Each year, we bring you the details on hundreds of vendor partner programs in our Partner Programs Guide (coming March 29). Of those, a few get our five-star award, based on their commitment to the channel, breadth of program offerings and services offered to their partners. What follows are our second set of five-star partner program winners for 2010. You'll find information about each program, their goals for recruiting solution providers in 2010, and the technology markets they serve.

Name of channel program: Value in Partnership Program

Channel Program Manager: Terry West

Year this program was established: 2008

Market Segments Served: Networking
Peripherals
Security
Services
Storage

Number of partners, North America: 5350

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 25%

Name of channel program: DataCore Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Sabrina Gelado

Year this program was established: 2009

Market Segments Served: Networking
Software Infrastructure
Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 80

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 25%

Name of channel program: DiChannels

Channel Program Manager: Don Quatacker

Year this program was established: 2007

Market Segments Served: Business Productivity Software
Services
Software Infrastructure
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 226

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 25%

Name of channel program: Digium Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Shannon Clemons

Year this program was established: 2007

Market Segments Served: Networking
Services

Number of partners, North America: 404

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 40%

Name of channel program: docSTAR VAR

Channel Program Manager: Bill McMillan

Year this program was established: 1996

Market Segments Served: Business Productivity Software
Security
Services
Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 125

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 10%

Name of channel program: Dot Hill Authorized Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Kara Montgomery

Year this program was established: 2009

Market Segments Served: Storage

Number of partners, North America: 50

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 50%

Name of channel program: Double-Take Software Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Robert Branson

Year this program was established: 2000

Market Segments Served: Business Productivity Software
Software Infrastructure
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 690

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 10%

Name of channel program: PowerAdvantage Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Kristy Cornell

Year this program was established: 2009

Market Segments Served: Networking
Peripherals

Number of partners, North America: 980

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 50%

Name of channel program: EMC Velocity Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Kristian Thyregod

Year this program was established: 2003

Market Segments Served: Security
Software Infrastructure
Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 1800

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 5%

Name of channel program: Secure Advantage

Channel Program Manager: Richard Barlow

Year this program was established: 2001

Market Segments Served: Networking
Security

Number of partners, North America: 260

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 10%

Name of channel program: Epicor's Partners for Growth Program

Channel Program Manager: Salena Butler

Year this program was established: 1996

Market Segments Served: Business Productivity Software
Services

Number of partners, North America: 59

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 20 %

Name of channel program: ESET North American Channel Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Paula Gray

Year this program was established: 2006

Market Segments Served: Security

Number of partners, North America: 826

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: %

Name of channel program: Exinda Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Derek Donahue

Year this program was established: 2007

Market Segments Served: Networking

Number of partners, North America: 120

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 30%

Name of channel program: FalconStor Partner Dividends Program

Channel Program Manager: Matthew Riccoboni

Year this program was established: 2001

Market Segments Served: Software Infrastructure
Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 140

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 15%

Name of channel program: FireScope Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Melissa McKay

Year this program was established: 2006

Market Segments Served: Networking

Number of partners, North America: 15

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 50%

Name of channel program: FortiPartner Program

Channel Program Manager: Lauren Robinette

Year this program was established: 2002

Market Segments Served: Security
Services

Number of partners, North America: 2900

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 10%

Name of channel program: GFI Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Angela Leech

Year this program was established: 2000

Market Segments Served: Business Productivity Software
Security
Services
Software Infrastructure
Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 5,000

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 15%

Name of channel program: Hitachi TrueNorth Channel Partner Program

Channel Program Manager: Rob Watson

Year this program was established: 2003

Market Segments Served: Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 1,041

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 6%

Name of channel program: HP PartnerONE

Channel Program Manager: Tom LaRocca

Year this program was established: 2002

Market Segments Served: Business Productivity Software
Components
Networking
Peripherals
Personal Computing
Security
Servers
Services
Software Infrastructure
Storage
Cloud Computing

Number of partners, North America: 25,000

Percentage increase in partner base planned for 2010: 1%