoftsdps.com, which will point them to the new partner community center where partners can leverage SDPS selling and engagement materials at www.partnersdps.com.

Customers can understand the opportunity and benefit of SDPS as part of the Software Assurance investment at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/sa.

What is next?

Get certified to delivery SPDS services and have Microsoft pay your consulting fee for the engagement! www.microsoftsdps.com.

Posted at 2:43 PM by NORTHAMERICA\terrys | Category: SharePoint; Selling IW to Customers; Competencies & Certification | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/9/2008

Certified & Gold Certified Partners – Free eLearning Offer

Are you currently a Microsoft Certified or Gold Certified level partner? If so, don't miss this opportunity to take advantage of free E-learning courses for the new 2007 Microsoft Office system exams. This can be your ticket to getting certified sooner. Get on board now at: http://www.iwaccelerator.com.

Posted at 9:28 PM by NORTHAMERICA\terrys | Category: Competencies & Certification | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)