As a technology company, Microsoft offers learning resources. For people who want to develop technical skills and confidence as well as build career opportunities. Most often allowing them to leverage and skill up in their tools and technologies. These platforms include Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA), Cloud Society Platform, Microsoft courses on edX and Microsoft Learning.
Microsoft Learn – a one stop for self-paced, guided learning
Microsoft Learn was announced at Ignite last year in a bid to bring its learning platforms into one hub. A way to revise outdated knowledge and introduce modern and relevant skills for the next generation of creators. Like the Microsoft Virtual Academy, Microsoft Learn is free. It provides a tailored learning path through tutorials, a coding and interactive environment. As well as help you prepare towards certifications. Microsoft says “We built Microsoft Learn as a one-stop for self-paced, guided learning on all of our platform products and services”.
Starting 31st January Microsoft Virtual Academy will be retired in phases and its content removed by the end of 2019. Complete any course you currently are taking by the 31st of January to retain your transcript and certificate.
Here’s how the Microsoft Virtual Academyemail reads;
“To simplify your tech training journey, we are consolidating our learning resources and retiring Microsoft Virtual Academy in phases, beginning on January 31, 2019. Complete site retirement is scheduled for later in 2019. Check your MVA Dashboard frequently for courses you have started that are retiring. To earn your certificates of completion, be sure to finish any courses by January 31, 2019. Although Microsoft Virtual Academy content will no longer be available, we know that learning never stops. We recently announced Microsoft Learn which is a new site that provides a free, interactive learning environment that combines short step by step tutorials, interactive coding/scripting environments, and task-based achievements that help you advance your technical skills. Check it out! “
I’ve noticed the cloud society and Microsoft courses on edX platforms have been integrated with Microsoft Learn. This brings all of Microsoft’s learning tools and resources under one documentation and platform for up to date information.
You can download your MVA completed course certificates from the dashboard, Check Microsoft Learn out and build new skills.
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It’s been reported that the planned 2018 initial availability of Microsoft’s datacenters didn’t go live because of “the inability of a third-party supplier to deliver to specification“. It is however expected in 2019, but no dates have been confirmed yet because apparently it is an “unprecedented level of infrastructure“.
Microsoft announced in May 2017 that it was going to deliver its Microsoft Cloud from datacenters in Africa. By opening an Azure region in Africa, with two datacenters in South Africa. In Johannesburg, South Africa North and Cape Town, South Africa West. The announcement said the datacenters will be delivered with initial availability in 2018. I have often wondered and paid attention to know when, as this affects our region in many ways.
Microsoft South Africa’s Director of Commercial Partners, Lionel Moyal, said the two Azure datacenter regions are due to go live at the end of 2018. He said we are within weeks. Lionel was speaking to entrepreneurs and startups at the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2018 in South Africa about Microsoft’s new Head Start initiative. He shared that “latency will not be an issue any more. It is not just for South Africa it is a cloud for Africa. About creating trust and impactful projects”.
From an investment point of view Lionel Moyal said IDC reports South Africa expects to add 112,000 IT specific jobs by 2022. That there is a shortage of skills in IT jobs. And the growth rate of IT jobs is 3 times more than national job opportunities. People need to skill up in cloud technologies, machine learning, AI, mobile technologies, development tools.
Sebuh Haileleu – Cloud Services is on the rise in Sub-Sahara Africa
Sebuh Haileleul, Microsoft East Africa Country Manager says there is increased interest and uptake of cloud services in Africa. Speaking to CNBC Africa via Skype he talked about the growth, opportunities and benefits of cloud to organizations in Africa.
“In sub-sahara Africa there’s a very big uptick in taking on more cloud services. I think it is primarily driven by some key factors.
1. Ability to quickly provision and provide services to customers or organizations
2. Agility and simplicity customers get from our platform
3. Security
From a Microsoft perspective, we look at cloud in a very different way. When we talk about cloud we talk about our trusted cloud. We invest over a million dollars just on security. When we host customer data and applications we go all the way to make sure they are encrypted end to end.
We see the cloud trajectory continuing as our customers become more clear on how the cloud can enable them. Either in the public sector or commercial space to transform business, provide better and quicker services for citizens.
Giving an example of a company using and benefiting from the cloud he talked about Kenya firm M-Kopa. M-kopa’s technology environment is all on the Azure cloud. It gives them the ability to lower operational cost whilst provisioning services quicker.
20 October 2018; Kuwait City, Kuwait – Zain Kuwait, the country’s leading digital service provider, today announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Microsoft to offer various cloud-based services to large enterprises and small-medium businesses across Kuwait, enabling them to drive digital transformation by better engaging their customers, empowering employees, optimizing operations and transforming their products and services.
The partnership was signed during Zain’s participation in the fifth day of the 38th edition of The Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX Technology Week 2018). The international event, hosted in the United Arab Emirates, has been organized by the Dubai World Trade Center, featuring the biggest global companies, organizations, and entities from the Telecom and IT industry. As part of this partnership, Zain Kuwait will package its own tools, products and services, and combine them with Microsoft’s cloud solutions into one offering for its customers in the country, to make the most out of the intelligent cloud.
Eaman Al Roudhan, Chief Executive Officer of Zain Kuwait, said: “We are delighted to further expand our strategic partnerships with global technology leaders like Microsoft to enhance and reinforce the portfolio of innovative solutions and services we offer to our enterprise customers. Enterprises are a central part of our country’s economic ecosystem, and we are committed to expanding our portfolio to help empower a more efficient business sector in Kuwait”.
“The cloud opens up massive opportunities for our partners to combine their solutions with Microsoft’s cloud offerings and drive digital transformation in a seamless manner,” said Charles Nahas, General Manager, Microsoft Kuwait. “Zain Kuwait has been at the forefront of this transformation, and this partnership will accelerate its efforts by empowering them to provide end-to-end solutions to its customers, building stronger relationships and spur deeper engagement – enabling them to achieve more.”
This collaboration will enable Zain to take advantage of the opportunity in the cloud and become its customers’ trusted advisors. This empowers the company to be able to own and manage the end-to-end relationship with its customers.
Microsoft and Zain Kuwait have enjoyed a long-term partnership over the years to bring innovative solutions to the market. Earlier last month, Zain announced the launch of zBot, its first smart customer service channel. Built on Microsoft Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, zBot is an autonomous virtual employee, fulfilling the role of frontline service agent for Zain’s customers, who make up the largest subscriber base in the country.
“zBot is a great example of how the intelligent Microsoft Cloud can help organisations to engage customers, empower employees, optimise operations and reinvent products and services. This is digital transformation in action, and Zain is once more stepping forward as a leader in its sector and showing both customers and industry peers exactly what is possible,” added Nahas
Opinion: Here’s how Microsoft’s Data Centers in Africa and Middle East will affect the region.
Microsoft’s announcement of new Azure regions with data centers coming to Africa and the Middle East will bring new opportunities. Across the globe it’ll represent 54 Azure regions, the highest by any cloud service provider. These data centers which will provide faster connections will also meet local regulations.
As we look forward to the initial availability of these data centers Hazem Nabih, director of Microsoft’s Middle East & Africa Intelligent Cloud Business Group shares on how the data centers will affect the region.
One significant barrier to entry for the cloud is staying within the law. Regulation regarding the storage and use of data is becoming more complicated. The GDPR takes effect soon, and that is unlikely to be the final word on the subject. By building local data centers within the regions they hope to serve, Microsoft is significantly lowering the barrier to entry by reducing concerns over data security and regulatory compliance. By taking over responsibility for protecting data and staying up to date with local laws, in-region data centers allow companies, both large and small, to focus on their mission and not on tedious administrative tasks. This could be a significant driver of cloud adoption, particularly for large institutions with extensive and sensitive data stores.
Economic Innovation and Development
Wherever the cloud accelerates connectivity, investment and innovation tend to follow, often in unexpected ways. That can make predictions difficult, but the end result is almost always increased efficiencies and greater opportunities for enterprises both big and small. Take the example of M-Kopa Solar, which has taken advantage of cloud technology to bring solar energy to off-grid homes. Or AGIN, which connects small farms to information and financial resources previously unavailable to them. This type of unexpected innovation will become more prevalent as entrepreneurs take advantage of the cloud’s capabilities.
Influence on the Energy Sector
Before choosing UAE and South Africa, Microsoft considered the energy infrastructure of the region – an important consideration since data centers use a lot of energy. Future development will rely on a solid and resilient infrastructure. Given both Microsoft’s and UAE’s commitment to renewable energy, the future of cloud technology in the region could be very green.
Better Access to Education and Training
Just as cloud development drives a greater need for skilled technology workers. It will also make the necessary education more accessible. Microsoft has already demonstrated its ability to create programs. To train and support the next generation of workers and entrepreneurs for a newly emerging, digital, knowledge-based economy. This trend can only accelerate as local data centers drive cloud adoption.
Effects of Microsoft’s Data Centers in Africa and Middle East shared by Hazem Nabih
