Microsoft is aligning Skype Operations Framework (SOF) guidance with FastTrack to form Practical Guidance for Cloud Voice. This move positions operational and practical guidance for Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams together under the FastTrack umbrella. But it does not mean SOF guidance, tools, assets, and training are going away. They are just getting a new home and a new name. Microsoft will continue providing a comprehensive approach for implementing and managing a reliable, cost-effective communications service based on Skype for Business, which covers the entire customer lifecycle, of planning, delivery, adoption, operations, and migrations.
Moving SOF into Practical Guidance for Cloud Voice enables Microsoft to provide consistent guidance and tools across their platform. This also presents Microsoft with an opportunity to simplify and scale their assets and make it easier for partners to find relevant guidance.
Here’s a diagram showing the mapping between the SOF phases and the new Practical Guidance for Cloud Voice phases.
Cerium was awarded Microsoft’s SOF Certification by demonstrating technical expertise in planning and deploying Skype for Business and Cloud PBX solutions. This certification set us apart from our peers and earned us a spot on Microsoft’s list of preferred Cloud Voice System Integrators. Cerium is excited by the prospects FastTrack and the Practical Guidance for Voice program are offering. We are putting the same passion we put into earning our SOF certification, as we are into gaining a thorough understanding of the direction, advice, and support being offered by the Practical Guidance team.
Our close partnership with Microsoft allows Cerium to leverage their unique position in the market as a leading unified communications provider to offer our customers best-in-class solutions that employ a wide range of cutting-edge technologies. The Practical Guidance for Voice provides the framework for successfully delivering those technologies. At Cerium, we are committed to staying abreast of Microsoft’s best practices for envisioning, onboarding, and driving value so we can provide our customers with the best Skype for Business and/or Microsoft Teams based solutions that fit their needs.
