New Deployment Planning Services for SA Customers

Deployment Planning Services (DPS) now include coverage for application platform, data center infrastructure, and developer tools products as well as software usage in the cloud. DPS is a Software Assurance benefit that provides predefined consulting engagements by qualified Microsoft partners or Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS). Customers leveraging these services can gain software deployment guidance and planning strategies for more successful technology deployments. Partners can benefit from these services opportunities with their enterprise customers. DPS services, however, only offer deployment planning and do not provide the actual software implementation or migration.

What Are Deployment Planning Services?

DPS offers on-site consulting expertise to help customers plan software deployments for specific products; previous examples included desktop deployment of Windows 7 and Office 2010, SharePoint Server 2007 and 2010, and Exchange Server 2010. Software purchases with Software Assurance earn customers points that entitle them to DPS days, which can be redeemed for deployment planning engagements with qualified partners or Microsoft Services. The number of Planning Services days depends on the type and number of licenses and Software Assurance subscriptions purchased. DPS days are pooled and can be used on any of the DPS offerings regardless of the products purchased.