Versa Networks the week formally launched a channel program for the first time that rewards partners based on the level of technical and sales expertise they attain selling, deploying and managing its software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) platform.
The Versa Accelerate, Captivate, Engage (ACE) Partner Program is deliberately designed to enable smaller partners to enjoy the same benefits as larger partners, said John Atchison, head of global channel marketing for Versa Networks.
The three tiers of the program span Titan Specialized, Secure SD-WAN Specialized and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Specialized levels that provide partners with discounts as well access sales and marketing tools that align with each of those use cases for an SD-WAN, says Atchison.
The Versa ACE Partner Program will provide partners with access to an onboarding plan that enables them to start filling a sales pipeline with 90 days after attending an online Versa Academy, adds Atchison.
The company claims over the past six months has delivered more than 26,000 hours of instructor-led training, trained 800 engineers globally, and issued more than 100 Specialist certifications through Versa Academy.
Demand for SD-WAN services has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to providing an SD-WAN platform for remote offices, Versa Networks also makes available software for endpoints that connects them directly to its SD-WAN. That approach eliminates the need to rely on virtual private networks (VPNs).
Even after a COVID-19 pandemic is widely distributed many employees will continue to work from home more frequently, says Atchison. The Versa Networks approach makes it easier for employees to move back and forth between home and the office without requiring an internal IT team or a managed service provider (MSP) to set up and manage a separate VPN solution, notes Atchison.
Versa Networks by the end of this year is looking to expand its channel to approximately 1,000 partners that are committed to building a practice around its platform, says Atchison.
“It needs to be a symbiotic relationship,” says Atchison.
The company currently has relationships with roughly 200 partners, notes Atchison
Of course, when it comes to SD-WAN platform channel partners these days have no shortage of options. The resources provided a vendor that a partner needs to succeed in a field that is already being addressed by a small army of resellers, systems integrators, MSPs and telecommunications carriers might turn out to be only the price of admission.
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