Hello Team and Happy Tuesday! This week’s newsletter is jam-packed with information about new training opportunities for customers and partners, but I have a strong intuition that everybody will be excited to learn about VMware Cloud on AWS becoming Generally Available for Distribution and Distribution Resellers. I’ve answered a few of the most commonly-asked questions in the “Let Your Partners Know” section below. For a deep dive into this topic, please contact your Tech Data Cloud Sales team or your AWS Partner Management team.
Additionally, I love to highlight and showcase your efforts in developing your AWS technical skills. Please continue to send me your updates and achievements so I can share your success with the team.
As always, please feel free to share you feedback, request that your partners/peers be added to the distribution list, or unsubscribe yourself by clicking the feedback link at the bottom of this message.
CERTIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS
This week’s certification highlight is a little belated, but I am delighted to share it all the same. I was very pleased to meet a new addition to the Tech Data family last week, Jhoanna Machado. Those of us at AWS who support Tech Data are very excited to be working with Jhoanna, and I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that Jhoanna has already passed her AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam and is on her way to AWS Solutions Architect – Associate! Best of luck to Jhoanna in her studies, and congratulations for making such quick work of the Foundational AWS certification. Way to go, Jhoanna!
AWS Training and Certification is launching three new digital courses to learn to build modern applications in the builder’s preferred programming language: Java, Node.js, or Python. These three courses are offered exclusively via two of our AWS Digital Training Providers, Coursera and edX.
About the courses:
Building Modern Java Applications on AWS
Building Modern Node.js Applications on AWS
Building Modern Python Applications on AWS
In these courses, expert instructors discuss how to build a modern, greenfield serverless backend on AWS. Learners will explore how to build an API-driven application using Amazon API Gateway for serverless API hosting, AWS Lambda for serverless compute, and Amazon Cognito for serverless authentication. Learners also get hands-on experience in guided labs as they review different configurations for AWS Lambda, and study how to create and manage AWS Lambda functions.
Learners are encouraged to enroll in the course that aligns with the programming language they would like to learn, as each course is nearly identical, with the exception of the programming language instructions and labs details.
Follow the below links to enroll in the courses for free, or receive an optional completion certificate for a small fee:
Coursera: Java, Node.js, or Python
edX: Java, Node.js, or Python
Be sure to remind your partners that Tech Data ExitCertified is offering discounts up to 70% on AWS training. These virtual, instructor-led courses come with AWS-validated content, three months of lab access, and a year’s worth of access to On Demand content. Read all the details here. Send your partners the ExitCertified AWS Partner Training Matrix for the latest on available classes and discounts for partners.
Interested in seeing how AWS Authorized training classes align to the AWS Certifications? Check out the APN Journey to Certification Guide from ExitCertified.
If you, your coworkers, partners, or customers are taking an AWS training class, studying for an exam, or you just passed an exam, please let me know! I’d love to hear everything that’s going on in the world of AWS Training and Certification.
DID YOU KNOW?
As part of our continued effort to provide AWS customers with fine-grained and secure permissions management solutions, AWS Config has published a new managed policy called AWS_ConfigRole that is scheduled to replace and subsequently deprecate AWSConfigRole on December 1, 2020. This new policy removes the "S3:GetObject" permission as AWS Config does not need permissions to read S3 objects.
The AWSConfigRole managed policy will continue working for all currently attached users, groups, and roles. However, effective December 1, 2020, AWSConfigRole managed policy cannot be attached to any new users, groups, or roles. No action is needed if your account does not utilize the AWSConfigRole managed policy.
Customers and partners who have AWSConfigRole deployed in their AWS accounts began receiving notifications of this change last week. If you or your customers have any questions regarding this deprecation plan, please contact AWS Support. For more information about deprecating managed policies, please refer to this document.
THINGS TO SHARE
VMWARE CLOUD ON AWS IS OFFICIAL AVAILABLE IN DISTRIBUTION!
The Distribution Program Team is pleased to inform you that VMware Cloud on AWS is now offered through AWS Distributors. VMware Cloud on AWS (VMC on AWS) integrates the world’s leading private cloud and the world’s leading public cloud so that customers can run VMware’s market-leading compute, storage, and network virtualization solutions directly on AWS. Customers can do all this without giving up any of the functionality, elasticity, or security they have come to expect from the AWS Cloud.
Pre-Requisites: There are some pre-requisites for a Distributor and a Distribution Reseller that you and your partners will want to be aware of. In addition to being registered in the APN Portal as a Consulting Partner, signing a Distribution Seller Agreement, and obtaining two Business Professional and two Technical Professional Accreditations, the Distributor and Distribution Reseller must also achieve the following in order to resell VMC on AWS and transact with AWS on behalf of their customer:
How it’s Sold: VMware Cloud on AWS is sold through the End User Customer Account Model (ECAM) and the Distribution Account Model (DAM). Under the DAM, the Distribution Seller Agreement governs all access to and use of the VMC on AWS service. The Distribution Seller has the ability to create their own terms & conditions with respect to VMC on AWS Service and their authorized use for their End Customer. Under the End Customer Account Model, the End Customer’s Agreement governs all access to and use of the VMC on AWS Service with the exception of fees, payment, pricing, and tax terms which are superseded by the terms set forth in the Distribution Seller’s agreement with the End Customer.
Revenue Recognition: Partners get recognized for increasing VMC adoption if it is resold through AWS. It counts towards re:Stack revenue commits, partner EDP burndown, etc. These benefits that are tied to AWS partner programs and are only applicable if the procurement occurs through AWS. However, neither the Distributor or the Distribution Reseller receive margin if the customer buys VMC on Demand. VMC on Demand is the most flexible consumption model but least cost-effective. This is for deployments that are temporary and no set usage or commitment from a customer, hence discounts are not applicable.
Pricing: AWS, through the Distributor and Distribution Seller, will provide all pricing and quoting to the customer. AWS Sales will provide the quote to the Distributor based on the VMware pricing. The Deal Enablement team will apply the Private Rate card to determine the eligible discount. There is no role VMware will play in the presentation of pricing to the client other than the publicly available pricing. For further details on the VMC on AWS pricing process, please contact your Tech Data cloud sales team or your AWS Partner Development Manager.
REMINDER - CREDITS & GRANTS: The last day to submit for COVID grants, Partner Opportunity Acceleration, Proof of Concept, Migration Acceleration Program (MAP and MAP 2.0), Windows Rapid Migration Program (WRMP), and Windows Modernization Program (WMP) funding will be November 15, 2020. Work with your AWS WWCO/WWPS PDM to prioritize and scope your funding requests. As always, do not promise funding to your partners or customers until the fund request has been fully approved by AWS.
REMINDER – MDF CLAIMS: The final day for eligible (Advanced+ Tier Partners) to claim MDF for eligible activities is December 15, 2020.
TRAIN AND ENGAGE AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING
FOR SALES – APN PARTNERS
AWS Solutions Training for Partners: Migrating to AWS (Business) is a classroom course that has been updated to include the most recent migration methodologies based on AWS best practices, tools, and case studies. This non-technical course focuses on the value proposition for migrating customer IT workloads to the AWS Cloud and building a migration practice with AWS. Partners will learn the three phases of a migration, how to build a business case, and the business drivers and sales approach for migrations.
AWS Solutions Training for Partners: IoT on AWS (Business), now available as a self-paced digital course, provides an overview of current market trends and AWS products and services for the Internet of Things (IoT). Partners will learn how to describe the AWS IoT value proposition, identify and qualify IoT opportunities, and help accelerate IoT adoption. This course is available in digital or classroom format.
FOR TECHNICAL STAFF - APN PARTNERS
AWS Solutions Training for Partners: Security Governance at Scale (Technical) teaches solutions architects and technical teams cloud security best practices in establishing continuous governance and management at scale. After taking this course, partners will be able to help customers scale without inhibiting agility, speed, and innovation, while providing decision makers with the visibility, control, and governance that is necessary to protect sensitive data and systems.
AWS Solutions Training for Partners: Data Analytics on AWS (Technical) teaches partners how to successfully engage with data-driven customers, discuss five data analytics technical solutions, and make architectural decisions based on AWS best practices. After completing this course, partners will understand how to build a serverless data lake architecture using an AWS CloudFormation template while making business decisions using the Data Flywheel approach.
Reminder: We have a Remote Learning Hub to showcase our virtual, digital, and online courses. Please share with your partners, and take advantage of these courses where possible and relevant for your role. If you would like any assistance in creating your own training and development plan, please reach out to me and I will help you create a plan that aligns to your current role and the direction you’d like your career to take
FOR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
The Water Institute of the Gulf runs compute-heavy storm surge and wave simulations on AWS
The Water Institute of the Gulf runs its storm surge and wave analysis models on AWS—a task that sometimes requires large bursts of compute power. These models are critical in forecasting hurricane storm surge event (like Hurricane Laura in August 2020), evaluating flood risk for the Louisiana and other coastal states, helping governments prepare for future conditions, and managing the coast proactively. By Ray Rogers. Read this story.
Building a data lake at your university for academic and research success
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 60 percent of college students receive a degree within six years. Universities—like PSU and OSU-OKC—are using data lakes for analytics and machine learning to improve academic achievement by helping students reach their educational goals faster. Read on for how institutions use Amazon S3 for data lakes. By Nader Nanjiani. Read this story.
Mission: Getting back to school
Due to COVID-19, schools quickly shifted to remote education to meet students’ needs and wrap up the school year. But with a new school year upon us and social distancing measures still in place, many classes will not gather in traditional classroom settings. Millions of students are now learning in their homes. And public sector leaders are creating new models to ensure learning is sustainable and accessible to all. Check out examples of how the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred important solutions to existing problems from primary school to higher education, and how the cloud has opened up new possibilities for educators and students as they start the new school year. By Teresa Carlson. Read this story.
AWS EVENTS UPDATE
IMAGINE: Nonprofit Online Summit Presented by AWS
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 | 11:00 AM - 1:45 PM EDT
Presented by Amazon Web Services (AWS), IMAGINE: Nonprofit Online is a no-cost event that brings together nonprofit leaders, technologists, and innovators to discuss how technology can help drive a positive impact for both people and our planet. This virtual event combines thought leadership and mission-specific case studies to create an educational, collaborative, and inspirational experience you won't want to miss. Nonprofit leaders will deliver lightning talks where they will share their journeys in taking technology-centric approaches to solve for big challenges and how they've achieved their desired outcomes.
Take advantage of opportunities to network virtually with other nonprofit visionaries, teams across Amazon supporting and serving nonprofits, and AWS technology partners.
Multiple representatives from your organization are welcome to attend.
Registration for the AWS Public Sector Summit Online is now live. As a reminder, this iteration of the Public Sector Summit Online is targeted at time zones that are not in the Western Hemisphere. Register Here.
November 30 - December 18 - AWS re:Invent 2020 is going virtual (and free)!
Due to COVID-19, re:Invent 2020 will be presented virtually instead of in-person. The program will include keynotes, launches, learning sessions, press and analyst events, and an executive summit. re:Invent will be presented across 3 weeks from Nov. 30 – Dec. 18. To make sure you are getting the latest event information, please subscribe to updates here.
THE USUAL LINKS
The full catalog of all events is available here.
It’s a good idea to regularly remind your partners about the public Regional Partner Training Calendar.
Live, Virtual Live, and On-Demand Public Sector Events Are Here
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Brian Schoepfle helps APN Public Sector Partners grow their AWS business through technical enablement, trainings, and solutions engineering. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter!
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