Microsoft Planning Services are a voucher-based Software Assurance benefit that enables customers to receive planning assistance from qualified and trusted Microsoft partners (such as Trustmarque) to help plan cloud and on-premise Microsoft deployments.

Microsoft has announced that they are planning to overhaul certain Planning Services engagements within their “Intelligent Cloud” space.

These changes include several new, refreshed and retired engagements within the:

  • Public Cloud, Microsoft Azure Deployment Planning Services (AZDPS)
  • SQL Server Deployment Planning Services (SSDPS)
  • Developer Tools Deployment Planning Services (DTDPS)
  • Private Cloud Management and Virtualisation Planning Services (PVDPS)

From 3 December 2018 Microsoft will make the following changes to available Planning Service engagements, all other offerings remain the same.

Azure Deployment Planning Services (AZDPS)

AZDPS new engagements:

  • Modernising Apps Using App Service
  • Modernising Apps Using Containers
  • Implementing Event-driven Apps (Serverless)

AZDPS refreshed engagements:

  • Implementing Application Develop and Test on Azure (formerly “Implementing Develop and Test Scenarios on MS Azure Virtual Machines”)
  • Integrating Azure Storage with Customers’ BCDR (formerly “Activating Microsoft Azure Storage”)
  • Implementing Azure Security and Management Services (formerly “Implementing Operations Management Suite”)
  • Migrating VMs and Applications to Azure IaaS (formerly “Migrate Applications to Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Services”)

SQL Server Deployment Planning Services (SSDPS)

SSDPS new engagements:

  • Implementing Globally Distributed Data

SSDPS refreshed engagements:

  • Implementing Cloud Scale Analytics (formerly “Deploy Modern Business Intelligence”)
  • Data Estate Modernisation (formerly “Data Platform Modernization”)

SSDPS retired engagements:

  • Deploy a Big Data Warehouse
  • Deploy an Advanced Analytics Solution
  • Application Platform Migration

Developer Tools Deployment Planning Services (DTDPS)

DTDPS refreshed engagements:

  • Implementing DevOps on Azure (formerly “Visual Studio DevOps Deployment Assessment”)

DTDPS retired engagements:

  • Visual Studio Quality Tools Deployment Assessment
  • Visual Studio Team Services Deployment Assessment
  • Visual Studio Agile Deployment Assessment

Private Cloud Management and Virtualisation Deployment Planning Services (PVDPS)

PVDPS refreshed engagements:

  • Modernizing your Windows Server Platform (formerly “Upgrading to Windows Server”)

PVDPS retired engagements:

  • Accelerating Management and Virtualization Deployment
  • Migrating to Hyper-V from VMware

The retiring engagements can still be secured if the Planning Services voucher has been converted prior to 3 December 2018, the work can be completed after this deadline.

Trustmarque’s Professional Services team can help you understand and maximise the value of your Planning Services vouchers, to deliver valuable planning assistance whether your proposed deployment is cloud or on-premise.

If you are interested in any of the retiring, refreshed or new engagements please contact your Trustmarque Account Manager or email [email protected]

Written by Tom McEwing

Tom is one of our Microsoft Licensing Specialists who advises our customers on how to get the most from their Microsoft volume licensing and contracts.