VMware has detailed changes to its partner programme that reflect the company's expanding technology portfolio.
Execs at VMworld 2016 last week reiterated how VMware was "in transition" as an organisation as it continues to absorb new technologies and expand beyond its core compute business.
"Everyone still thinks we [are] just a vSphere compute business - we are so much more than that now," Henry Godwin, VMware distribution manager for UK&I, told Channel Pro. "We've evolved significantly and we want our partners to come on the journey."
VMware made some changes to its commercial programmes earlier this year, including tightening up deal registration for faster deal approval, with greater protection for partners. "We know [the channel] bring a lot to us, and the way the programme works now it is very easy to track the performance of every partner," said Godwin.
VMware's technology portfolio comprises of three elements: compute, virtual storage and networking virtualisation, based around its vSphere, VSAN and NSX products respectively.
The vendor has 33,000 partners in Europe, and according to Jean-Pierre Brulard, general manager for EMEA, the transformation has spread out to its channel with "major adoption of the new technology, and new partners from the ecosystem of network and security". Indeed, NSX is the fastest growing product in VMware's history, with an estimated revenue run rate of $600m.
As such, the firm has introduced a fast track programme so new types of partners can bypass the traditional vSphere accreditation. "Historically you had to do a vSphere accreditation, even if you're a mobile partner," said Godwin. "We've now introduced fast track programmes - AirWatch being one - so they can become mobile competent without having a vSphere requirement.
"We're making sure the partner programmes reflect the fact we're not just a compute, vSphere channel - actually, a great proportion of our licence sales are not vSphere."
Despite the broadening of its tech portfolio however, the vendor maintains that vSphere is still a core part of the business. "We have got a focus on NSX, we have got a focus on EUC [end user computing], there's no doubt about that," said VMware UK general manager, David Phull. "But it's not to the detriment of vSphere. We've got specialist sales teams now focusing on network security and on end user computing, but it's to complement our existing portfolio, not to detract from it."
