Version 1 has been awarded one of the highest possible accolades bestowed by Microsoft to join an exclusively vetted list of just 105 of the IT giant’s partners around the world to be named an Azure Expert Managed Service Provider (MSP).

The honour rubber stamps the IT services provider as one of Microsoft’s most capable global partners and is designed to allow potential clients across the public and private sectors to identify the top Managed Services Providers to work with. Technology and Cloud Managed Services are a growth market globally, and support is heavily availed of by public sector organisations and commercial businesses alike across Ireland to outsource the responsibility for maintaining, improving, and protecting IT estates to streamline operations and reduce expenses.

Version 1 is 1 of only 4 indigenous Microsoft Partners in Ireland, and 1 of only 44 partners in the UK that meet the high standards required to be an Azure Expert MSP.

To achieve Azure MSP status, Version 1 had to complete a rigorous audit by an independent third party, and also provide multiple customer references of Azure managed services projects delivered over the last 12 months. Furthermore, to retain this status, it and other experts need to continue to meet pre-requisites annually and complete a progress audit every year.

Aisling Curtis, Commercial Partner Director at Microsoft Ireland, said:

We are delighted to announce that our trusted partner Version 1 has been named an Azure Expert MSP. To achieve Azure Expert MSP status, partners must meet the most stringent requirements of any Microsoft program and need to validate their skills, customer success, an ability to scale, and a commitment to providing next-generation managed service offerings to ensure that we can do the best for our customers.

Only a select number of Microsoft partners are able to fulfil the requirements to join this program. The Azure Expert MSP programme will help our customers across Ireland find highly skilled and validated Managed Service Providers such as Version 1 who can manage the most complex environments and advise organisations on their Microsoft Azure and Digital Transformation demands.

Version 1 has been working with Microsoft technology since 2006 and has broad and deep expertise across the Microsoft stack. It can look beyond specific requirements to underlying customer issues and identify integrated solutions that leverage the entire technology stack.

Alongside Version 1’s Azure Expert status, Version 1 are an “AMMP Approved” Partner holding Azure Advanced Specialisation accreditations in Windows & SQL Server Migrations and Application Modernisation. Being AMMP (Azure Migration & Modernisation Programme) approved enables Version 1 to guide its customers on a Microsoft supported and funded Migration / Modernisation journey to the cloud – and avail of Microsoft’s Azure FastTrack services.

Named Microsoft’s Data Estate Modernisation Partner of Choice in Ireland in 2019 and 2020, Partner Award for Intelligent Cloud in 2019 and Business Intelligence & Data Analytics Partner of the Year 2016, Version 1 have end-to-end Microsoft capability with demonstrated expertise across a wide number of competencies.

Version 1 has worked with a number of public and private sector clients including Harrow Council, East of England Ambulance Service, Musgrave Group and DAE Capital, amongst others.

Tom O’Connor, CEO at Version 1, said:

We are delighted to celebrate being recognised as a Microsoft Azure Expert MSP. Securing the honour is not only a reflection of the significant investment Version 1 has made in our cloud and Next-Gen Managed Service capabilities, but the investment of our people in reaching that goal.

I am incredibly proud of everyone in Version 1 who has made this happen, whether they study and work hard to continuously achieve top-tier certifications and skills, whether they are responsible for delivering the exceptional services and support from our Managed Service practice, or if they are Account Managers responsible for looking after our customers every day to find out how the constantly changing world of IT (particularly during COVID-19) is affecting them.

Version 1 will continue to expand our Next Generation Managed Services, known as ASPIRE Managed Services, to meet our customers’ growing demand for agile, innovative and continuously improving technology – and I look forward to enhancing our relationship with Microsoft as we help customers across the UK and Ireland evolve their your technology estates into value-generating, intelligent engines of innovation, automation, agility, and sustained business outcomes.”

Founded in Dublin, Version 1 employs almost 2,000 people across the UK, Ireland, Spain, and India. The rapidly growing IT Services provider specialises in delivering Digital, Cloud, Data, and ERP Transformation services to commercial enterprises and public sector organisations. With longstanding customer relationships in Ireland’s public sector, Version 1 has notably been gaining a strong foothold in the UK public sector with recent wins in Highways England, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), Ofgem, Home Office, Harrow Council, London Redbridge Council, and Barts Health NHS Trust to name a few.

More Information From:

Katie Doran: +44 28 9018 3242/+44 78 6661 6720

[email protected]

David Elliott: +44 28 9018 3242/+44 7779 698651

[email protected]

Notes to editors

As an AWS Premier Partner, a Microsoft Gold Partner, and an Oracle Partner, Version 1 works closely with its technology partners to impartially advise customers navigating the rapidly changing world of IT. Version 1 has invested over 1 million euros since 2018 in exploring the benefits of cutting-edge technologies and proof-of-concept projects in Blockchain, AI, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and Chatbots with its customers.

ASPIRE – Next Generation Managed Services

Version 1 has spent the last year working on its Managed Services 2.0 strategy across the business modernising its service offering to future-proof and innovate for customers – Managed Services for Version 1 are now called ASPIRE Managed Services. All managed services – Oracle, Microsoft, AWS, Application, Database, etc – fall under this brand.

As a successful MSP, Version 1 is perfectly placed to handle the challenges facing today’s customers, including the shift from a pure ITIL-based operational model to a more dynamic agile model, incorporating elements of design, architecture, automation, CI/CD, DevOps, security, and financial optimisation. As business requirements become increasingly dynamic, it handles these evolving requirements with ease by taking a proactive, flexible, and value-driven approach to our ASPIRE Application Managed Services.