The calendar year 2009 was kinder to Juniper Networks than other networking vendors. Not only did the company unveil a revamped J-Partner programme, but it signed two most important OEM alliances with Dell and IBM and unveiled its new logo.
And while channel strength hasn’t traditionally been where Juniper would like it to be in the Middle East, Juniper’s more recent emphasis on building out the J-Partner programme – including the recent addition of Redington as its fourth distributor for the Middle East region – has many Juniper partners wondering if this is the year Juniper breaks out as a networking and infrastructure channel force.
Taj El Khayat, Regional Director – Channels and Commercial Sector MEA at Juniper Networks, says as the IT networking space continues to become a highly competitive market, it is vital that Juniper equips its channel partners with the right tools that will enable them to sell.
El Khayat says Juniper’s channel programme, the J-Partner programme, is a value-based model that has a scalable architecture and gives consideration beyond purchase volume.
He explains that the programme is based on a scalable architecture that allows Juniper to drive new opportunities with J-Partners in the Middle East and across the segments, markets, and business models. “Juniper revolutionised the J-Partner programme to have the ability to better match the dynamic business model of the Middle East’s channel ecosystem by introducing specialised programs and tools that focus on their core business,” he says. “These include resell, consultancy, managed services, or customer support services.”
El Khayat says in addition to the focused programme offering, Juniper Networks has aligned its technology solution to be the focus of the partners’ specialisation to capture new opportunities.
He adds that Juniper’s main channel focus for 2010 in the Middle East region will centre around the following key pillars that include driving the new network solution leveraging Junos Software as a development platform for third parties, managed services and carrier resale.
El Khayat adds that in addition to pushing Junos Software, Juniper will also be driving forward its OEM partnerships with Dell and IBM, scaling-up our service provider infrastructure to drive next generation networks solutions using Juniper as the Transport segment of NGN.
He says that amidst all this, Juniper is creating a committed and focused broad channel and customer value focused services channel eco-system.
Channel strategy
El Khayat says given the consolidation that is going on in the IT networking space, it’s important for Juniper to continue supporting and helping its channel partners to stay abreast with what’s happening in the industry. “Our focused channel strategy enables us to always keep our Select and Elite partners ahead of the game,” he says. Our channel account management and unique value added channel development programem are key elements to having a strong platform to keep our channel focused and their eye on the ball.”
He explains that because the J-Partner programme has been revamped to make it more robust and in sync with Middle East market dynamism, the company has tiered its programme to include the follow focused offerings:
· Enterprise Solution Providers: a programme designed for partners who have a deliberate business model focused on the enterprise market space.
· Service Provider Infrastructure Partners: a programme designed for partners with established practices selling to and supporting service providers.
· Consultants: a programme that acknowledges the critical role played by consultants in the provision of high-performance networks.
· Managed Services Providers: a programme designed for partners looking to accelerate their growth through increased market share in managed services.
· Alliances: a programme designed for companies who want to partner with Juniper Networks to deliver joint solutions to high performance businesses.
In addition to the focused programme offering, El Khayat says the company has also aligned its technology solutions to be the focus of the partners’ specialisation to capture new market opportunities. The according to El Khayat include:
· Advanced Security – solutions associated with bringing network and application-level protection to high performance networks.
· Network Infrastructure – solutions associated with deploying, securing and maintaining high performance networks.
· Advanced Network Infrastructure – solutions associated with deploying, securing and maintaining mission-critical networks.
He adds that the J-Partner programme is based on a formula that enables the partner to uniquely identify the value add being delivered, ensure constant growth, and enable partners to realise their long-term strategies of growth, winning more customers and gaining market share, while achieving short term business objectives. “We have focused our programme on a win/win model that addresses our partner’s profitability,” he says. “Our programme is based on maximising the J-Partner total financial opportunity as our value proposition goes beyond pricing and gross margin.”
In addition, El Khayat says that the J-Partner High-Performance Networking designation in the partner programme acknowledges and rewards partners with full Juniper product portfolio and services specialisation.
El Khayat says will also be ramping up channel resources this year and offer partners the tools and resources that help them compete and win whether it’s training, competitive analysis, access to the demo pool or access to technical and sales resources to complement their efforts.
OEM alliances
Having signed OEM agreements with two important data storage systems vendors IBM and Dell, resellers in the Middle East can only hope that this create cross-selling opportunities and opens up new markets for them.
El Khayat says the OEM agreement enables IBM’s System & Technology Group (STG) to brand, label and sell Juniper EX Series Ethernet switches and MX Series Ethernet Services routers. He says IBM will also provide Juniper’s Ethernet networking products and support within IBM’s data centre portfolio of products. “The growing importance of the high-performance network in the progression of data centres toward cloud computing or cloud-like infrastructures calls for a need of service production and a global network enabling service delivery,” he says.
The OEM pact with Dell on the other hand will enable it to market, service and support Juniper’s high-performance networking solutions to its large enterprise, SMB customers and public organisations.
He adds that these products will be delivered under Dell’s PowerConnect brand and will include the Juniper Networks MX Series services routers, EX Series Ethernet switches and SRX Series services gateways, all running Junos Software.
According to El Khayat, the solutions under Dell’s PowerConnect brand will allow customers to deploy a common network management platform and network operating system to help reduce operating expenses. “Dell and Juniper are also working together on open, standards-based solutions for virtualised data centres, Converged Enhanced Ethernet or Data Centre Bridging and iSCSI to improve network economics,” he says.
This way, says El Khayat, Dell and Juniper will deliver a secure network infrastructure, from a customer’s traditional data centre out to its branch offices, remote workers, customers and business partners avoiding single-vendor lock-in.
Aside from OEM push, El Khayat believes that public sector, government and education, energy and service provider are key area of focus for 2010 in the Middle East. “Over the past two years Juniper Networks has succeeded in establishing strategic partnerships in this segment by partnering with customers for the long term,” he says.
Distributor additions
Having appointed Redington as its fourth distributor for the Middle East, industry pundits are wondering whether this market warrants Juniper to have four distributors serving the channel.
El Khayat says the motivation behind Redington’s appointment has to do more with fulfilling a channel gap and is in no way going to dilute the market for Juniper’s other current distributors. “The tie up with Redington is in line with our distribution strategy and our regional expansion plans within the emerging markets,” he says. “Their extensive geographic presence will help us drive J-reseller recruitment and deliver in-country stocking and value add in new markets such as West, East and Central Africa, as well as the GCC region.”
He adds that Redington has in-country warehouses and support in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and a large team in Saudi Arabia that will enable them to further build on and drive Juniper’s go-to-market strategy in these countries. He points out that Redington will offer exactly the same products as the existing Juniper distribution partners. “I believe that Juniper is blessed with its distribution landscape as each distributor has a unique value either from a geographic, segment strong hold, or value added services perspective,” he says. “Our careful selection of distributors creates a complementing ecosystem to drive Juniper’s strategy to reach our business and market growth objectives in the Middle East.”
El Khayat reiterates that each distributor has a unique value add toJuniper’s business and as the company expands on its initiatives, programmes and vertical focus as well as building new territories, the distribution channel is very vital. “I am confident with the expansion we are making and more importantly the reach this is giving Juniper in the region,” he says.
Looking ahead, El Khayat says the focus in the coming months will be on customers and driving customer value by ensuring they have a solution portfolio that impacts the customer in driving costs down and enabling them to scale while addressing a proper TCO. “I also would like see the channel start taking services as a means of new business and retaining customers,” he says.
El Khayat says as Juniper continues tobuild momentum by increasing the benefits and services that it provides to its channel partners, it channel growth prospects for the Middle East look bright.
Whether Juniper will outwit the threats that it’s facing from other networking players in the Middle East is yet to be seen. For now, Juniper has enough ammo to drive its business and that of its channel partners to new heights.
With a revamped partner programme, Juniper Networks is detailing its Middle East channel ambitions, and why it views OEM deals with Dell and IBM will create more channel opportunities for solution providers in the Middle East. RWME?s Manda Banda reports.
