Cloud Direct
Cloud Direct is a UK-based Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Service Provider delivering Azure migration, managed services, Microsoft 365, security, and AI readiness to mid-market and enterprise customers across regulated verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersReading, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Cloud Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cloud Direct
- Legal name
- On Direct Business Services Limited
- Website
- https://clouddirect.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cloud Direct is a UK-based Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Service Provider delivering Azure migration, managed services, Microsoft 365, security, and AI readiness to mid-market and enterprise customers across regulated verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cloud Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cloud Managed Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud Managed Services (Operations, Monitoring, Patching) (BPAEACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cloud Consulting & Migration (BPAHAEAE), Cloud Architecture & Migration Integration (BPAEAAAH), Cloud Data Platforms & Analytics Migration (BPAEACAI)
Keywords
Where Cloud Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reading
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Cloud Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Microsoft Azure Subscriptions: Resale of Azure cloud resources at Microsoft price book plus 5% administration fee. Reserved Instances and Savings Plans with terms of 12 or 36 months. Marketplace subscriptions with defined terms.
- Microsoft 365 Subscriptions: Resale of Microsoft Modern Work and 365 licenses. New Commerce Experience (NCE) licenses available with 1, 12, or 36-month commitment terms.
- Managed Services & Support: Ongoing managed services with 12-month initial term. Per-user or flat-fee pricing models. Monthly or annual billing frequencies.
- Professional Services: Consultancy and implementation services charged either at fixed price (50% deposit, weekly milestone invoicing) or time and materials (50% deposit, fortnightly invoicing). Standard day rate appears to be £900 per day for cancelled bookings.
- Connectivity Services: Resale of connectivity services including Ethernet, Leased Lines, Broadband/FTTC, Mobile Broadband. Initial terms vary by service type (12-36 months).
- Hardware and Software Licensing: One-time hardware and software license sales. Orders under £1,000 invoiced in full on order; orders over £1,000 split 50% on order, 50% on shipment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Monthly | Microsoft Azure Subscriptions with 5% admin markup |
| Subscription | Annual | Managed Services with 12-month initial term |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Services Fixed Price or Time & Materials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Training and Consultancy Expenses |
| Subscription | Monthly | Microsoft Modern Work/365 NCE Subscriptions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hardware and One-Time Licensing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Connectivity Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cloud Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cloud Direct is an Azure Expert Managed Service Provider that helps UK organisations migrate to, manage, and optimise Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Fabric, and Microsoft Security environments. It bundles Microsoft cloud licence resale with ongoing managed services, professional/consulting implementation, security and compliance assurance, and AI/Copilot readiness services, delivered primarily to enterprise and mid-market customers across financial services, legal, public sector, and other verticals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Azure Migration Migration planning and execution services that move customer workloads to Microsoft Azure, including Azure VMware Solution migrations, designed for UK enterprises undertaking cloud adoption.
- Azure Managed Service Ongoing management and operation of customer Azure environments, including monitoring, optimisation, and support, delivered under Cloud Direct's Azure Expert MSP status to enterprise customers.
- CSP+ (Cloud Solution Provider+) Enhanced Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider programme enabling Cloud Direct to resell and administer Microsoft cloud subscriptions and licences for customers with added managed-service value.
- Application Modernisation Modernisation of existing customer and ISV applications for cloud deployment, including refactoring for Azure-native architectures.
- Azure DevOps Migration Migration service that moves customer development workflows and CI/CD pipelines to Azure DevOps as part of cloud adoption.
- Data Strategy and Governance Consulting service that develops customer data strategies and implements governance frameworks for enterprise data management on Microsoft platforms.
- Modern Data Platform Implementation service that builds modern data platform architectures using Microsoft Fabric for unified analytics across customer enterprises.
- Data Analytics and Visualisation
Companies that use Cloud Direct
Customer profileNamed customers26 records
Segments6 records
Cloud Direct technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability7 records
Feature2 records
Cloud Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MicrosoftcoreCloud Direct operates as an Azure Expert Managed Service Provider - Microsoft's highest tier of partnership for cloud service delivery. They are a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP+) with capabilities across Modern Work, Security, Infrastructure, Digital App & Innovation, and Data & AI solution areas. They co-develop and deliver workshops such as Fabric Analyst in a Day with Microsoft.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cloud Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ANS Group: UK-headquartered managed cloud and security services provider with deep Microsoft Azure expertise, comparable customer profile (UK enterprise and mid-market), and similar Azure Expert MSP positioning. Most direct UK-based comparable for Cloud Direct.
- Bytes Software Services: UK-focused Microsoft LSP and managed services provider reselling Microsoft cloud, security, and Modern Work. Overlaps with Cloud Direct on CSP+, Azure managed services, and enterprise UK customer base.
- Trustmarque: UK IT services and Microsoft partner offering cloud licensing, managed services, and consultancy to enterprise and public sector. Direct competitor for UK Microsoft-led digital transformation deals.
- Crayon: Global cloud economics and managed services specialist with significant Microsoft Azure practice. Comparable in positioning as a Microsoft-led FinOps and cloud management partner serving mid-market and enterprise customers.
Broad incumbents
- SoftwareONE: Global Microsoft LSP with substantial cloud managed services portfolio. Competes with Cloud Direct on Azure resale economics and larger-scale managed services engagements, but operates globally and at materially larger scale.
- Computacenter: UK-listed enterprise IT infrastructure and services provider with a sizable Microsoft cloud and services practice. Overlaps on Azure managed services and UK enterprise/public-sector deals, but as a much larger, multi-vendor incumbent.
- Avanade: Accenture-Microsoft joint venture focused on Microsoft technology services including Azure, Microsoft 365, and AI. Competes for larger and more complex Azure engagements; bigger scale and global delivery model.
- Insight Enterprises: Global IT solutions and managed services provider with Microsoft LSP capabilities and a UK enterprise footprint. Competes for cloud transformation and managed services deals with broader portfolio including hardware.
- Logicalis: International IT solutions and managed services provider with Microsoft Azure capabilities and UK presence. Comparable on Azure managed services and digital transformation engagements, but operates globally with broader vendor portfolio.
- CDW UK: UK arm of global IT solutions provider with Microsoft cloud and managed services capabilities. Overlaps with Cloud Direct on enterprise cloud and Microsoft licensing, but operates at much larger scale across hardware, software, and services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cloud Direct social profiles
Digital presenceCloud Direct compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Cloud Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cloud Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cloud Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cloud Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cloud Direct
What does Cloud Direct do?
Cloud Direct is an Azure Expert Managed Service Provider that helps UK organisations migrate to, manage, and optimise Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Fabric, and Microsoft Security environments. It bundles Microsoft cloud licence resale with ongoing managed services, professional/consulting implementation, security and compliance assurance, and AI/Copilot readiness services, delivered primarily to enterprise and mid-market customers across financial services, legal, public sector, and other verticals.
Is Cloud Direct a public or private company?
Cloud Direct is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Cloud Direct founded?
Cloud Direct was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cloud Direct based?
Cloud Direct is headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cloud Direct make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Microsoft Azure Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are microsoft 365 Subscriptions, managed Services & Support, professional Services, connectivity Services and hardware and Software Licensing.
Who are Cloud Direct's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ANS Group, Bytes Software Services, Trustmarque and Crayon. Broad incumbents are SoftwareONE, Computacenter, Avanade, Insight Enterprises, Logicalis and CDW UK.
Does Cloud Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cloud Direct.
What industry is Cloud Direct in?
Cloud Direct's product category is Cloud Managed Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEACAF, Cloud Managed Services (Operations, Monitoring, Patching), with a secondary code of BPAHAEAE, Cloud Consulting & Migration. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7370.