New, Changing Channel Programs: Fusion, Avant, HP

Everyone’s after MSPs these days.

Multiple companies announced new programs or initiatives last month geared toward attracting managed service providers. For Infovista, that meant revamping its SD-WAN platform to be more MSP-friendly; for Quest Software, that meant rolling out new rebates and incentives; and for Open Systems, that meant partnering with a master agent.

The market is recognizing that managed services have are a force to be reckoned with. Companies like NetApp are building offerings that exist to give partners extra attached services, and vendors are shifting their partner-engagement models to accommodate and assist the new breed of partners.

Take VMware, which is working to make its program more flexible than ever.

“[We want to] make sure we are actually supporting our partners’ business models rather than predicating how we want them to engage with us,” said Jenni Flinders, VMware’s vice president and global channel chief.

We compiled a dozen stories below of companies in the IT/telecom channel that launched, formalized or enhanced their channel-partner programs in March.

Missed last month’s gallery? Scroll through the February edition.