SAP on Microsoft Azure
Advanced Specialization
Program Overview and Requirements
Program updates and announcements
Responding to COVID-19: Microsoft Partner Network update
Azure advanced specialization extensions
If you are currently enrolled in any of the Azure advanced specializations and have a renewal date on or before December 31,
2020, your program anniversary date will be extended to June 30, 2021. For advanced specializations that require an audit,
you will be audited against the checklist that is in place at the time of your renewal audit. No immediate action is needed f or
these extensions. This applies to the following advanced specializations:
• Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Linux and Open Source Database Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Data Warehouse Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Kubernetes on Microsoft Azure
• Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure
• SAP on Microsoft Azure
For Gavriella Schuster’s full blog click here.
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Program overview
Partners who earn an advanced specialization will have a customer-facing label displayed on their business profile and will be
prioritized in customer searches in the solution provider.
• An SAP on Azure Advanced Specialization assures potential customers that a partner meets the highest standards
for service delivery and support, and increases partner visibility through prioritized ranking in searches and referrals
via solution provider.
For those reasons, this opportunity is available only to partners who meet additional stringent requirements.
Learn more about advanced specializations.
What are the requirements?
Eligible partners must meet the highest standards for service delivery and support. All requirements will be verified by
Microsoft and/or a third-party vendor, either automatically or by manual review, and are subject to change. Partners must
meet prequalification requirements and then submit additional evidence to demonstrate your company’s expertise in
delivering successful SAP workloads.
Prequalification Requirements
Partners must meet the prequalification requirements before submitting additional evidence.
Prequalification Details
Requirements
Related competency Must have an active Gold Cloud Platform Competency
Performance Your company must show $250,000 of customer Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) from SAP workloads in
the Trailing Twelve month (TTM)*
Your company should achieve ACR through Digital Partner of Record, Partner Admin Link or Cloud
Solution Provider.
*If you believe your organization has met the ACR requirement, please submit evidence as part of your
application in Step 2.
Knowledge Your company must have four individuals that pass the following certifications:
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
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Additional Evidence
Partners must submit additional evidence after meeting the prequalification requirements to demonstrate your company’s
expertise in delivering successful SAP workloads.
Additional Evidence Details
Third-Party Partner Your company must participate in the SAP PartnerEdge program
Program Participation
Third-Party Certifications Your company must have four individuals that pass any of following SAP certifications:
• SAP Certified Technology Associate - OS/DB Migration for SAP NetWeaver
o C_TADM70_19
o C_TADM70_74*
• SAP Certified Technology Associate – SAP HANA
o C_HANATEC_12
o C_HANATEC_14*
o C_HANATEC_15
o C_HANATEC_16
*These certifications have expired. For this advanced specialization, we will accept them until February 28,
2021.
Case Studies Your company must submit four distinct case studies (two of which must be public) of SAP on Microsoft
Azure migration services, completed within the previous two years.
* Advanced specializations can be activated in Partner Center only. If you have not yet moved your membership account from Partner Membership Center
(PMC) to Partner Center, please sign in to PMC and follow the instructions. Once you’ve moved your account, you can review the requirements and begin
working toward earning the advanced specialization.
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Partner FAQ
Program Contact Information
If you have a question we haven’t answered in this document, please contact https://partner.microsoft.com/support.
Who can participate?
The program is open to any member of the Microsoft Partner Network program who can meet the prerequisites and pass
the audit.
Is there a cost to participate?
Microsoft does not charge a program fee, however there are direct costs associated with the following requirements:
Gold Cloud Platform Competency
Azure certifications
Audit and optional pre-assessment third-party certifications
In addition, there are indirect costs associated with preparation for the audit.
How much time and resource (people) do I need to commit to meeting the requirements?
The amount of time it takes to meet all requirements varies greatly depending on how many FTEs you already employ with
the required Azure skills, whether or not you have documented customer wins, and how you document your people, tech-
nology, and processes.
What is the application process?
Go to the advanced specialization landing page https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/membership/advanced-specialization.
Select “View requirements” under SAP on Microsoft Azure.
You will be redirected to a PDF providing more information on the SAP on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization.
If interested, apply at https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/dashboard/mpn/program/saponazure.
Important Notes:
Do not apply for the advanced specialization until you meet all prerequisites, have thoroughly reviewed the requirements,
and are confident you can meet them.
How do I apply?
Sign in to your Partner Center dashboard and apply at https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/dashboard/mpn/program/sap-
onazure.
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Partner FAQ: Requirement details
What is the required competency?
You must have an active Gold Cloud Platform Competency.
Where can I get more information about the Cloud Platform competency? You can find details about the Cloud Platform
competency here.
What is the customer Azure consumption requirement?
Your company must show USD250,000 of customer Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) from SAP workloads in the trailing
twelve months (TTM).
Your company should achieve ACR through Digital Partner of Record, Partner Admin Link or Cloud Solution Provider.
What customer Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) counts toward meeting the performance requirement for the
advanced specialization?
Azure Consumed Revenue calculations will be based on customer consumption where the partner is attached as Cloud
Solution Provider, Digital Partner of Record, or via the Partner Admin Link. We do not count consumption from a partner’s
own Enterprise Agreement.
My ACR prerequisite is showing it is not met, but my organization believes it should be. What do we do?
You will have an opportunity to provide evidence in the form of Proof of Azure consumption. This is our way of vetting that
your organization meets the ACR requirement. Instructions can be found in your Partner Center dashboard.
What are the certification requirements?
Your company must have four individuals that pass the following certifications: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification
Are there any other required certifications?
Your organization must have four individuals that pass any of the following SAP certifications:
• SAP Certified Technology Associate—OS/DB Migration for SAP NetWeaver 7.4
o C_TADM70_19
o C_TADM70_74*
• SAP Certified Technology Associate—SAP HANA
o C_HANATEC_12
o C_HANATEC_14*
o C_HANATEC_15
o C_HANATEC_16
*These certifications have expired. For this advanced specialization, we will accept them until February 28, 2021.
I see that some of the same exams are a requirement for both the Cloud Platform competency and for the SAP on
Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization. Do I need four people in addition to those that took the exams to earn the
competency?
No. If anyone in your organization took one of the qualifying exams as part of your competency attainment, those same
individuals count toward your five skilled people.
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Is the certification requirement global or per country?
Your organization must have a minimum of four certified FTEs globally to earn the SAP on Microsoft Azure Advanced
Specialization. However, if you wish to go to market and co-sell with us locally, you may need to demonstrate that you have
skilled people at a local level for the Microsoft team to engage for co-sell activities.
What is the definition of a certified FTE?
A full-time employee at your company. A person who is contracting for a short term, or just on a project basis, does not
count toward your unique five individuals.
How many case studies do I need to submit?
You will need to submit four in total, two of which will need to be public.
How old can the case studies be?
We will accept case studies no more than two years old.
I need guidance on submitting the correct SAP certifications. Where can I find this?
Sign in to your Partner Center dashboard and go to https://partner.microsoft.com/en- us/dashboard/mpn/program/
saponazure.
Select the word bubble next to the requirement. You can also go here.
I need guidance around submitting the correct case studies. Where can I find this? Sign in to your Partner Center
dashboard and go to https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/dashboard/mpn/program/saponazure. Select the word bubble
next to the requirement. You can also go here.
I need guidance on submitting Proof of Azure consumption for SAP workloads. Where can I find this?
Sign in to your Partner Center dashboard and go to https://partner.microsoft.com/en- us/dashboard/mpn/program/
saponazure.
Select the word bubble next to the requirement. You can also go here.
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Partner FAQ: Advanced specialization overview
What is an advanced specialization?
An advanced specialization is an extensive validation of a partner’s capability to deliver high-fidelity services in a specific
solution area. Advanced specializations are customer-facing labels displayed on a partner’s business profile and are used in
our customer referral engine to enable partners to showcase their differentiated capabilities in a specific solution area. To
earn an advanced specialization, partners must first hold gold competency status in an aligned competency.
How is it different from a competency?
A competency measures a partner’s broad technical capability in a Microsoft product or technology. An advanced
specialization measures more in-depth capabilities in a specific solution area; for example, SAP on Azure. Advanced
specializations require that a partner must first have active gold competency status in the competency aligned to the
advanced specialization they are interested in earning.
Does a partner need a competency to earn an advanced specialization?
Yes. Advanced specializations can only be earned by partners with an aligned, active gold competency; for example, to earn
the SAP on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization, partners must first have a Gold Cloud Platform Competency.
What advanced specializations are available to partners?
Advanced specializations can only be earned by partners with an aligned, active gold competency; for example, to earn the
SAP on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization, partners must first have a Gold Cloud Platform Competency. The advanced
specializations available for you to earn will depend on which gold competencies you have attained.
Why would a partner want to get an advanced specialization?
An advanced specialization allows partners to differentiate their capabilities to customers looking for partners who can
help them with a business need. Partners with an advanced specialization will be listed first in Partner Finder, a Microsoft-
owned, customer-facing tool. Advanced specializations will also be indicated on a partner’s business profile alongside their
competency status.
What are the benefits of an advanced specialization?
Partners with an advanced specialization will be listed first in Partner Finder, a Microsoft-owned, customer-facing tool.
Advanced specializations will also be indicated on a partner’s business profile, alongside their competency status.
How does a partner earn an advanced specialization?
Each advanced specialization will have a set of requirements that a partner must meet. The specific criteria will depend on
the advanced specialization being sought, but can include performance requirements, exams, customer evidence, and third-
party certification, among others. Please refer to your Partner Center dashboard for detailed criteria for individual advanced
specializations. Advanced specializations are not available in PMC.
What advanced specializations are in market?
The first advanced specializations available require a Gold Cloud Platform Competency:
• Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Linux and Open Source Database Migration to Microsoft Azure
• Data Warehouse Migration to Microsoft Azure
• SAP on Microsoft Azure
• Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure
• SAP on Microsoft Azure
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Can a partner have more than one advanced specialization?
Yes, you can earn as many advanced specializations as you qualify for. This will increase your visibility to customers in the
Partner Finder tool.
Is the partner’s advanced specialization global or local?
It depends on how your company has set up your account. If your company has one global account, then your advanced
specialization will be assessed and awarded at the global level. If you have set up your account country by country, only the
location that earned the advanced specialization will be awarded it.
Is there a cost associated with the advanced specialization?
Microsoft does not charge a program fee, however there are direct costs associated with the following requirements:
• Gold Cloud Platform Competency
• Azure certifications
• Audit and optional pre-assessment third-party certifications
In addition, there are indirect costs associated with preparation for the audit, including travel and expenses and audit
preparation hours.
How long does the partner keep an advanced specialization?
Your advanced specialization will remain in place for one year but requires that you maintain an active gold competency
defined in the advanced specialization prerequisites. If you do not maintain your Gold Cloud Platform Competency, you will
lose your advanced specialization status. On your renewal date, you will need to meet the current requirements which may
evolve over time.
How does my company renew its advanced specialization?
Partners will need to renew against the current published requirements at the time of their renewal.
Will a partner need to requalify for the advanced specialization after a specific period of time?
Yes. Partners must meet the requirements each year for the SAP on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization. You should
expect the prerequisites to evolve year over year to best meet the needs of customers. Partners will be expected to undergo
an annual audit as part of the renewal process.
What happens to the advanced specialization if a partner does not renew their associated gold competency?
To maintain an advanced specialization, partners must keep their gold competency status active at all times.
How will a customer know if my company has an advanced specialization or not?
Your advanced specialization will be listed on your Business Profile.
What can partners tell customers about my advanced specialization(s)?
An advanced specialization is a customer-facing label on your Business Profile. It is not a brand and does not have a badge
associated with it. However, you can tell your customers which advanced specializations you have earned. They can validate
by reviewing your Business Profile in the Partner Finder tool.
What if my company has an endorsement now?
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As advanced specializations go live, they will replace endorsements on the customer-facing profile. Each advanced
specialization has published objective criteria for partners to earn them.
Can my company have both an endorsement and advanced specialization in their profile?
No. As advanced specializations go live, they will replace endorsements on the customer-facing profile.
Does a partner get a badge to use externally in their marketing to note their advanced specialization differentiation?
Advanced specializations do not have a badge or logo. Your advanced specialization will be displayed on the
partner’s
customer-facing Partner Profile.
Other questions?
If you have a question we haven’t answered in this document go to https:// partner.microsoft.com/support to create a ticket
with our Frontline team.
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