DH2i Rolls Out Partner Program Focused on Container-Management Software

**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of September’s important channel-program changes you should know.**

DH2i is launching its DxAdvantage Partner Program for VARs, SIs, consultants and OEMs to differentiate their Microsoft SQL Server offerings with DxEnterprise container-management software.

The program provides partners with the ability to integrate DxEnterprise mobility, orchestration, HA/DR and multi-subnet support into their existing services. Highlights include: MSP and hosting opportunities; discounts and other incentives; technical and sales training; sales tools and marketing support; and opportunity registration for margin protection.

Connor Cox, DH2i’s director of business development, tells Channel Partners the average lifetime value of one of his company’s clients is around $260,000, “so this provides a really great opportunity for these resellers to get an initial deal and then have recurring revenue that’s very simple to deal with because those orders tend to just come in once a customer is deploying up in their environment.”

“We do very deep training with the partners, which is probably not uncommon from other vendors, but it’s really key for us to not only have the sales teams trained up for being able to do opportunity recognition … but also the technical teams,” he said. “This is oftentimes a pretty technical sale, so we spend a lot of time with the pre-sales architects, the guys … that are in these environments and are able to help drive things from that perspective.”{ad}

Another key part of the program is emphasizing demonstration ability so partners can be as independent as possible “and not to have to rely on us,” Cox said.

“We’re certainly there until they become comfortable, but that is a requirement to be able to be part of this program, to be up to date on the demonstration ability and comfortable in that setting,” he said.

According to Gartner, the enterprise infrastructure software market is forecast to reach $221 billion in total spending by 2020, with a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3 percent.

“We have a very unique proposition in terms of what we do and how we do it, so these partners are able to differentiate on that and offer something that not every other VAR out there has,” Cox said.

The new program is part of DH2i’s overall strategy to transition to 100 percent indirect sales. That involves having strategic partners in particular locations that are covering regions and are doing the work, Cox said.

“Our goal is to really be there by the end of 2017,” he said. “Part of that is also going to be moving some things through our channel partners that do come to us directly, and so we’ve done some of that as well. So if a customer comes to us and we move things along, we occasionally will pass that through one of our partners to help them get some confidence and move things through from their perspective.”

“DH2i’s DxEnterprise software is a must to enhance our data-center management solutions,” said Dale Hyde, client solutions advisor for Frontier Technology. “With a goal to boost our primary offerings not only in servers and virtualization, but also across infrastructure and operations, this partnership differentiates us, provides shorter sales cycles and creates new opportunities.”