Key takeaways from Microsoft Inspire

We round up the announcements from Microsoft's virtual partner event

Microsoft Inspire was held virtually this week, robbing the channel of another opportunity to visit Las Vegas.

The event may have been light on major announcements but was there, as always, enough to pique the interest of partners.

We've pulled together all the key news here.

Evolution not revolution

Microsoft revealed a string of updates and enhancements for its portfolio, across areas including Azure, Microsoft 365 and Teams.

The vendor announced the "next generation" of Azure Stack HCI, which it said is "a native and fully integrated Azure service that gives customers the easiest and fastest way to integrate their datacentre with the cloud".

"We're delivering the next generation of Azure Stack HCI, an Azure service that combines the price-performance of hyperconverged infrastructure with native Azure hybrid capabilities, all while letting enterprises leverage existing skills," Talal Alqinawi, senior director of Azure marketing, said.

Microsoft also said it has enhanced Azure's migration services and development tools.

Meanwhile Microsoft Lists, which was announced a couple of months ago, has now started to be rolled out.

Lists helps organisations "track information and organise work", the vendor said.

Yammer has also been redesigned, with the new version now generally available.

Dozens of other updates to Microsoft products and services can be found here.

Microsoft grew sales during lockdown

Microsoft released its quarterly numbers during Inspire, with sales rocketing 13 per cent year on year to $38bn - beating analyst expectations.

Operating income increased eight per cent to $13.4bn.

Guidance for the current quarter was however lighter than expected, leading to a four per cent drop in the vendor's share price.

Microsoft also revealed that Azure sales growth had slowed to 47 per cent, from 59 per cent in the previous quarter.

Lenovo joins the party

PC vendor Lenovo stood on the shoulders of Inspire to make its own announcement - a new set of services around Microsoft 365.

Lenovo Managed Services is "a suite of tools built to Microsoft specifications and delivered through Lenovo's indirect model to channel partners, to provide SMBs the support they need to get the most out of Microsoft 365".

Lenovo said it is a "ready-made platform" for partners.

The portfolio will be released in the US and Australia this month, with other regions to follow next year.

Nicole Dezen, vice president of device partner sales at Microsoft, said: "Lenovo Managed Services will help SMBs fully leverage the power and productivity of Microsoft 365, and empower channel partners to provide new services offerings.

"We're thrilled that Lenovo is now a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider who will help enable customers' digital transformation."

Sustainability

Microsoft expanded on its pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2030, announcing a range of initiatives that will help it towards its goal.

The vendor revealed a new coalition between a handful of global corporations - including Mercedes-Benz, Nike and Starbucks - named Transform to Net Zero.

The organisation will "work to accelerate business action toward a net zero carbon economy".

Microsoft also revealed its "cloud calculator", which gives businesses visibility of the impact their cloud operations have on the environment.

The vendor will also make its datacentres diesel-free by 2030, while Microsoft's suppliers will also be obliged to follow its code of conduct for sustainability, which it has now made public.