Solutions Partner for
Security Designation
MODULE 3
Skilling
LESSON 3.1
Meeting the 20 Point ‘Skilling’ Criteria
How to Achieve Points Success
The skilling criteria is crucial for earning the Microsoft Solutions Partner for Security designation because it ensures that partners have the necessary expertise and certifications to effectively implement and manage security solutions!
Here are a few key reasons why skilling is important:
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Expertise Validation: Skilling criteria, such as intermediate certifications, validate that partners have the technical knowledge and skills required to handle complex security challenges.
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Customer Confidence: When partners meet the skilling requirements, it boosts customer confidence in their ability to deliver high-quality security solutions.
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Performance Improvement: Skilled partners are better equipped to optimise security solutions, leading to improved performance and customer satisfaction.
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Competitive Advantage: Meeting the skilling criteria helps partners stand out in a competitive market, which why you make the effort!
DID YOU KNOW?
You can achieve 40 points, within this skilling designation, potentially helping your business achieve the 70 points criteria more conveniently, depending on your business needs!
See the section “How Can I Achieve 40 Points” below for all the details.
START HERE
How Can I Achieve 20 Points?
The skilling category measures the capability and skills acquired by a partner through the number of certified individuals in their organization.
For Security, there's one metric in the Skilling category:
Intermediate certifications metric
STEP 1 (Required)
- At least 2 people must complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate (required) certification.
- Competing this step does not earn points, but it is mandatory before points are awarded for step 3.
STEP 2 (Required)
- At least 2 people must complete the Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Completing this step does not earn points, but it is mandatory before points are awarded for step 3.
STEP 3
Certified individuals (same as step 1 or step 2) must complete at least one of the following certifications:
- Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect expert
- Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator
- Microsoft Information Protection Administrator
Each certified individual adds 6.67 points in Step 3.
Important Considerations
Step 1 and step 2 are mandatory. You must complete step 1 and step 2 before earning any points in step 3.
Individuals can be counted across steps. A person can count toward multiple steps, but only once per step.
Enterprise Examples
Enterprise Example 1
- 2 people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you will not earn any points.
- 2 people complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you will not earn any points.
- 3 people complete Step 2, earning 20 points.
Total points = 20.
Enterprise Example 2
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you will not earn any points.
- Two people (same) complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you will not earn any points.
- Two people (same) complete Step 3, earning 13.3 points.
Total points = 13.3.
Enterprise Example 3
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you won't earn any points.
- No individual complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Two people complete Step 3.
Total points = 0 (Step 2 isn't complete)
Enterprise Example 4
- One person completes the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.
- Two people complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you won't earn any points.
- Two people complete Step 3.
Total points = 0 (Step 1 isn't complete)
STEP 1 (Required)
- At least one person must complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.
- Completing this step earns four points (even if more than one person completes it).
STEP 2 (Required)
- At least one person must complete the Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
Completing this step earns four points (even if more than one person completes it).
STEP 3
Certified individuals (the same or different people as in Step 1 or Step 2) must complete at least one of the following certifications:
- Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect Expert
- Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator
- Microsoft Information Protection Administrator
Each certified individual adds eight points in Step 3.
Important Considerations
- Step 1 and step 2 are mandatory. You must complete step 1 and step 2 before earning any points in step 3.
- Cap on points for step 1: No matter how many people complete step 1, you earn a maximum of four points.
- Cap on points for step 2: No matter how many people complete step 2, you earn a maximum of four points.
- Individuals can be counted across steps: A person can count toward multiple steps, but only once per step.
SMB Examples
SMB Example 1
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Two people complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Three people complete step 2, earning 24 points.
Total points = 32.
SMB Example 2
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Two people (same) complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Two people (same) complete step 3, earning eight points.
Total points = 24.
SMB Example 3
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- No individual complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Two people complete step 3.
Total points = 4 (only from step 1, no points from step 3 as step 2 isn't complete).
SMB Example 4
- No individual completes the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.
- No individual complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Two people complete step 3.
Total points = 0 (step 1 or step 2 isn't complete).
STEP 1 (Required)
- At least 2 people must complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate (required) certification.
- Competing this step does not earn points, but it is mandatory before points are awarded for step 3.
STEP 2 (Required)
- At least 2 people must complete the Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Completing this step does not earn points, but it is mandatory before points are awarded for step 3.
STEP 3
Certified individuals (same as step 1 or step 2) must complete at least one of the following certifications:
- Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect expert
- Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator
- Microsoft Information Protection Administrator
Each certified individual adds 6.67 points in Step 3.
Important Considerations
Step 1 and step 2 are mandatory. You must complete step 1 and step 2 before earning any points in step 3.
Individuals can be counted across steps. A person can count toward multiple steps, but only once per step.
Enterprise Examples
Enterprise Example 1
- 2 people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you will not earn any points.
- 2 people complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you will not earn any points.
- 3 people complete Step 2, earning 20 points.
Total points = 20.
Enterprise Example 2
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you will not earn any points.
- Two people (same) complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you will not earn any points.
- Two people (same) complete Step 3, earning 13.3 points.
Total points = 13.3.
Enterprise Example 3
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you won't earn any points.
- No individual complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Two people complete Step 3.
Total points = 0 (Step 2 isn't complete)
Enterprise Example 4
- One person completes the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.
- Two people complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you won't earn any points.
- Two people complete Step 3.
Total points = 0 (Step 1 isn't complete)
STEP 1 (Required)
- At least one person must complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.
- Completing this step earns four points (even if more than one person completes it).
STEP 2 (Required)
- At least one person must complete the Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
Completing this step earns four points (even if more than one person completes it).
STEP 3
Certified individuals (the same or different people as in Step 1 or Step 2) must complete at least one of the following certifications:
- Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect Expert
- Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator
- Microsoft Information Protection Administrator
Each certified individual adds eight points in Step 3.
Important Considerations
- Step 1 and step 2 are mandatory. You must complete step 1 and step 2 before earning any points in step 3.
- Cap on points for step 1: No matter how many people complete step 1, you earn a maximum of four points.
- Cap on points for step 2: No matter how many people complete step 2, you earn a maximum of four points.
- Individuals can be counted across steps: A person can count toward multiple steps, but only once per step.
SMB Examples
SMB Example 1
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Two people complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Three people complete step 2, earning 24 points.
Total points = 32.
SMB Example 2
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Two people (same) complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- Two people (same) complete step 3, earning eight points.
Total points = 24.
SMB Example 3
- Two people complete the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but you earn four points due to the cap.
- No individual complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Two people complete step 3.
Total points = 4 (only from step 1, no points from step 3 as step 2 isn't complete).
SMB Example 4
- No individual completes the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.
- No individual complete Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.
- Two people complete step 3.
Total points = 0 (step 1 or step 2 isn't complete).
Data freshness
Performance and Customer Success subcategories typically refresh by the 20th of every month. But there can be other minor data refreshes throughout the month. Skilling subcategories typically refresh within 10 days after certification completes.
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