Microsoft CSP Netherlands 2025 – What Does This Mean For Your ICT Company?

What – Definition & NL context

Effective Oct. 1, 2025, new mandatory authorization requirements will apply to all CSP partners. The three core security requirements are:

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) mandatory for ALL admin accounts within the partner tenant.

2. Designate a security contact in Partner Center.

3. Respond to security alerts within 24 hours (this duty does not apply to indirect resellers).

In addition, turnover requirements apply, depending on the type of partner:

• Direct-bill partners: minimum USD 1,000,000 in CSP revenue over the past 12 months.

• Distributors: minimum USD 30,000,000 per authorized region.

• Indirect resellers: minimum USD 1,000 in sales in the last 12 months per Partner Local Account (PLA).

For indirect resellers, in addition to revenue, they must meet mandatory security requirements – MFA and security contact – to remain authorized.

These checks are performed annually in the anniversary month of your CSP onboarding date.

 

How – Implementation steps

1. Audit and Inventory

   • Check who in your organization has admin roles in the CSP tenant.

   • Walk through all the requirements step by step with the Partner Center Security dashboard.

2. Implement MFA for all admin accounts

   • Use Microsoft Entra MFA via Security Defaults, Conditional Access or per-user MFA.

   • Note: MFA should work for all access points (portal as well as API) as of 2025/2026.

3. Designate security contact

   • Set up a clear security contact within Partner Center with current details.

4. Follow up alerts within 24 hours

   • Automate monitoring and provide notification processes.

   • Only direct partners and distributors have this obligation.

5. Turnover target assessment

   • Check that you meet the appropriate turnover threshold:

     • Direct-bill: USD 1 mln

     • Distributor: USD 30 mln per region

     • Indirect reseller: USD 1,000 per PLA.

6. Operational capability assessment (direct bill & distributor)

   • Annual review through Partner Center.

7. Support Plan

   • Direct-bill partners: active Advanced Support for Partners (ASfP) or Premier Support plan is required.

 

Challenges & Solutions in NL

Challenge 1: MFA fully rolled out

• Solution: Plan phased rollout with user communication, training and fallback processes.

Challenge 2: Respond to alerts within 24 hours

• Solution: Use automated alerting through tools such as Azure Monitor and define clear SLAs.

Challenge 3: Increase sales barrier (USD 1 mln)

• Solution: Smaller partnership (e.g. via indirect model) or consider mergers/collaborations. ALTA-ICT offers advice on scale and optimization.

Challenge 4: Resource shortage among SMEs.

• Solution: ALTA-ICT offers full-service CSP management: implementation, monitoring, SLAs, and security reporting.

Challenge 5: Uncertainty about scores/security contact

• Solution: ALTA-ICT provides documentation, annual check-ins, and hands-on support for Partner Center configuration.

 

ROI – Cost-Benefit & Cases

By complying with the new CSP rules, you minimize risks of de-authentication, disruptions in customer relationships and loss of incentives.

• Security gain: MFA and alert tracking significantly reduce chance of breaches.

• Continuity: Stay CSP-authorized and maintain incentives and partner status.

• Customer Confidence: Show that you are serious about security and compliance.

• Operational efficiency: Automation reduces human error and provides peace of mind.

• Future-proof: Build Solutions Partner status, scalability and reliability.

Case example (anonymized):
A Dutch direct-bill partner missed the alert-response requirement and risked de-authentication. Through ALTA-ICT’s intervention – MFA implementation, security contact, alert monitoring – the required CSP status was maintained, service interruption avoided, and the company grew in security services.

 

ALTA-ICT Approach

At ALTA-ICT B.V., SMEs support:

• Implementation of ISO certified security standards (ISO 27001, NEN7510),

• Documentation and monitoring via Partner Center dashboards,

• MFA automation, alerting and reporting,

• Training and awareness sessions for teams,

• Strategic guidance on revenue models and Solutions Partner roadmap,

• Annual reaffirmation around CSP anniversary.

We combine Dutch compliance expertise with pragmatic execution and clear ROI reporting.

 

FAQ

1. Is 80% Secure Score mandatory?
   No – only the mandatory security requirements are mandatory (MFA, security contact, alerts within 24 h).

2. Does alert succession apply to all partner-types?
   No – direct bill partners and distributors have this duty; indirect resellers do not.

3. When does Microsoft look at compliance?
   Annual validation during the anniversary month of CSP onboarding.

 

Conclusion

The new Microsoft CSP rules as of Oct. 1, 2025, mark an important moment: CSP partners must raise their security and revenue base. ALTA-ICT offers the solution: from MFA and alert monitoring to strategic guidance and compliance. This is how you stay CSP-authorized, strengthen customer trust and grow in a sustainable way.

Want to spar or create a compliant roadmap? Contact us at ALTA-ICT.nl for a no-obligation consultation.

 

Reference

¹https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/enroll/direct-partner-new-requirements

²https://www.linkedin.com/posts/altaict_msp-csp-microsoft365-activity-7364170673537073152-RXPY