CRN Exclusive: Cisco's AppDynamics Launches Stand-Alone Partner Program To Drive Application Sales

AppDynamics, the application performance specialist Cisco acquired for $3.7 billion this year, has launched a new Titan Partner Program looking to boost application skill sets and revenue inside the Cisco channel community.

"There's a high-end focus on partner enablement inside this new program. That's really important for us because AppDynamics talent is unique, hard to find and very sought after," said Sandy Salty, vice president of strategic initiatives at Trace3, an Irvine, Calif.-based solution provider who partners with AppDynamics and Cisco.

Salty said her company's AppDynamics business had grown a minimum of 100 percent annually. "With this program, they're enabling partners through training and an intense focus to build that talent bench. That's really amazing news for this industry," she said.

[Related: 10 Things Partner Need To Know About AppDynamics New Titan Partner Program]

The Titan Partner Program includes a rebate program to enable additional investments into building a long-term AppDynamics practice. Titan also offers guaranteed margins by paying partners a percentage of the total contract value.

Partners enrolled in the program receive dedicated sales engineering and field channel manager support. Titan also includes sales and presales support to assist with proof of concepts and joint planning.

All partners are eligible for "Kick Starter" online training courses that provide an introduction to the company's App iQ Platform. Titan is also offering advanced level courses aimed at delivering value to joint customers around digital transformation.

"Not only do Cisco partners get all the goodness from reselling infrastructure and the services – but now they can also provide additional value at the application level. It's a win-win for partners," said Ghazal Asif, vice president of worldwide channels for AppDynamics (pictured).

"For those partners that traditionally have been the classic infrastructure resellers, the application base is really, really critical. Not only is it critical because the app has become the business but, as consumers, we're expecting so much more of applications in general," she said. "So for those partners, it's a really phenomenal opportunity to work with Cisco who can provide the infrastructure layer, all the way down to the code within the applications."

There are two tiers inside the new program: Alliance and Titan, the top tier.

The Titan Partner Program will run as a stand-alone program outside of Cisco's Partner Program with a separate partner portal. Partners can be enrolled in both programs at the same time, according to Asif.

"The fact that AppDynamics has some autonomy even post-acquisition is a great thing," said Trace3's Salty. "They realized that something is working and why disrupt that? In business when something is working, don’t touch it; let it keep running."

Salty said AppDynamics has created "disruptive and compelling" technology and have the right channel DNA to drive partner profitability.

"They're investing in their partners in a way to enable them to grow the talent bench to better service our customers, especially from a digital transformation standpoint," said Salty. "Applications are the heartbeat of an organization, and more and more customers are demanding more from their applications – not just SaaS or performance – but a ton of visibility and a ton of ease-of-use ... This is the right time for a partner to [capitalize] on a program like this."