2021 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star Cloud Platform And Infrastructure Software Programs

As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some vendor channel programs as 5-Star Partner Programs. Here are the 5-Star designees in the cloud platform and infrastructure software space for 2021.

The Sky’s The Limit (For Partner Programs)

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in early 2020, sending millions of people to work from home, demand surged for cloud services – everything from communications and collaboration tools, to cloud applications, to IT security to protect remote workers. And that led to a spike in demand for the vendors that operate the leading cloud computing platforms and the developers of software used to operate and manage cloud systems.

Despite the challenging year, however, many IT companies have continued to expand and improve their channel partner programs, offering solution provider partners the support, resources and incentives they need to be successful as the economy rebounds in 2021.

That includes vendors who provide the industry’s leading cloud platforms and develop critical cloud infrastructure software.

The CRN 2021 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the IT vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors – more than 275 this year – outlining all aspects of their partner programs.

As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs because they provide the most comprehensive lineups of incentives, training, services and benefits.

Here we provide snapshots of the 5-Star designees in the cloud platform and infrastructure software space. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found at /partner-program-guide/ppg2021.htm.

Other slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series running this week include companies that provide products and services for systems and data centers, networking and unified communications, software, security, devices and peripherals, and data storage and backup. While many companies provide products and services that span multiple technologies, we’ve assigned each vendor to the slide show for the technology category in which they are most prominent.

Amazon Web Services

Program Name: AWS Partner Network Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Channel Chief: Doug Yeum, Head of Global Partner Organization

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: AWS is focusing on technical differentiation to better communicate to customers the unique value of each partner’s solution.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=12

Google Cloud

Program Name: Google Cloud Partner Advantage

Year Program Established: 2019

Channel Chief: Carolee Gearhart, VP, Worldwide Channel, SMB Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Google Cloud’s Goal is to help partners better address the significant challenges customers are facing across their business with the expertise needed to provide real solutions.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=92

HYCU

Program Name: Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Channel Chief: Michael Taylor, Sr. Dir. Sales, North America

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: HYCU’s goals are to increase the number of MSPs offering HYCU as an as-a-service offering to their own customers and boost the number of opportunities for partners to maximize their revenue through multi-cloud data protection offerings.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=98

iland

Program Name: iland Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Channel Chief: Koorosh Khashayar, VP Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: In 2021, one of iland’s main goals is to expand its in-depth training to include its IaaS offering. It also aims to institute a more programmatic approach to partner incentives, including ties to the gamification it is expanding in its partner portal.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=103

LogicMonitor

Program Name: LogicMonitor Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2019

Channel Chief: Sanjay Gupta, Global VP, Channel, Alliances

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: LogicMonitor is continuing to ensure partners prioritize pipeline generation activity, which is critical as businesses are assessing a post-COVID-19 environment.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=131

Microsoft

Program Name: Microsoft Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2010

Channel Chief: Gavriella Schuster, CVP, One Commercial Partner

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Customers are moving to the cloud for the resiliency in empowering remote work, business continuity and security. Microsoft is helping partners with this shift, which has created increased opportunity for managed services revenue.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=136

Performiv

Program Name: Performive Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Channel Chief: Mark A. Mercado, VP, Channels, Alliances

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Performiv will continue to build brand and program awareness and help partners grow their cloud business by focusing on solving business issues, not selling technology. The company also aims to expand and grow its international base of partners.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=171

Red Hat

Program Name: Red Hat Partner Connect

Year Program Established: 2006

Channel Chief: Mark Enzweiler, SVP, Global Partners, Alliances

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: 2021 will bring further enhancement of open hybrid cloud within the partner program. The company will emphasize the growing importance of DevSecOps, AI, 5G and edge through this lens.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=185

VMware

Program Name: VMware Partner Connect

Year Program Established: 2020

Channel Chief: Sandy Hogan, SVP, Worldwide Commercial, Partner Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: VMware will continue to enhance the VMware Partner Connect Program in ways that align to the functions partners play across the customer life cycle. This includes an evolution to develop, invest and support all partner types.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=267