SAN JOSE AND SUNNYVALE, Calif. - JUNE
11, 2012 - Cisco and NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) today announced
the launch of a global channel initiative to accelerate the market
momentum of the popular FlexPod converged infrastructure solution.
The FlexPod Premium Partner Framework will reward elite FlexPod
channel partners for investing in sophisticated sales capabilities
and services practices.
The companies also announced that more than
1,000 customers have deployed the FlexPod solution since it was
launched in November 2010. The FlexPod series combines computing,
networking and storage solutions from Cisco and NetApp into a
flexible, scalable, shared infrastructure. Nearly 100 percent of
FlexPod solutions are now sold through Cisco-NetApp channel
partners.
Highlights/Key Facts:
- The objective of the FlexPod Premium Partner Framework is to
recognize and reward partners who have invested in developing
FlexPod solution competencies.
- Built on feedback from the global channel community, the
framework is designed to deliver increased differentiation,
streamline multi-vendor interactions, and enhance
profitability.
- Benefits that help differentiate channel partners
include:
- Use of unique branding that can be leveraged in marketing and
communications
- Special listings in NetApp and Cisco partner locator tools
- Differentiated marketing and communications support
- Benefits to enable channel partners sales and
technical solutions capabilities include:
- Access to a FlexPod help desk that assists post-sales engineers
in the plan, design and implementation of a production FlexPod
stack
- Priority access to lab resources for technical training,
demonstrations, and proof-of-concept efforts
- Joint learning maps from Cisco and NetApp for sales, pre-sales
and post-sales personnel
- Benefits to drive partner growth include:
- Access to Cisco Collaborative Professional Services and the
FlexPod Technical Consulting Accelerator offers partners tools,
templates, validated designs, leading practices, and business and
technology methodologies, all designed to help partners enhance
their FlexPod practices
- Enhanced focus and support for demand generation campaigns
related to the FlexPod solution
- There are currently 22 FlexPod Premium Partners that have
qualified for the initiative, including seven partners across North
America and 15 in Europe.
- Cisco and NetApp have collaborated to produce more than 20
Cisco Validated Designs; supporting hypervisors from VMware, Red
Hat, Microsoft and Citrix.
Executive Quotes:
- Peter Howard, Senior Director, Data Center Alliances,
NetApp
"Our partners play a critical, consultative role helping customers
understand and achieve the financial and operational benefits of
moving from inefficient infrastructure silos to converged,
virtualized environments built on FlexPod. The FlexPod Premium
Partner Framework reflects Cisco's and NetApp's commitment to
recognizing partners who have achieved the highest levels of sales,
technical, and professional services capability. It builds upon our
consistent and shared vision to accelerate customer success through
strong, profitable channel partners."
- Brian Allison, Director, Data Center Go-To-Market
Solutions, Cisco
"Cisco and NetApp have heard from many of our joint channel
partners that they want us to reduce complexity and streamline
multi-vendor interactions, all while continuing to drive
profitability. Through the FlexPod Premium Partner initiative we're
rewarding partners for investing in elite sales, technical and
services capabilities necessary to capture the rapidly growing
market for converged infrastructure solutions."
- Paul Lidsky, President & CEO, Datalink, FlexPod
Premium Partner
"FlexPod continues to play a foundational role in the future of
data centers and private cloud environments. For that reason, it is
a linchpin of the converged infrastructure consulting, analysis,
design, deployment and support services that we offer to midmarket
and enterprise customers. We are the first channel partner to
achieve the requirements of the FlexPod Premium Partner Framework
because we have been training our engineers in cross-discipline
architectures since the inception of FlexPod and have completed
dozens of deployments. This new designation from Cisco and NetApp
will help organizations identify the most qualified providers to
ensure successful implementations that transform their data
centers."
Additional Resources
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that
transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate.
Information about Cisco can be found at www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please
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About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions
that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business
breakthroughs. Our commitment to living our core values and
consistently being recognized as a great place to work around the
world are fundamental to our long-term growth and success, as well
as the success of our pathway partners and customers. Discover our
passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster
at www.netapp.com.
NetApp, the NetApp logo, and Go further,
faster are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in
the United States and/or other countries. All other brands or
products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders and should be treated as such. The use of the
word "partner" or "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership
between NetApp and any other company. Other names may be trademarks
of their respective owners.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S.
and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found
at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks.
Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their
respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a
partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.