Version 1 awarded unique Microsoft ‘Azure Expert MSP’ Partner Status

Dublin headquartered, Version 1, which has a base in Belfast employing 130 people, has join an exclusively vetted list of just 105 of the Microsoft’s partners around the world to be named an Azure Expert Managed Service Provider (MSP).

The honour rubber stamps the IT services provider as one of Microsoft’s most capable global partners and is designed to allow potential clients across the public and private sectors to identify the top Managed Services Providers to work with.

Technology and Cloud Managed Services are a growth market globally, and a support heavily availed of by public sector organisations and commercial businesses alike across Ireland to outsource the responsibility for maintaining, improving and protecting IT estates to streamline operations and reduce expenses.

To achieve Azure MSP status, Version 1 had to complete a rigorous audit by an independent third party, and also provide multiple customer references of Azure Managed Services projects delivered over the last 12 months. Furthermore, to retain this status, it and other experts need to continue to meet pre-requisites annually and complete a progress audit every year.

Aisling Curtis, commercial director at Microsoft Ireland, said: “We are delighted to announce that our trusted partner Version 1 has been named an Azure Expert MSP. To achieve Azure Expert MSP status, partners must meet stringent requirements as well as validate their skills, customer success, ability to scale, and commitment to providing next-generation managed service offerings to ensure that we can do the best for our customers.

“Only a select number of Microsoft partners are able to fulfil the requirements of the Azure Expert MSP programme which is designed to help our customers across Ireland find highly skilled and validated providers, such as Version 1, who can manage the most complex environments and strategically advise organisations on their digital transformation.”

Version 1 has been working with Microsoft technology since 2006 and has a broad and deep expertise across the Microsoft stack. It can look beyond specific requirements to underlying customer issues and identify integrated solutions that leverage the entire technology stack.

Alongside Version 1’s Azure Expert status, Version 1 is an “AMMP (Azure Migration & Modernisation Programme) Approved” partner holding Azure Advanced Specialisation accreditations in Windows and SQL Server Migrations and Application Modernisation. Being AMMP-approved enables Version 1 to guide its customers on a Microsoft supported and funded Migration / Modernisation journey to the cloud – and avail of Microsoft’s Azure FastTrack services.

Named Microsoft’s Data Estate Modernisation Partner of Choice in Ireland in 2019 and 2020, Partner Award for Intelligent Cloud in 2019, and Business Intelligence & Data Analytics Partner of the Year 2016, Version 1 has end-to-end Microsoft capability with demonstrated expertise across a wide number of competencies.

Version 1 has worked with a number of public and private sector clients including Harrow Council, East of England Ambulance Service, Musgrave Group, and DAE Capital, amongst others.

Tom O’Connor, CEO at Version 1, said: “We are delighted to celebrate being recognised as a Microsoft Azure Expert MSP. Securing this honour is not only a reflection of the significant investment Version 1 has made in our cloud and Next-Generation Managed Service capabilities, but the investment of our people in achieving reaching that goal.

“I am incredibly proud of everyone in Version 1 who has made this happen, whether they study and work hard to continuously achieve top-tier certifications and skills, whether they are responsible for delivering the exceptional services and support from our Managed Service practice, or if they are Account Managers responsible for looking after our customers every day to find out how the constantly changing world of IT (particularly during the COVID-19 emergency) is affecting them.

“Version 1 will continue to expand our Next Generation Managed Services, known as ASPIRE Managed Services, to meet our customers’ growing demand for agile, innovative and continuously improving technology - and I look forward to enhancing our relationship with Microsoft as we help customers across the UK and Ireland evolve their technology estates into value-generating, intelligent engines of innovation, automation, agility, and sustained business outcomes.”

Founded in Dublin, Version 1 employs almost 2,000 people across the UK, Ireland, Spain, and India. The rapidly growing IT Services provider specialises in delivering Digital, Cloud, Data and ERP Transformation services to commercial enterprises and public sector organisations. With longstanding customer relationships in Ireland’s public sector, Version 1 has notably been gaining a strong foothold in the UK public sector with recent wins in Highways England, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), Ofgem, Home Office, Harrow Council, London Redbridge Council and Barts Health NHS Trust to name a few.

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