Vantage Data Centers Expands Focus to Smaller kW Range, Launches Channel Program

**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of recent channel-program changes you should know.**

Four-year-old Vantage Data Centers has launched its partner program, called AdVantage.

Vantage operates data centers in Silicon Valley and Quincy, Washington. For a while, the company focused on the 1mW and higher market, which tends to fall outside of most channel partners’ customer sizes.

But now it has expanded its services into the 250kW-1000kw capacity range, in line with the retail and wholesale sectors. As a result, “it made sense to create a more formal channel program,” said Greg Vernon, senior vice president of sales and marketing, who runs the channel program alongside Leah Lovelace.

AdVantage features two tracks: one for agents and other partners who work with Vantage through the sales process; and one for referral partners – including systems integrators, VARs and other partners serving data center customers – who provide leads.

So far, more than 20 companies have joined the program, including Avant Communications, Global Communications Group and CDH Consulting, among others.

In terms of compensation, partners earn commission on sales of Vantage services. They even may donate those earnings to a nonprofit of their choice, if they like, Vernon said. Top-sellers also get to go on an annual trip.

For its part, Vantage provides the following support to partners: an online portal, lunch-and-learn sessions, tours, one-on-one meetings, dedicated channel managers, sales and engineering teams, and direct billing to the customer.

“Partners will find it’s a friendly process,” said Vernon. “We also encourage partner feedback to better evolve the program.”