As Microsoft prepares to hold its annual Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston next week, channel partners are hoping Microsoft will finally clarify how they'll fit into its software as a service strategy.
Microsoft's SaaS strategy, which it calls Software Plus Services, involves a melange of on-premise software and Web-hosted applications and gives customers the option of buying services hosted by partners or by Microsoft. At last year's WPC, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner said the transition to SaaS would be tough, but that Microsoft was commited to the services path, and partners should follow its lead.
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