Blogs
Microsoft Ignite 2025: the ‘need-to-know’ highlights
Catch our comprehensive summary of the highlights from Microsoft Ignite 2025, combined with the resources and links you need to dig into the detail!
Microsoft Azure
Explore how Crayon helps partners leverage the Azure cloud platform to build, run, and manage customer cloud environments.
Service that brings innovation on your terms
Azure’s innovation lies in its service-based philosophy and structure. It brings together scalability, automation, AI, global coverage, and integration through cost-efficient cloud solution services.
Choose the mix of cloud and on-premises technologies that fit your solution and service line up, meet your customers’ diverse needs and help them stand out from competitors.
Crayon and Azure are better together
Crayons’ Technology Advisory Team (TAG) is a specialised unit that works with partners to build and grow their Azure practices.
TAG will bring expertise, guidance, enablement programs, incentives & complimenting services to help you build the best cloud solution for your client, including assessment and migration to Azure.
We do this all in-house as one of the leading Azure Expert MSP’s in the region.
The TAG team also helps partners to identify their current Solutions Partner Designation status and plan future accreditation pathways. This may include financial support to achieve acquired Microsoft Accreditations.
Azure Accelerate: Unified Incentives for Migration, Modernisation & AI Innovation
Azure Accelerate is Microsoft’s unified program that combines the former AMM and Azure Innovate engagements into a single, streamlined structure. Crayon helps partners unlock these incentives with deep technical expertise and proven delivery across APAC.
We provide guided assessments and secure migrations backed by Microsoft’s Cloud Adoption Framework. Our in-house Azure-certified experts ensure scalable, secure, and future-ready deployments—whether migrating infrastructure, modernising apps, or deploying GenAI solutions.
Partner with Crayon to access Microsoft-funded engagements and accelerate your customers’ Azure journey.
Azure Security Solutions
Client information security is critical and covered with the security offerings in Azure. Whether its SIEM, DLP, Firewall or RBAC, all security offerings are available in Azure.
We work with partners to adopt Azure security solutions and improve security posture, backed with the right licenses, for the right users, at the right price.
- Enhance your security posture with Microsoft Sentinel – a native cloud IEM platform further securing your IT environments.
- Microsoft Defender For Cloud solution unifies security management to prevent breaches at a workload level across all the services.
Data and AI
Data and AI is a by-line for improving processes, efficiencies, and uncovering insights. It’s about gaining competitive ground, overcoming business challenges and innovation.
The TAG team can bring capability, expertise, and enablement to help you with your client opportunities. We will work with you to ensure critical needs and solution scope is well understood.
Crayon’s 10 years of proven in market experience will ensure you can position the best Data or AI solution, even demonstrating considerations such as return on investment and time to value.
Crayon is proud to be a Microsoft AI & Machine Learning Advanced Specialisation Partner (an elite club of only 14 such Global partners).
Partner of the Year for Data & AI (2019 & 2022).
Azure Licensing
Crayon’s licensing experts work with partners to ensure they are enabled to position the best licensing arrangements for their customers.
For example, a customer on a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) may get greater advantage by working with indirect reseller partners to acquire Azure solutions through the Microsoft CSP program.
As Microsoft’s Azure Expert MSP Partner, Crayon can execute EA to CSP migration as a billing change. This removes the need for technical migration or downtime* and has no impact on your business operations. We also offer partners a range of complementing services to help optimise Microsoft cloud & hosting windows environments.
Additionally, partners can make use of Azure Portal tools such as Azure Advisor and Azure Cost Management, Azure Auto-scaling to optimise their clients’ Azure services.
*Subject to workload type such as Azure marketplace items.
Azure FAQs
Azure Hybrid Benefit is a pricing program for customers who have licenses with Software Assurance. It maximizes the value of existing on-premises Windows Server and SQL Server license investments when you migrate to Azure. Save up to 40 percent* on Azure Virtual Machines, and up to 55 percent* on Azure SQL Database and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines with Azure Hybrid Benefit. Save up to 80 percent* when you combine Azure Hybrid Benefit with Azure Reserved Instances.
As part of the new commerce experience, an Azure plan gives you access to Azure services at standard pay-as-you-go rates under your Microsoft Customer Agreement.
Purchase Azure Reserved VM Instances for one-year or three-year terms directly in the Azure portal with a single, upfront payment or monthly billing. The monthly payment option is available at no extra cost. However, if you’re in a non-US-dollar market, your monthly payment amount may vary depending on the current month’s market exchange rate for your local currency.
To get started with Azure Arc, check out Azure Arc Jumpstart, which comes with prebuilt scenarios and demo environments.
Azure Arc lets you manage Windows and Linux physical servers and virtual machines hosted outside of Azure, on your corporate network, or other cloud provider. The management of hybrid machines in Azure Arc is designed to be consistent with how you manage native Azure virtual machines, using standard Azure constructs such as Azure Policy and applying tags.
Related Resources
Training
Modern Work Solution Partner Designations Webinar
In our latest webinar, our in-house Modern Work experts Jye Wong and Ksenia Turner will run you through a practical refresher on Solution Partner Designations; what they are, why they matter and how to get started.
Sales and Marketing
Data Protection for Business Leadership
Business leaders don't live in the tools. They live in the outcomes. The metrics they care about most are not always limited to compliance and risk. So how do you connect data protection to the big-ticket objectives, when they're less obvious? Our in-house pre-sales expert, Michael Brooke explains.
Guides and eBooks
Data Protection Playbook #3
As SMBs mature in the Data Protection lifecycle, they need help to optimise spend, reduce the compliance burden and ensure results align to business objectives. The third installment of our Data Protection Playbook series provides practical guidance for partners on how to address emerging pressure and connect ongoing investment to measurable business value.
Training
Copilot Agents: Level up from chatbots
Copilot Agents: what are they and how do they differ from AI assistants and chatbots? Our in-house Copilot expert Ksenia Turner explains the use cases and service opportunities for partners.
Blogs
Proving Data Protection Compliance
Fragmented data protection systems and processes create compliance proof-gaps for SMB customers. Scott Hagenus, Director, Cybersecurity here at Crayon explains.
Guides and eBooks
Data Protection Playbook #2
How can partners help their SMB customers to move from silos of security and continuity to a more cohesive, measurable and insurable data protection framework? The second edition in our Data Protection Playbook series maps out their journey, and yours.
Sales and Marketing
Data Protection Sales
Ever wonder why a pitch has some IT Managers leaning forward, while others glaze over? Michael Brooke, Cybersecurity Pre-Sales Lead offers some insight on how to tune your approach to chime with different technical mindsets.
Vendor Announcements
Copilot for Business
Copilot for Business has landed at Microsoft Ignite 2025, levelling the GenAI playing field for SMB customers. Learn all about it from our man on the ground, Andreas Bergman.
Press Release
Crayon recognized as the winner of the 2025 Microsoft Asia Partner of the Year Award
Press Release
Crayon recognized as the winner of the 2025 Microsoft Malaysia Partner of the Year Award
Blogs
Data Protection Partner Playbooks for SMB Customers
As cybersecurity and continuity converge in platforms and in practice, partners need new playbooks to address modern Data Protection standards. Our in-house cybersecurity pre-sales lead, Michael Brooke explains why.
Guides and eBooks
Data Protection Playbook #1
What triggers an SMB customer to begin exploring their need for better Data Protection? The first of our four Data Protection Playbooks for partners breaks down how to position and win in the Pre-Adoption and Exploration stage.
Insights
Data Protection Resource Round-Up
Data Protection priorities are shifting for SMBs. Ramp up your ability to respond with curated insights, articles and resources to help you guide every customer conversation with confidence.
Partner Spotlight
The strong, supportive partnership driving Acceltech’s growth
In this Partner Spotlight, Acceltech Managing Director Ivy Tarrobago shares how Crayon’s responsive support enhances client outcomes and business growth.
Whitepapers
Strengthening Data Protection for SMBs
Data Protection is a must for all SMBs but how can partners align solution investment with critical business objectives? Our latest paper shows you how.
Press Release
Crayon wins at CRN Channel Awards Asia 2025
Crayon has been recognised with a huge double win at the CRN Channel Asia awards ceremony.
Insights
M365 Copilot Hub
All the latest insights, articles and resources on M365 Copilot, curated into one place.
Insights
Secure Backup and Recovery
SMB customers are storing greater volumes of sensitive data in more places than ever. Secure backup and recovery practices are essential to how they protect it.
Partner Spotlight
Crayon Expertise: Why Bigfish is hooked
Bigfish Technology saved AU$20,000 on its annual Microsoft licensing after one call with Crayon and has since built a strong partnership that enabled Bigfish to get access to Crayon’s expertise and vendor ecosystem.
Insights
Insider Risk: SMB data and the threat within
Insider risk is a subtle and continuous challenge for SMB customers. Turn it into a manageable and quantifiable aspect of their Data Protection strategy.
Blogs
Data Protection for SMBs
From rethinking backup to governance frameworks and behavioural analytics, what's involved in building a complete Data Protection strategy for SMB customers?
Insights
Microsoft’s Channel Evolution
We explore the evolution of Microsoft's channel strategy over the past ten years, and what can be learned by viewing it through a Value Cycle lens.
Guides and eBooks
The Microsoft Fabric Partner Guide
The Microsoft Fabric Partner Guide curates our recent articles, videos and resources to accelerate Crayon partner learning.
Insights
Cybersecurity Resource Round-up
Support your cybersecurity game plans with our top picks of new and updated risk and resilience resources.
Successful strategies to develop Dynamics 365 CRM and FinOps offerings
Vendor Announcements
Updates for M365 Voice & Audio Licenses
Talk to us today about your Microsoft requirements
Contact us to learn how to sign up to the Microsoft partner program, or to speak to one of our experts about enhancing your cloud practice with Microsoft solutions for cloud infrastructure, productivity and business applications. Submit your details here and a member of our team will reach out to you.
Thank you for submitting your details! A member of our team will be in touch soon.
