It includes a variety of different engagement models, depending on the way the partner’s business is structured, and makes some adjustments to costing as traditionally done in MSP programs.
Randy Schirman, Vice President, Worldwide Channel and Service Delivery Partner Sales, Rubrik
Cloud data management vendor Rubrik has announced a second partner program, designed specifically for service providers, whether they be telcos, MSPs, VARs or consulting partners, as long as they offer managed services. The program is also designed to serve both veteran managed services providers and traditional break-and-fix companies just getting into managed services.
“What we have had historically is a traditional reseller program,” said Randy Schirman, Vice President, Worldwide Channel and Service Delivery Partner Sales, Rubrik. “We are announcing an evolution into a true managed services program. The whole point and purpose of the program is to recognize that those who pass solutions through as opposed to those who deliver their own services are two very different things.”
Schirman, who originally came on board at Rubrik to build this specific program out, and now has responsibility for all Rubrik’s worldwide channels, said this new program was designed with a very specific purpose.
“There has been very little evolution in how data management programs operate for over a decade, even as data being managed has undergone a radical evolution,” he said. “The enterprise is flocking to a hybrid environment, and managed services partners are trying to establish value in it. Traditionally, they organized data and had it ready on demand. Now they may not even own all the data. So they are confronted with the issue of how they maintain stickiness with the customer. We think the market is in need not only of a technology solution but a programmatic solution for solutions in a hybrid environment. We see a tremendous market opportunity to provide the next generation of data management services n this hybrid environment, and have made this an entire company-wide initiative.”
The Rubrik Service Delivery Partner program has flexible engagement models, including subscription and two consumption engagement models, for both hardware and software.
“The program constitutes a whole new set of financial engagement models,” Schirman said. “At the heart of it is operational flexibility, particularly around the consumption models. There are separate contractual frameworks, support frameworks, and financial frameworks, reflected to driving and delivering their brand of services.” The consumption model for hardware provides a low-cost platform upon which they can build new services that are powered by Rubrik on a pay-as-you-grow basis. The consumption model for software lets them leverage Rubrik software on top of approved third-party hardware appliances, including Cisco, HPE, and Dell.
Schirman said that partners already in the traditional reseller program who enter this managed services program won’t have two separate programs to administer.
“If they are already in resell, it’s an integrated component with a single pane of glass,” he said.
Schirman said that they have also reworked the traditional services cost infrastructure in a way that better fits partners’ business models.
“Historically, those who delivered services absorbed the cost infrastructure, and it would be 12-18 months before they hit profitability, when the recurring revenues caught up,” he said. “We’ve done things, in moving into consumption orientation, to change this. We have the ability to meter exact capacity utilization so it is legitimately a pay-as-you-go model. That moves profitability curves from 12-14 months to a month, or two or three at most. The costs are now aligned with revenue based on that. We have had a tremendous response to that. Partners tell us that we really get their business, with this business alignment, as well as technology alignment.”
The program also charges partners based upon back-end data actually used on the device, rather than front-end data that may include duplication. Rubrik also makes capacity aggregation available across multiple clients and multiple clusters, to help partners centrally manage and bill for utilization, meet their minimum annual commitment and reach volume discounts regardless of the service delivered.
The program has two tiers, Select and Elite.
“The tiers aren’t by sales level, but by functionality,” Schirman said. “It makes our ability to line up functional offerings become very powerful.”
The Select level is for partners new to managed services.
“We recognize that not one size fits all,” Schirman said. “A lot of traditional partners in transactional businesses want to move into services, and are dipping their toes in the water to explore its viability for them.” They get a la carte pricing, and typically serve SMB and mid-market customers. A white-labelled services offering, provided through Assured Data Protection, is also available.
“The Elite Level, for veteran service providers, receive bundled services and pricing,” Schirman added.
