2015 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star System Vendors
Systemic Approach
Hardware systems remain at the core of today's IT networks -- and so they remain a core part of the channel. But as the technology evolves with converged infrastructure systems and other innovations, solution providers must move quickly to identify the opportunities and threats posed by the new computing technologies and, if possible, capitalize on them. That can mean a greater need for technical, marketing, sales and financial assistance from IT vendors.
The 2015 Partner Program 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, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs. Here we present the 5-Star designees in the systems space.
Accelerite
Program Name: Accelerite Partner program
Year Program Established: 2007
Number of North American Partners: 500
North American Channel Chief: Eric Webster
URL: www.accelerite.com
Cisco Systems
Program Name: Cisco Solution Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2014
Number of North American Partners: 497
North American Channel Chief: Wendy Bahr
URL: www.cisco.com
Cisco Systems
Program Name: Cisco Channel Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1996
Number of North American Partners: 20,438
North American Channel Chief: Wendy Bahr
URL: www.cisco.com
Dell
Program Name: Dell PartnerDirect
Year Program Established: 2007
Number of North American Partners: 55,000
North American Channel Chief: Jim DeFoe
URL: www.dell.com
Hewlett-Packard
Program Name: HP PartnerOne
Year Program Established: 2002
Number of North American Partners: 40,000
North American Channel Chief: Scott Dunsire
URL: www.hp.com
Hitachi Data Systems
Program Name: Hitachi TrueNorth Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2003
Number of North American Partners: 560
North American Channel Chief: Christopher White
URL: www.hds.com
IBM
Program Name: IBM PartnerWorld
Year Program Established: 1999
Number of North American Partners: 32,382
North American Channel Chief: Tami Duncan
URL: www.ibm.com
Intel
Program Name: Intel Technology Provider Program
Year Program Established: 1980
Number of North American Partners: 23,692
North American Channel Chief: Todd Garrigues
URL: www.intel.com
Juniper Networks
Program Name: Juniper Networks Partner Advantage
Year Program Established: 2012
Number of North American Partners: 11,635
North American Channel Chief: Jonathan Belcher
URL: www.juniper.net
Lenovo
Program Name: Lenovo Partner Network
Year Program Established: 2006
Number of North American Partners: 29,000
North American Channel Chief: Sammy Kinlaw
URL: www.lenovo.com
Microsoft
Program Name: Microsoft Partner Network
Year Program Established: 2010
Number of North American Partners: Not Disclosed
North American Channel Chief: Jenni Flinders
URL: www.microsoft.com
Nutanix
Program Name: Nutanix Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2013
Number of North American Partners: 600
North American Channel Chief: Steve Kaplan
URL: www.nutanix.com
Oracle
Program Name: Oracle PartnerNetwork
Year Program Established: 1999
Number of North American Partners: 5,400
North American Channel Chief: Tom LaRocca
URL: www.oracle.com
Samsung Electronics America
Program Name: STEP (Samsung Team of Empowered Partners)
Year Program Established: 2014
Number of North American Partners: 13,000
North American Channel Chief: Richard Hutton
ServiceKey
Program Name: Independent Service & Maintenance Organization (ISMO Program)
Year Program Established: 2004
Number of North American Partners: 251
North American Channel Chief: Danielle Thiery
URL: www.servicekey.com
SimpliVity
Program Name: SimpliVity PartnerAdvantage
Year Program Established: 2014
Number of North American Partners: 250
North American Channel Chief: George Hope
URL: www.simplivity.com
Toshiba America Information Systems, Business Solutions Division
Program Name: Toshiba Preferred Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1985
Number of North American Partners: 3,000
North American Channel Chief: Richard Vaughn
URL: www.toshiba.com/us