2021 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star Networking And Unified Communications Programs

As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some vendor channel programs as 5-Star Partner Programs. Here are the 5-Star designees in the networking and unified communications space for 2021.

Making The Partner Connection

IT vendors spent much of 2020 helping channel partners make their way through the COVID-19 crisis, providing financial flexibility amid the sudden economic uncertainty and creating ways for partners to market and sell their products and services in a no-contact world.

But despite the challenging year, many IT companies have continued to expand and improve their channel partner programs, offering solution provider partners the support, resources and incentives they need to be successful as the economy improves.

That includes vendors who provide hardware, software and services for IT networks, telecommunication systems, unified communications, video conferencing and more.

The CRN 2021 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the IT vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors – more than 275 this year – outlining all aspects of their partner programs.

As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs because they provide the most comprehensive lineups of incentives, training, services and benefits.

Here we provide snapshots of the 5-Star designees in the networking and unified communications space. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found at /partner-program-guide/ppg2021.htm.

Other slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series running this week will include companies that provide products and services for systems and data centers, cloud platforms and infrastructure, software and applications, security, devices and peripherals, and data storage and backup. While many companies provide products and services that span multiple technologies, we’ve assigned each vendor to the slide show for the technology category in which they are most prominent.

8x8

Program Name: Open Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Channel Chief: John DeLozier, SVP, Global Channel Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: 8x8 is enabling partners to grow and retain their revenue with the company by offering training and demand generation programs specific to identifying upsell, cross-sell and retention opportunities.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=1

Aruba Networks, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company

Program Name: Partner Ready For Networking

Year Program Established: 2016

Channel Chief: Donna Grothjan, VP, Worldwide Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Aruba said the key to success for channel partners in 2021 is not only addressing their customers’ IT solution needs but also meeting those needs under a financial model that takes into account the pressures of their customers’ business.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=20

Avaya

Program Name: Avaya Edge

Year Program Established: 2016

Channel Chief: Dennis Kozak, Global Channel Leader

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: The Avaya Edge 2021 Program is based on three key tenants: simplicity, modernization and recurring revenue. These elements are focused on driving the collective collaboration of Avaya and its channel resellers to attain Market success.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=26

BlackBerry

Program Name: BlackBerry Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2020

Channel Chief: Colleen McMillan, VP Global Channel Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: BlackBerry is focused on its ongoing commitment to a mutual partnership and enhancing partner profitability. Active collaboration between partners and the field sales force will help drive new business.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=36

Cisco Systems

Program Name: The New Cisco Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2020

Channel Chief: Oliver Tuszik, SVP, Global Partner Organization

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Cisco is driving simplification in the partner program, finalizing the developer and advisor roles, supporting partner differentiation and transformation to a customer life-cycle approach, and maximizing the value exchange with partners.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=45

Citrix Systems

Program Name: Citrix Partner Success

Year Program Established: 1989

Channel Chief: Bronwyn Hastings, SVP, Worldwide Channel Sales, Ecosystems

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Citrix’s goals are to enable its partners to move customers to the cloud, attract new customers and extend partner value across the customer life cycle. Citrix Partner Success is designed to be more agile, flexible and responsive to partners’ needs.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=46

Comcast Business

Program Name: Comcast Business Solutions Provider Program

Year Program Established: 2011

Channel Chief: Craig Schlagbaum, SVP, Channel Chief

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Comcast will be delivering the products, support and tools partners need to succeed in today’s digital era. Its dedicated solutions provider team has one goal: help partners sell.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=53

CommScope

Program Name: CommScope PartnerPRO Network

Year Program Established: 2012

Channel Chief: Dieter Verdegem, VP, Global Customer Experience

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: CommScope will work on deepening recurring revenue opportunities for partners in cloud and managed services models, while continuing to seek market-share gains with traditional resell business models.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=54

Cradlepoint

Program Name: Cradlepoint Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Channel Chief: Eric Purcell, SVP, Partner, Alliance Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Cradlepoint’s Global Partner Program will provide enablement, support and marketing resources to best position the right partners for the customer solution. It will also continue to aim to lead the way in 5G for business solutions.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=59

Extreme Networks

Program Name: Extreme Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1996

Channel Chief: Joe Vitalone, Chief Revenue Officer

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Extreme will help migrate partners to cloud solutions and encourage them to sell a broader part of the portfolio. It also plans to continue with its effort to grow the Networking-as-a-Service model and help more partners become MSPs.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=82

Fuze

Program Name: Fuze Global Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2016

Channel Chief: Timothy Puccio, Channel Chief

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Fuze is focused on offering unmetered calling to over 110 countries with 50-plus carriers and enterprise-grade security to deliver reliable service and protect customer data.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=89

Geoverse

Program Name: Geoverse Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2020

Channel Chief: Bob Gault, Chief Commercial Officer

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Geoverse will continue to identify, select, train and equip elite-level partners in the industrial, transportation, oil and gas, mining, and SLED market verticals.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=90

Gigamon

Program Name: Gigamon Catalyst Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Channel Chief: Larissa Crandall, VP, Worldwide Channel, Alliances

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Gigamon is helping partners take advantage of MDF, allowing them to utilize Gigamon demand generation bundles and then supporting them with digital marketing activities to grow their pipeline

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=91

Infiot

Program Name: Infiot Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Channel Chief: Parag Thakore, CEO

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Infiot wants partners to increase the amount of deployment and services that go through them and sell its broad portfolio to build their business. Education, tools, pre- and post-sales support and marketing strategies are key.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=105

Infoblox

Program Name: BuildingBLOX Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2017

Channel Chief: Sandy Janes, Senior Director, Global Partner Programs and Operations

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Partners can expect Infoblox to continue its commitment to engage the channel as its primary route to market. This will include deeper engagement in the SaaS offering and deeper cross-functional teaming relationships and rewards.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=106

Intermedia Cloud Communications

Program Name: Intermedia Partner Accelerate

Year Program Established: 2006

Channel Chief: Jonathan McCormick, COO

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: This year Intermedia’s focus will be on creating greater awareness of its CORE (Customer Ownership Reseller) model and recruiting more partners to experience the benefits that come with it.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=113

Juniper Networks

Program Name: Juniper Partner Advantage Program

Year Program Established: 2012

Channel Chief: Gordon Mackintosh, VP, Global Channel, Virtual Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Juniper Partner Advantage will enable partners to expand their business. The new Partner Plus programs will grant exclusivity, access to field readiness enablement and additional financial incentives to accelerate enterprise sales.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=118

Mitel

Program Name: Mitel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Channel Chief: John Lindsley, SVP, Americas Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Mitel is ensuring its program gives partners the tools to enable them to expand their business and support customers. The company also is incorporating customer experience and customer lifecycle management into its framework.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=137

Nextiva

Program Name: Partner NeXus

Year Program Established: 2012

Channel Chief: Eric Martorano, Chief Revenue Officer

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Now that Nextiva has built up a strong library of sales tools, demand generation/marketing programs and training resources aligned by partner tier, the company wants to spend 2021 customizing them for partners.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=147

Poly

Program Name: The Poly Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2020

Channel Chief: Nick Tidd, VP, Global Partner Organization

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Partners this year can benefit from the combination of two programs into one, a new unified rebate program and a new partner portal with significant enablement tools.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=173

QOS Networks

Program Name: QOS Networks Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Channel Chief: Michael Brennan, VP, Strategic Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: QOS Networks plans to deliver better enablement, more resources and better education to its partners.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=178

Ribbon Communications

Program Name: Ribbon Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2019

Channel Chief: Crystal Ferreira, VP, Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Ribbon Communications is focused on partner recruitment this year.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=187

RingCentral

Program Name: RingCentral Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2010

Channel Chief: Zane Long, SVP, Global Partner Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: RingCentral aims to grow its partner program internationally, add new partners to sell its UCaaS platform and help partners entrench into key verticals like healthcare, education and the public sector.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=188

Riverbed

Program Name: Riverbed Rise

Year Program Established: 2018

Channel Chief: Bridget Bisnette, SVP, Global Partner Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Riverbed this year is working to motivate partners and distributors to identify new opportunities and ensure top-tier partners have sales and technical capabilities.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=189

Sangoma Technologies

Program Name: Sangoma Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1990

Channel Chief: David Hardy, VP, North America Sales

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: For 2021 Sangoma would like to grow its channel and focus on building recurring revenue with partners.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=197

Silver Peak Systems

Program Name: Silver Peak Global Partner Edge Channel Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Channel Chief: John Moran, VP, Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Silver Peak is working on successfully integrating the Silver Peak and Aruba partner programs for a consistent experience for partners.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=212

Spectrum

Program Name: Spectrum Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2008

Channel Chief: Michelle Kadlacek, VP, Enterprise Partner Program

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Spectrum is focused on the expansion of head count and resources for the partner program, continued automation efforts, improved portal functionality for greater partner control, and new product launches and feature improvements.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=223

Star2Star

Program Name: Star2Star Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2006

Channel Chief: Michelle Accardi, President, Chief Revenue Officer

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Star2Star is investing more time in helping partners reach higher sales goals with new incentives, training materials, and one-on-one sales and marketing support.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=225

T-Mobile

Program Name: T-Mobile for Business Partner Program

Year Program Established: 1999

Channel Chief: Patricia Watkins, VP, Channel Sales, IoT

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: T-Mobile aims to simplify its business, deliver a broader portfolio of offerings and provide support for a better digital experience.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=247

Verizon

Program Name: Verizon Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2013

Channel Chief: Wendy Taccetta, SVP, Global Commercial Operations

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: Together with its partner ecosystem, Verizon aims to deliver a unique value proposition for business customers by helping them adapt to new business models and drive business transformation.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=262

Versa Networks

Program Name: The Versa ACE Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2021

Channel Chief: Hemen Mehta, VP, North America Channels

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: The new Versa ACE Partner Program is focused on rewarding competency and specializations. New Tiers include SASE Specialized and Titan Specialized.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=263

Vonage

Program Name: Vonage Channel Partner Program

Year Program Established: 2018

Channel Chief: Jim Regan, Channel Chief

Companies reveal their partner program goals for 2021: With Vonage partners can take advantage of the company’s full spectrum of cloud communications capabilities and grab a bigger piece of the pie. There are a number of partner relationship options related to each product category.

Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2021-details.htm?c=268