Pure Storage looks to expand as-a-service reach

Pure Storage is looking at widening its as-a-service approach to include a bigger role for distribution and increased opportunities for partners. The firm is looking to continue to build on the momentum it has seen across the reseller base for the subscription approach.

The intention to work more with distribution partners follows in the wake of increasing activity with resellers, who have embraced the vendor’s as-a-service proposition. 

Speaking last month at the Pure Accelerate Event, Pure Storage CEO Charles Giancarlo said the number of resellers getting involved with as-a-service delivery had doubled in the past year, and it was incentivising even more of its channel to get into the as-a-service offering. The firm indicated that it would be giving Elite partners the chance to earn 5% of the total contract value on closed, eligible as-a-service wins, up to $100,000 per deal.

The vice-president of global partner sales at Pure Storage, Andy Martin, expanded on those comments with an update on the progress its channel had made with its take on storage as a service.

He said the channel landscape was changing, and more partners were aware of the need to grow as-a-service options to protect their position in the market.

“Those partners that are really leading this effort are basically saying they need to own the monthly recurring revenue, and if they own that invoice they hold the keys to the castle – it’s what makes them sticky,” he said. “There’s lots of opportunity for those partners that are thinking of ways to increase their value to the user,” he added.

Martin also indicated that there were plans to use distribution, with the various marketplaces and platform that had been built across that tier of the channel, to reach even more of the market.

“We’re going to enter the distribution marketplace for as-a-service, so customers will be able to go directly to partners like ArrowSphere, etc, swipe their credit card and it will all transacted through a partner. Yet, they will be able to do it just like they would in a hyper scalar, so we are dipping our toe into the water in that space as well,” he said.

“We’re just building a consumption model on that, so it really gives them another weapon in their sales kit as a partner.”

Martin said the company was focused on increasing the opportunities for its channel. “All the foundation is through the partner community...our go-to-market is easy, its understandable more rebates and rewards programs are simple.”

He said the firm’s first-quarter numbers indicated that it was generating opportunities with partners: “I feel like we are putting the right products and services out there to service what we think is the demand, so I’m excited about the opportunities with our portfolio.”

The curtain came down on the month-long Accelerate event last week, with Martin highlighting it had successfully engaged with a large number of partners and users. “We have had over 15,000 virtual attendees, individual and unique, which for us is incredible,” he commented.