Microsoft Partner etc

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Does anyone else feel that this is just another greed machine?

The reason I ask is because I am still fuming! I got my exams etc got my MCSA and was over the moon had been advised about the partner site and the action pack etc, to cut a long story short my grievance is you can pay best part of £300 become a registered partner. They then have a certified partners or gold partners soooo ( excuse my ignorance/naievity ). I thought im certified etc. Ahem actually i'm not don't have enough points haven't taken their test on further enquiry it seems If I was container loads of office or vista or installing 40 copies of server etc a week then I could qualify to be a cert partner or gold partner but working for myself erm well no cos only one mcp and you need 2 or more qualified or need to go asking for loads of references from clients saying what a good boy am I pmsl.

Rant over please feel free to comment tell me to get a life or whatever lol.

 

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soz

If I was container loads of office or vista or installing 40 copies of server etc a week then I could qualify to be a cert partner or gold partner but working for myself erm well no cos only one mcp

Should read selling container loads etc etc

 

My head hurts, I do not understand what you are on about.

 

The Microsoft Partner program is nothing to do with your certs. It's a program for IT companies and self employed individuals who wish to actively market Microsoft products and solutions. Unless you're going to be working for yourself or are starting/have a business then you don't need it at all.

I was a Registered Partner for 7+ years but that's because I ran a consultancy/support business.

Now if you do opt for that route then there is only a fee to pay (and a test) if you want the Action Pack software - if you don't want the software you can still be a Partner.

Partner's get offered sales, product and technical training but this does not contribute to certs (as I'm finding out !) and the courses etc. are not known about generally.

If your business grows and you employ staff who hold certs then you can progress through the different Partner levels and are then entitled to use the Certified Partner or Gold Partner logos in your marketing and advertising.

So, no need to panic or rant

 

Sorry basically Microsoft run a partner scheme colleges and big firms get discounts etc for being part of it depending on membership level. I was just moaning simply as it seems if you can sell loads of their stuff seem to hold you in better status than if you can actually use it/deploy it.

 

Not quite true. It's for any independent business big or small. Yes, it's sales driven but they cna help you grow your business and develop more into a consultancy hence the need then for certified staff.

 

If you are hard core into Microsoft, then being a Partner does have benefits (to a business).
But it's hard work because they hold all the cards and you have to jump through all their hoops.
I work with a consultant who is a partner and they do seem to get genuine benefits from being involved but then they also go through the annual agony of renewal and making sure that they have shipped enough material, received enough customer feedback, got enough points etc etc then have to hand over a whopping cheque.
It's about £1k a year for Certified and £2k a year for Gold Certified I believe.

But to some businesses, having the MS logo above your door is worth the hassle - unfortunately some companies join just to have the logo above the door and manage to blag the whole thing.

 

Once you are a Certified or Gold Partner MS will refer sales leads to you and there is a scheme for customers to pass psitive feedback. Overall, it's a business thing, you don't have to have it but if you value the benefits on offer then you abide by it's requriements.

Other vendors offer different "partner" packages too like Cisco etc.

 

At the end of the day, it's all about spreading the MS empire...

 

As the guys above have mentioned, you've missed the point of the Partner programme. The clue's in the name: 'Partner'. Its the same as any other tech company - aimed mainly at resellers and consultants. Not much point you becoming a 'partner' if you're working on a job that doesn't require you to resell MS licenses.

The Action Pack programme (rebadged as part of the 'Partner' programme a couple of years ago - preumably because MS were getting pissed with people just treating it as an opportunity to grab some free software) is more geared towards what you want - though I've found that the software they give out is next to bloody useless (a single license for 2K8 server?) so have moved onto the TechNet plus subscription (which allows you to download much more and isn't that much more expensive pa than the Action Pack was)

At the end of the day, all of this - ALL OF IT - is about making MS more money

 

Zeb, if you have your company check into BizSpark, it might solve your licensing hassles.

 

That is incorrect. It costs money for the Action Pack... but it costs nothing to become a registered partner.

Exactly this.

 

Thanks for all the responses.
Zeb you said about technet? I might be interested in that.
Basically as bosun says and I accept i'm paying or would be £300 for an action pack rather than the actual membership.
I think my main beef was and again down to being naive ( I realise you get nothing for nothing) Is I expected having reached a certain standard to get a few rewards apart from being able to buy a baseball cap or mug lol.
Cisco seem to have a better philosophy from what I can see as they seem to say "employ our ccna or ccnp etc and we will give you discount" and if i am correct depending on your level of cisco cert you yourself get better deals on stuff

 

Dude, there's no difference. Microsoft gives partner points for:

- developing technologies (hardware or software) related to Microsoft software/OSes
- offering services that implement Microsoft-based solutions
- hiring Microsoft-certified individuals
...and many, many other criteria.

In truth, it's about the same as Cisco. Cisco gives you discounts for more things than just hiring certified techs... it's largely based on sales as well.

 

Cheers for all the info.