2014 Partner Programs Guide: 5-Star Cloud Vendors (Part 2)

Head In The Clouds

The IT industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace: cloud computing, mobile computing, big data, the Internet of Things and software-defined, well, just about everything. The challenge for solution providers is identifying the opportunities and threats posed by the new computing technologies and, if possible, capitalize on them. And that can mean an increased need for technical, marketing, sales and financial assistance from the IT vendors solution providers partner with.

The 2014 Partner Programs Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate IT vendors they work with or are considering working with. The guide is based on detailed applications vendors submitted outlining all aspects of their partner programs.

As part of the Partner Program Guide, The Channel Company designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs. Here we present the second of two parts of the 5-Star designees in the cloud computing space.

Lenovo

Program Name: Lenovo Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2006

Number of North American Partners: 29,000

North American Channel Chief: Chris Frey

URL: www.lenovopartnernetwork.com

MaaS360 by Fiberlink, an IBM Company

Program Name: MaaSters Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Number of North American Partners: 350

North American Channel Chief: Francois Daumard

URL: www.maas360.com

McAfee, an Intel Company

Program Name: McAfee SecurityAlliance Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2005

Number of North American Partners: 6,590

North American Channel Chief: Fernando Quintero

URL: www.mcafee.com

Mellanox Technologies

Program Name: Mellanox PartnerFIRST Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Number of North American Partners: 800

North American Channel Chief: Darrin Chen

URL: www.mellanox.com

Microsoft

Program Name: Microsoft Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2010

Number of North American Partners: 110,000

North American Channel Chief: Jenni Flinders

URL: www.microsoft.com

Mimecast

Program Name: Mimecast Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Number of North American Partners: 170

North American Channel Chief: Sean Broderick

URL: www.mimecast.com

Motorola Solutions

Program Name: PartnerEmpower Program

Year Program Established: 2010

Number of North American Partners: 3,642

North American Channel Chief: Mike deVente

URL: www.motorolasolutions.com

N-able by SolarWinds

Program Name: N-able by SolarWinds Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2001

Number of North American Partners: 1,600

North American Channel Chief: Mike Cullen

URL: www.n-able.com

NCR

Program Name: NCR Interact Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Number of North American Partners: 359

North American Channel Chief: Kathy Damiani

URL: www.ncr.com

NEC Display Solutions

Program Name: NEC Partner Net

Year Program Established: 2002

Number of North American Partners: 3,727

North American Channel Chief: Ashley Flaska

URL: www.necdisplay.com

NetApp

Program Name: NetApp Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2002

Number of North American Partners: 1,020

North American Channel Chief: Regina Kunkle

URL: www.netapp.com

NetSuite

Program Name: NetSuite Solution Provider Program

Year Program Established: 2002

Number of North American Partners: 169

North American Channel Chief: Craig West

URL: www.netsuite.com

OnRamp

Program Name: Fast Lane Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Number of North American Partners: 30

North American Channel Chief: Ryan Scott

URL: www.onr.com

Oracle

Program Name: Oracle PartnerNetwork Specialized

Year Program Established: 1999

Number of North American Partners: 5,330

North American Channel Chief: Rich Geraffo

URL: www.oracle.com

Palo Alto Networks

Program Name: NextWave

Year Program Established: 2008

Number of North American Partners: 600

North American Channel Chief: Tracy Pallas

URL: www.paloaltonetworks.com

Polycom

Program Name: Choice Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2009

Number of North American Partners: 3,418

North American Channel Chief: Barb Huelskamp

URL: www.polycom.com

Progress Software

Program Name: Progress Partner+

Year Program Established: 2001

Number of North American Partners: 581

North American Channel Chief: Kimberly King

URL: www.progress.com

Pure Storage

Program Name: Pure Storage Partner Program (P3)

Year Program Established: 2012

Number of North American Partners: 100

North American Channel Chief: Michelle Graff

URL: www.purestorage.com

QLogic Corporation

Program Name: Signature Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2000

Number of North American Partners: 2,431

North American Channel Chief: Ryan Klein

URL: www.qlogic.com

Red Hat

Program Name: Red Hat Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Number of North American Partners: 1,220

North American Channel Chief: Jerry Lumpkin

URL: www.redhat.com

Riverbed Technology

Program Name: Riverbed Performance Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2004

Number of North American Partners: 763

North American Channel Chief: Randy Schirman

URL: www.riverbed.com

Ruckus Wireless

Program Name: Ruckus Big Dog Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2007

Number of North American Partners: 3,027

North American Channel Chief: Ron Gill

URL: www.ruckuswireless.com

RSA

Program Name: RSA SecurWorld Program

Year Program Established: 2004

Number of North American Partners: 1,020

North American Channel Chief: Tom Weldon

URL: www.emc.com/rsa

Sage North America

Program Name: Sage Partner Advantage Program

Year Program Established: 2003

Number of North American Partners: 1,271

North American Channel Chief: Joe Langner

URL: www.sage.com

Salesforce.com

Program Name: Salesforce.com Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2003

Number of North American Partners: 6,353

North American Channel Chief: Ron Huddleston

URL: www.salesforce.com

Samsung Electronics America

Program Name: STEP (Samsung Team of Empowered Partners)

Year Program Established: 2014

Number of North American Partners: 12,000

North American Channel Chief: Richard Hutton

URL: www.samsung.com/business

SAP

Program Name: SAP PartnerEdge Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Number of North American Partners: 2,950

North American Channel Chief: John Graham

URL: www.sappartneredge.com

Seagate Technology

Program Name: Seagate Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2005

Number of North American Partners: 12,000

North American Channel Chief: John Casalaspi

URL: www.seagate.com

ServiceKey

Program Name: Independent Service & Maintenance Organization (ISMO Program)

Year Program Established: 2004

Number of North American Partners: 225

North American Channel Chief: Danielle Thiery

URL: www.servicekey.com

Silicon Graphics International

Program Name: SGI Channel Network Program

Year Program Established: 2009

Number of North American Partners: 200

North American Channel Chief: Alison Ryan

URL: www.sgi.com

ShoreTel

Program Name: ShoreTel Champion Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2002

Number of North American Partners: 800

North American Channel Chief: Sam Koury

URL: www.shoretel.com

Siemens PLM Software

Program Name: Americas Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2007

Number of North American Partners: 85

North American Channel Chief: Kevin Piccola

URL: www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en\_us/

SimpliVity

Program Name: SimpliVity Channel Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Number of North American Partners: 109

North American Channel Chief: Rich Shea

URL: www.simplivity.com

Sonus Networks

Program Name: Sonus Partner Assure

Year Program Established: 2012

Number of North American Partners: 101

North American Channel Chief: Joe McLaughlin

URL: www.sonus.net

Soonr

Program Name: Soonr Success Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Number of North American Partners: 102

North American Channel Chief: Victoria Grey

URL: www.soonr.com

Sophos

Program Name: Sophos Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2006

Number of North American Partners: 2,172

North American Channel Chief: Kendra Krause

URL: www.sophos.com

Star2Star Communications

Program Name: Star2Star Certified Partner program

Year Program Established: 2006

Number of North American Partners: 833

North American Channel Chief: Colin Johnston

URL: www.star2star.com

Steelwedge Software

Program Name: Steelwedge Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Number of North American Partners: 15

North American Channel Chief: Michelle Jones

URL: www.steelwedge.com

StorageCraft Technology

Program Name: StorageCraft Profit-Ability Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Number of North American Partners: 8,922

North American Channel Chief: Fred Trovato

URL: www.storagecraft.com

Symantec

Program Name: Symantec Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1999

Number of North American Partners: 9,581

North American Channel Chief: John Eldh

URL: www.symantec.com

Tarmin

Program Name: Tarmin Overdrive Program (TOP)

Year Program Established: 2012

Number of North American Partners: 10

North American Channel Chief: Peter Cmaylo

URL: www.tarmin.com

Trend Micro

Program Name: Trend Micro PartnerPLUS Program

Year Program Established: 1998

Number of North American Partners: 6,000

North American Channel Chief: Partha Panda

URL: www.trendmicro.com

Unify

Program Name: Go Forward Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Number of North American Partners: 136

North American Channel Chief: Bill Przybylinski

URL: www.unify.com

Unitrends

Program Name: UniRewards Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Number of North American Partners: 1,090

North American Channel Chief: Bob Gagnon

URL: www.unitrends.com

Verizon

Program Name: Verizon Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Number of North American Partners: 1,135

North American Channel Chief: Joe Chuisano

URL: www.verizon.com/partnerprogram

ViewSonic

Program Name: Finch Club

Year Program Established: 2008

Number of North American Partners: 15,000

North American Channel Chief: Brian Igoe

URL: www.viewsonic.com

Virtual Instruments

Program Name: Virtual Instruments Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Number of North American Partners: 62

North American Channel Chief: Sean Maxwell

URL: www.virtualinstruments.com

Vision Solutions

Program Name: Vision Solutions Partner Community

Year Program Established: 2003

Number of North American Partners: 1,300

North American Channel Chief: Ron Gabin

URL: www.visionsolutions.com

VMware

Program Name: VMware Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2003

Number of North American Partners: 17,585

North American Channel Chief: Frank Rauch

URL: www.vmware.com

Xerox

Program Name: Xerox Peak Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2000

Number of North American Partners: 8,500

North American Channel Chief: Tom Gall

URL: www.xerox.com