15 Big Channel Changes: AWS SMB, Cox Residuals, VMware, AT&T
The VMware partner program officially ended in February, and the channel has felt a seismic ripple effect.
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Cox Business has added a residual commission model.
The cableco previously was compensating agents upfront. Now channel leader John Muscarella says Cox has made given these technology advisor partners the option to collect commissions monthly.
Watch Muscarella's interview with Channel Futures.
Cisco is building inroads to operational technology (OT)-focused partners.
The IT giant is collaborating more with OT suppliers such as Madison Technologies to equip their partners with technologies like Cisco Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Meraki IoT. Cisco has been offering free training to such partners, who have often focused more on selling and installing non-IT products.
Read the article about Cisco.
8x8 is fine-tuning its program to address the unique needs of its different partner types.
The cloud communications provider's global vice president of channel sales said 8x8 intends to insure that it addresses differences in partners based on go-to-market and regional nuances.
“We're ensuring that we’re setting it up in such a way that is exactly the kind of support that partners need for their growth strategy,” she said.
The Elevate program will launch this spring and reportedly drive more alignment with direct 8x8 sellers.
Christine Horton covered the update.
Amazon Web Services is directing small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) to its SMB-certified partners.
The AWS SMB competency certification allows a highly select group of partners to align with smaller customers that want to work with AWS. They'll also get joint marketing materials and go-to-market strategies.
More than 30 partners were in the program as of last month. They include CrowdStrike and Sendbird.
Read the article.
Perhaps the biggest channel news so far in 2024 came when Broadcom officially invited VMware partners into its partner program.
At the same time, Broadcom officially ended the VMware partner program and invited about 18,000 of those member partners into its own program. Although a spokesperson said "no universal threshold" exists for partners to join, many partners said they felt the sting of non-inclusion.
Kelly Teal covered the blockbuster news.
AT&T shifted its reporting structure for different groups within AT&T Partner Solutions.
The change makes it so that ACC Business and Alliance Channel, the two sales-focused groups in APS, will report to AT&T midmarkets. Resale-focused Partner Exchange and Wholesale will continue to report into enterprise.
The story by Channel Futures reveals a little insight into why the shift occurred.
A new Sophos initiative gives MSPs administrative and operational resources.
Sophos Partner Care takes on "non-sales related questions and operational support" on behalf of partners. A team of experts will handle tasks like quoting and not for resale (NFR) requests.
Moreover, Sophos added 5% in deal-registration discounts for MDR sales.
Get details on Partner Care.
Dell Technologies announced new and expanded rebates on various parts of its portfolio.
The company announced the opportunity for partners to earn a stackable 4% rebate kicker for certain deals with a software-defined infrastructure solution. They can also get more rebates if they attach ProSupport Plus services to Client+ products.
Check out the latest update on Dell.
Qualys will expand its partner enablement resources.
The cloud security provider plans to add market development funds (MDF) among other channel investments. The company's chief revenue officer vowed more investment in the channel, citing that 42% of 2022 revenue came from channel.
Read more from Christine Horton's reporting.
Pentera went live with a partner program.
The three-tier program offers deal-registration incentives and price protection, as well as training and certification. The formal program launched as the cloud security provider proclaimed a shift from channel-friendly to channel-first.
Learn more about Pentera's channel.
Igel created new MSP service models in its updated pratner program.
Namely, the endpoint operating system provider is catering to both multitenant and single-tenant deployments. The service models, complete with MSP-friendly licensing, expand Igel's Velocity reseller program.
Edward Gately has the scoop.
Nerdio made an update to its channel program to help partners move up-market.
The cloud services provider re-launched its Enterprise 'Partnerd' Program, updating its registration and deal-protection system. According to the company's chief revenue officer, Nerdio was working informally with enterprise-focused partners for many years. But now those efforts are growing more official as Nerdio courts disaffected providers of desktop virtualization.
Read Christine Horton's coverage of Nerdio.
SailPoint Technologies introduced a new managed services provider (MSP) program.
The identity security provider intends for its new MSP partners to sell and manage its Identity Security Cloud platform. According to the company, its partners will work in tandem with SailPoint's field, support and professional services groups.
Edward Gately has the scoop.
Lansweeper gave MSP partners a pay-as-you-go pricing model.
Partners in that model won't have to commit to paying for monthly scans that the asset discovery and inventory solution company conducts.
Lansweeper also added a portal, multisite management and an MSP-focused product road map.
Learn more about Lansweeper.
Pure Storage is dangling "more dollars to be earned" for partners.
Expanded partner incentives include partner-sourced opportunities, new registrations and existing accounts. Part of the thesis for the change is incentivizing partners to "land and expand," EMEA channel leader Geoff Greenlaw said.
Check out Christine Horton's story on the topic.
Pure Storage is dangling "more dollars to be earned" for partners.
Expanded partner incentives include partner-sourced opportunities, new registrations and existing accounts. Part of the thesis for the change is incentivizing partners to "land and expand," EMEA channel leader Geoff Greenlaw said.
Check out Christine Horton's story on the topic.
New incentives, resources and reporting structures are afoot in the indirect technology sales channel.
From the AWS SMB competency that is giving a select group of partners closer access to small business customers to VMware's storied partner program coming to an end, vendors are both shaping new partner behavior and responding to it.
Take for instance, Cox Business, which has made a residual commission model generally available to agent partners, who were demanding it. And other suppliers are tripping over themselves to build new programs that appeal to managed service providers (MSPs).
So much news around channel programs has occurred recently that not everything made it into this monthly Channel Futures recap. Kaspersky nuanced its channel program to account for different partner models. Skyhigh Security added professional services and MSP specializations. And multiple cybersecurity partners announced new partner programs.
Go through the 15 images above to see the highlighted news about channel programs, including the AWS SMB competency and AT&T's updated reporting structure.
Then, check out the previous programs recap.
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