'We're focused on selling third-party solutions as much as our own' - Microsoft's global channel boss

Vendor says it has opened up its marketplaces to CSP providers to boost sales of partners' IP

Microsoft has nudged its partners further towards software development, claiming it wants to sell partners' products as much as it sells its own.

In a media briefing, global channel boss Gavriella Schuster re-emphasised the vendor's desire to see more partners invest in intellectual property.

"This is an incredible time for Microsoft, our partners and our customers," Schuster said.

"In my 23 years with Microsoft I can't remember a time when there has been so much excitement around the innovation and technology that we are providing to customers."

Schuster said that 95 per cent of Microsoft's commercial revenue is now driven through partners, while the vendor last week revealed that its co-sell programme has facilitated $8bn (£6.2bn) in sales since it launched a year ago.

The channel boss also revealed that the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) programme is Microsoft's fastest-growing licensing model, increasing 31 per cent over the last 12 months.

To boost the sale of partners' IP, Schuster said that Microsoft has now connected its Azure and AppSense marketplaces to the CSP programme, which she claimed opens up partners' own solutions to millions of customers and other channel firms.

"The true key to growth with Microsoft is getting in front of new customers," she said.

"We are turning that key for partners by deeply investing in Azure Marketplace and AppSource.

"With our enormous partner ecosystem, Microsoft is well positioned to build the largest commercial marketplace the world has ever seen."

Schuster cited Forrester research which claims that enterprise adoption of marketplaces will "skyrocket" over the next two years, from 29 per cent to 75 per cent.

"This is a massive investment for the company that underpins our whole partner strategy," she added.

"In every marketplace customers can buy solutions directly. That's what a marketplace is.

"We are excited to announce that by connecting through our marketplace to our solution providers, through our channel, we are enabling ISVs to publish their solutions on our marketplace to have unfettered access to our marketplace directly."