5 challenges MSPs face with Microsoft Azure, and how to overcome them.

16 February, 2021

Cloud, the all-encompassing word that was likely the most used buzzword of 2020 in the IT industry, but how is it that such a term can be so daunting to some? 

As with any other obstacle, in order to move forward we must break down the roadblocks one by one and start tackling them.  

1. Lack of internal skills and knowledge

The lack of technical know-how is not something most like to admit, but it’s not as embarrassing as it sounds; after all, nothing in the cloud stays the same for 12 months, so why should you?  

Luckily, Microsoft provides abundant resources to support partners looking to up skill their team and stay current with their cloud skills and knowledge: 

2. Migrating from on-premise and private cloud

Migrating from existing environments into the cloud can feel like a project that’s too big to even think about, especially when your end customers already have an existing environment with application dependencies, integrations and the outlook that says “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”.  

The year 2020 saw the forced digital transformation of entire workforces. It was evident that those who struggled to move to remote work were still relying on legacy infrastructures, while some organisations were able to seamlessly transition to the ‘new normal’ due to having already set up a cloud environment. 

As we look to another year of a shifting work environment, moving to the cloud is no longer an option, it’s a necessity.  

3. Having the right conversation and articulating the value of Azure

So how do you have the right conversation with your customers to communicate this necessity, and fully demonstrate the values of migrating to a public cloud like Microsoft Azure? 

Therein lies the next challenge: Partners must align their proposed solutions with customer needs and business goals to ensure that it stays relevant. 

The biggest perk of having access to public cloud is its endless scalability, and the number one goal of a business is growth. As a business grows, so does its data, networks, applications, personnel, and storage. 

Azure not only works as a standalone cloud platform, but also as part of a hybrid cloud environment. 

4. Pricing to sell

Some may argue that the upfront cost of migrating to Azure can be dear. However, so are the costs of relocating an on-premise server that will always be held back by its hardware limitations, requiring a refresh every 3 to 5 years depending on the customer’s technology cycles, on top of the expected growth of a business during those 3 to 5 years.  

By utilising current incentives, like Microsoft’s Windows Virtual Desktop offer on top of Synnex CSP’s Get Started with Azure promotion, partners can greatly reduce their upfront project costs and start their Azure adoption journey today.  

5. Cost optimisation

Cost management and optimisation for Azure is the last challenge and perhaps the biggest.

Some partners are under the impression that Azure running costs are expensive, unpredictable, and difficult to forecast. 

So how do you correctly quote and invoice your customers, and manage your Azure spend? In fact, there are a number of tools and resources designed to help Microsoft Partners monitor and analyse their Azure costs, like the Microsoft Azure pricing calculator.  

Microsoft reports a cost saving of up to 72% with Azure RI compared Azure Pay-as-you-go, and cost savings of up to 80% when combined with Azure Hybrid Benefit, which helps you save on your server licensing. 

For partners that know what they want, Azure Reserved Instances (RI) allows them to budget easily by committing to a specific Virtual Machine (VM) size upfront at a discounted price, improving the forecasting of the virtual environment.  

Image source: Microsoft Azure.  

How we can help you

Our Synnex CSP team is committed to providing technical training and enablement that provide long term benefits to our partners, starting with the Monthly Update webinar series where we filter out all the noise and provide hand-picked information about the Microsoft CSP landscape that’s most relevant to you. Keep an eye out for the next webinar by following the Synnex CSP LinkedIn page and subscribe to the CSP newsletter for updates, current incentives, and upcoming events.  

  • Synnex CSP recently partnered up with Nerdio, a software vendor providing comprehensive solutions to help Managed Service Providers deploy, manage, and optimise their Azure Windows Virtual Desktop environments. 
  • You can check out Nerdio’s free cost estimator tool, which calculates the cost of Azure consumption, Microsoft 365 and server licensing and provides a detailed breakdown at the conclusion that assists partners in quoting their Azure environment accordingly and identifies where to further optimise and reduce costs. 

Do any of these challenges apply to you and your business? Or perhaps you have already overcome the obstacles we mentioned above.

Either way – we would love for you to get in touch with us to discuss the next steps on your Microsoft Azure cloud journey.  

The Synnex CSP team can be reached at: 

CSP@au.synnex-grp.com.au  

1300 100 108