3Cloud
The largest pure-play Microsoft Azure consulting firm in the US (prior to its November 2025 acquisition by Cognizant). Founded in 2016 by former Microsoft executives, 3Cloud built a 100% Azure-focused practice across data/AI, app modernization, and cloud infrastructure. Holds Azure Expert MSP status and has won multiple Microsoft Partner of the Year awards including 2025 US Partner of the Year.
Summary
3Cloud is a Azure Expert MSP firm (~1,200 employees (at time of Cognizant acquisition, November 2025)) focused on Data & AI and App Modernization across Azure, with delivery experience in Financial Services and Healthcare.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-23 · Cloud Intel — independent, no paid placement
3Cloud Analysis
✓ Strengths
- • 100% Azure focus — deepest Azure bench in the US market by Microsoft partner credential volume
- • Azure Expert MSP designation with 1,500+ Microsoft certifications and 1,000+ Azure engineers
- • Data and AI depth amplified by BlueGranite acquisition (2022) and prior acquisitions of CCG Analytics and Pragmatic Works
- • Verified case studies with hard outcomes across migration, data platform, HPC, and generative AI
- • MILO delivery platform — proprietary IP for accelerating Azure engagements
- • Multiple Microsoft Partner of the Year wins (2021–2025), including 2023 Worldwide Migration to Azure and 2024 Americas Data & AI
⚠ Considerations
- • Azure-only — not a fit for multi-cloud strategies involving AWS or GCP
- • Acquired by Cognizant (completed November 2025) — independence and pricing model may shift as integration progresses
- • Now operating under Cognizant branding; engagement minimums and team structures may evolve post-acquisition
Best Fit For
- ✓ Enterprise organizations going all-in on Azure — migrations, modernizations, or net-new cloud-native builds
- ✓ Data and AI initiatives on the Microsoft stack (Fabric, Databricks, Synapse, Azure OpenAI, Copilot Studio)
- ✓ Mid-market and enterprise companies in healthcare, financial services, or manufacturing seeking deep Azure managed services
- ✓ Organizations that value Microsoft partnership depth and want a firm with direct Microsoft engineering relationships
3Cloud Cloud Projects
Industrial Manufacturer — Azure Datacenter Migration and Modernization
Urgency-driven migration after European datacenter eviction notice (90-day deadline). 3Cloud used Cloud Roadmap Framework with Movere assessment, deployed a hub-and-spoke CAF Landing Zone across Holland, Singapore, and France, then added Managed Platform Services and a modern data platform on Synapse, Azure Data Lake, and Azure Data Factory.
- → $1.5M in direct cost savings from migration
- → $4.3M reduction in IT CapEx over 5-year horizon
- → 58% reduction in carbon footprint for IT workloads (88 metric tons/year)
Big 4 Accounting Firm — Generative AI for Sales Brief Automation
Deployed Generative AI solution using Azure Cognitive Services, Synapse pipelines, and LLMs to automate sales brief completion for 40,000 salespeople. 2-week POC followed by full build incorporating Voice to Text, Forms Recognizer, Databricks, and Power Apps.
- → 89,000 staff work-hours saved per year
- → Sales brief completion time reduced from 2–4 hours to 4–7 minutes
- → Solution deployed across 40,000 salespeople globally
University Genomics Research Center — Azure HPC Migration
Migrated on-premises HPC genomics pipelines to Azure. Built hybrid environment eliminating on-premises hardware dependency, centralized research portal, and NIST 800-171-compliant data environment for sensitive human genomics data.
- → 400% improvement in genomics sequencing and analysis performance
- → Runtime reduced from 3 days (on-prem) to 18 hours
- → Enabled pursuit of tier-one cancer center certification for increased grant funding
3Cloud Pricing Indication
Pricing varies based on project complexity, duration, and specific requirements. Contact the partner for a detailed quote.
Questions to Ask 3Cloud
Before engaging with 3Cloud, here are key questions to help you evaluate fit:
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Cognizant Integration: " Now that 3Cloud is part of Cognizant, who owns the account — a dedicated 3Cloud team or a Cognizant account executive? Will the same technical team that pitched us deliver the work?"
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Azure Expert MSP: " For managed services, what SLAs do you offer? Can you show us the Azure Expert MSP audit scope and what it covers for monitoring, patching, and incident response?"
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Data and AI Depth: " With the BlueGranite and CCG Analytics acquisitions, how integrated are those data practices today? Who is the lead architect on a data platform engagement — a former BlueGranite practitioner, original 3Cloud staff, or a Cognizant resource?"
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Multi-Cloud Gap: " We have some AWS workloads today. Can 3Cloud support the Azure side while we retain an AWS partner, and how do you coordinate cross-cloud dependencies?"
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Pricing Post-Acquisition: " How has Cognizant's acquisition affected your rate card and engagement minimums? Are the same commercial models (project-based, managed services pods) still available?"
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MILO Platform: " You reference the MILO delivery platform. What does it automate, and does the client retain full ownership of the resulting infrastructure code and configurations?"
Red flags to watch for:
- ⚠ Assigning Cognizant resources (not 3Cloud Azure specialists) to Azure-intensive delivery work without disclosure
- ⚠ Recommending Azure where a workload genuinely belongs on a different platform — Azure-only shops have a platform incentive
- ⚠ Inability to name the lead architect for your engagement and show their Azure certifications and past project history
- ⚠ Vague scope on Managed Services SLAs — Azure Expert MSP status requires specific coverage commitments; press for the details
- ⚠ Data practice that can't clearly explain which capabilities came from BlueGranite vs. CCG Analytics vs. original 3Cloud vs. Cognizant
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Related Research
3Cloud — frequently asked questions
Is 3Cloud a good cloud consulting firm?
3Cloud is a Azure Expert MSP firm specializing in Data & AI, App Modernization, Cloud Migration across Azure, with delivery experience in Financial Services and Healthcare. Cloud Intel evaluates firms on partner tier, real case studies, and pricing transparency — not paid placement.
How much does 3Cloud cost?
3Cloud operates in the Not publicly disclosed; enterprise-scale engagements typical pricing range. Final cost depends on project scope, duration, and complexity — contact them directly for a tailored quote.
What is 3Cloud best known for?
3Cloud specializes in Data & AI, App Modernization, Cloud Migration with core delivery across Azure. Additional competencies include Managed Services, DevOps.
Which industries does 3Cloud serve?
3Cloud primarily serves clients in Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, Professional Services. Buyers in these verticals are typically well-matched to their delivery experience and existing case-study base.
Who should consider 3Cloud?
3Cloud is a strong fit for: Enterprise organizations going all-in on Azure — migrations, modernizations, or net-new cloud-native builds; Data and AI initiatives on the Microsoft stack (Fabric, Databricks, Synapse, Azure OpenAI, Copilot Studio); Mid-market and enterprise companies in healthcare, financial services, or manufacturing seeking deep Azure managed services.
Key Facts
- Headquarters
- Chicago, IL
- Founded
- 2016
- Team Size
- ~1,200 employees (at time of Cognizant acquisition, November 2025)
- Industries
- Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, Professional Services
- Data Verified
- May 22, 2026
- Data Version
- Q2-2026
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