NetScaler Launches Partner Program

NetScaler

"We feel we absolutely have to have an industry-leading partner program," said Patrick Conte, general manager and executive vice president of sales and marketing at NetScaler, based here. "We're focusing the program on trying to establish beachheads in three key areas: basic communications, training, and support for demonstration," he said.

The new program shows that NetScaler is committed to helping solution providers succeed, said Terry Szucsko, vice president of Web services at San Francisco-based Yipes, a managed service and network provider that has joined the partner program.

"NetScaler has demonstrated that what they want to see is a strong channel," Szucsko said.

The NetConnect program, which launched with about 15 to 18 partners, classifies solution providers into three categories, which offer varying levels of discounts, training and marketing and technical support, Conte said.

Referral partners are consultants who recommend NetScaler products to customers and are compensated with a commission, typically 10 percent of the sale, Conte said. They receive some technical and marketing support, but are not eligible for premium support and training unless they pay for the classes, he said.

Certified partners, the category NetScaler expects most solution providers to fall into, must make a minimum commitment of $125,000 per year in sales. They receive support during business hours and have access to a full array of marketing documentation, including white papers, brochures and direct-mail pieces, as well as market development funds on a case-by-case basis, Conte said.

In addition, they receive two training classes from the vendor: an install, setup and testing class as well as a level-one technical support class. Partners can send as many technicians to the classes as they want, free of charge, he said.

Certified gold partners must make a minimum commitment of $250,000 per year in sales. In addition to receiving all the benefits of certified partners, certified gold partners have access to around-the-clock support, higher levels of training and guaranteed market development funds.

Both certified and certified gold partners receive a 25 percent discount off list price on NetScaler equipment, as well as 50 percent off on demo equipment, Conte said.

They also receive varying levels of discounts off NetScaler services, he said.