Extreme Networks Debuts Channel Program Enhancements

Extreme Networks (EXTR) introduced several additions to the Extreme Partner Program this week, including a new rebate program, deal registration and vertical market lead generation initiatives.

The goal of the program enhancements is to increase the total cost of ownership and provide increased predictability for customers, as well as to help partners differentiate themselves through product specialization. The tweaks were necessary, the company noted, because of increased demand from its partners for its wireless, cloud and managed services portfolio.

The most notable additions to the Extreme Partner Program are the revised rebate programs, which now provide partners with accruing benefits beginning with the first dollar of revenue. The rebate program is currently live and includes solution-based selling and service renewals.

Extreme is also providing partners with a Business Transformation Playbook, which consists of a series of best practices designed to help resellers profit from the company’s cloud and managed service opportunities.

Straight from the press release, additional program features include:

“The incentives will align the partners to our vision and strategy to become a solutions company rather than just a pure networking company,” said Tracy Pallas, Extreme’s senior director of Americas Channel Sales, in an interview with The VAR Guy. “A really key piece to that are improved enablement activities with the partners.”

Additionally, Extreme’s MSP community now has access to two new ExtremeWorks Managed Services offerings, including MonitoringPLUS Managed Services and ResponsePLUS Managed services. MonitoringPLUS seeks to improve customer engagement through network performance management, while ResponsePLUS provides deeper integration with the Extreme and includes support, semi-annual reviews and all of the MonitoringPLUS features.

The program enhancements formally launched this week as part of the company’s Extreme Partner Summit in Las Vegas.

“This is an opportunity to provide something fresh and to make those top partners who have been the most loyal to us the most productive for us,” said Pallas. “I want to do as much business with as few partners as possible, so that I’m really meaningful to them and they are really meaningful to me.”