Storage specialist EMC created a new global Business Partner Program (BPP) providing EMC partners with a common, unified framework.

The new BPP brings together all previous EMC partner programmes to create a simple, predictable and profitable experience for each partner. Designed in concert with partners, the BPP offers more flexibility and choice as well as greater access to solutions and services to enable partners to play a leading role in both the 2nd Platform and emerging 3rd Platform of IT, characterised by the mega trends of social, mobile, cloud and Big Data.

Under the BPP, partners can choose the tracks that best fit their strategic objectives. The BPP tracks include: EMC resell, distribution, cloud service provider, system integrator and outsourcer as well as the RSA SecurWorldTM program. Partners in multiple tracks can use dollars earned and training credits in one track across other tracks for maximum flexibility, to lower costs and to invest in new lines of business with EMC.

For those partners qualified in VMware, Pivotal, RSA and VCE programmes, EMC offers cross-programme training credits to significantly reduce the partner’s investments in sales or technical certifications. EMC will also offer qualifying partners additional incentives for reselling solutions built using a combination of EMC, VMware, Pivotal and VCE technology.

Announced today are:

Purpose-Built Solutions

* The new EMC partner programme is designed to increase opportunities for selling EMC solutions and services. Partners will have access to five new purpose-built solutions to drive higher value engagements across cloud, Big Data and security. EMC is also creating new Solution Centers with partners under the Business Partner Program to showcase these solutions on premises or in the cloud.

Consulting Services

* For the first time ever, EMC is offering qualified partners expanded access to resell and deliver an enhanced portfolio of Consulting Services that leverage industry leading methodologies, best practices, and resources. Partners will also be eligible for greater performance incentives that recognise and reward partners for excellence in service sales.

Rebates

* The new Business Partner Program also features predictable, richer rebates for resell partners. Solution Provider partners will now earn rebates for selling EMC products, software, and services starting at the first dollar of sales and increasing at a graduated rate as specific revenue thresholds are met. This promises a simpler, more predictable and more profitable experience for partners. The Solution Provider track also features a new, elite Platinum tier for partners that achieve expert levels of accreditation and certification in the resale, design and implementation of EMC solutions.

New Cloud Service Provider Offerings

* As market dynamics change, and cloud adoption grows, EMC has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) partners over the last year. In order to address the transition and enable new opportunities, CSPs can take advantage of new go-to-market features like Cloud Service Provider Bid Desk, an EMC lead development service and Cloud Partner Connect Program, where EMC matches resell partners with CSPs to resell, refer or white label their EMC powered cloud offerings to create and sell private, public and hybrid cloud offerings at scale.

Partner Solution Innovation Center

* EMC is also announcing the new Partner Solution Innovation Center for Global Alliance partners. The centre, located in Bangalore India, will feature subject matter experts working with Global Alliance partners to validate and create unique, industry focused solutions featuring technology from EMC’s federated businesses. These solutions will help meet the needs of our customers and enable the development of new market opportunities.

In a May 24, 2013 report entitled ‘Tech Go-to-Market: Providers Must Adjust Their Channel Programs as Partners Take to the Cloud’, Tiffani Bova, VP, Gartner, stated: "The traditional technology channel ecosystem is in the midst of a reinvention, driven by both customer demand and IT providers’ investments in cloud services. The decisions that sales and channel executives make now will have a long-term impact on their channels’ loyalty and performance. The market’s transition to the cloud challenges incumbent providers to partner differently."

Gregg Ambulos, senior VP, Global Channel Sales, EMC, said: "The new Business Partner Program has been designed to enable the growing ecosystem of partners working with EMC to drive the sweeping industry transformation underway today. The programme offers enhanced flexibility and choice and harnesses the power of EMC’s federation of companies to enable partners to deliver exceptional value in the market through a deep set of solutions and services."