Overview

This process is applicable only for:

  1. Azure NCE Customers.
  2. Indirect Reseller’s first RI SKU order through the Cloud Marketplace (The process has to be followed only once, regardless of the number of Azure customers there are in the Cloud Marketplace).
For subsequent RI SKU orders, the process is different and is explained in this article.


Additional Notes

Indirect Resellers can buy and manage Azure NCE Reserved Instances through the Azure Portal when an RI SKU is purchased from the Ingram Cloud Marketplace.

A Reserved Instance is a reservation of compute resources that can provide a significant discount compared to On-Demand pricing. Microsoft provides a discounted hourly rate in exchange for committed level of usage for a 1- or 3-year term. Reserved Instances are beneficial because it enables partners to obtain more cost predictability, help improve budgeting and forecasting, and decrease Customer’s total cost of ownership.
For more information about RI’s check out this link - Azure Reserved VM Instances (RIs).

Pre-requisites

  1. Customer must have an active Azure NCE subscription in Ingram’s Cloud Marketplace (CMP).
  2. Customer must have signed their Microsoft Cloud Agreement (MCA).



Process Steps

  1. Navigate to your Reseller Control Panel (RCP). Refer to this article to know how to sign-in and navigate to  the RCP.  


  2. Click on the Marketplace tab on the left panel of the RCP and type Azure Reserved Instances  in the search box and click on Azure Reserved Instances (NCE only) in the suggestion result from the search box.  


  3. Click “Add to Cart”.  


  4. Click on the Cart icon. 


  5. Click “Next”.  


  6. Select the Customer from the list of existing Customers or create a new Customer if they don’t yet exist within the Ingram Cloud Marketplace by clicking on "Add New Customer".  


  7. Click “Next”. 
     


  8. Click the hyperlink that says “here” to submit additional information. You’ll only need to submit this information once within the Ingram Cloud Marketplace. 


  9. Fill in the required information and click “Submit”. A “Thank You” notification should appear.
    • Step 1



    • Step 2 



  10. Input the Microsoft Tenant Domain and click “Next”. 


  11. Review purchase order. Review the Terms and Condition and click the radio button once approved. Click “Buy”. 
         



  12. You’ll receive an Order Number. You’ll only need to buy 1 RI SKU within the Cloud Marketplace for each Customer domain to be able to buy many Reserved Instances in the Azure Portal.
    Note – The order process is not yet complete. You must verify the tenant through the Customer Control Panel still. The Reseller Technical Contact listed will also receive an email with further instructions on verifying the tenant.  
     



  13. Navigate to the Customer’s Control Panel (CCP) and click on the RI SKU Tile or Tab. 


  14. Click the “Activation Form” hyperlink.


  15. You’ll need to create a user within the Customer domain’s active directory for verification purposes. Once the purchase process is complete, you can delete this user.
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    • Step 2 



    • Step 3 
       


  16. Change the answer to “Yes” for question: Did you create the required user? Click “Submit”. A “Thank You” notification should appear.
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    • Step 2 
       



  17. The RI SKU Tab/Tile will look like this once complete. 


  18. Once this order is complete, go to the Azure Portal (Portal.Azure.com) and buy the applicable Reserved Instance(s).
    Note – The default user (admin@customer.onmicrosoft.com) has initial access to buy and manager RIs. That admin user can then provide additional access to other users.
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    • Step 2



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    • Step 6
       

Additional Information

  1. Cancelling the RI SKU within the CMP does NOT cancel the actual RI’s within the Azure Portal. If you cancel the RI SKU within the CMP and still have active RI’s in the Azure Portal, Ingram Micro will invoice traditionally for the active RI’s.
  2. Only the Direct Provider (Ingram Micro) can cancel or exchange Reserved Instances. Indirect Resellers and Customers can’t cancel or exchange RI’s through the Azure Portal. This is a Microsoft limitation. To exchange or cancel an RI, reach out to our Ingram Micro Cloud Support.
  3. The RI billing period will be by calendar month. You can access the RI Customer invoices within the 2nd week of each month within the Customer Control Panel (CCP).
  4. You’ll only need 1 RI SKU per Customer tenant active within the Cloud Marketplace to have the ability to buy RI’s through the Azure Portal.
  5. Reserved Instance pricing within the Azure Portal will reflect MSRP. Reach out to your IaaS Sales Rep to understand your discount.
  6. The “admin” user ID will automatically be granted with access to buy and manage RI’s within the Azure Portal. This user ID was created upon your Customer’s 1st Microsoft order with Ingram Micro. You can find this user ID listed within the CCP. This user can extend access to other user IDs. Add or remove Azure role assignments using the Azure portal.
  7. Please also refer to these Microsoft Docs:
  8. For any questions or concerns, reach out to the our infrastructure support team at IaaS@ingrammicro.com.