2019 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star Networking And Unified Communications Vendors

CRN designated the partner programs of these networking and unified communications companies as 5-Star.

Making The Partner Connection

Who knew networking would be such a hot technology area in 2019? With software-defined networking and unified communications providing significant growth opportunities for the channel and 5G wireless on the horizon, solution providers more than ever are looking to IT vendors for technical, marketing, sales and financial assistance.

Th 2019 Partner Program Guide offers information solution providers need to evaluate IT vendors they work with or are considering working with. The guide is based on detailed applications vendors submitted outlining all aspects of their partner programs.

As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs. Here we present the 5-Star designees in the networking and unified communications space.

Other slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series running this week include companies that provide systems and data center, cloud, software, storage, peripherals and security technologies.

AlgoSec

Program Name: AlgoSec Channel Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver Bronze

North American Channel Chief: E.J. Easton, Regional Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=102

Array Networks

Program Name: Array A-Team Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Paul Andersen, VP of Sales & Marketing

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=103

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company

Program Name: Partner Ready for Networking

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Service Provider, Gold, Silver, Business

North American Channel Chief: Jim Harold, VP, North American Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=3

Avaya

Program Name: Avaya Edge

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Sapphire, Emerald

North American Channel Chief: Frank Ciccone, SVP Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=4

Barracuda Networks

Program Name: Barracuda Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2004

Partner Program Tiers: Barracuda Partner Program

North American Channel Chief: Ezra Hookano, VP, Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=54

BlackBerry

Program Name: BlackBerry Enterprise Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Richard McLeod, VP, Global Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=57

BMC

Program Name: BMC Partner Advantage Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze

North American Channel Chief: Sanjay Gupta, VP, Global Ecosystem Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=5

Cambium Networks

Program Name: ConnectedPartner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Partner Program Tiers: ConnectedPartner, ConnectedPartner Plus

North American Channel Chief: Ron Ryan, SVP, Global Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=58

CenturyLink

Program Name: CenturyLink Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1998

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze

North American Channel Chief: Garrett Gee, VP, Indirect, Strategic Partnerships & Alliances

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=6

Ciena Corporation

Program Name: Ciena Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Professional

North American Channel Chief: Sandra Glaser Cheek, VP, Global Partners & Alliances

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=7

Cisco Systems

Program Name: Cisco Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1996

Partner Program Tiers: Global Gold, Gold, Premier, Select

North American Channel Chief: Rick Snyder, SVP, Americas Partner Organization

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=8

Cisco Systems

Program Name: Cisco Cloud and Managed Services Program

Year Program Established: 1996

Partner Program Tiers: No Tiers

North American Channel Chief: Rick Snyder, SVP, Americas Partner Organization

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=9

Citrix Systems

Program Name: Citrix Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1989

Partner Program Tiers: Citrix Solution Advisor – Platinum, Citrix Solution Advisor – Gold, Citrix Solution Advisor – Silver, Citrix Solution Advisor – Authorized, System Integrator – Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Efrem Stringfellow, VP, Partner Sales – Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=10

Comcast Business

Program Name: Comcast Business Solutions Provider Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Partner Program Tiers: Pinnacle Master Agent, Diamond Master Agent, Master Agent, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Solutions Provider

North American Channel Chief: Craig Schlagbaum, VP, Indirect Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=11

DataCore Software

Program Name: DataCore Certified Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: DataCore Certified Partner Program

North American Channel Chief: Michael Chadwell, Director of Americas Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=109

Dell Inc.

Program Name: Dell EMC Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Titanium, Platinum, Gold

North American Channel Chief: Gregg Ambulos, SVP, North America Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=13

Extreme Networks

Program Name: Extreme Partner Network

Year Program Established: 1996

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Gold Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Gordon Mackintosh, VP, Worldwide Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=66

F5 Networks

Program Name: F5 Unity Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Lisa Citron, VP, North America Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=15

Fortinet

Program Name: Fortinet Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2000

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Jon Bove, VP, Americas Channel

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=16

Fuze

Program Name: Fuze Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Referral/Silver

North American Channel Chief: J.P. Dundas, Director, North America Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=69

Gigamon

Program Name: Gigamon Catalyst Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Elemental

North American Channel Chief: Larissa Crandall, Director, Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=70

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Program Name: HPE Partner Ready Program

Year Program Established: 2002

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Business

North American Channel Chief: Terry Richardson, Americas Channels and Alliances Leader

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=18

Hitachi Vantara

Program Name: Hitachi Vantara Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: No Tiers

North American Channel Chief: Kimberly King, VP, Partner Programs and Strategy

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=19

IBM

Program Name: PartnerWorld

Year Program Established: 1999

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Dorothy Copeland, VP, IBM Partner Ecosystem, North America

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=21

Igneous

Program Name: Igneous Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Shaun Walsh, VP of Alliances

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=149

iland

Program Name: iland Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Professional

North American Channel Chief: Koorosh Khashayar, Director, Channel

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=118

Infoblox

Program Name: BuildingBlox

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Kelly Miller, Director, Americas Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=72

Infovista

Program Name: Infovista Global Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Bob Dell, VP, Americas Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=73

Ingram Micro

Program Name: Ingram Micro Trust X Alliance

Year Program Established: 1998

Partner Program Tiers: Velocity, Affinity, Community

North American Channel Chief: Paul Bay, Executive VP and Group President of the Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=22

Intel Corp.

Program Name: Intel Technology Provider Program

Year Program Established: 1980

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Jason Kimrey, General Manager, U.S. Channel Scale & Partners

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=23

Intermedia

Program Name: Intermedia Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Jonathan McCormick, COO/Head of Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=74

Ivanti

Program Name: Ivanti Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1985

Partner Program Tiers: National Sales Providers, Expert Solution Providers, Managed Service Providers, Distribution

North American Channel Chief: Reza Parsia, VP, Channel

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=75

Juniper Networks

Program Name: Juniper Partner Advantage Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Select, Reseller (VAR), Distributors

North American Channel Chief: Brian Rosenberg, Corporate VP, Global Partners and Alliances

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=24

Legrand Data Center Power & Control

Program Name: Legrand Data Center Power and Control Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Mike Johnston, VP, Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=78

Lenovo Intelligent Device Group

Program Name: Lenovo Partner Engage Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Rob Cato, Channel Chief

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=25

Micro Focus

Program Name: Micro Focus Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Phil Rayment, VP, North America Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=27

Microsoft Corporation

Program Name: Microsoft Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2010

Partner Program Tiers: Gold Competency, Silver Competency, Program Members

North American Channel Chief: David Willis, Corporate VP, U.S. One Commercial Partner

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=28

Mist

Program Name: Mist Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Gold, Silver, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Mike Anderson, VP of Worldwide Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=151

Mitel

Program Name: Mitel Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: John Lindsley, VP, Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=29

NetMotion Software

Program Name: NetMotion PartnerConnect

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Ninja, Community

North American Channel Chief: Jason Turner, Director, Channel Sales, North America

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=120

Nutanix

Program Name: Nutanix Channel Charter

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Master Partner, Scaler Partner, Pioneer Partner

North American Channel Chief: Rodney Foreman, VP, Global Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=31

Opengear

Program Name: Opengear Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: Opengear Premier Partners, Opengear Partners

North American Channel Chief: Bryan Keepers, Director of Channel Sales, Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=122

Palo Alto Networks

Program Name: NextWave Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond Innovator, Platinum Innovator, Innovator

North American Channel Chief: Anar Desai, VP, Americas Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=32

Pax8

Program Name: Wingman Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: Wingman

North American Channel Chief: Ryan Walsh, Chief Channel Officer

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=154

Polycom

Program Name: Polycom Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2009

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered

North American Channel Chief: David Angel, Sr. Director, Channel Sales Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=34

RingCentral

Program Name: RingCentral Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2010

Partner Program Tiers: RingCentral Partner Program

North American Channel Chief: Zane Long, SVP Global Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=85

Riverbed Technology

Program Name: Riverbed Rise

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: John Machonis, VP, Americas Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=37

Ruckus Networks

Program Name: Rusckus Ready Channel Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Elite Partners, Select Partners, Distribution Partners

North American Channel Chief: Raelyn Kritzer, Channel Chief, VP of Worldwide Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=87

Schneider Electric

Program Name: EcoXpert Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: Master EcoXpert, Certified EcoXpert

North American Channel Chief: James Mylett, VP, Channel Management

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=40

ServiceKey

Program Name: Independent Service & Maintenance Organization

Year Program Established: 2004

Partner Program Tiers: N/A

North American Channel Chief: Danielle Lee, Director of Business Solutions

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=128

Star2Star Communications

Program Name: Star2Star Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: N/A

North American Channel Chief: Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=130

Sungard Availability Services

Program Name: Sungard AS Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Partner Program Tiers: N/A

North American Channel Chief: Darren Thomas, SVP, Global Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=43

Synnex Corp.

Program Name: Synnex CloudSolv Community

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Premier Level, Standard Level

North American Channel Chief: Rob Moyer, SVP, Cloud Services, Mobility, IoT

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=45

Tech Data

Program Name: Tech Data Recon Security Suite

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Tech Data Recon Security Suite

North American Channel Chief: Joe Quaglia, President

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=4

6

Tripp Lite

Program Name: Tripp Lite Partner Program & Premier Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1998

Partner Program Tiers: Premier Partner, Tripp Lite Partner Program, Channel Partners Group

North American Channel Chief: Shane Kilfoil, SVP, Global Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=92

Veeam Software

Program Name: Veeam ProPartner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum ProPartner, Gold ProPartner, Silver ProPartner, Registered ProPartner

North American Channel Chief: Kevin Rooney, VP, Americas Partner Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=96

Verizon

Program Name: Verizon Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Member

North American Channel Chief: Pete Leuzzi, Global VP and Head of Worldwide Channels and Alliances

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=47

Vertiv

Program Name: Vertiv Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2014

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond Platinum, Gold

North American Channel Chief: Bob Nahorski, VP, Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=48

VMware

Program Name: VMware Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2003

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Enterprise, Professional

North American Channel Chief: Bill Swales, VP, Americas Partner Organization

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=49

WatchGuard Technologies

Program Name: WatchGuardONE

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered Reseller

North American Channel Chief: Bryce Hjalseth, Senior Manager, Partner Experience

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=98