Microsoft Canada uses LODS’ Cloud Slice in its Learning Camps

Microsoft Canada has adopted Learn on Demand Systems’ Cloud Slice technology to reduce the setup times and costs of its Learning Camps.

Before introducing the solution, the Learning Camps involved gathering between 15 and 25 IT professionals for day-long intensive learning sessions and then spending half an hour or more setting up the students to get them into Azure.

“It can be hard to create that account and get the credit going,” said Dave Martin, Microsoft Azure Cloud Infrastructure business lead at Microsoft Canada. “It’s a long code, and if you make a mistake you have to start over again. So, we started to look for ways to reduce that potential frustration.”

Learn on Demand Systems introduced Martin and his team to Cloud Slice which reduces the time it takes to setup the labs at the Microsoft Canada events from 30 minutes to three.

“Now they click on a link and they’re in the lab environment,” explained Martin. “That’s it. They’re done. So, setup goes from a maximum of 30 minutes to a maximum of three, which is incredible, that’s the students’ biggest challenge resolved.”

To train a class of 25 students, Martin explained that they were spending CA$100 per student on Azure credits which added up to CA$2,500 to run a single day-long session.

The Cloud Slice also allows Martin’s team to reduce the costs per student from CA$100 to CA$3.

The cost savings, and the scalability of Cloud Slice, enabled Martin and his team at Microsoft Canada to train more students at once and reinvest in future programmes. Class sizes increased from 25 students to 250-300.

“The benefits to us have been incredible in terms of getting quality learning out with a great experience to our customers and our prospects,” added Martin. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the experience. It’s the experience in the learning; it’s the experience with our product at Microsoft.”