NetSuite Program Promises Easy App Cloning For ISVs, VARs

Hosted ERP player NetSuite aims to get third-party VARs and ISVs to customize applications running on its infrastructure.

NetSuite's new NetFlex program encourages solution providers and software developers to customize applications for vertical markets. VARs that do so will continue to get a 30 percent margin on all of their customer services going through NetSuite, but they can bill for value-added services above that and keep all of that margin, said Zach Nelson, CEO of NetSuite, San Mateo, Calif.

Perhaps most important for VARs and ISVs, NetSuite can easily "clone" their applications for resale to new customers. NetSuite charges $300 for the cloning.

"This means partners can do more with a lot less work. And it means shorter time-to-market for NetSuite to get into new niches,” said Martin Schneider, enterprise software analyst at research firm The 451.

Early initiates to the program are Antenna Software, LinkPoint360, CustomerVision, Scribe, CallCommand and Mercent, according to NetSuite.

ZeroedIn, a Corona, Calif.-based retail applications specialist, is also aboard. The company, which already supports Microsoft's Navision line, is adding NetSuite to its roster of platforms. Managing partner Amy Servi said the cloning technology is a big draw.

"We think the NetFlex platform will give us the opportunity to deliver industry-specific solutions that can be cloned to multiple customers,” Servi said, adding that she expects ZeroedIn’s solution to be available within the year.

NetFlex comprises Web services APIs for the partners to write to plus an application builder to ease the creation and addition of custom table to NetSuite's database. So a VAR, for example, could build a warranty system and tie it to the product record. The solution provider also would have the cloning capability.

NetSuite's news comes just days before Salesforce.com is slated to formally release its Winter CRM update and AppExchange, its online store for third-party applications. Salesforce.com is hosting an event next Tuesday for the coming-out party. The company also is expected to unveil Sandbox, an environment that will let ISVs test their apps in a real-world simulation before rolling them out.

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