The Origin, Evolution and Strong Bond Between Infront Consulting & Microsoft

Written by Kamal Hylton:

As an official Microsoft partner since the start of operations, Infront Consulting has created a valuable alliance within the IT industry that has only become stronger as the tech giant has put heavy investment behind datacenter creation and cloud-based infrastructure around the globe. Microsoft has already invested $10 billion towards the expansion of its’ Microsoft Azure cloud services, doing so with full knowledge that competitors like Google, Alibaba and AWS are all hot on their heels to become the ‘King of the Cloud’.

This monetary infusion has already begun to bear fruit, as Microsoft’s cloud revenue reportedly grew an estimated 114% in a single year to the tune of nearly $700 million. Figures such as these read as good news for Infront as well, allowing the company the ability to continue to offer strong services through Microsoft Service Center that includes but is not limited to cloud-based infrastructure, automation, software development and education/training.

Speaking with Infront Consulting CEO Rory McCaw, a Microsoft certified consultant and former MVP for ten years running, he explains the reasons behind how this partnership began: “Microsoft was the first large software company that came to mind when starting Infront and looking for a partner. We wanted to build a relationship with people at Microsoft Canada and throughout the world, so we reached out and inquired about becoming a partner in order to better connect us with a customer base that has both consulting needs and needs of our other services.”

Infront Global

Having the global reach of a company like Microsoft has benefited Infront greatly, but from a Canadian perspective it’s the that relationship forged with Microsoft Canada that looks to be the key to long-term technological investment closer to home. Showing a willingness to venture deep within the Canadian market, Microsoft recently opened up its’ first two Canadian datacenters in Toronto and Quebec City. As Rory explains, this move by Microsoft not only changes the game for Infront, whom prior previously to this development had 60% of their business in the U.S. versus only 17% within Canada; but for the entire Canadian tech industry looking to secure clients within their own backyard.

“Previously the challenge we were faced with in Canada as a Microsoft partner is that our customers had contracts with clients stating your data will not leave the country. As a result, they couldn’t use us because there were no Microsoft datacenters in Canada. Now that there are open and live datacenters in Canada, it opens up a huge local market for us as a Microsoft partner in Canada that allows us to attract more business.”

With significant involvement in products like Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, the development of Microsoft System Center software solutions and offering custom course material based around the Microsoft curriculum the future is looking good for both Infront Consulting and Microsoft with a bond that looks poised to attract new and diverse business for both entities.