2018 Partner Programs Guide: 5-Star Storage Vendors

Storage Wars

The storage system industry has been undergoing some serious consolidation in recent years with Dell's $67 billion acquisition of storage systems giant EMC in 2016, Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $1.09 billion purchase of flash and hybrid storage developer Nimble Storage last year, and Western Digital's 2017 acquisition of flash storage maker Tegile Systems.

Meanwhile, all-flash/hybrid storage upstarts like Pure Storage and Tintri continue to challenge the established players while hyper-converged system developers like Nutanix are challenging stand-alone storage system makers. And cloud storage service providers, from Carbonite to Amazon Web Services, and developers of software-defined storage technology are challenging the very concept of on-premise data hardware systems.

For solution providers, the challenge is deciding which vendors to work with. While a vendor's technology portfolio is a big part of that decision, so is a vendor's partner program and the perks, resources and assistance it offers solution providers to help them navigate the rapidly evolving data storage market.

Here we present the 5-Star designees in the storage technology space.

Alaris, a Kodak Business

Program Name: Alaris Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Maia Mosillo

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=11

Asigra Inc.

Program Name: Asigra Hybird Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2009

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Eran Farajun

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=21

AT&T

Program Name: AT&T Alliance Channel

Year Program Established: 1998

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Kevin Leonard

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=22

AT&T

Program Name: AT&T Partner Exchange

Year Program Established: 2012

Partner Program Tiers: AT&T Partner Exchange – Platinum Elite, AT&T Partner Exchange – Platinum

North American Channel Chief: Randall Porter

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=23

Avaya

Program Name: Avaya Edge

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Sapphire, Emerald

North American Channel Chief: Gary Levy

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=29

Barracuda Networks

Program Name: Barracuda Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2004

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Preferred, Authorized, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Ezra Hookano

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=31

Carbonite

Program Name: Carbonite Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Norman Guadagno

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=47

Cisco Systems

Program Name: Cisco Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1996

Partner Program Tiers: Gold, Premier, Select, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Rick Snyder

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=52

Cisco Systems

Program Name: Cisco Cloud and Managed Services Program

Year Program Established: 1996

Partner Program Tiers: No Tiers

North American Channel Chief: Rick Snyder

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=56

Citrix Systems

Program Name: Citrix Partner Network

Year Program Established: 1989

Partner Program Tiers: Citrix Solution Advisor – Platinum, Citrix Solution Advisor – Gold, Citrix Solution Advisor – Silver

North American Channel Chief: Rafael Garzon

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=57

Cloudistics

Program Name: Accelerate

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Christopher Myhill

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=62

Commvault

Program Name: Global Partner Advantage Program manager (includes North American channel program)

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: MarketBuilder, Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: David Fischer

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=65

DataCore Software

Program Name: DataCore Premier Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Mike Coner

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=74

Datto Inc.

Program Name: Datto Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Blue, Enterprise, Professional, Business

North American Channel Chief: Rob Rae

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=75

Dell Inc.

Program Name: Dell EMC Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Titanium, Platinum, Gold

North American Channel Chief: Gregg Ambulos

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=77

ESET

Program Name: ESET Partner Connect Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze

North American Channel Chief: Gerald Choung

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=94

Gemalto

Program Name: Gemalto Cipher Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2014

Partner Program Tiers: Global, Platinum, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Robert Louttit

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=107

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Program Name: HPE Partner Ready

Year Program Established: 2002

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Business

North American Channel Chief: Terry Richardson

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=112

Hitachi Vantara

Program Name: Hitachi TrueNorth Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2003

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum/Platinum Elite, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Jay McGloin

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=113

IBM

Program Name: PartnerWorld

Year Program Established: 1999

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Dorothy Copeland

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=116

Intel Corp.

Program Name: Intel Technology Provider Program

Year Program Established: 1980

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Jason Kimrey

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=127

Lenovo Data Center Group

Program Name: Lenovo Data Center Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Stef Bockhop

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=144

Microsoft Corporation

Program Name: Microsoft Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2010

Partner Program Tiers: Gold Competency, Silver Competency, Action Pack Subscriber, Network Member

North American Channel Chief: David Willis

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=153

Mimecast

Program Name: Mimecast Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Certified, Business

North American Channel Chief: Shawn Pearson

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=154

NCR Corporation

Program Name: Interact

Year Program Established: 2010

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Advanced

North American Channel Chief: Kathryn Alexander

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=156

NetApp

Program Name: NetApp Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2002

Partner Program Tiers: Star, Platinum, Gold

North American Channel Chief: Jeff McCullough

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=160

Nexsan

Program Name: Nexsan Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2001

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Gregg Pugmire

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=164

Oracle Corporation

Program Name: Oracle PartnerNetwork Program

Year Program Established: 1999

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Bill Swales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=174

Panzura

Program Name: Panzura Freedom Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Steve Simpson

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=181

Pivot3

Program Name: Pivot3 Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2014

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Mark Maisano

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=186

Pure Storage

Program Name: P3 (Pure Partner Program)

Year Program Established: 2012

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Andy Martin

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=196

Quantum Corporation

Program Name: Quantum Alliance

Year Program Established: 2002

Partner Program Tiers: NOW Program, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Distributor

North American Channel Chief: Brandon Cass

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=200

Red Hat Inc.

Program Name: Red Hat Connect

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Premiere, Advanced Business, Ready

North American Channel Chief: D. Robert Martin

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=205

Samsung Electronics America

Program Name: STEP – Samsung Team Of Empowered Partners

Year Program Established: 2014

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Greg Taylor

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=217

Schneider Electric

Program Name: EcoXpert Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2010

Partner Program Tiers: Master EcoXpert, Certified EcoXpert

North American Channel Chief: James Mylett

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=220

ServiceKey

Program Name: Independent Service & Maintenance Organization

Year Program Established: 2004

Partner Program Tiers: No Tiers

North American Channel Chief: Danielle Lee

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=226

Star2Star Communications

Program Name: Star2Star Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Michelle Accardi

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=241

StorageCraft

Program Name: StorageCraft Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2009

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Lee Schor

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=242

Tech Data

Program Name: TechSelect

Year Program Established: 1999

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Joe Quaglia

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=248

Tech Data

Program Name: Tech Data Practice Builder

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Not Specified

North American Channel Chief: Joe Quaglia

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=249

Veeam Software

Program Name: Veeam ProPartner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Kevin Rooney

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=261

Verizon

Program Name: Verizon Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Member

North American Channel Chief: Bill Hooper

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=263

VMware

Program Name: VMware Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2003

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Enterprise, Professional

North American Channel Chief: Frank Rauch

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=268

Western Digital – Enterprise

Program Name: Western Digital Enterprise Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Foundation

North American Channel Chief: Dawn Marie Ruszel

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2018-details.htm?c=271