Microsoft's Support Offerings

Premier Support offerings (in the dark box) are generally aimed at midsize businesses and enterprises. They offer fast response times and account management, which ensures that problems are resolved in a timely fashion and that Microsoft keeps in touch with a company’s ongoing support requirements. They also offer advanced advisory services and other benefits. There are several levels ranging from Core to Mission Critical, with increasing levels of resources such as assigned staff, more rapid response times, and planning services. The cost increases as the support level increases.

In addition to Premier, Microsoft offers an array of support plans for businesses, partners, and consumers (light boxes). Software Assurance (SA), sold only with software licenses, spans the full range of Microsoft customers and provides some support benefits. Some SA benefits can be converted into Premier benefits for customers who have both SA and Premier. Partner support programs offer many of the same benefits as Premier and can be used by partners to support either their own or customers’ systems.