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After assessing its hosting businesses, Microsoft has added two new UK distribution partners to its SPLA channel – Westcoast and Ingram Micro.
We’re told it’s part of a wider Micosoft review of and response to the cloud market opportunities in the UK.
Clare Barclay, director of SMB at Microsoft UK, who lead the assessment, commented: “We have seen incredibly strong growth in the cloud services market over the past five years and the SPLA hosting business in the UK now is worth over $100 million. We believe the addition of distributors into the SPLA channel will drive new business and support VARs wanting to offer highly personalised cloud solutions to their customers.”
“We are delighted to have this important licensing methodology as part of our line card. It broadens our product offering to hosting providers that want to offer software and services to their customers. This in turn reinforces the strength of our leading cloud services business and our mature datacentre infrastructure business,” said Matt Sanderson, Ingram Micro (UK) managing director. “Our appointment and the recent announcement of the Office 365 Open subscription billing model clearly demonstrate Microsoft’s commitment to and investment in the UK channel.”
“We are delighted to be appointed,” said Paul Harman, Commercial Manager, Westcoast. “Westcoast is continuing to invest and innovate to offer a wide range of products, services and solutions to the market. This further enhances our all up Microsoft offering for our channel partners and we are excited about what opportunities this will bring.”
Microsoft says it’s fully committed to working with partners to ‘recognise, develop and drive new business in the channel’.
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