Windows 8 Partner Opportunities

Channel partners of Microsoft will be seeking opportunities with the release of Windows 8 and Windows RT (this, primarily for ARM-based tablet computers) operating systems, particularly as they can now introduce Windows-based tablet computers to their business customers, replacing the presently dominant iPad.

A principal with Sonoma Partners (a Microsoft Gold partner), Mike Snyder, stated, “We're investing a lot of time and effort into Windows 8 just because the mobile story is so exciting.”

As Windows 8 and Windows RT become more available, solution providers will be able to build new opportunities such as selling new desktop and laptop computers, and upgrading older versions of Windows to the newest edition.

Problems caused in the work environment due to the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) practices will also be countered. There is no key way of centrally managing and securing devices when employees and business executives use iPads. Principal consultant for Catapult Systems, Jason Sandys, said, “

Right now, there's no management story around iPads, [but with Windows 8] the IT department now has an answer.”

Solution providers are keen to offer compatibility based on Windows 8 between desktops, laptops, tablets and even smartphones to their customers. CEO of Navantis, another Microsoft Gold partner, said, “I believe [customers] will swap out the iPads... Windows 8 will become the de facto standard” for business tablet computers.

Vice president and North America general manager at Infusion, a Microsoft partner which designs and develops Windows-based applications, Syd Millet, stated, “CIOs are excited about having an alternative to the iPad.”

Windows Intune and Microsoft System Center 2012 will help to manage IT departments by setting security controls and undertaking patch management. The president and co-founder of Microsoft Gold partner New Signature, David Geevaratne, said, “That, in turn, allows IT departments and consulting firms to focus on IT initiatives that are more strategic.” This could be done through integrating Windows 8 applications with Microsoft Lync unified communication software or SharePoint collaboration system.

According to Net Applications, only 48 percent of the 1.1 billion copies of Windows around the world are running Windows 7, and 45 percent continue to run the decade-old Windows XP. Many of the businesses running the older editions are expected to upgrade to Windows 8, but the time in which they do this is key to Microsoft's success.

Vice president of North American channel sales at 1E, Paul Szemerenyi, believes that some businesses will be cautious about upgrading too quickly to Windows 8; certainly, predictions about the uptake of Windows 8 are mixed. 90 percent of enterprises will not begin adopting Windows 8 until at least 2014, according to a Gartner report which will be issued later this week.

The same report also suggests that only 13 percent of tablet sales worldwide in 2013 will be Windows-based. Compared to the iPad, which is predicted with 44 percent, and Android-based tablets, with 40 percent, Windows-based tablets will be far behind.

Sandys stated that those still on Windows XP “should be looking to go right to Window 8”, but those already using Windows 7 will be unlikely to upgrade.

Windows 8 will be offered automatically to customers in their Software Assurance contracts and Windows Intune subscriptions, but service and solution providers still need to help with the migration of data and applications to Windows-8-based computers. Szemerenyi said, “It's not just about delivering Windows to offices; the pull-through revenue that partners get has been immense.”

Although the process of moving applications and user data to Windows 8 from older editions of Windows has been automated, this service will be of high demand, according to Szemerenyi. Planning and prioritizing will be vital in choosing which applications need to be moved first, and which can wait.

Numerous solution providers will see Windows upgrade services as integral in assisting their customers' IT departments, and it will be interesting to note their goals, problems and priorities.

Custom applications will also need to be built and adjusted to fit the Windows 8 model. Personif, a video audition application, is being built by Infusion to work with Windows 8. Infusion is Microsoft's 2012 Cloud Partner of the Year award winner, and it responsible for devising the Windows-8-based mobile banking app for ING Bank of Canada.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said, “And for that you need to be talking to your customers about their business computing needs and goals," Infusion's Millett said. "Our bread-and-butter is building business-facing applications.” Infusion certainly fits in with Ballmer's vision for Windows 8 as a dominant force serving business cloud applications.

Sonoma Partners' Snyder said, “We've got a bunch of guys with .Net [developer] experience who can build a .Net app in their sleep. It's going to open up a ton of opportunities for systems integrators like ourselves.” The company resells Microsoft's Dynamics CRM applications, and sees opportunities to extend CRM capabilities to Windows 8 tablets through, for example, the use of mobile sales representatives.

Next year's launching of Office 2013 and SharePoint 2013 will additionally offer more opportunities for Windows 8 integration, and this too needs to be securely compatible and manageable with Microsoft cloud services like Office 365 and SkyDrive. Integration opportunities with smartphones running Windows 8 Phone (launched next week) will also arise.

Even the anticipation of the Windows 8 release is already creating revenue for some companies; Geevaratne noted that his company has been training customers for Windows 8's new interface, security enhancements and mobility capabilities.

Indeed, there is great opportunity here for service and solution providers, and partners will also benefit greatly from the release of the new Windows 8 and Windows RT operating systems. (CY) Link