Microsoft partner beefs up private cloud credentials

Windward IT Solutions has focused on Microsoft systems management services for some time, but the consulting and services company is actively building its skills to support private cloud solutions that leverage Microsoft Hyper-V and Microsoft System Center.

That investment has paid off in a Microsoft Gold Management and Virtualization Competency, which acknowledges not just Windward's technical training and best practices, and employment of a certain number of certified professionals, but is also based on demonstrating certain high levels of customer satisfaction.

Just 5 percent of all Microsoft partners worldwide have attained this designation. Windward previously held a Gold rating in Systems Management.

So far, the company has completed more than 100 proof-of-concept installations focused on helping its customers benefit from private cloud infrastructure.

"This competency just strengthens our ability to deliver cloud solutions and expand our role as [a] trusted advisor," said Sean McDermott, founder and CEO of Windward, based in Herndon, Vancouver.

The firm's services help automate many of the management tasks related to these deployments including patching, user and service provisioning; capacity management; provisioning and decommissioning; and software configuration.