Violin Systems, which is focused on the high end of the performance storage market, reaches down to acquire the SME-focused storage business of X-IO Storage. The long-term goal is to fully integrate both technologies to provide high-end systems with the price-performance advantages of the X-IO technology.
The new tracks – the last of those likely for specific types of partners – were announced at this event, and will go live at next year’s Global Partner Summit. Other channel changes include some enhancements to the certification process.
The program’s highlight is a fast track program to recruit high skill – not necessarily top tier – Microsoft partners by providing them with the Ziften program’s top tier benefits for a year.
SAS executives say the company is moving towards the channel — and how it’s building out its Internet of Things business may show what that movement looks like.
Talend is looking to make it easier for their Big Data and cloud-focused partners to build the new and complex integrations now required when delivering Talend in projects.
Ivanti also completes the integration of their partner program, adding partners from the Shavlik and RES Software programs into the mix, and brings additional resources on board to work with partners.
Cisco Canada channel chief Mark Collins shares his thoughts on 2017 in review, and offers a preview of what’s to come from the networking giant in 2018.
The new Citrix program is much simpler than the old, and its five separate programs, and provides new automated registration of benefits. It also adds a new back-end rebate.
As the role of partners in the Salesforce ecosystem continues to grow, the company has announced multiple new enablement initiatives for them.
Out of the gate, Titanium Black and Titanium will be able to buy the VMware offerings for their solutions straight from Dell EMC, which will allow them to get full credit under VMware’s partner program for their purchases.
Partner presence at this year’s event increased massively over anything at either the Dell or EMC events, or the initial joint event in Austin last fall.
Salesforce looks to improve its support of partners, as it looks to grow its consultant base tenfold over the next several years to meet projected demand.
IBM’s new PartnerWorld Advisor with Watson aims to make it easier for partners to navigate partner program, while also driving home the cognitive message.
Other IDC projections for the year ahead include strong partner moves into the digital transformation market, an emphasis on Customer Success programs, and changes to vendor Partner Success models.
CompTIA sees 2017 as continuing trends like the greying of the channel and the increase in non-traditional partners which have been developing for several years.
The newly-combined Symantec plans to introduce a unified partner program focused on “mass simplification” by next April.
Salesforce has implemented new programmatic initiatives for partners, including the final architect solutions and Salesforce DX. The big change, updating the company’s infrastructure to effectively serve its growing army of partners, is underway, but is a long term project.
VMware says partners are more engaged, selling more and more often after changes to deal registration and a shift on partner incentives.
Paul Struthers will come over from Amdocs to run Sage in Canada, and comes in at a time when Sage has a lot going on – or about to – in Canada.
New partner initiatives the company is working on include deepening technical and product training in their face-to-face training programs, and developing the concept of being trusted advisors together with partners to their joint clients.
