Requirements

Below are the requirements shown on Microsoft’s website.

The requirements to earn an advanced specialization are designed to identify specialists in specific solution areas that have high customer demand and relevance. The requirements will vary depending on the advanced specialization being sought and may include the following:

1.    Attain and maintain a Gold Cloud Platform Competency
2.    Demonstrate your company meets the Azure Consumed Revenue performance thresholds
3.    Have a minimum number of unique individuals who pass specific certifications
4.    Meet additional requirements, including but not limited to:
(1)Advanced or third-party certifications (2)Microsoft technology-performance indicators (3)Public case studies (4)Architecture review

Advanced Specialization vs. Gold Competency

A competency measures a partner’s broad technical capability in Microsoft product or technology. An advanced specialization measures more in-depth capabilities in a specific solution area. In order to become an advanced specialist, Microsoft partners will need to acquire the matching Microsoft Gold Competency beforehand.

Advanced Specialization Categories

Currently there are six different advanced specialization categories.

• Data Warehouse Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Kubernetes on Microsoft Azure
• Linux and Open Source Database Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Modernization of Web Application to Microsoft Azure
• SAP on Microsoft Azure
• Windows Server & SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure

Why should I acquire an advanced specialization?

Under the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more organizations are relying heavily on the cloud. Besides, analysts have estimate that the demand in cloud will continue to rise in the foreseeable future. Being an advanced specialist means that your enterprise possesses extraordinary knowledge in a specific area. Thus, earning an advanced specialization brings greater exposure to customers and greatly increases the opportunity to generate profit for your enterprise.

Start your journey as an advanced specialist

To learn more about advanced specialization, you can refer to Microsoft’s advanced specialization web page.

About Caloudi

Caloudi is a palpable presence in cloud solutions who helps clients through provisioning and gaining control over their cloud resources. With the expertise in AI-based analytics and Hybrid & Multi cloud support, customers will always be proactive through using AI-based detection, forecasting, optimization, and anomaly detection functions in Caloudi’s CMP.

The post Introducing Microsoft Advanced Specializations appeared first on Caloudi: Cloud Resource Management Solution For You.

Earning a Microsoft Advanced Specialization bolster up an organization’s opportunity to generate more profit and exposure to potential customers. There are currently six advanced specialization categories.

• Data Warehouse Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Kubernetes on Microsoft Azure
• Linux and Open Source Database Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Modernization of Web Application to Microsoft Azure
• SAP on Microsoft Azure
• Windows Server & SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure

According to the chart above, the number of Windows Server and SQL Server Migration and Modernization of Web Application makes up about 3/4 of total earned advanced specializations.

Windows Server & SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure

Since the number of Windows Server & SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure makes up almost half of all advanced specialization credentials, thus we would like to dig a little bit deeper.

There were 40 companies that earned the advanced specialization in Windows Server & SQL Server Migration when we first started to gather data from Azure Advanced Specialization at Sep 23^rd. As of press time, the numbers have risen to 61.

Take a closer look on the region and nation composition of these advanced specialization holders. It is obvious that most advanced specialization holders of Windows Server & SQL Server Migration are based in the United States, Microsoft’s home country, followed by the United Kingdom and the Americas. On the other hand, only 4 Asia-based companies have acquired the advanced specialization, and surprisingly none of them are from Eastern Asian countries (Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Mongolia).

Modernization of Web Application to Microsoft Azure

In Modernization of Web Application to Microsoft Azure, the second most acquired advanced specialization, the distribution of countries and regions is even more polarized. If countries like South Africa, Israel, and Australia were taken into account, then Western companies have outnumbered non-western companies, comprising 30 out of 34 advanced specialization companies.

The Rise of Microsoft Partners with Technical Specialties

As the demand of cloud has been predicted to rise in the future more organizations will be seeking assistance from a third party to help them migrate to the cloud. At this very moment, the number of advanced specialization is on the rise. For many Microsoft Gold Partner, the goal of achieving an advanced specialization has became an important goal in inducing business development strategies as well as leveraging their Microsoft Partner status.

As number of advanced specialization boom in the Americas, corporates located in Asian countries are starting to catch up with this trend. A few days ago, Caloudi Corporation has become the first to achieve an Advanced Specialization in East Asia. Our Microsoft Partner Business profile has been updated with the new credential, but the Microsoft Advanced Specialization partner list has not been updated with this great news just yet. We believe in the importance of being recognized in our technical abilities in solving client’s cloud migration issue and we have emphasized that through earning a Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Azure Advanced Specialization.

The post Microsoft Advanced Specialization Statistical Insight appeared first on Caloudi: Cloud Resource Management Solution For You.