If it seems like we’ve been on a bit of a roll recently — well, it’s because we have been.

We’re delighted to share that we’ve been awarded two additional Microsoft Advanced Specializations in Threat Protection, and Identity and Access Management

The Specialization process involves a lot of work to evidence and highlights our competency and proven success as Microsoft cloud experts. We want to extend a huge thank you to all of our teams who were involved along the way in honing their Microsoft proficiencies, delivering projects and services and gathering evidence of our clients’ success.

Read on to learn more about the certification process, our commitment to cybersecurity standards and cloud technology, and how these awards benefit our clients.

What are our new Microsoft Advanced Specializations?

Advanced Specializations are a thorough assessment and endorsement of our skills as Microsoft cloud experts.

The application process for each Specialization varies since it considers how we use different Microsoft technologies across our clients’ diverse business needs. As such, we need to be able to deploy a range of solutions before we can demonstrate an advanced skill set and receive accreditation.

What’s more, Advanced Specializations are the pinnacle of Microsoft expertise. We needed to have many prerequisites in place before we could even apply.

We’ve outlined how we got each of our new Microsoft Advanced Specializations below so you can learn more about the certifications and work that went into them.

Threat Protection Advanced Specialization

Our award in Threat Protection Advanced Specialization, has validated our credentials in enterprise IT security solutions.

The Advanced Specialization has been the culmination of years of work, as we needed to meet a range of criteria before we could apply.

First, we needed six or more of our team to pass the Microsoft 365 Security Administrator exam. Second, we needed to hold an active Microsoft Partner award in Security. Both of which involved months alone.

We also had to submit case studies detailing our work with clients. For this award, we discussed our use of Azure Defender and Azure Sentinel technologies for clients in the financial services sector.

We evidenced how our tailored solutions helped reduce clients’ vulnerability to threat actors and protect sensitive information within their organisations. In particular, how we optimised the AI-enabled analytics to safeguard our clients’ networks.

Identity and Access Management Advanced Specialization

Our second award is the Identity and Access Management Advanced Specialization.
This Specialization assessed our work in balancing security with productivity needs in real enterprise contexts and has strengthened our position as Microsoft 365 experts.

Similar to the application listed above, we needed to have an award and experience in managing thousands of user accounts in the Azure Active Directory.

During our application, we explored how we deployed identity management tools alongside solutions like 365 to support clients’ productivity needs without risking their data.

We highlighted our work with a major hospitality client and showed how our solutions and implementation processes adhere to  Zero Trust principles— the leading standard of modern identity management.

At this point, we’d like to thank our employees who have been at the core of our success. Our Microsoft Advanced Specializations (of which we now hold three!) are a testament to their hard work and standard of client support. Given our growing list of qualifications, we’re able to stand out as a Microsoft cloud expert that offers depth and breadth of knowledge.

What do they mean for Atech’s Managed Services?

As much as we like to pat ourselves on the back, what do these Advanced Specializations mean for our clients?

Firstly, the accreditations validate our delivery of industry-leading standards in line with Microsoft’s own best practices. Moreover, these awards also demonstrate that we’re a highly experienced and knowledgeable strategic partner in each of the assessed domains. Therefore, it strengthens not only our position as a leading Microsoft cloud expert but also the confidence that our clients can have in our solutions.

What’s more, by offering productivity and security support, our clients gain an extremely versatile business partner; capable of enhancing their operations and protecting their data in one go. This combined source of value is vital for modern businesses that want to balance their business needs with today’s evolving security risks.

More broadly, as an organisation, Atech is home to genuinely passionate IT security experts. Few businesses hold as many professional certifications in cloud solutions as Atech does. As a result, our clients benefit from our employees’ genuine interest and expertise in IT and security issues. This insight ensures we’re at the forefront of emerging cybersecurity and enterprise solutions, and are well-positioned to implement the industry’s best practices.

Most crucially, Microsoft Advanced Specializations aren’t awarded indefinitely, as recipients must submit a renewed application each year. The standards for which may even change over time.

We’re proud of our status as one of the UK’s leading Microsoft cloud experts which is why we place such emphasis on growing competencies like Microsoft Advanced Specializations. They demonstrate our commitment to solving enterprise challenges and help instil confidence in our clients throughout our collaborations.

Access top-tier productivity and security support with Atech

Three Microsoft Advanced Specialisations. Nine Gold Microsoft Partner Awards. ISO27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, and CREST certified.

Atech is a highly experienced solutions provider in both cloud-enabled productivity and cybersecurity solutions.

Our Security Operations Centre offers tailored protection for your business with truly industry-leading security standards. Whether you’re looking to scale your business, optimise on your cloud spend or reliably secure your data from threat actors, we can help.

Get in touch to learn more about our solutions today.