Data Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Imprint
© 2024 ALSO Cloud Marketplace
New Microsoft requirements for direct bill partners.
Hassle-free business growth with ALSO
Move from CSP direct to indirect with ALSO
Being a direct (Tier 1) partner has its benefits, but with changes announced by Microsoft, you also face higher costs, e.g., 13 500 EUR annual support policy. You must meet the turnover threshold of 300 000 USD. As a CSP provider, we can help you to save costs when you become an indirect reseller with ALSO.
Desktop-as-a-Service
Current direct bill partners must meet the following new requirements to remain in the CSP direct bill partner program:
We’re here to help you grow
At ALSO we help grow and scale your cloud business. Whether you need technical, development,sales, or marketing support, we’re here for you. We make your transition from direct to indirect partner easy and seamless, so you and your customers don’t even notice the change and can rather focus on what matters most – serving your customers.
Benefits of the ALSO Cloud Marketplace
ALSO Cloud Marketplace (ACMP) is our digital ecosystem bringing together vendors, resellers, and end customers. ACMP is more than a shop system. It’s a management platform for all software licenses. Our marketplace covers your needs as an IT reseller, allowing you to both host your own services but also provide a large number of products and services to your customers. Our ACMP is easy to handle. On the platform, add your own services and create individual offers and bundles. Integrate the marketplace with reseller ERP systems to automate your invoicing.
The most popular ACMP services are
Easy Billing
Quick reporting
Effortless provision
24/7 Support
Instant Offers
Business Intelligence Tools
Simple API
NCE renewal tool
White-labelling
Services on offer:
Key features:
Service Providers
Marketing-as-a-Service
Independent Software Vendors
Infrastructure-as-a-Service
Device Management
Platform-as-a-Service
Financial Services
Software-as-a-Service
Hardware & Software
ACMP offers over 100 vendors and around 1000 products and services, making the management platform a business opportunity for you as a reseller. With ACMP you can rapidly establish and expand your cloud offering, allowing for a more stable source of recurring revenue for your business.
Microsoft’s new requirements for direct bill partners
1
Support
Direct bill partners are required to have a Microsoft support plan, either Advanced Support for Partners or Premier Support, which means significant costs for you (at least 13 500 EUR per year).
2
Revenue
Direct bill partners must meet at least 300K USD in Cloud Solution Provider program annual revenue during the preceding twelve months. If the revenue target is not met, the partners will be removed from the program. Starting March 2021, Microsoft will offboard partners who haven’t fulfilled requirements as soon as their support contract ends.
3
Managed Service
Direct bill partners must provide at least one managed service, IP service, or custom solution application to remain in the program.
Ready to become an ALSO partner?
Get in touch with us directly, and we’ll talk things through. We know the challenges you may face in Partnercenter and we can help with the ideal setup that fits you perfectly. Our team will support you with the migration and your registration to make sure everything runs smoothly. We’re excited to work with you.
Top 5 benefits of becoming an indirect partner and partnering with ALSO
1. A premier platform
ALSO offers a provisioning platform (ALSO Cloud Marketplace) free of charge. You no longer need to take care of the development or maintenance of your own platform, marketplace, or shop system..
2. No additional costs
You don’t need to pay 16 500 EUR per year for support services, because ALSO already has the best possible support contract with Microsoft. In case you would like to keep your direct support line with Microsoft, you have the possibility to do that.
3. Optimized billing
No more unclear invoices from Microsoft that drive you crazy, but clear insights per customer per product what has been sold
4. Automation
Decrease process costs by automating your processes. ACMP offers a user-friendly API that helps you to be more efficient / save costs
5. BI-based management information and reporting
32 reports ranging from Azure plan insights, to security reports and security scores, seat changes, and many more.
Become an indirect reseller with ALSO
1
Join Microsoft Partner Network (if you have not already done so)
If you decide to move from a direct bill business to an indirect reseller business, there are several steps you will need to take. Additional information can be found at this Microsoft page.
2
Sign in as global admin and click on “Become an indirect reseller”
3
Review your partner details and enroll
4
When your enrolment is approved, sign in, and accept the indirect reseller agreement.
Explore the resources
Explore the resources
Why Partner with ALSO?
Cloud Solution Provider Guidebook
Monetise your Cloud Business with ALSO Cloud Marketplace
Why and how to become an indirect Microsoft CSP partner?
The ALSO Cloud Marketplace explained in less than 3 minutes
The Microsoft Cloud Solutions (CSP) Program explained in less than two minutes
NCE upgrade tool
The Shortest Path to Cloud Profitability?
It’s Surprisingly Indirect
Protect More. Spend Less. Stress Never.
Cyberattacks are growing in both frequency and sophistication, making cybersecurity a critical business priority. Protecting your organization means identifying threats early, responding swiftly, and minimizing potential damage—all of which require advanced technology, proven processes, and expert talent.
However, building and maintaining this capability in-house can be costly and out of reach for many organizations.
That’s why we’re here—stay with us, because we just might have the ideal solution for you.
Proactive Threat Hunting
Where do you stand?
Microsoft’s current requirements for direct bill partners
Support Requirement
Direct bill partners must have a Microsoft Support Plan. Whether Advanced Support for Partners or Premier Support, you’re losing €13.500 every year.
Revenue Requirement
If you haven’t made at least 300K (USD) in the previous 12 months in the CSP program, you’re ineligible for the direct bill program. And perpetual software sales don’t count towards your calculated revenue.
Managed Service Requirement
To remain in the program, direct bill partners must provide at least one managed service, IP service or custom solution and offer a scalable marketplace.
Benefits
24x7x365 Advanced CSOC
Chorus Cyber’s 24x7 CSOC makes best use of technical innovations to deliver an advanced service. Underpinned by a team of highly skilled and experienced CSOC analysts, they will protect you around-the-clock.
Leading technical architecture
Built on Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel, Chorus Cyber’s CSOC architecture is built to best-practice benefiting from advanced automation, machine learning and AI to reduce alert noise, accelerate threat detection and response speed and accuracy.
Rapid threat detection and response
Through their skilled SecOps team and use of automation, they ensure cyber threats are quickly identified, investigated and remediated – reducing the likelihood and potential impact of successful attacks,
Already using Microsoft 365?
Chorus Cyber helps you unlock its full security potential—maximizing the value of your existing licenses, eliminating the need for third-party tools, and simplifying your security stack.
Chorus Cyber goes beyond traditional managed security
Integrating proactive threat hunting and cyber threat intelligence stops emerging threats before they strike.
Proactive detection, investigation, and response mean stronger protection and lower risk.
By reducing your exposure to cyber threats, you can lower insurance premiums, meet compliance requirements, and gain peace of mind in the face of rising attack costs.
Intelligence (CTI)
Flexible Coverage
24x7x365 CSOC
Proactive Cyber Threat
Rapid Threat Response & Containment
Threat Triage & Investigation
Threat Detection
24x7 Monitoring
What's included
Service Governance & Reporting
Security Reviews & Recommendations
Streamlined Service Transition
Microsoft Security Guidance
Add on:
3rd Party APIs / Log
ALSO: Microsoft SOC as a Service with Chorus Cyber
Join our webinar on May 6th to learn more!
Service Comparison
Microsoft MDR & MXDR Services
Meet Your 24/7 Cyber Bodyguard
Introducing Advanced MDR and MXDR services—delivered by trusted ALSO partner Chorus Cyber, powered by Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel through a 24x7x365 Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC).
These services use Microsoft tech to detect, investigate, hunt, and stop cyber threats—fast.
Choose the level of protection that fits your needs and leave the heavy lifting to us.
MDR
Advanced Managed threat detection and containment service for endpoint protection with Microsoft Defender for Endpoints.
MXDR
Extended threat detection and containment across identity, network, email, infrastructure, data and applications using Microsoft security tooling.
on May 6 - 10:00 to 11:00 am CET
Sign up for our webinar
Leverage Chorus Cyber’s managed security services built on Microsoft technology and protect your company from rapidly increasing threats!
Join our webinar on May 6th!
Language: English
Speaker: Marcus Beer & Mark Jones
How SMEs Can Protect Themselves from the Most Common Cyber Attacks
Learn MoreSign up
Date: 6 May, 2026
Time: 10:00–11:00 CET
