What's It Really Cost?

The latter issue, in particular, is one of those topics that generates fierce debates, pitting vendors against their partners. The former are looking for expertise in their individual products and often tier their channels using certification investment as a benchmark. The latter certainly want a badge of their skills, but they find it tough to justify the investment.

Consider that one of the most valuable services specialty distributor Alternative Technology offers is backup technical resources for solution providers. This is especially valuable for the startup vendors the company represents, enabling solution providers to get into the game with their products without having to make a big up-front investment. I also find it very interesting that Alternative is actually a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner (it has handled two massive Active Directory migrations) and that it has serious Cisco technical resources on staff, even though it doesn't carry either of those vendors on its modest linecard. Nor does it offer those services directly to end users—they are deployed on behalf of VARs.

Now consider this: New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, which bills itself as the largest independent provider of IT training, last week reported 70 percent year-over-year growth for its Online Live e-learning offering. Online Live simulates the classroom in that there are instructors involved—it's not simply a database full of self-paced learning materials—and sometimes these are custom events. The organization pairs online instruction with hands-on lab work. New Horizons estimates it has trained more than 10,000 students in this fashion. Among the vendors participating are Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix and Novell.

Depth and flexibility when it comes to certification methods—both technical and those related to building better sales consulting skills—increasingly will be points of differentiation for vendors. So, you have to ask yourself: What does it really cost to get certified—from the fee for the class to the price of the plane ticket to lost sales and integration opportunities—and is there a better way?

Which vendors are doing it right? HEATHER CLANCY, Editor at CRN, welcomes solution provder comments at [email protected].