Aiming to strengthen its SDN market position, Brocade has announced the roll-out of an enhanced channel programme, including a new component specifically designed for software networking partners.
The Brocade Alliance Partner Network (APN) channel programme will now include SDN-focused deal registration and demo programme discounts, as well as a global reseller initiative for Brocade Vyatta vRouter products.
The APN programme updates also support new initiatives for reselling Brocade Ethernet fabric solutions. Ethernet Fabrics is another area that the company has demonstrated market leadership, with over 1,400 customers having deployed Brocade’s VCS Fabric technology – more than any other vendor in the industry, said the company. When Ethernet fabrics are combined with SDN initiatives—including those that will evolve out of this programme—network operators will be able to optimise their environment for virtualisation on every level.
Bill Lipsin, Vice President, Global Channel Sales and Marketing, Brocade said, “With the introduction of the Brocade Vyatta 5400 vRouter into the channel and the new SDN-focused APN programme initiatives, Brocade is delivering on its promise of empowering partners to succeed while furthering its existing business and technology efforts. We are focused on building technology solutions around the vision and possibilities created by Ethernet fabrics, and the new channel programme supports that goal.”
The updated partner programme incentivises and supports partners in the SDN space, giving the channel a distinct competitive edge as organisations prepare for the inevitable shift towards SDN and similar and related solutions.
The updated programme enables partners to increase profitability and enhance skillsets through software networking-specific materials, sales and technical kits, updates to existing channel enablement platforms, demos and technical and sales training.
According to the company, with more than 100 approved partners participating, the programme update is unique for its ease of access to education and training materials, and the opportunity to resell the Brocade Vyatta 5410, 5415 and 5420 vRouter models.
Brocade plans to roll out additional APN programme changes in the second half of 2014 that will include more in-depth specialisation updates, as well as key programmes to reward partners that are providing managed and cloud service provider (MSP) and (CSP) programmes.
