New updates to developer benefits! February 2026
As part of the February 13 expansion to Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program benefits offerings—including partner benefits packages, ISV Success packages, Solutions Partner designations, and specializations—Microsoft has updated developer benefits included in the partner program, along with how these benefits are accessed. The Visual Studio license included in all benefits offerings is now exclusively Visual Studio Enterprise IDE. This updated license includes many existing benefits such as Dometrain, Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Concierge chat, and more, but some key changes have been made to deliver a more secure, compliant, and higher value experience for partners. The per-user monthly Azure credits have been replaced with Azure bulk credits at the organization level, accessible through the Partner Center benefits dashboard; this pooled model gives partners great flexibility with credit allocation while better aligning with Microsoft Azure development needs and reducing unused credits. Additionally, access to some legacy on-premises software downloads and transferrable product keys will no longer be included in partner program developer benefits to support clearer entitlement boundaries; these entitlements remain available through appropriate licensing channels. It’s important to note that these changes apply only to partner program benefits accessed through the Visual Studio subscription portal and do not affect paid Visual Studio subscriptions or SKUs. These changes were enacted to ensure that partners can better utilize Azure credits across teams, promote compliant use of partner program benefits, and simplify benefits management while preserving access to core developer tools. It may require a change management plan, so we encourage you to develop one. Microsoft remains deeply committed to our partners and to continuing to invest in your success and growth by regularly reviewing and updating benefits to support customer impact and innovation. Please review the Microsoft Learn page for full details on this update and download the benefits guide for a full list of updated benefits.Azure sponsorship and cost management challenge
I am listening for years that Azure Sponsorship type of Azure subscriptions will get Azure Cost Management. This includes the view of prices inside portal.azure.com, managing budgets, checking each individual resources etc. Current / old portal - https://www.microsoftazuresponsorships.com/Usage , does not show costs per each resource (name), instead only per resources type. Not possible to set budgets, alerts, limits, and other things. So, again, when does Microsoft plans to upgrade Azure sponsorships to use Cost Management? Any reference (roadmap) link on this please?APAC Fabric Engineering Connection
🚀 Excited to share this week’s Fabric Engineering Connection lineup for our Microsoft Fabric partner community! We’ll be joined by Johannes Kebeck, Principal PM Manager, to dive into Fabric Maps — and how partners can bring location intelligence and rich geospatial experiences into their Fabric solutions. 📍 Fabric Engineering Connection – This Week 🌎 Americas & EMEA 📅 Wednesday, February 11 ⏰ 8:00–9:00 am PT 🌏 APAC 📅 Thursday, February 12 ⏰ 1:00–2:00 am UTC (Wednesday, February 11, 5:00–6:00 pm PT) These weekly calls are a chance for partners to: ✅ Hear directly from Fabric engineering ✅ See what’s new and what’s coming ✅ Ask questions and share feedback To participate in these calls, you must be a member of the Fabric Partner Community Teams channel. 👉 Join here: https://aka.ms/JoinFabricPartnerCommunityAmericas & EMEA Fabric Engineering Connection
🚀 Excited to share this week’s Fabric Engineering Connection lineup for our Microsoft Fabric partner community! We’ll be joined by Johannes Kebeck, Principal PM Manager, to dive into Fabric Maps — and how partners can bring location intelligence and rich geospatial experiences into their Fabric solutions. 📍 Fabric Engineering Connection – This Week 🌎 Americas & EMEA 📅 Wednesday, February 11 ⏰ 8:00–9:00 am PT 🌏 APAC 📅 Thursday, February 12 ⏰ 1:00–2:00 am UTC (Wednesday, February 11, 5:00–6:00 pm PT) These weekly calls are a chance for partners to: ✅ Hear directly from Fabric engineering ✅ See what’s new and what’s coming ✅ Ask questions and share feedback To participate in these calls, you must be a member of the Fabric Partner Community Teams channel. 👉 Join here: https://aka.ms/JoinFabricPartnerCommunity🎤 Save the Date: AMA with the Microsoft Fabric Leadership Team!
We’re excited to announce an upcoming Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with the Fabric Leadership Team—a unique opportunity for partners to engage directly with the leaders shaping the future of Microsoft Fabric! 🔹 Featured Leader Bogdan Crivat, Corporate Vice President, Azure Data Analytics 🗓️ Date & Time Tuesday, February 17 8:00–9:00 AM PT 💬 Ask Your Questions Have topics you want the leadership team to address? Submit or upvote your data analytics–related questions now: 👉 https://aka.ms/AMAwithFabricLT 👥 Who Can Join? This AMA is exclusive to members of the Fabric Partner Community. If you're not yet a member, join here to participate in future calls: 👉 https://aka.ms/JoinFabricPartnerCommunityAPAC Fabric Engineering Connection Call
The Fabric partner ecosystem is buzzing right now — and 2026 is already raising the bar. 🚀 On this week's Fabric Engineering Connection call, Tamer Farag will share what’s next for partners across skilling, demos, FabCon + SQLCon Atlanta, and more. Highlights include: 🎓 More skilling momentum (DP‑600/DP‑700 vouchers, new Partner Project Ready workshops, and a new “Chat with your Data in a Day” xIAD workshop). 🔦 Fabric Certification Spotlight: partners who reach 100+ Fabric certifications will be recognized live in Arun’s keynote at FabCon + SQLCon. 🤝 New ways to tell your story and win with customers through Fabric Demo eXperiences, Fabric Featured Partners + case studies, and FabCon experiences (Partner Elevator Pitch Search, 1:1 + executive meetings, testimonial videos, the Partner Social Sprint, and more). If you’re a Microsoft partner investing in Fabric, we’d love for you to join our next Fabric Engineering Connection call: 📅 Americas/EMEA – Wednesday, Feb 4, 8–9 AM PT 📅 APAC – Thursday, Feb 5, 1–2 AM UTC (Wednesday, Feb 4, 5–6 PM PT) To join, you must be a member of the Fabric Partner Community in Teams: https://aka.ms/JoinFabricPartnerCommunityAmericas & EMEA Fabric Engineering Connection
The Fabric partner ecosystem is buzzing right now — and 2026 is already raising the bar. 🚀 On this week's Fabric Engineering Connection call, Tamer Farag will share what’s next for partners across skilling, demos, FabCon + SQLCon Atlanta, and more. Highlights include: 🎓 More skilling momentum (DP‑600/DP‑700 vouchers, new Partner Project Ready workshops, and a new “Chat with your Data in a Day” xIAD workshop). 🔦 Fabric Certification Spotlight: partners who reach 100+ Fabric certifications will be recognized live in Arun’s keynote at FabCon + SQLCon. 🤝 New ways to tell your story and win with customers through Fabric Demo eXperiences, Fabric Featured Partners + case studies, and FabCon experiences (Partner Elevator Pitch Search, 1:1 + executive meetings, testimonial videos, the Partner Social Sprint, and more). If you’re a Microsoft partner investing in Fabric, we’d love for you to join our next Fabric Engineering Connection call: 📅 Americas/EMEA – Wednesday, Feb 4, 8–9 AM PT 📅 APAC – Thursday, Feb 5, 1–2 AM UTC (Wednesday, Feb 4, 5–6 PM PT) To join, you must be a member of the Fabric Partner Community in Teams: https://aka.ms/JoinFabricPartnerCommunityQuarterly AMA with Amir Netz (APAC) – Microsoft Fabric Partners, Don’t Miss Out!
🌟 Microsoft Partners—don’t miss your chance to connect directly with Amir Netz, CTO & Technical Fellow, at our exclusive Quarterly AMA (Ask Me Anything) session! The Fabric Engineering Connection is your gateway to insider insights, direct access to product leaders, and the latest updates on Microsoft Fabric. As a valued partner, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, share feedback, and learn about new features and strategies that can help you drive success for your clients and your business. This session is designed to empower partners with actionable knowledge and networking opportunities. 📅 Save the date: Americas & EMEA: Wednesday, January 21, 8–9 am PT APAC: Thursday, January 22, 1–2 am UTC / Americas & EMEA: Wednesday, January 21, 5–6 pm PT 🔗 Not a member yet? Join the Fabric Partner Community to participate: https://aka.ms/JoinFabricPartnerCommunity. Let’s build the future of data together!APAC Fabric Engineering Connection
🚀 Upcoming Fabric Engineering Connection Call – Americas & EMEA & APAC! Join us on Wednesday, January 14, 8–9 am PT (Americas & EMEA) and Thursday, January 15, 1–2 am UTC (APAC) for a special session featuring the latest Power BI Updates & Announcements from Ignite with Sujata Narayana, Rui Romano, and other members of the Power BI Product Team. Plus, hear from Tom Peplow on Developing Apps on OneLake APIs. 🔗 To participate, make sure you’re a member of the Fabric Partner Community Teams Channel. If you haven’t joined yet, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/g_PRdfjt Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and stay up to date with the latest in Microsoft Fabric and Power BI!
