Palo Alto Networks Upgrades Channel Program for Enterprise Opportunities

Cybersecurity specialist Palo Alto Networks (PANW) has upgraded its NextWave channel partner program with new enablement offerings and financial incentives to help partners capitalize on opportunities in the burgeoning enterprise security market.

Palo Alto described the channel changes, which span updates to its technical training, marketing tools and deal registration programs, as further evidence of its commitment to a channel-centric sales strategy. In addition, the vendor intends to roll out a new pay-for-performance incentive and benefits model for channel partners and distributors, in which rebates, incentives, and/or discounts will be based upon pre-defined parameters and the value brought to each deal.

HIghlights of the upgraded NextWave channel program:

"Our channel-centric model depends on a partner community that is enabled, empowered and encouraged,” said Ron Myers, Palo Alto global channels vice president. “We're continuing to invest in our NextWave program to ensure our continued, mutual success with channel partners, together bringing a unique next-generation approach to effectively securing enterprise customer environments throughout the world."

Separately, earlier this week Palo Alto and distributor Westcon expanded a prior regional distribution agreement to span some 40 countries during the next few years. It’s the first time Palo Alto has engaged with a distributor on a global basis, wrote Tom Kelley, Palo Alto global distribution head, in a blog post.

“As we continue to grow and scale, this is a natural evolution of the regional distribution relationships we have had with Westcon Group since 2010,” he said.

Palo Alto is holding its NextWave partner conference this week from August 26-29 in Bali, Indonesia, for its Asia Pacific and Japan partners. The U.S. partner conference will be held in Chicago from September 17 to 19, and the EMEA event will be in Barcelona, Spain, from October 8-10.