Should you go with Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) or with a Cloud Service Provider (CSP)? Making the right choice is critical in business, but determining the best decision for your specific enterprise can be challenging. That’s the case when it comes to contracting services for Microsoft applications – signing up for an EA directly with Microsoft used to be the best choice for large companies for years. Today, there’s an option called CSP (Cloud Service Provider), which represents a contract you can buy from a certified Microsoft partner.

Take a look at the differences between EA and CSP, and why it makes sense to get your licensing through a CSP.

EA vs. CSP – Which One is for You?

Enterprise Agreement is recommended only for large organizations that need to negotiate terms with Microsoft based on volume, include their affiliates in standard Microsoft agreements., and a subscription-based licensing and a fixed price for software for three years.

Cloud Service Provider is a more viable option for companies that are approaching their EA renewal. They should consider CSP if the organization is of a smaller size (less than 300 employees) and needs a CSP partner as an advisor for their implementation projects as well as to provide more personalized support while licensing and managing accounts. It’s also best for enterprises that had difficulties in predicting their annual subscription quantities.

What Can a CSP Partner Provide?

Microsoft has designed the CSP model to allow organizations to have a closer relationship with a certified Microsoft Partner (that acts as a tech advisor.) Microsoft Partners can deliver Online Services to enterprises in a consultative and flexible manner – to support you when there are any issues and questions as well as to own the relationship end-to-end. The CSP Partner is there to help you identify the best Online Services that you should implement for your users, and to ultimately maximize the CSP value for your enterprise.

Which CSP Partner Should You Select?

There are two options you can choose from – CSP Direct Providers and CSP Indirect Resellers.

  • CSP Direct Providers. Operating in a single-tier model, these partners can offer their billing and support infrastructure as well as appropriate sales. They are typically more mature (as a certified and registered partner) and can directly bill their clients. Competent in various technologies, Direct Provider can implement support and solutions on their own.
  • CSP Indirect Resellers. Operating in a two-tier model, Indirect Resellers provide services to their clients by working with a distributor. The distributor offers them tech support, customer service, and billing, while the Partner only focuses on selling solutions.

If your enterprise wants to use Microsoft Online Services in a controlled and predictable manner, where you can assess and adjust your consumption on a monthly basis, then the CSP option will work best for you. An EA agreement requires you to purchase a minimum of 500 licenses (at the same time) and set for three years. You’ll need to pay upfront for the entire year, which can impair your cash flow. On the other hand, CSP licensing is attractive because it’s a month-to-month commitment, which is perfect for industries that have seasonality or businesses in volatile markets. Also, if a company wants to start with a basic plan as it moves to Office 365 or finds it difficult to predict long-term usage requirements, they can increase their licensing level as their users adopt the functionality.

For smaller organizations, a CSP model is the best alternative. Every business has their unique needs to be considered, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for all. Contact us to get help in determining the right option as well as to discuss all of the options you can choose. Managed Solution is proud to be a digital advisor in industries, such as biotech, legal, and healthcare, as well as a Microsoft Gold Partner.

 

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SAN DIEGO, California – Managed Solution is excited to announce partnership with LiveTiles.

LiveTiles Design is an all-in-one solution for creating beautiful, engaging sites that foster collaboration throughout your organization, effectively managing content and seamlessly integrating third-party applications within a single platform.

As one of Microsoft’s top partners, Managed Solution is known throughout the industry as a partner friendly, full service Microsoft solution provider with expertise in Office 365, Enterprise Mobility & Security, Windows 10 Enterprise, Azure, Dynamics 365 and the new flagship Microsoft 365.

This partnership enables Managed Solution customers to create captivating sites on SharePoint and Office 365 to give their teams a phenomenal user experience, with no coding necessary. It gives them the ability to create a seamless workplace experience across devices, departments, and time zones with the ultimate SaaS offering. And it empowers teams with custom, mobile-friendly LiveTiles Design solutions so they can access what they need anywhere, anytime.

Sean Ferrel, Managed Solution, Chairman and Founder, stated, “LiveTiles makes the navigation in SharePoint much easier for end user, with ability to design it in just minutes and make changes as you go. Which makes SharePoint more accessible to our customers.”[/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Learn more" button_shape="round" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Finfo.managedsolution.com%2Flivetiles||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Managed Solution is excited to announce partnership with BrainStorm, Inc.

With over 20 years of expertise and a laser-focus on the power of change, BrainStorm’s intelligent learning platform helps all users harness the power of their technology and change the way they work.

BrainStorm is one of Utah’s fastest-growing SaaS companies, providing learning management solutions for thousands of organizations including 3M, PepsiCo, Goldman Sachs, and Harley Davidson.

As one of Microsoft’s top partners, Managed Solution is known throughout the industry as a partner friendly, full service Microsoft solution provider with expertise in Office 365, Enterprise Mobility & Security, Windows 10 Enterprise, Azure, Dynamics 365 and the new flagship Microsoft 365.

This partnership enables Managed Solution customers to embrace new functionalities and make the transition to new Microsoft products easier, resulting in higher productivity and satisfaction of their employees. They become more skilled and confident.

Sean Ferrel, Managed Solution, Chairman and Founder, stated, “Technology is making our workplaces better, and BrainStorm enables employees easy access to answers to all of their questions about Microsoft products in short, easy to digest and personalized way, which they can use at their own pace.”[/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Learn more" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Finfo.managedsolution.com%2Fbrainstorm||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

#GivingTuesday was founded by Henry Timms, Executive Director of the 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center in New York City, back in 2012. His goal was to rally people to donate to their favorite cause on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
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“The idea around #GivingTuesday was that after all of the consumption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, what if we could think about giving back?” Timms explains. It's a bit ironic that during a month that's centered around be grateful and thankful, we end it with these consumer holidays focused on buying things we don't need. Giving Tuesday brings back that gratefulness mentality and allows us to reflect on what we're thankful for that we have that others may not.
Giving Tuesday also fit nicely with the mission of the 92nd Street Y, “where we’re reimagining community for a new generation,” he adds. “In a world that’s increasingly so divided, that’s one thing we share, our capacity to give to one another.”
How is the technology community getting involved? Microsoft is leading by example and was one of the first to sign on, Timms says. “Microsoft got involved when we had no idea what this could be. It was experimental, and Microsoft’s commitment sent a message to the corporate world about what it could be.”
Ken Ryals, Senior Director for Microsoft Citizenship, says, "the idea, and the way it celebrates generosity, seemed a natural extension of the company’s ethos and Microsoft’s Employee Giving Campaign. It’s turned into a partnership that’s grown and grown. Together, we have made a real impact.”
Timms says one of the most exciting things about the movement he founded is watching it grow around the world. #GivingTuesday has grown massively and has now raised money in over 150 countries.  That's a whole lot of giving, and a whole lot to be thankful for.
His favorite #GivingTuesday story is a simple one, about a guy from a contracting firm who volunteered by working at a local homeless shelter. He told his supervisor it was the best day he’d ever had because it was the first time he’d been a part of giving back. (Something typically reserved for other people.)
“Prior to #GivingTuesday, he’d had no entry point into becoming a philanthropist,” Timms explains. “We are inspiring a new generation of philanthropy.”
Learn more and donate, here.

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The Threat Landscape is Changing

The threat landscape has evolved dramatically in recent years. It seems every day we hear another headline about an organization getting breached. We’ve responded by changing the architecture of Windows 10 so that we’re not just building bigger walls against these attacks; we’re locking the criminals out. Windows 10 provides a comprehensive set of protections against modern security threats. The average cost of a data breach per incident is $3,500,000 (2014 Cost of Data Breach: Global Analysis. Ponemon Institute, 2014.) According to a recent survey of CIOs, security spending is increasing at double the rate of overall investment.

Identity Protection

  • 75% of individuals use only three or four passwords across all of their accounts.
  • Passwords are not secure. Others can access your corporate network by pretending to be you.
The solution: Windows 10 introduces an alternative to passwords with Microsoft Passport and Windows Hello.

Information Protection

  • 57% of us have sent data to the wrong person.
  • 87% of senior managers have leaked corporate data to unmanaged personal locations.
Solution: Windows 10 provides Enterprise Data Protection, now at the file level, to help ensure corporate data isn’t accidentally or intentionally leaked to unauthorized users or locations.

Device Protection

  • An attacker can go over 200 days undetected in your environment, now that people are bringing their own devices to work—that’s scary.
Solution: Windows 10 offers Trusted Boot to help ensure that a genuine version of Windows starts first on your device, preventing attackers from evading detection.

Online Protection

  • More than 300,000 new malicious files are are being created every day and spread through the Internet.
Solution: Windows 10 Device Guard completely locks down your device, so you can run only trusted applications, scripts, and more.

It’s time to take action to protect your business.

By deploying the security features in Windows 10, you can outmaneuver today’s cybercriminals and neutralize their destructive tactics before they’ve even begun.
Contact Managed Solution to schedule a Network & System Assessment to build the most strategic architecture around your systems and networks. 858-429-3084

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A Healthy Active Directory Can Protect And Transform Your Business

If your Active Directory is unhealthy it can be the root cause to countless issues in a business environment.
How certain are you that your environment will PASS? Contact us today to get started on your Active Directory Pass / Fail Project 800-208-3617.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row parallax="content-moving" css=".vc_custom_1510686800552{background-color: #1e73be !important;}" padding_bottom="50px" padding_top="50px" margin_bottom="0"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text css_animation="appear"][/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Security As A Service Project Accelerator (PDF)" button_color="green" button_hover_color="white" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.managedsolution.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F11%2FEntperrise-Mobility-Security-As-A-Service-Accelerator.pdf|||"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Secure Your Staff and Their Devices with Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) from Microsoft. EMS lets you keep corporate data secure even on an unsecure network. Meet the needs of your mobile workforce—and their roaming devices.

Managed Solution provides businesses with complete, end-to-end solutions for their technology needs.
Get cutting-edge security as a service to enable mobility without risking company data. For more information call 800-208-3617

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row parallax="content-moving" css=".vc_custom_1510687090087{background-color: #dd9933 !important;}" padding_bottom="50px" padding_top="50px" margin_bottom="0"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text css_animation="appear"][/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Data Center Automation Quick Start Project Accelerator (PDF)" button_color="green" button_hover_color="white" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.managedsolution.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F11%2FSystems-Center-Operations-Manager.pdf|||"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Monitor Critical Services & Applications With Microsoft System Center Operations Manager

With Infrastructure monitoring and insights for high performance, Managed Solution’s unmatched methodology to deliver Systems Health we can bring a new level of security to your network.
Get Started Today 800-208-3617.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row parallax="content-moving" css=".vc_custom_1510683183704{background-color: #7f7f7f !important;}" padding_bottom="50px" padding_top="50px" margin_bottom="0"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text css_animation="appear"][/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Enterprise Class Remote Client Health with System Center + SHARC Project Accelerator (PDF)" button_color="green" button_hover_color="white" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.managedsolution.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F04%2FSystem-Center-Configuration-Manager-with-SHARC-no-pricing.pdf|||"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

With SCCM & our proprietary SHARC tool, automating your client’s computers health has never been easier.

You can discover, diagnose, and clean all your client devices with just a mouse click, even the ones you didn’t know were on your network... without human intervention.
The future of client health automation is here.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row parallax="content-moving" css=".vc_custom_1510702064784{background-color: #dd9933 !important;}" padding_top="50px" padding_bottom="50px" margin_bottom="0"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text css_animation="appear"][/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Office 365 Migration Project Accelerator (PDF)" button_color="green" button_hover_color="white" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.managedsolution.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F11%2FSystems-Center-Operations-Manager.pdf|||"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Optimize Uptime, Take the Fast Track to the Cloud

See how our expert engineers are helping business move quickly & securely to the cloud.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row parallax="content-moving" css=".vc_custom_1510702064784{background-color: #dd9933 !important;}" padding_top="50px" padding_bottom="50px" margin_bottom="0"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text css_animation="appear"][/vc_column_text][grve_button button_text="Azure Quick Start (PDF)" button_color="green" button_hover_color="white" button_link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.managedsolution.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F04%2FAzure-Quick-Start-and-Pilot-Workshop-2017.pdf|||"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Could this be you?

  • You have purchased Azure licensing, but it is not yet being used.
  • You are currently evaluating Azure for disaster recovery, development, or infrastructure needs.
  • You have implemented Azure, but you are looking to expand and need more assistance with governance or automation.
Azure Quick Start is customizable to your needs. Learn more.

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Risk Analysis for EOL Hardware & Security

One of the biggest benefits of modernizing business with the latest technology is that it is always changing - and updating. However, this means that companies constantly need to analyze their software, hardware, and security to see when certain products need to be updated, and how they should go about doing so. Many of the technologies businesses are using today go to end-of-life after six and twelve months, meaning risk analysis is vital to keep business disasters at bay.

The risks

  • Security
    • Failing to update products coming up to end-of-life can comprise a company's security, making them more vulnerable to hacking
  • Efficiency
    • Having outdated IT will slow down your day-to-day business
  • Revenue
    • If companies are using products facing EOL, they can deal with revenue loss from lack of the proper productivity tools, cybersecurity threats, and more
End of life is a key moment to transition to a cloud-first, mobile-first environment. Managed Solution can help you with this transition. Key dates for Office products approaching end of life support:
  • April 11, 2017: Exchange Server 2007
  • October 10, 2017: Office 2007, Project Server 2007, SharePoint Server 2007
  • October 31, 2017: Outlook 2007 connectivity to Office 365
  • January 9, 2018: Communication Server 2007

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After 15 years in the outsourced IT industry, Managed Solution has learned the best, fastest, and smartest way to help our customers justify infrastructure investment and scale with the right technology roadmap based on their unique needs. From professional services to cloud infrastructure to managed services and more, let us partner with you on an IT strategy that delivers results fast.

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Contact us Today!

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