Object storage vendor Scality believes the time is ripe to introduce its ATLAS Partner Program, designed to provide additional support to its channel of 25 partners, and to increase that number by selective recruitment.
David Harvey, VP of Strategic Alliances at Scality
San Francisco-based object storage vendor Scality has launched its Scality ATLAS Partner Program, the company’s first channel program. It is focused on investing resources to boost enablement for a fairly small channel of partners who in turn have invested in Scality.
“We have had success with the channel,” said David Harvey, VP of Strategic Alliances at Scality. “It’s the majority of our business. I came on board two and a half years ago, and we were having success then, but we waited before launching our program so that the channel would already have some structure, and that our investment could be used best and at an appropriate level.”
That time has now come.
“We wanted to stake support for the channel further, with more support and more benefits.” Harvey said. “In the brave new world of software-defined storage, we wanted to help partners go after larger customers and give them the support that they need.”
The program is very much focused on partners who want to invest in developing their Scality business.
“Our channel is very value focused,” Harvey said. “They are not selling Windows NT server here.”
Collectively there are 25 partners in the program, in two tiers.
“One is large strategic alliances – Dell, HPE and Cisco – which are similar to OEMs, but they do most of their business through the channel,” Harvey stated. “What they need is a little different from SIs and VARs.”
The other tier are the SIs and VARs.
“We are looking to grow it with new partners, but don’t have a specific target number in mind,” Harvey stated. “We already have over 250 individuals already certified to sell Scality at a pre-sales level. We like to have a minimum of three certified SEs per partner, but of course some of the larger ones have many more than that.”
Harvey said that the ATLAS program can really be broken down into two distinct phases.
“One is about providing partners with the vendor support they need to be seen as thought leaders,” he said. “This includes enabling our direct teams to be fully mapped with partner sales teams. It also means that our support is very fast and comprehensive. We have a very solid workflow to provide resources. We allow partners to do first line support for customers, and make sure that they have the proficiency, and our safety net behind them, if they are doing a proof of concept.”
The second component is tools like the ATLAS Partner Program Training and Self-Certification Portal.
“We are providing tools that are very valuable like our extranet portal, and training techniques,” Harvey stated. “We have also developed comprehensive online training as well for sales, presales and technical support.”
Scality’s channel in Canada is proportionately strong.
“We have at least five partners in Canada, and have seen a lot of interest there in the last six months. Harvey said.
