Partner Advanced Specializations: Security
With the recently announced evolution of the Microsoft Partner Network into the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program we’ve witnessed the simplification of the solutions designations to align with the Microsoft six solution areas:
- Azure Data & AI
- Azure Infrastructure
- Azure Digital & App Innovation
- Business Applications
- Modern Work
- Security
Partners can also earn specializations to showcase their technical expertise in the different solution areas and capabilities and differentiate from the competition. For each Solution Area there are different specializations.
Security Advanced Specializations
In the Security Solution area there are four specializations:
In order to achieve any of those specializations, the partner will need to meet certain requirements:
- Maintain an active Gold Security competency;
- Performance: Achieve a minimum value of Azure consumed revenue and/or monthly active user growth for qualified security services in the trailing 12-month period;
- Knowledge: Get a minimum of company individuals to pass security certifications;
- Customers: Provide three customer references that demonstrate the organization ability do deploy and manage Microsoft Security workloads.
What certifications are required?
Each security advanced specialization will have its own specific requirements.
Check out the following table for the number of individuals required for each certification to be eligible for the correspondent advanced specialization:
| Specialization \ Certification | AZ-500 | SC-200 | MS-500 |
| Cloud Security | 6 | 4 | – |
| Identity and Access Management | – | – | 6 |
| Information Protection and Governance | – | – | 6 |
| Threat Protection | – | – | 6 |
A partner with 6 individuals holding the Exam MS-500: Microsoft 365 Security Administration certification can potentially get the following three advanced specializations:
– Identity and Access Management
– Information Protection and Governance
– Threat Protection
If it will also meet the Performance and Customer requirements for each one of those.
Reach out to your PSAM or the Technical Presales & Deployment team at https://aka.ms/TPDNewRequest
Additional References:
- Advanced Specialization (microsoft.com)
- Learn about advanced specializations – Partner Center | Microsoft Docs
- Cloud Security Advanced Specialization (microsoft.com)
- Identity and Access Management Advanced Specialization (microsoft.com)
- Information Protection and Governance Advanced Specialization (microsoft.com)
- Threat Protection Advanced Specialization (microsoft.com)
