IndependenceIT Enhances Partner Program For MSPs, VARs, ISVs

After a successful pilot, cloud-workspace provider IndependenceIT is launching its enhanced partner program for MSPs, VARs and ISVs.

The program provides a “fast and profitable way” for partners to capitalize on the growing demand for cloud workspace with its Workspace as a Service (WaaS)/Desktop as a Service (DaaS) offering, according to the company.

Global market intelligence firm IDC estimates the growth of cloud workspaces through 2018 to be $4.7 billion, representing a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7 percent.

Seth Bostock, IndependenceIT’s CEO, tells Channel Partners the program supports both elite partners and traditional MSPs, integrators and hosting providers. The company currently has about 150 partners and sells exclusively through the channel.

“The piloting went great,” he said. “The feedback was great. We saw an uptick in a lot of our partners’ business. It’s a real win-win for everybody.”

The elite partners, such as nGenx, iTopia and GetCloud Services, are advanced MSPs or platform providers that build their own platforms/offerings around IndependenceIT’s software, and sell through their own channels.

“IndependenceIT has been a key partner for us, supporting the enhancement of nGenx nFinity nWorkspace,” said JD Helms, nGenx’s president. “Their software has supported recent successes, including a recent deployment with GoldMine software to support anytime, anywhere application access.”

The enhanced program includes increased incentives, training, marketing and support. In addition, it streamlines operations by standardizing on one platform across public, private and hybrid cloud environments.

An outgrowth of this program model allows a non-elite MSP or service provider to white-label a pre-packaged service that includes software, infrastructure and networking; IndependenceIT then will align that partner with an elite partner, acting as a facilitator, Bostock said.

“From a feedback perspective, we talk with our elite partners regularly,” he said. “They were very excited about the shift in focus. It helps enable their business and their channels to a great extent. We really spent a lot of time thinking what it means to be a service provider and what it takes to deliver great service.”