Barracuda Networks Launches First Global Partner Program

Barracuda Networks has launched its first global partner program built on two foundational elements: a shared success model and partner agility.

The company says one thing that makes its Barracuda Partner Success Program is its support for resell partners across multiple routes to market — resale, MSP and marketplaces. Partners who resell Barracuda solutions will be recognized for their Barracuda business as a whole, regardless of the route to market, and they will get benefits and resources based on their total sales contribution.

Jason Beal, Barracuda Networks’ vice president of worldwide partner ecosystems, said with the new program, his company is investing in up-leveling partner success.

Barracuda's Jason Beal

“The industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, particularly in the reseller business models, where two primary trends have emerged: diversification of partner business models and hybridity,” he said. “Traditional partner programs in the industry have been primarily or exclusively focused on volume of product resale. In contrast, Barracuda’s new global partner program offers partners the flexibility of choice to meet the needs of today's modern buyers.”

Barracuda Networks Listened to Partners

Barracuda Networks listened to its partner community and “responded to what we've heard as their most important need and their request to us, which is to recognize and reward all of their Barracuda business,” Beal said.

“The great thing is that we have a partner community that engages with Barracuda and brings our technologies to their end customers in many different ways — from a project business, with resale and professional services, to building out managed services built on Barracuda technologies and helping many of their end customers who want to procure through the cloud and hyperscaler marketplaces,” he said. “So, we've responded to that voice of the partner and introduced one global partner program that incorporates all of the business partners do with us.”

Barracuda Networks’ partner community across the globe is thriving with a growing number of active hybrid partners who are taking Barracuda solutions to market through various routes, Beal said.

“They resell our solutions, add professional services, and opt for managed or co-managed models,” he said. “Our alliances and collaboration with partners with AWS, Microsoft and others are stronger than ever. The number of partners now helping their customers with marketplace transactions is also growing significantly. This trend is not just limited to our partner community, but is also prevalent in the industry. The timing was right to launch our first-ever global partner program that considers the diverse partner business models and provides enablement programs that support and reward partners, regardless of how they do business with Barracuda.”

The LAER Model

The new program includes benefits, requirements and rewards built around the LAER model of customer success: land, adoption, expansion, and retention and renewal. In this way, the new global partner program supports partners of different business models to grow their business and expand their customer reach while helping protect clients from cybersecurity threats, the company said.

Barracuda Networks also is introducing a certification for customer success, enabling sales and customer success staff to improve customer loyalty, drive higher customer satisfaction and increase sales.

New enablement tracks can help resellers grow their business, whether they go to market as a resale, managed service, or cloud marketplace partner.

Barracuda is also delivering next-generation capabilities to its partner portal.

“The new Barracuda Partner Success Program has also been architected around the theme of the partner multiplier, which is the easy way to say a fancy term, the partner ecosystem economic opportunity,” Beal said. “It's looking at how a vendor like Barracuda helps our partners maximize their economic opportunity in working with us and the end customers. So, the fact that we have architected our [program] with customer life-cycle management in mind puts our partners in the position to add value, and make revenue and profit at all stages of LAER with their support and services, which is a key benefit of the program.”

Improved Deal Registration

Barracuda Networks has significantly improved its deal registration form and user interface (UI) to simplify completion, he said.

“We know deal registration is a key element of a partner program, and we have aimed to improve that experience for our partners so they can get in, provide the information they need about the opportunity, and get out and get back to their day,” Beal said. “In addition to that, we've also strengthened the requirements and protections around the renewals, partner-of-record incumbency. Renewals are a major part of our partners’ business, and we want to ensure that we protect our partners and their renewal opportunities when they are active in those accounts. We want to ensure our partners have the resources to service their customers and retain them for life.”

In early 2024, resellers participating in the new program will benefit from the refreshed premier, preferred, authorized and affiliate levels, he said.