Microsoft-focused DH2i sees a strong opportunity for partners, and has recently begun to build out a channel. They have now launched a channel program to provide support.
Connor Cox, DH2i’s Director of Business Development
Fort Collins CO-based DH2i, which makes Windows-focused DxEnterprise container management software, is announcing the launch of its DxAdvantage Channel Partner Program. DH2i is committed to becoming a 100 per cent channel company. It is, however, looking to enlist a fairly small number of strategic partners, rather than sign up extensive numbers of Microsoft’s large channel.
DH2i was founded in 2011, and shipped its first product in 2011, but is now seeing demand explode.
“Containers have been around for a while now, but are getting buzz today from dev-type environments,” said and Connor Cox, DH2i’s Director of Business Development. “There has been an incredible growth in the number of WinServer OS out there – on virtualized hosts. Virtual machines are OS focused. However, we think containers are the next level of virtualization – lightweight and focused on the application rather than the OS. They can greatly reduce the number of OS instances, and licenses.”
DxEnterprise allows the containerization of any new or existing Windows Server application service, file share, SQL Server instance or Windows container. Light weight and quick to provision, it stacks on physical, virtual or cloud hosts in any mix. It supports Windows Server back to 2008R2, and SQL Server as far back as SQL 2005.
“It significantly cuts down the number of OS that need to be licensed,” Cox said. “Typically there is an 8 to 15x reductions in the number of OS needed.”
Saving the customer money by reducing the number of Windows and SQL licenses needed is a significant asset to partners.
“It expands their share of wallet,” Cox said. “Microsoft licensing margins are razor thin, even while the products themselves are expensive. This lets the partner turn some of that same wallet share into more margin-rich share. It frees up customer resources for partner services, and the product is something they can wrap their services around. So while the customer spends less money, the partner gets more of that money.” Cox said that the average first deal was around $75,000 – and that it was usually the smallest. The average lifetime value of a customer has been $260,000.
Cox said this offering is a strong complementary one for both traditional solution providers and MSPs.
“Partners offering something unique like this helps them to be seen as a visionary by their customers,” he said. “It’s a strong hosting opportunity for MSPs, who can offer DxEenterprise as a service, to cut costs and differentiate themselves.”
DH2i has had a few partners for the last couple of years, but not enough to consider implementing a program.
“Our focus was growing the product, and we didn’t have the bandwidth to create a formal program and recruit partners,” Cox said. “In the last 4-6 months we’ve had a huge growth in the number of partners. We now have 11 partners including Synnex, who is there for reactive type fulfilment.”
The DH2i DxAdvantage Partner Program provide the tools to let partners integrate DxEnterprise mobility, orchestration, HA/DR and multi-subnet support into their existing offerings. It also includes extensive technical and sales training.
“Certification is a requirement, and onboarding is the gate for that,” Cox said. Demonstration capability is also requirement.
Partners receive 33 per cent discounts with registration, an a further 5-15 per cent discount on support.
“There are also incentives, including SPIFs for presales architects for bringing us forward, and rewards for the architects who do solutioning,” Cox said.
Cox said that DH2i is completely committed to becoming 100 per cent channel driven company, and will be doing a lot of co-branded marketing and events like webinars. Marketing materials and collateral are also provided.
“We want to do partner recruitment, but this is not an exercise in signing everyone up that we can, without considering their territory and their expertise. We want very strategic partnerships in certain territories.”
