Rapid7 Launches New Partner Program, Puts Services Play Front And Center

Rapid7 is looking to revamp its approach to the channel, unveiling Tuesday the launch of a new partner program that it says will fix what wasn't working with partners and add more services opportunities.

The new Rapid7 PACT -- Partnering with Accountability, Consistency and Transparency -- program adds new tools for partners, including free virtual technical training and certifications, interactive reporting and analytics, and success metrics. The company also has added a user community that connects partner engineers with Rapid7 engineers for real-time collaboration and support.

Rapid7's new program will allow partners to deliver professional, deployment and training services, said John Ryan, Rapid7's director of Americas Channel, as the company recognizes that services are where partners can "provide the most value to our mutual customers." He expects the move will allow for better support of Rapid7 customers and open more opportunities for partners around security services.

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"We recognize that services are the foundation of our partners’ businesses. That said, it was important to us to focus on the lifeblood of these organizations and help them to enhance their portfolio of offerings for our mutual clients," Ryan said.

In a statement about the launch, COO Andrew Burton said the new partner program, and the company's "renewed commitment to the channel" will be key to achieving Rapid7's next phase of growth.

’The introduction of PACT is designed to strengthen relationships with partners who are prepared to meet customer needs in a changing IT and security landscape,’ Burton said in the statement. ’We are incredibly excited to demonstrate a renewed commitment to our channel community through dedicated support programs, an industry-leading platform and differentiated benefits.’

The program looks to revamp areas that weren't working when it comes to partner relationships, Ryan said, starting with defining the parameters of how it works with partners. The goal of defining success with guidelines and program parameters includes ensuring partners have access to the right resources, he said.

"We consider Rapid7 PACT a true, holistic -- and in some ways grassroots – evolution of our whole program. We looked at what was working, what wasn’t, and where we needed to get better. We looked to our organization’s core values to influence the direction of the program and make sure it was really speaking to our mission," Ryan said.

Andy Segal, president of Vandis, an Albertson, N.Y.-based Rapid7 partner, said the new program "sends a message" about how Rapid7 is looking to change its approach to partners. Access to training and closer coordination with the company's teams across multiple areas will be the foundation for a more successful partnership overall, he said.

"It's definitely a positive direction for them," said Vandis' Segal. "They’ve rolled out a pretty comprehensive program, and I think it's going to make a difference. We want to make sure that our sales teams are aligned, engineering teams are aligned, marketing teams are aligned and management teams are aligned. That’s what we look for in a successful partnership. They are definitely moving in that direction."

In particular, Segal said the company's move to bring services will be a win for the channel and for customers, as Rapid7's product lends itself to a services engagement due to its need for ongoing management. Moving more services through partners will allow customers to get the "maximum value" out of the Rapid7 product, he said.

"When you have products like Rapid7 and you have a partner community that is able to handle all the things that are part of a Rapid7 deployment, then you have a more complete product and it makes more sense for everybody," Segal said.