Nutanix expands Elevate Partner Program with new Service Provider tier

The service provider program, which was announced last fall with the Elevate program and is going live now, has two tiers, and is accompanied by a promo offer that runs through next January.

Claudia Lee, VP of WorldWide Partner Marketing at Nutanix

Today, Nutanix is announcing the launch of the Nutanix Elevate Service Provider Program, a new component of the Elevate Partner Program that is specifically focused on service provider partners.

Nutanix has a fairly broad definition of a service provider, which includes more than telcos and large cloud service providers.

“We define a service provider as a partner who uses our technology to build a service,” said Claudia Lee, VP of WorldWide Partner Marketing at Nutanix, who has a background specifically in service provider marketing. “So it can include those who offer managed services like Disaster Recovery as-a-service, or VDI as-a -service.”

The new service provider tier reflects the philosophy of the Elevate program, compared to its predecessor, which was much more complex.

“We launched Elevate because we wanted to have a much simpler program, and this is an extension of Elevate specifically for service provider partners,” Lee indicated.

The service provider tier was actually announced last fall when the Elevate program was unveiled – but it is only available as a fully fleshed-out program now.

“What we launched last year was a framework relevant for all programs, and what we initially made available was for classic resellers,” Lee said. “We are now building these other ones out.”

This service provider tier has two partnership levels: Authorized Service Provider, and Professional Service Provider.

“The differentiation between them is consistent with the philosophy of the Elevate program, specifically the completion of certifications and discussions on market opportunities,” Lee indicated. The Authorized Service Providers are, however, much more likely to be partners new to Nutanix or those who deliver Nutanix services to SMB customers. Professional Service Provider partners are more likely to be focused on services for enterprise customers.

All partners are eligible for core Elevate benefits, including training, NFR and Nutanix XLAB software licenses, and enablement support. In addition, Professional Service Provider partners are eligible for expanded support from Nutanix, including marketing materials, potential MDF funds, sales tools, goal-based financial incentives and rebates, and personalized insights in Nutanix’s Partner Portal.

“The marketing support for service provider partners- leverages the same general Elevate campaign platforms and tools, although we do work with the service providers around specific messaging for them,” Lee indicated. “There are specific incents and development funds designed specifically for service providers, however.”

Service provider partners are able to take advantage of auto-metering, enabling them to provide granular billing to their customers. Pricing options are also simplified, with no minimum commitment levels or mandatory product purchases

Nutanix is running a Service Provider Starter Pack promo offer for new partners joining the Elevate Service Provider Program. It is available now, and will run until January 31, 2022. This promo offer includes training, certification and the appropriate Nutanix software for the partner.

Partners can also sign up for a webinar on June 30 to learn more about the new program.