So you want to build an Azure Practice: This Azure “Thing” Changes So Frequently, How Do I Keep Up?
It’s a fact for sure. Gone are the days where new features and capabilities are added every couple of years when a new version of a product ships. Delivery of services through the cloud means that we are continually enhancing our products to add more value. The problem is the updates come so fast that it’s like drinking from a fire hose! And really, who has time to research all this stuff. It could literally be a full-time job to stay in-the-know.
So, perhaps it would be helpful to share some ways that you can have a better chance of staying up to date with all the things going on pertaining to Azure, without the need to go hunt this stuff down on your own.
Let’s break this thing down into some categories. You can make the best decisions for these based on your own work style, but make sure you are in the loop with at least some of these. The more you sign up for, the more info you’ll get because they don’t all have the same stuff. These are all Opt-in resources, so you can also test drive each of these to see which ones are a best fit for you, then opt-out if it’s not quite what you’re looking for.
Newsletters:
- SMB Insider – This is an all-encompassing group for EVERYTHING having to do with partners working in the SMB segment. This is your #1 resource and should be considered a must for every Microsoft partner working in SMB.
- Microsoft Newsletters – Sign up to receive partner targeted newsletters related to Azure with, and tons of other products if you like by logging in to your account profile and setting your communications options.
- Azure Newsletter – This is the Azure newsletter that has public info and anyone can sign up for.
Blogs:
- TS2 Blogs – If you’re reading this, you’re on this blog. Mark it in your favorites and check back often.
- Microsoft Azure Blog – All things Azure, from the Azure Business Group
- Azure Partner Blog – Azure items pertaining to our US partner community
- Scott Guthrie’s Blog – Scott leads the Microsoft Cloud & Enterprise Group. Azure is one of the products that falls under his leadership.
Twitter:
- SMB Insider Joe
- US Partner Training
- Microsoft Azure AD; Microsoft Azure
- Microsoft Channel 9
- Matt Hester; Terry Stein – Selfless plug for Matt and me.
LinkedIn:
- Microsoft Azure & Microsoft Cloud Group
- Microsoft Azure Platform Group
- Matt Hester; Terry Stein – More selfless plugs
Yammer:
I encourage you to connect and absorb as much as you can. Azure is a key bet for us at Microsoft, and we’re investing a ton to bring new capabilities all the time. It’s important to stay up to date if you’re going to differentiate yourself from the other partners who are also talking to their customers about solutions powered by Azure.
I often use the analogy that building solutions in Azure is a lot like walking into your local home improvement store. There’s a house in there somewhere among all those shelves of hardware and lumber. What kind of house can you build? Your imagination is the limit. It’s the same in Azure. The solutions you can build in Azure are limitless. Think outside the box for solutions that your customers would find valuable.
In the next blog post in the series, Matt will cover off on some of the fundamentals of Azure so that you can begin laying the foundation of your own house…powered by Azure.
Please be sure to bookmark this series home page at https://aka.ms/buildyourazurepractice to subscribe or catch up on previous posts.
Terry Stein, Azure Partner Channel Development Manager; @TerryStein_MSFT