CoE Starter Kit vs Managed Environments

by HubSite 365 about Alex Shlega [MVP]

Microsoft Power Platform Consultant/Solution Architect, Business Applications MVP

Citizen DeveloperDeveloper ToolsLearning Selection

Discover why Managed Environments could replace the CoE Starter Kit as the go-to for Microsoft Experts!

Microsoft MVP, Alex Shlega, has an intriguing perspective on the future of Managed Environments and the Center of Excellence (CoE) Starter Kit on Power Platform. The author notes how these capabilities are robustly integrated products and are recommended over custom solutions such as the CoE Starter Kit. However, he also acknowledges scenarios where the platform’s Managed Environments hasn’t yet met CoE Starter Kit's capabilities, implying there might be potential plans.

In relation to Managed Environments, a significant disadvantage is raised, that every user accessing it needs a premium license. This thereby raises a discussion on the necessity of these managed environments' premium licenses.
A tip is given for comparing the CoE Starter Kit to out-of-the-box functionality. The key lies in understanding that the CoE Starter Kit is an external-to-the-platform, custom solution that has its unique data model.
Acknowledging CoE Starter Kit's value, Shlega also deliberates on the limitation of not being an official Microsoft product and the potential support challenges that can arise.

The author further observes how Managed Environments as platform features contrast against CoE Starter Kit. While the Platform’s Managed Environments is highly supported by Microsoft, some features are still in preview mode and yet others are still only available in the admin portal while the CoE uses custom canvas/model-driven apps.

In a nutshell, the author concludes by reaffirming the growing relevance of Managed Environments but does not disregard CoE Starter Kit's role and value, especially to users with existing deployments.

CoE Starter Kit and Managed Environments

In the realm of Power Platform, Managed Environments and CoE Starter Kit have been instrumental tools, each with its unique strengths. The future may see more capabilities getting added to Managed Environments, thanks to Microsoft’s continual support. Although managed environments carry inherent pros with Microsoft's backing and embedded robust features, the need for a premium license per user remains a potential hurdle.

CoE Starter Kit, as a customized solution with its unique data model, still holds substantial value for users. Its user-created custom applications and flows are capable of providing certain functionality to the end-user, persists to be an asset. In spite of it not being an official Microsoft product, it has amassed an appreciable user-base due to its resolving capacity and distinctive capabilities, particularly for those already having it deployed.

In conclusion, while both CoE Starter Kit and Managed Environments have a place in the Power Platform sphere, it's crucial for the users to gauge which one aligns with their specific needs and capabilities before deciding which one to leverage.

Read the full article Managed Environments are aiming to take over CoE Starter Kit?

Learn about Managed Environments are aiming to take over CoE Starter Kit?

In this blog post, the author discusses the future of CoE (Center of Excellence) Starter Kit and Managed Environments in the context of Microsoft's Power Platform. The text suggests a potential shift from CoE Starter Kit to Managed Environments for more robust and fully supported capabilities.

The author states that Managed Environments, although newer, seem to be in a position to take over CoE Starter Kit in the long term. This is attributable to certain features that overlap with those offered by Managed Environments.
However, the CoE Starter Kit does provide some unique capabilities not yet met by Managed Environments, such as bulk updating permissions, cleaning up abandoned resources, surveying makers, and calculating the ROI of ideas.
The author notes that using Managed Environments may require a premium license, which could be a drawback for some users. But, Microsoft has been adding lots of admin features on top, implying the push towards using Managed Environments.
The author also questions the relevance of M365 E3/E5 licenses in the Power Platform world, where they have limited access to Dataverse. This does not concern the author, who needs Dataverse for development.

This piece provides insight into the changing dynamics of Microsoft's Power Platform resources. For more in-depth scrutiny, one can explore Microsoft Learn’s 'Center of Excellence (CoE) overview – Power Platform' or engage in numerous training courses focusing on Microsoft's Power Platform to gain further understanding.

Keywords

Microsoft Managed Environments, CoE Starter Kit Alternatives, Power Platform Admin Center, Microsoft Center of Excellence Overview, E3/E5 licenses and Power Platform