SolarWinds Exec On Overhauled Channel Program: ‘It’s Not Just Words’

‘I want to see more partners activated and transacting with us. Pipeline with partners should be higher. And I want to see partners progressing up the tiers because that represents their growth and their investment,’ says Barb Huelskamp, vice president of global channel sales and alliances at SolarWinds.

One of the clearest messages SolarWinds has heard from partners was that its existing channel program lacked meaningful differentiation. In response, the vendor last week overhauled its program by adding new tiered benefits, expanding marketing investments, enhancing enablement opportunities, and reworking the partner experience.

“What was missing for them was differentiated tiers, not just in requirements, but in benefits,” Barb Huelskamp, vice president of global channel sales and alliances at SolarWinds, told CRN in an interview. “We were also missing some benefits entirely.”

Higher-tier partners now get access to richer discounts, back-end rebates and performance-based incentives tied to metrics such as subscription conversion, renewal rates, deal registration and year-over-year growth.

The Austin, Texas-based company is also piloting a North America-based rewards center where partners can accrue points redeemable for cash and prizes. Distributors, meanwhile, are playing a bigger role in the new framework. SolarWinds has been working closely with its global distribution partners to push benefits and requirements down to MSPs.

“No decisions are being made in a vacuum,” Huelskamp said. “We’ve been pre-briefing distributors and asking for feedback. These incentives aren’t just for resellers; distributors have incentives too, especially where we need their help on-boarding and developing newer partners.”

The company is also making investments in partner-led demand generation, global field and partner marketing resources, co-brandable assets, and proposal-based marketing development funds.

The program refresh also builds on SolarWind’s 2025 introduction of role-based certifications. In 2026, the company is enhancing that curriculum and expanding delivery options such as customized enablement for larger partners.

Partners can also see operational improvements in the upgraded portal including streamlined deal registration, structured account mapping, online lead sharing, easier on-boarding and business-planning checklists.

“There’s a lot of work going on [on the back end] to make sure this is operationalized well,” Huelskamp said. “I want to see more partners activated and transacting with us. Pipeline with partners should be higher. And I want to see partners progressing up the tiers because that represents their growth and their investment.”

She added that the program refresh is not just a list of new benefits, but rather a signal.

“They asked us for differentiated tiers with differentiated benefits. They asked us for more benefits, and we listened,” she said. “This refresh demonstrates a really intentional and strategic commitment to being partner-first. It’s not just words. They’re going to feel it in every interaction.”