Building an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) business is both a pathway to greatly increased revenue for managed service providers (MSPs) and a daunting undertaking to begin. It takes having the right training and resources (not to mention time) to correctly prepare for and implement an IaaS business model. From choosing from thousands of offered services to rightsizing for their client base, MSPs can find themselves facing steep costs and a knowledge deficiency when it comes to enabling their teams to deploy Microsoft Azure workloads efficiently.
By taking the time to gain the knowledge necessary to create an Azure environment that’s right for their client base, MSPs can build a service that can be easily implemented again and again, unlocking massive business growth. At Pax8, we’re excited to help our partners on their IaaS journeys by making reselling Azure a lot simpler. Read on to learn about OneTouch IT and how we, together, helped create a successful Azure business.
Creating a repeatable Azure model
Australian MSP OneTouch IT was looking to solve the challenge of selling Azure solutions by creating fixed designs that could be repeated and sold easily to its client base. However, it was difficult to accurately price the solution and know which services to offer and their benefits when discussing with clients.
OneTouch IT was new to Azure and needed help with both education and deployments of these environments. With the right partner in place, they could offer this new service at the same level set by the high service standards of their other product offerings.
Jumping in with Kickstart
OneTouch IT dove in with Pax8 Azure Kickstart, an educational series for MSPs that teaches basic cloud concepts and core services on Microsoft Azure. Partners learn best practices for building their first Azure project and how to manage an Azure environment going forward.
The Kickstart program consists of two main components:
Azure Fundamentals Training: A self-paced online course that covers the basics of Azure, such as cloud concepts, core services, security, pricing, and support. It also prepares partners for the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification exam.
Azure Accelerator: A four-week guided program that helps partners onboard their first Azure customer, with the support of Pax8 cloud architects and engineers. It also includes access to the Pax8 Azure Plan, which offers a simplified and transparent pricing model for Azure services (which was especially helpful for OneTouch IT).
After completing the program, OneTouch IT gained the necessary knowledge and developed a repeatable process with Pax8 to deploy virtual machines and Azure Virtual Desktops. OneTouch IT has seen a significant increase in customer consumption of Azure Virtual Desktops, and the enablement the team received has helped them meet this demand.
Creating a lasting Azure business
Since completing the program, OneTouch IT has seen an increase in Azure consumption revenue. They were also able to tap into Pax8 Professional Services to supplement their in-house Azure knowledge, which helps with migrations and building Azure environments.
OneTouch IT cites the quick turnaround, the ease of undertaking Azure projects, and the help Pax8 offers deploying the solutions as reasons for other MSPs to take note of Kickstart. Even without prior Azure knowledge or experience, the company’s Azure deployments have been reliable and fit the needs of its client base.
“With Pax8, we can take our customers’ on-premises services to the cloud confidently,” says Kyle Taylor, director at OneTouch IT.
Other ways Pax8 can help
In addition to the Kickstart program, all Pax8 partners can access deep technical training including:
Azure Bootcamp: A two-day instructor-led workshop that dives deeper into Azure topics, such as virtual machines, networking, storage, backup, disaster recovery, identity, and governance. It also includes hands-on labs and best practices for designing, deploying, and managing Azure solutions.
Azure Demystification sessions and hands-on labs: Led by our infrastructure experts, the Azure Demystification sessions teach partners how to package and deliver Azure in ways that benefit both the partner and their end clients, walking them through the complexities and offering valuable insights into the process. Our hands-on labs are aimed at technical professionals and provide deep, hands-on deployment and management training on specific focus areas within a solution.
Interested in the Pax8 Kickstart program and creating repeatable Azure solutions?
