The new requirements for CSP Direct: Is license administration part of a Microsoft Dynamics partner's core business?

Microsoft is changing the rules of the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) agreements with her partners as we speak. These changes will especially impact the businesses of partners that have selected the CSP Direct option. Some of them should even consider switching to the CSP Indirect scenario.

As most partners know, tracking and adapting to the latest updates to Microsoft's partnership model requires significant time and effort. To help the wider partner community understand what's going on and facilitate their decision-making process, I have interviewed my colleague Nelson Tavares da Silva, who is deeply involved in this domain. Nelson is VP Business Development at QBS Group, an indirect Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) distributor and the largest Microsoft Dynamics community worldwide. Within the QBS organisation, Nelson is business responsible for the CSP program. For more than two years he has been intensely involved in the CSP program and he has delivered presentations on CSP at international events for Microsoft Dynamics partners like Directions EMEA.

Guus: As a refresher, can you summarize what CSP is today?

Nelson: CSP is a program that helps Microsoft partners to create their own bundle of cloud solutions and cloud services, combined with their own IP and IP-related services. Via the CSP program, those partners can manage, offer, order, deliver, invoice and support that unique bundle to their end-customers all over the world. The purpose of this program is to create additional partner value, to strengthen the partner-customer relationship, and as a result, improve the pa rtner's profitability.