Channel Partner Program Roundup: TP-LINK, Infoblox, Sage

Howdy, and welcome to this week's Channel Partner Program Roundup, our weekly collection of all things channel program related. This week we've got news from TP-LINK, Infoblox and Sage North America, so grab some vittles and gather 'round the campfire.

TP-LINK: The networking products vendor has formally rolled out the BizCare Partner Program for its U.S. resellers, featuring four tiers–Registered, Silver, Gold, and Platinum–based on partners’ quarterly purchases from TP-LINK’s authorized distributors. The program will provide partners with easier access to TP-LINK’s dealer resources and complete product line, with partner discounts, promotions and sales, marketing and technical support at each tier level. BizCare partners at the top three levels also have access to a dedicated program rep.

The program includes:

Infoblox:  The automated network control vendor has forged an agreement with Wipro Infotech, the IT business unit of Wipro Ltd., under which Wipro Infotech will resell the Infoblox technology.

“IT leaders are looking for technology solutions that help them grow their businesses, reduce costs and achieve the balance needed to influence business strategy while also providing top-notch IT support,” said Anuj Bhalla, vice president and business unit head, System Integration and Maintenance Services, Global Infrastructure Services, Wipro Limited. “As IT is becoming closely aligned to business, the need to reduce growing complexity in networks is becoming critical. Wipro and Infoblox are offering the right mix of technologies for telecom service providers, Internet service providers and any other large enterprise having similar requirements.”

Through the reseller agreement, Wipro will offer global customers Infoblox solutions for discovery, real-time configuration and change management, and compliance for the control plane–the layer between infrastructure (think switches and routers) and applications and endpoints such as IP phones or virtual machines.

Sage North America: The SMB-focused business management software vendor has enhanced its channel partner program to help partners as they shift to delivering cloud-based services. Included in the program enhancements are a new product and company scoring initiative that helps identify the most promising cross-sell opportunities for partners, a new Sage Market Development Fund (MDF) Program and a series of customer symposiums.

The Sage Product and Company Scoring Initiative identifies the most promising cross-sell opportunities within a partner's customer base, enabling them to find new revenue opportunities. It predicts which customers will have the highest potential to purchase other Sage solutions, showing the probability of a particular customer needing particular solutions.

Slated to launch April 1, the new Sage MDF Program will better align partner marketing activities with Sage initiatives and objectives by focusing on activities that will most effectively drive new business and support cross-sell efforts, according to the company. Under the program, Sage revenue growth managers will work with Sage partners to identify, build and execute campaigns cofinanced by Sage. The current Sage Partner Advantage Co-op Program will be retired April 30.

The Sage Customer Symposium Series is designed to help Sage customers learn about important product news, the Sage technology roadmap and relevant industry trends, such as how the cloud and mobility will impact their businesses. Sage customers also have the opportunity to interact with their peers and speak directly with Sage executives and product insiders. The Sage Customer Symposium Series kicked off in December in Houston and will continue throughout the year across the country.

And so ends another Channel Partner Program Roundup. Hungry for more? Check back next week. Until then, stay safe.