[German]Today, a short blog post to ask: How satisfied are you with Microsoft's support as a partner? I have received an information from such a partne, which complains about a "tragedy of Microsoft with regard to the support of its partners". I like to get a first impression, whether this is a single voice or if it's more.
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Microsoft Action Pack for Cloud Partner
Microsoft uses so-called partners to sell products to customers or to use them there. Those who are members of the so-called Microsoft Cloud Partner Program can, for example, sell customers licenses for Microsoft products like Microsoft 365, Azure, etc. If you are a member of the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program, Microsoft also grants you access to an ecosystem of resources as well as opportunities to optimize your membership, according to this Microsoft page.
Partners can purchase a so-called Microsoft Action Pack. This package contains licenses (e.g. Intune, Exchange, etc.) that the partner can use for tests. Also included in the Microsoft Action Pack are up to 10 product support incidents that enable troubleshooting support from Microsoft. For example, an overview for the licenses and benefits included in the Microsoft Action Pack can be found on this Microsoft page.
Complaint from a partner
An e-mail reached me the other day in which a Microsoft partner complains about a "tragedy on Microsoft's part with regard to support for its partners". It seems to be about what happens when someone buys a Microsoft Action Pack as a partner in order to be able to test the latest software. Here is the text of the mail – the sender is known to me, but is not disclosed here.
Good day Mr. Born
Your website has always interesting contributions to different IT problems. Thank you very much for your engagement.
My concern is also about Microsoft and your membership.We, who work in IT, feel partly ignored and don't even get the software at the right time or are even completely withdrawn. Silver and Gold memberships no longer exist at Microsoft. The Action Pack is also not properly maintained and contains outdated software.
If you ask Microsoft to finally unlock Office 2021 or the current Server 2022 Cals, they don't respond. Not to speak of other programs etc. As an IT company that likes to always try and test the latest, it is very tedious.
I hope through you if an article that can highlight this issue, maybe Microsoft responds just rudimentary.
Well, at least I put the statements now times publicly. The sender of the mail still wrote that alone the "offer of today" is already disappointing and linked to the following two references:
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Final question for other Microsoft partners: Can this be confirmed? How satisfied are you as a Microsoft Cloud Partner? This is not the first time that Microsoft has duped its partners – see the following articles.
Similar articles:
Rollback: Microsoft doesn't cut internal use rights for its Gold and Silver partners
Microsoft slaps its silver and gold partners
I confirm the user's experience. I will not renew it anymore: total waste of money.
The Action Pack has become practically useless. It's all out dated and most of the Cloud licenses are Deprecated. It used to be great as you could test the latest software and be one step ahead, now you're always one step behind.
I registered now the ActionPack again. But there are only outdatet software included.
Very sad for us software developer. So we had to test the new version actually directly on the customes version. I miss Office 2021, SQL Server 2022…..
I hope we will get back our money.
Hello! As a MAPS member since long time ago (when we had CD / DVD sended each months) I can confirm what the user said here, and, in another hand, I have to explain that something is missing here too.
Yes, we don't have Office 2021 right now, and as the MAPS aggreements allow us to use licences in our own production lines (contrarily to VS / MSDN licenses) it's really sad. Yes it's no longer a well updated Action Pack as before.
But in the other side, we have now Windows 11 licenses. And what user don't explained here, is that Action Pack is coming with 3 others things: 100 USD / month credit on Microsoft Azure, AND up to 5 full Office 365 E3 licenses, allowing each users to install all Office 365 Apps up to 5 devices. Let me know if I'm wrong, but Office 365 is over Office 2021 right? Since Office 365 Apps are currently like "Office 2023". Finaly, don't forget that MAPS include My Visual Studio for MAPS for 3 users, where we have all Windows versions and Windows Server versions, always in time, with licenses, for testing purposes.
Again, I understand the users comments here, yes: Office 365 isn't Office 2021. I would like to have Office 2021 licenses too, to be able to help better my customers using this specific pro or business Office 2021 version. But my point is we can't say MAPS / Action Pack is currently useless, when we look well all benefits, including Offce 365 for 5 users, My Visual Studio for MAPS for 3 users and Azure credits.