How Dicker Data is empowering the Microsoft partner ecosystem

Microsoft continues to ramp up its investment in new products and initiatives for managed services providers across much of its portfolio spanning Copilot, security, Azure and AI. 

New skills programs, refreshed and bolstered incentives alongside initiatives to help bring value to customers and assist with proof of concept (POCs) and deployment are on the cards.   

One of the key areas that Microsoft is particularly paying attention to is security, backed by its commitment to spend US$20 billion in this area during the next five years.   

This also complemented the $5 billion investment made in 2023 to expand its hyperscale cloud computing and AI infrastructure in Australia over the next two years. 

The aim is to help Australia seize the artificial intelligence (AI) era to strengthen its economic competitiveness, create high-value jobs and protect from the increasing threat of cyberattacks.   

“These are great examples of how we are investing in Australia for a bright future with the channel and with customers,” Microsoft A/NZ SMB channel lead, Brad Clarke said. 

As Diamond sponsor of Dicker Data’s TechX, Clarke highlighted Dicker Data’s value proposition to empower Microsoft partners with the people, practices, and programs to thrive in the era of AI.  

 “They have a dedicated local Microsoft team with strategic, technical, sales, marketing, licensing, and operations specialists, who form an integrated extension of the partner’s team,” Clarke said.  

“They also strongly endorse partner to partner collaboration, to help partners unlock significant value across the Microsoft community.” 

Dicker Data also gives Microsoft partners direct access to growth-led programs focused on Azure, Copilot, AI, and security.  

“These include programs to support training and certification, cloud readiness and deployment opportunities, partner to partner networking, and fully tailored marketing support to drive customer demand,” Clarke said. 

In the coming years, Clarke said Microsoft Copilot was poised to become an integral part of every PC.  

“Microsoft has already demonstrated its potential to enhance productivity and streamline mundane tasks,” he said.  

“Partners who embrace Copilot’s potential and actively contribute to its ecosystem will be well-positioned to thrive in the future. 

“Microsoft partners can streamline their own operations by consolidating their productivity, security and AI solutions under one vendor. This not only delivers far greater outcomes for our customers, it helps partners reduce cost and grow their profitability.” 

Security also stands tall as a top priority.  

Recently Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella emphasised this commitment, stating “security underpins every layer of the tech stack, and it’s our number one priority. We are doubling down on this very important work, putting security above all else, before all other features and investments.” 

Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (SFI) plays a central role in advancing cybersecurity protection across the company.  

The SFI focuses on three core principles:  

• Secure by Design: Security comes first when designing any product or service.  
• Secure by Default: Security protections are enabled and enforced by default, requiring no extra effort.  
• Secure Operations: Continuous improvement of security controls and monitoring to meet current and future threats  

“Partners play a crucial role in delivering on this priority. By aligning with Microsoft’s security principles, partners can contribute to building a more secure digital ecosystem,” Clarke said 

“Together, we can defend against increasingly sophisticated threat actors and create a trusted platform for innovation.”