Many of the engagements several of my MCS friends end up going on are to clean up after partners in escalation mode - the value add there being that MS won't look like they have a crap product because partners f'ed up. I think there are good number of partners not doing that great of a job and can not be left unsupervised. Some of the designs I have heard that have come out of partners sounded like someone didn't even read the most basic documentation on AD let alone having any kind of in depth knowledge. Unfortunately I can say I have run into MCS folks that fit that category as well though.
I think as MS gets more and more complicated products deeper in the field (SMS, MIIS, MOM, Active Directory, ADFS, SUA, etc) they will have not much choice but to offer more and better consulting to get it all configured and running properly together. Not doing so means that people will set it up and often it will be set up poorly or outright wrong which makes MS look bad. Services is a great way to make money if you do a good job. If you do a poor job, it is a great way to piss customers off and lose money and people due to issues and stress. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Al Mulnick Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 4:08 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] All - OT (and drifting further away) ProServices at Microsoft is all about radical turns. Trust me :) You're concept of partners having more/less in-depth experience than Microsoft is intriguing. I suppose that indicates that the Microsoft consultants have a corporate sanctioned line back to the development team (as opposed to making those relationships as best they can). Interesting concept; I hope you're right. SteveB absolutely has been consistent in saying that services (not just MCS anymore) is there as a value add. They're a software company first and foremost. One of the great things about working there as a consultant, I'm sure. Getting partners to step up has more than the value of not having to maintain headcount if you think about it. It has benefits that reach much deeper than that. (I'm just pointing out the obvious). "If they are ramping up it's because they see a rise in the need of talent in MCS at present, and demand from customers for more flesh in the game." Hmmm.... -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kingslan, Rick T. Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 3:36 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] All - OT (and drifting further away) All (not just Al), Microsoft has never really intended to be a true player in the Services market - unless they are taking a radical turn in the past few months. They see services as a necessary tool for customers who require Microsoft to be involved in installs and the like. If it wasn't for some very major players (Boeing, Ford, GE, etc... I suspect) Microsoft would not have provided consulting at all. Ballmer sees this end of the market as an 'at-best' break even game. He would much prefer to see the Partners step up to the plate, but there are a whole other set of problems with that, only a couple being depth of experience and real commitment to the Microsoft Corporate vision, rather than their own interests. Funny how that works. If they are ramping up it's because they see a rise in the need of talent in MCS at present, and demand from customers for more flesh in the game. joe, you might be talking to other folks than I am (I suspect that I have more recent contact with what's going on in recruiting with MCS than you do right now.... ;o) but I don't get the impression that it's quite in the upper thousands, but there is a big push on to hire a bunch by fiscal year-end (June 30). -rtk > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:ActiveDir- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Al Mulnick > Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 1:44 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] All - OT (and drifting further away) > > I, more than many, would really appreciate Microsoft building up its > consulting ranks/headcount ;) > > Until then, I don't think they can be considered as a serious player > in the consulting arena. I think they will never (by virtue of their > culture) be able to be a consulting organization that deals with end > to end consulting; they can't deal with hardware without really making > other vendors/partners irate for example. Same goes for software that > Microsoft doesn't make, networking equipment/OS, etc. > > Compuware? I suppose they could since they claim to deal with 90% of > the fortunate 100. > > Question to ask is how they get on the top 5 list. Is it by revenue? > Profits? Headcount? Did they make the list themselves? ?? > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:ActiveDir- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of joe > Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 1:44 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] All > > I keep hearing rumours that MS is really going to be kicking its > presence up in consulting and services by adding thousands (or tens of > thousands) of analysts for it. > > Oh and I thought of another possible one though I don't know how big > they are anymore... Compuware. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Al Mulnick > Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 1:01 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] All > > Accenture? Compucom? CSC? > > I don't think MS would rank that high in the consulting arena. > > > What's a Cv? Pardon my ignorance, but that has me puzzled. I mean, > before Tony comes back online I'd like to know. :) > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of joe > Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 12:15 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] All > > Unless you got clearance from Tony to post this prepare to be thumped. > > > > As an aside, who are the largest 5 IT specific companies now? > > IBM, HP, Dell??, MS, Lockheed, Unisys, ?? > > > > joe > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Simon Cooper > Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 11:58 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ActiveDir] All > Importance: High > > Dear All, > > I am currently conducting a search for one of the top 5 largest IT > companies in the world. They are looking for a number of Architects > of varying levels from Junior to Guru level. You will gain exposure to > the worlds largest programmes and Technical environments. > > You should have excellent MS Environment experience, in particular > Active Directory. The client has numerous regional offices across the > UK so location not a problem. Salaries range from �40k to �105k base > salary with up to 40% bonuses. > > Please email your Cv or contact me if of interest. > > Simon Cooper > IT Connect UK Ltd > 5 Hampton Hill Business Park, > High Street, > Hampton Hill, > Middlesex, > TW12 1NP > Tel Number +44 208 973 33 33 > Fax Number +44 208 973 32 00 > Mobile +44 7952 672 739 > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://www.itconnect.co.uk > > > List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx > List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx > List archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ > > List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx > List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx > List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ > List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx > List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx > List archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ > > List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx > List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx > List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ > List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx > List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx > List archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/
