SimpliVity partner program supports cloud service providers, SIs
The SimpliVity partner strategy expands, with new programs for cloud service providers, technology providers and system integrators; more IT channel news from the week.
Hyper-converged infrastructure vendor SimpliVity has expanded its PartnerAdvantage program with two new programs for cloud partners, technology providers and system integrators. The vendor has also added new training and sales performance incentives for solution providers.
The Cloud Service Provider Program offers support and a consumption-based pricing model for partners selling cloud services based on SimpliVity's hyper-converged infrastructure. Services include infrastructure as a service, desktop as a service and disaster recovery as a service. The consumption-based pricing model is available to only service providers in the U.S. currently, but will roll out globally in the second half of 2016.
The second new SimpliVity partner program, the Technology Alliance Program, allows technology providers and system integrators to combine their offerings with the vendor's technology. Alliance partners gain access to SimpliVity's Customer Technology Showcase, a global hyper-convergence demo cloud, for deploying, testing and demonstrating products. Other resources include joint go-to-market planning; alignment to SimpliVity sales, marketing and distribution channels; access to APIs and software development kits; and early access to new products and product enhancements.
George Hope
"Technology Alliance opens the door to all of our partners to leverage an ecosystem of partners," said George Hope, vice president of global channel sales at SimpliVity. Partners can use x86 servers from Cisco and Lenovo, as well as add Splunk, Citrix, F5 and "a whole host of other partners that help us complete solutions."
SimpliVity will offer white papers and reference architecture to make it easier to use multiple technologies in a single campaign.
In addition to expanding PartnerAdvantage with the new SimpliVity partner programs, the vendor enhanced the Solution Provider Program with sales performance incentive funds and Advanced Pre-Sales Concepts Training. "[Advanced Pre-Sales Concepts Training is] a deeper dive for the technologists," Hope said. "We're really focused on enabling the technical resources within our VAR community. ... What the VARs want from us is to peek under the hood to know exactly how a lot of this stuff [works]."
Global demand for hyper-converged infrastructure
Headquartered in Westborough, Mass., SimpliVity operates in 67 countries and does 50% of its business outside of the U.S. "Most companies would do most of their expansion in the U.S., and then maybe have beachheads in [major English-speaking cities] and migrate from there. We invested in major cities all over the globe right out of the gate," Hope said.
SimpliVity uses distributors Arrow Electronics in the U.S., WestCon Group in Europe and Asia, and Tech Data in Canada. The vendor recently added a distributor in Russia, called Marvel Distribution.
Of its non-U.S.-derived business, about 70% comes from Europe, he said, particularly the U.K., France and Germany. SimpliVity is also seeing strong uptake from the Nordics and Turkey.
Learn about the key vulnerabilities of hyper-converged architecture in this IT security tutorial. EMC's Randy Bias offers advice on mitigating the risks.
More IT channel news
Highlights from the week of Jan. 25:
- SolarWinds N-able released N-central 10.1, the latest version of its remote monitoring and management platform for managed services providers (MSPs). New features include integration with MSP Manager, the company's cloud-based IT service management technology.
- Samsung Electronics America enhanced its partner program, the Samsung Team of Empowered Partners, with a new Marketing Concierge Services and professional training system, Samsung Business Academy.
- Juniper Networks entered into a definitive agreement to acquire BTI Systems, a provider of cloud, and metro networking systems and software.
- Cloud backup software company Asigra partnered with Oracle to sell ZFS Storage Appliances directly to its MSP partners.
- Distributor Avnet added colocation offerings from CenturyLink and IO to its cloud and hybrid data center capabilities.
- IT management platform company Continuum integrated its technical tools for MSPs with professional services automation platform Accelo.
- Imperva updated its partner program with a new tiered structure -- Silver, Gold and Platinum -- and new hires in its dedicated channel team. The program's membership levels measure a partner's annual booking numbers and certifications.
- Five9, a provider of cloud contact center software for enterprises, opened its channel program to resellers and full OEM partners. Additionally, the vendor announced it has hired Wendell Black as its new vice president of channel sales.
- IT infrastructure and cloud services provider Peak 10 opened its third data center facility in Raleigh, N.C. The new data center includes office space and a technical assistance center.
