AccelOps Takes Cloud Monitoring To The Channel
The program targets systems integrators, VARs, service providers and agents looking to build offerings around AccelOps integrated data center and cloud monitoring tools for the mid-market. AccelOps' offerings are available as a virtual appliance or as SaaS.
Scott Gordon, vice president of marketing and business development for Santa Clara, Calif.-based AccelOps, said the new program lets partners refer, resell, train and customize solutions for AccelOps' virtual appliance and SaaS offerings for data center and cloud monitoring and IT service management. Benefits include tiered levels and margins, referral fees for non-reseller partners, online deal registration, online sales and service training, a partner portal with access to sales resources and technical support, evaluation units and support from AccelOps sales representatives. Margins are based on reseller commitments, Gordon said.
Gordon said opening AccelOps' software to the channel lets partners go back after their installed-base with tools to monitor service levels in the cloud and in the data center.
"For systems integrators and VARs, they can go after companies that are upgrading their tool sets for virtualization and cloud computing," Gordon said.
Gordon said AccelOps foresees a 50-50 split between channel and direct sales. Currently, AccelOps has about a dozen partners.
Along with the program, AccelOps also said authorized partners can offer security and infrastructure monitoring as a managed service powered by AccelOps as a co-branded service. Managed service providers can give their clients end-to-end visibility across performance, availability, security and change management in the cloud and data center while liking the physical and virtual infrastructures. Partners can offer collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting of all performance and IT event log data leveraging a single interface view of networks, systems and applications.
"More regional VARs and systems integrators want to get into the managed services business," Gordon said. "Co-branded services let partners add their expertise and earn margins. They can sell traditional software or get into managed services. It's a differentiation and a door to managed services."
Jamie Sanbower, director of cyber security for Crofton, Md.-based solution provider Force 3, said the new AccelOps program will help VARs tackle new dynamic environments and help clients do more with less. Additionally, cloud computing, virtualization and compliance requirements are making customers reevaluate their IT management capacity, he said.
Sanbower said there are "large opportunities for growth" as AccelOps formalizes its program. And the ability to offer event management and monitoring in a virtual appliance or as SaaS helps Force 3 cater its security and event management offerings to specific clients.
"Right now, SaaS is of interest, but more opportunities have been on-premise," he said. "There's an evolution and we don't have a clear direction. We can deploy, operate and maintain in both environments."