2019 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star System/Data Center Vendors

CRN designated the partner programs of these system and data center companies as 5-Star.

System-Wide Approach

Data Centers and the hardware and software systems that run them remain the core of the IT operations for many businesses and organizations. But with advances like hyper-converged infrastructure and software-defined networks, data centers are rapidly evolving. To keep up solution providers need all the training, financial resources and marketing assistance they can get through IT vendors' channel programs.

The 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 system and data center space.

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

Acronis

Program Name: Acronis Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Patrick Hurley, VP and General Manager, Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=52

Alaris, a Kodak Business

Program Name: Alaris Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Katie Sullivan-Armento, Sale Director, U.S. & Canada Region

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=136

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

APC by Schneider Electric

Program Name: APC Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1991

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Select, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Shannon Sbar, VP of Channels, North America

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=1

Arcserve

Program Name: Arcserve Accelerate

Year Program Established: 1995

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Adam Olson, VP of Worldwide Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=53

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: Gary Levy, VP, Americas Channel

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

Barracuda MSP

Program Name: Barracuda MSP Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Partner Program Tiers: Barracuda MSP Partner Program

North American Channel Chief: Neal Bradbury, Senior Director of Business Development

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=104

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

bpm'online

Program Name: bpm'online Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2003

Partner Program Tiers: bpm'online Partner Program

North American Channel Chief: Alex Donchuk, Global Channel Director

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=105

Catalogic Software

Program Name: Partner Edge

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Marissa Miller, Director of Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=139

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

Cohesity

Program Name: Cohesity Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Keith Macove, Senior Director, Americas Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=141

Commvault

Program Name: Commvault Partner Advantage Program

Year Program Established: 2014

Partner Program Tiers: Global, MarketBuilder, Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Rick Fairweather, VP, Channel Sales, Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=12

CyberPower

Program Name: CyberPower Channel Partner Alliance

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Partner Elite, Partner Plus, Partner

North American Channel Chief: Scott W. Koller, VP of Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=63

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

Datto

Program Name: Datto Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Blue, Enterprise, Professional, Business

North American Channel Chief: John Tippett, VP, Datto Networking

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=64

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

Diamanti

Program Name: Diamanti Edge

Year Program Established: 2019

Partner Program Tiers: Diamond

North American Channel Chief: Bill Cordero, VP, Worldwide Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=143

Digital Defense

Program Name: Digital Defense SecureCloud Alliance Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Partner Program Tiers: N/A

North American Channel Chief: Rosanna Pellegrino, SVP, Sales, Business Development

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=110

Eaton

Program Name: PowerAdvantage Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2009

Partner Program Tiers: PowerAdvantage Certified Partner, PowerAdvantage Authorized Partner, PowerAdvantage Registered Partner

North American Channel Chief: Curtiz Gangi, VP, U.S. Channels and Midmarket Segment, Datacenter

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=14

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

Fluency Security

Program Name: Fluency Corporation Reseller Agreement

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: Reseller Agreement – Gold, Reseller Agreement – Silver

North American Channel Chief: Collin Miles, Principal, Channel and Strategic Relationships

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=146

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

HP Inc.

Program Name: HP Partner First

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: Partner First Platinum, Partner First Gold, Partner First Silver

North American Channel Chief: Stephanie Dismore, VP and General manager, Americas Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=20

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

IGEL North America

Program Name: IGEL Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized, Reseller

North American Channel Chief: Brad Tompkins, VP of Sales, North America

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=117

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

Imperva

Program Name: Imperva Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Associate

North American Channel Chief: Kirt Jorgenson, Senior Director, Channel and Alliance Marketing

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=71

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

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

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

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

Mimecast

Program Name: Mimecast Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Certified, Business

North American Channel Chief: Shawn Pearson, VP, North America Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=119

Morpheus Data Multi-Cloud Management and Automation

Program Name: Morpheus Data MVP Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Morpheus Data MVP

North American Channel Chief: Brad Parks, VP, Business Development

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=152

NetApp

Program Name: NetApp Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2002

Partner Program Tiers: Star, Platinum, Gold

North American Channel Chief: Jeff McCullough, VP, Americas Partner Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=30

Nexsan

Program Name: Nexsan Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2001

Partner Program Tiers: NEXCouncil Partners, Nexsan Channel Program

North American Channel Chief: Read Fenner, VP of Global Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=121

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

Panzura

Program Name: Panzura Freedom Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Steve Simpson, Worldwide Program Director, Director of Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=124

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

Pivot3

Program Name: Pivot3 Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2014

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Associate

North American Channel Chief: Mark Maisano, VP, Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=126

Pulse Secure

Program Name: Access Now Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Preferred, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Aaron Moroson, Senior Director, Worldwide Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=155

Puppet

Program Name: Puppet Partner Network

Year Program Established: 2010

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Corporate

North American Channel Chief: John Schwan, VP, Global partner Sales and Programs

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=81

Pure Storage

Program Name: Pure Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Preferred

North American Channel Chief: Andy Martin, VP of North America Channel Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=35

Quantum

Program Name: Quantum Alliance

Year Program Established: 2002

Partner Program Tiers: NOW Program, Platinum, Gold, Silver

North American Channel Chief: Brandon Cass, Channel Director, Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=83

Quest Software

Program Name: Quest Partner Circle Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Registered

North American Channel Chief: Erik Krieg, Director of Global Channel Programs and Operations

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=84

Red Hat

Program Name: Red Hat Partner Connect

Year Program Established: 2006

Partner Program Tiers: Premier, Advanced, Ready

North American Channel Chief: D. Robert Martin, VP, North American Partner Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=36

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

Rubrik

Program Name: Rubrik Velocity Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Select, Authorized

North American Channel Chief: Bertrand Yansouni, VP of Worldwide Channel

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=156

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

Scale Computing

Program Name: Scale Computing Partner Community

Year Program Established: 2016

Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Referral

North American Channel Chief: Scott Mann, Director of North American Channel

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=127

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

SolarWinds MSP

Program Name: SolarWinds MSP Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Partner Program Tiers: MSP

North American Channel Chief: Frank Colletti, Group VP, Worldwide Sales

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=89

StorageCraft Technology

Program Name: StorageCraft Partner Success Program

Year Program Established: 2009

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Certified

North American Channel Chief: Lee Schor, VP of Sales, Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=131

StorMagic

Program Name: StorMagic Channel Program

Year Program Established: 2015

Partner Program Tiers: StorMagic Channel Program

North American Channel Chief: Bruce Kornfeld, General Manager, Americas

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=132

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

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=46

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

Virtual Instruments

Program Name: The Virtual Instruments Partner (VIP) Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Partner Program Tiers: VIP Platinum, VIP Gold, VIP

North American Channel Chief: Paul Brodie, VP of Global Channels

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=134

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

Western Digital – Enterprise

Program Name: Western Digital Enterprise Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Foundation

North American Channel Chief: Dawn Marie Ruszel, VP, Enterprise Partner Sales & Marketing

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2019-details.htm?c=50