Earlier this month we reported that Microsoft plans to retire TechNet Subscriptions, a premium service that includes access to software, documentation, and other resources that can help IT practitioners work more productively. Scott Lowe, the founder of The 1610 Group, perceives the move as a harbinger of things to come.

In the past, Microsoft depended on IT professionals and developers to drive sales in the enterprise. This is still the case today, but the company’s dependence on its ecosystem is gradually eroding. Lowe explains:

“[A]s Microsoft moves more and more of its services to the cloud, the overall reliance on IT pros will lessen as specialized consultants handle initial implementations and then the services are pretty much hands-off from a customer standpoint. Sure, there will still be a need for some administrative tasks to be performed – such as managing policies and user accounts – but no longer will IT staffers have to be familiar with the overall system architecture and deep configuration elements of, for example, Exchange.”

Lowe adds that IT is becoming increasingly business-oriented as cloud services gain traction among traditional enterprises, and firms like Apple continue to blur the lines between consumer and enterprise technology. He stresses that Microsoft will have to refocus its outreach on decision makers in order to stay relevant in the cloud era.

The cloud is disrupting both vendors and IT departments, but there are those refuse to go with the flow. According to Lowe, many well-meaning practitioners still insist on keeping their organizations’ services in-house. He predicts that Microsoft’s decision to pull the plug on TechNet Subscriptions will go a long way in pushing old-fashioned professionals out of their comfort zones and into the new technological landscape.