AWS expands partner paths to respond to channel variety
Public cloud player Amazon Web Services shakes things up in the way partners can classify themselves as it looks to cover more bases
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has decided to add more options to its partner path options to provide the channel with more choices with the aim of making it easier to engage with the cloud player.
The firm has been operating with a partner-type approach that gave the channel the choice to be in the technology and consulting buckets. That will now be replaced with five paths: software, hardware, training, distribution and services, which represents consulting, professional, managed or value-add resale services.
AWS used a blog post to outline the rationale for the changes, pointing out that they had been requested by partners as they wanted more ways to work with the firm. This move comes after the firm launched an independent software vendor (ISV) path last year, which now comes under the software option.
Partners will find that there are no tier requirements to validate software and hardware offerings, but on the services and training side they remain important to make sure that customers can get a sense of levels of partner expertise.
Changes will come into effect from 28 January 2022, with the firm also using this week’s re:Invent in Las Vegas to outline the plans and give partners a chance to get ready for the paths.
“AWS Partner Paths simplify the engagement model for partners, expand partner access to benefits, and provide a more intuitive and streamlined experience,” stated the blog, penned by Priya Bains, senior product manager at AWS Partner Network, and Christine Linthacum, principal product manager at AWS Partner Network.
Partners will be able to enrol in multiple paths to reflect their business expertise and customer offerings. AWS is offering a range of support and rewards for those that choose to work with the vendor, including a partner portal, training discounts, and business and technical enablement content and programmes.
“In support of this new framework, we have streamlined the AWS Partner Central experience to empower partners with the right tools that make it easier to self-serve,” the blog authors added. “This new user experience – another response to partner feedback – will help AWS partners navigate through enablement resources, structured content, benefits and programmes to help them better showcase customer expertise.”
AWS also used re:Invent to provide an update on the involvement of the channel with its Marketplace. More than 1,000 registered consulting partners are selling on the platform, and there are also 2,000 ISVs actively involved in an offering that now supports more than two million subscriptions and 325,000 customers.
