How are Microsoft Partner Specializations different from Solutions Partner designations?

Solutions Partner designations validate breadth of capability, while Microsoft Partner Specializations validate depth of expertise. A designation confirms that a partner meets baseline requirements across performance, skilling, and customer success for a broad solution area such as Security or Data & AI. In contrast, a specialization focuses on a specific workload or scenario, such as Threat Protection or Analytics on Azure, and requires higher thresholds, additional certifications, and verified customer deployments. Specializations often include audits or customer references, making them more rigorous. Essentially, designations prove that you can deliver solutions, while specializations prove that you excel at delivering a particular solution repeatedly and successfully.