NetIQ Rolls Out New Channel Program

The Authorized Reseller Program integrates the disparate channel programs NetIQ inherited through recent acquisitions and mergers with companies including WebTrends and Mission Critical, said Mark Marron, senior vice president of worldwide sales at NetIQ, based here.

>> NetIQ will classify qualified partners into three categories: Authorized, Select and Premier.

Under the new program, NetIQ plans to classify qualified partners into three categories: Authorized, Select and Premier. Solution providers will be categorized according to the number of trained personnel they commit to NetIQ, as well as their sales volumes, said Mark Drum, director of channel marketing at NetIQ. "Our overall goal was to construct an integrated program that provides partners with the easiest path to growth and profitability," he said.

As partners migrate through the program, they will have access to increased discounts, market development funds, rebates and training resources, NetIQ executives said.

"We've always had a strong relationship [with NetIQ, but this will be a big improvement," said Drew Koellmer, business development manager at Rutter Networking Technologies, a systems integrator in Woburn, Mass.

id
unit-1659132512259
type
Sponsored post

The integrator expects to take advantage of more training programs and improved joint marketing efforts under the new program, Koellmer said.

NetIQ's new channel program simplifies its relationship with solution providers and ensures that only qualified partners can resell its infrastructure management tools, said Heath Tow, account executive at Subject, Wills and Co., a systems integrator in Oakbrook, Ill.

"Before, there were no set guidelines as to how customers or resellers were to get products," Tow said.

NetIQ has established strict rules of engagement to govern how its direct-sales force should interact with partners, Marron said. Also, Authorized and Select partners will source products via NetIQ's distribution partners, while Premier partners can source through distribution or purchase direct from the vendor, he said.

For the first time, the vendor also plans to sell its Security Analyzer, Log Analyzer, WebTrends Analysis Suite, Firewall Appliance Analyzer and Firewall Suite solely through channel partners. "There's nothing better than when you can stand in front of your partners and tell them you have channel-only products. It minimizes, if not eliminates, all channel conflict issues," Marron said.