A recent MSPNews article discussed the launch of a new Microsoft cloud strategy around its Office 365 platform, aimed at government entities. In this simple announcement, Microsoft is itself embracing a strategy I believe more MSPs should be adopting. I'll explain why.
The Office 365 for Government is an adaptation of the popular online messaging and business collaboration suite of applications. Taking the standard Office 365 platform, Microsoft has added the important feature of segregated cloud to this offering. This means, a government agency can utilize the Office 365 platform and have its data stored separately and securely in a private cloud environment that would meet stringent security standards. A few years ago, Google Apps, a competitive product to Office 365, won a significant contract with the city of Los Angeles only to have the project halted due to privacy and security concerns. Apparently, Microsoft was paying attention.
Separate from the very public squabble between Microsoft and Google is the trend this is setting for other MSPs to follow. Microsoft is behaving like a MSP by creating a private cloud scenario for its government customers. Most of the statistical data suggests that organizations looking to the cloud are doing so primarily with an eye towards private or hybrid cloud environments, not so much public cloud environments. This is in keeping with customer concerns over cloud privacy and data security. Most MSPs, I would say, have ignored this important distinction and are letting large vendors like Microsoft take lead in the cloud community.
In this regard, MSPs should be taking lessons from Microsoft's strategy, not because it is how Microsoft has gained (at least temporarily) the upper hand with its competitor Google, but because it is doing exactly what the end-user customer wants. Even if your customers are not government agencies, this strategy of private cloud relates to customers of all sizes, shapes, and varieties. MSPs, if they are going to win in the cloud, must adopt a Microsoft-esque cloud strategy in order to compete effectively.
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