Microsoft

Simplify Microsoft Procurement and Management

Purchasing Microsoft products directly, through an Enterprise Agreement (EA), or from typical distributors and resellers can be a challenge

Cloud 9 will help you identify, research, evaluate, and compare the right certified Microsoft CSPs and partners that will finally make buying and managing Microsoft easy.

The Microsoft ecosystem is vast and their product set is even bigger. Trying to navigate the litany of ever-changing and growing SKUs is a job in and of itself. This is one of many reasons Microsoft has such an enormous ecosystem of partners in the first place.

It seems anyone can get a Microsoft certification these days. How do you know which partner, reseller, distributor, MSP, or CSP is right for your business and where would you even begin looking? There are numerous options and any organization with fewer than 1500 users seeking Microsoft licenses will need to choose or Microsoft may choose for you. 

Fear not! Our portfolio contains over two dozen carefully curated, gold and platinum level, Microsoft partners, some of the largest and fastest growing in the world. We’ve already done all the research and laid it out for easy consumption in our proprietary IT decision-making platform. We’ve profiled and vetted all the vendors so you can decide quickly and with confidence. 
It's just a matter of finding you
the right partner! 

With managed and co-managed solutions from any of the Microsoft providers in our portfolio, businesses of all sizes can work easier, work together, and worry less. 
Get partially or fully managed Microsoft and other security and IT services, special project-based services, or just get discounted licensing from a better source. 

Professional services: migration, implementation, engineering, architecture, cloud solutions design, and more.

Self-service platform that makes it easy to order, increase, or decreases licenses.

Auto-provisioned licenses within seconds of ordering.

Month-to-month consumption model that reduces overpayment and reduces or removes the risk of Microsoft audits.            
  • Month-to-Month licensing - no contract, no lock-in, increase/decrease quantities anytime, as needed.
  • Added or removed licenses are prorated for the month.
  • One consolidated monthly bill.
  • Simple, self-service, auto-provisioning portal, with order history, reports, and tracking.
  • Retain ownership of tenant and of course any data.
  • 24/7, US-Based, phone, webchat, email support for any internal and external IT staff, included.
  • Tier 1-4 managed IT and help desk or co-managed tier 2-4 support for every Microsoft Cloud SKU, plus many other solutions.
  • License evaluation and optimization (ex.: O365 or M365? Business or Enterprise? Are there any MS licenses bundles where we can get what we need but pay less? Are there any MS licenses where we can get more and pay the same?, etc.).
  • Plus dozens of other solutions: Acronis, BitDefender, BitTitan, Datto, DropSuite, IronScales, Nerdio, Proofpoint, Symantec, Veeam, Wasabi, Webroot... and many more.
Purchasing and managing Microsoft product licenses either via a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) or simply via the Microsoft website, even for smaller businesses, can be challenging. Typical distributors and resellers can offer some value, but often impose their own unique challenges. 

Mid-size and larger companies will often go through the process and expense of getting a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA). An EA may afford larger companies some additional benefits; special license bundles, better pricing, along with direct access to Microsoft premium support and engineers (at a premium price), which can often be a requirement of an EA. This might make sense for some because of the higher volume of licenses, but it may not be right for every big business. Additionally, an EA has historically been reserved for companies with 500 or more users. Microsoft has recently announced they'll be increasing that minimum, from 500 to 1500 users. This is a clear indication that Microsoft prefers to distribute these "smaller" customers to its partner network. 

Cloud 9 Makes Microsoft Easy

We already know technology can be complicated, but buying it doesn't have to be. The Cloud 9 Vendor Services program is designed to streamline the IT buying process and help busy business and IT leaders make smart IT investments. You'll get one-on-one help and expert guidance from our team of impartial, vendor-neutral Microsoft engineers and specialists. We'll help you identify, research, evaluate, and compare the numerous Microsoft CSPs and other Microsoft partners that are the right fit for your organization. 

DO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH COMPLICATED MICROSOFT PROCUREMENT DUE TO THOUSANDS OF SKUs AND CONFUSING LICENSING ?

We can help you find the right Microsoft CSP with a self-service platform that makes it easy to order, increase, or decrease licenses with no penalties, and ensuring that you’ve always got the right licenses for your requirements

 SPENDING TIME AND MONEY ON MICROSOFT AUDITS?

Microsoft Enterprise Agreement customers are highly susceptible to Microsoft audits that can take months to complete and are triggered when Microsoft identifies fluctuations above or below license and/or usage commitments. Moving to a month-to-month consumption model with the right Microsoft Cloud Service Provider means you can increase or decrease licenses on demand for seasonal or temporary employees.

ARE YOU  STRUGGLING WITH TERM CONTRACTS THAT RESULT IN OVERPAYMENT AND UNPREDICTABLE BILLS?

So you get an annual agreement and you get a few extra licenses to plan for grow and the temps you bring on every year. Six months later something happens and the company lets a few people go. Now you sitting on 30 liceses you'll never use. 
Pay only for what you use with a month-to-month consumption model and increase or decrease licenses with a few clicks. whenever you want--the way cloud was meant to be!

TRYING TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD OF MICROSOFT SKUs?

Regulations around HIPAA, PCI, FINTA, GDPR, and others require the most up-to-date Microsoft licenses, which is a challenge when Microsoft moves products to End of Life (EOL) and End of Support (EOS). Cloud 9 will find you the right experts in navigating the minefield of data compliance and can help ensure that restrictions, access, retainment, and security are up-to-date and correctly deployed.

FRUSTRATED BY MULTI-DAY RESPONSE TIMES FROM OFF-SHORE SUPPORT?

Your internal IT team will have direct access to world-class, US-based, 24/7 support at no additional cost. You can also take advantage of Professional Services from the same CSP or any other provider for cloud projects that require migration, architecting, or engineering.