miceking - Fotolia
VMware cuts the ribbon on Partner Connect
The supplier has been getting partners ready for the launch of its revised programme, and has indicated that hundreds have already gained top-tier status
VMware has been preparing partners for the launch of its partner programme for the best part of a year, and it has finally rolled out its offering designed to encourage the development of skills.
The broad idea of the Partner Connect programme is to make life easier for the channel, and over the next few months will involve integrating all of the Carbon Black, VeloCloud and Pivotal schemes under a single offering. From the start, there are also greater rewards for those that develop their skills and gain Master Service Competencies.
Partner Connect officially launched yesterday, and hundreds of partners were designated as principal partners – the highest of the three tiers, which sits alongside partner and advanced partner statuses.
Those top-level resellers have been deemed as the ones best positioned to help customers with their digital transformation journeys and hold master competencies.
The competencies have been designed to give partners skills in different areas with VMware Cloud on AWS Master Services Competency, network virtualisation, cloud management and automation, data centre virtualisation, and desktop and mobility options.
“We designed Partner Connect with our customers in mind, and the idea that they should feel confident when choosing to go with a VMware partner,” said Jenni Flinders, worldwide channel chief at VMware. “And this is just the beginning, as Partner Connect continues to evolve to deliver new and better ways for our partners to grow their business.”
The supplier has increased the amount of education and support it provides partners as it looks to encourage more to get skilled up and gain competencies. The VMware Learning Zone provides a large amount of content and gives partners the option to customise plans on their own preferences.
Investment in online tools
There has also been investment in online tools to make it easier for resellers to track their performance with an incentives and development funds portal.
“The value of Partner Connect is universal, yet it can bring particular benefits to the EMEA region, which is fragmented in its technology maturity, consumption and adoption levels,” said Jean Philippe Barleaza, EMEA vice-president for channel, alliances and general business at VMware.
“This is a great opportunity for our partners in the region to propel their own businesses forward, as well as our customers. Partners can deliver a new consistency of experience, making it simple for customers to consume technology as and how they wish, all via one digital foundation, and embrace innovative new applications and services,” he said.
The supplier’s top partners have been preparing for the launch for a while and have been working on their skills. Gavin Jolliffe, CEO of Xtravirt, the first VMware partner in the UK to achieve all five current Master Services Competencies, said it was in a position to support users looking for help with digital transformation.
“With the relaunch of the Partner Connect Programme, VMware is reshaping and realigning to the way customers are consuming technology, and this enables us to collaborate more effectively on large, complex transformations and in a programmatic way, rather than one-hit successes,” he said. “It’s a very positive strategic move.”
