NetApp changes partner programme to help shift to hybrid cloud

NetApp (NASDAQ:NTAP) has made changes to its partner programme in a bid to help the channel benefit from the move to hybrid cloud.

Among the new offerings to partners includes specialisation training, new services, and end-to-end Data Fabric solution kits for partners to assist customers in piloting cloud projects.

The vendor says that according to its own research, nearly 75 percent of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy, but only 29 percent consider themselves good or excellent at managing data across multiple clouds. It said that IT teams need knowledgeable resources to help them manage, move, and protect their data across any deployment model.

NetApp unveiled the following training specialisations to help the channel find more business opportunities.

Its Partner Specialisation programmes include its Clustered Data ONTAP Transition Services. This is a new programme for partners who have completed advanced training to assist customers with the full range of migration services, including full installation, advanced configuration, and data migration. NetApp distribution partners, such as Arrow and Avnet, offer versions of this training for their reseller networks.

It also unveiled its Data Fabric Solution Essentials, new solution kits for specific workloads make it easy for partners to assist customers in piloting cloud projects. Kits combine software, systems, and/or services to speed deployment and show the immediate benefits of hybrid cloud.

Its Application Acceleration solution kit, aimed at database professionals, allows partners to quickly deploy a small four-node cluster for their customers with Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle databases. The kit showcases the capabilities of NetApp all-flash and clustered Data ONTAP to protect against data loss; provide high, consistent performance; and deliver comprehensive data management across flash, disk, and cloud resources in a single platform, the firm claims.

Its OpenStack Solution Kit with FlexPod, the vendor claimed, enables FlexPod Premium Partners to get customers up and running on an OpenStack private cloud in days, not months, with known costs and proven capabilities.

Lastly, its Snap-to-Cloud DR solution kit offers partners a single replication solution to meet their customers’ needs for disaster recovery, business intelligence, data distribution, and development testing. Includes a one-year license for the NetApp Cloud ONTAP software subscription as well as installation services and three years of support.

“The hybrid cloud gives organisations a platform for supporting new ideas and driving business transformation in ways they could never imagine,” says Bill Lipsin, vice president, worldwide channel, NetApp. “Partners with cloud skills, cloud-ready solutions, and expertise in data fabric architectures will be more successful reaching new buyers and strengthening existing relationships. NetApp supports our partners with services and solutions that help their customers realise the full potential of the hybrid cloud and make the best decisions for their business.”