2024 Partner Program Guide: This Year’s Goals For 5-Star Vendor Programs
As part of the CRN Partner Program Guide evaluation, channel executives were asked what they considered the top goals for their partner programs in 2024. Here’s what 20 of them had to say.
Goal-Oriented
The IT industry is rapidly evolving—just look at how quickly nearly every IT company pivoted in 2023 to incorporate AI into their product strategies. That means that IT vendors’ partner programs must constantly be evolving as well. For solution providers, knowing and understanding the channel plans and goals of the IT vendors they work with are critical.
That’s why as part of the 2024 CRN Partner Program Guide, we asked vendors the question: What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
In the following slides, we provide the answers that 20 of the more than 280 IT vendors that submitted applications for this year’s Partner Program Guide provided to that question.
The CRN 2024 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors outlining all aspects of their partner programs. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found at CRN.com.
As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs because they provide the most comprehensive lineups of incentives, resources, training, services and benefits.
Slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series running this week include companies that provide products and services in cloud platforms and infrastructure, devices and peripherals, data storage and backup, networking and unified communications, security, software, and systems and data center, in addition to 5-Star partner programs operated by startups.
AMD
Program Name: AMD Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2022
Channel Chief: Mark Taylor, North America Channel Chief
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=10
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
AMD will focus on driving depth into strategic partnerships while maintaining or increasing its overall investments across the channel, simplifying the engagement model and helping partners leverage its offerings to differentiate themselves.
Check Point Software Technologies
Program Name: Check Point Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1993
Channel Chief: Francisco Criado, VP, Worldwide Partner Ecosystem
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=44
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Check Point aims to enhance low-tier partner engagement through discounts and knowledge access, ensure profitability by optimizing discount structures and improving partner SLAs, and foster growth by facilitating training for partners.
Cisco Systems
Program Name: Cisco Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Rodney Clark, SVP, Partnerships, Small, Medium Business
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=46
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Cisco aims to modernize and simplify its partner program, leading with the streamlining of its three flagship incentives into a single integrated framework. This new framework will continue to provide partners with incentive predictability.
Cyware
Program Name: Cyware One
Year Program Established: 2022
Channel Chief: Matthew Courchesne, Head of Channel
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=72
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Cyware’s goal is to amplify its brand within the channel by driving usage of its partner portal with an easy on-boarding process, effective sales collateral and easy-to-navigate training courses and certifications.
Druva
Program Name: Druva Partner+ Program
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Mike Houghton, SVP, Global Partners, Alliances
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=85
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Druva this year will advance its Partner+ Program with even more cloud and SaaS certification offerings. It also will expand its incentive program to cover rebates, sales and technical incentives and implement a loyalty platform to reward partners.
Fortinet
Program Name: Engage Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2000
Channel Chief: Ken McCray, VP, Channel Sales, U.S.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=103
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Fortinet will continue to invest in its partners, especially in the profitability enhancer and Fortinet professional and managed services practices. It also will increase all enablement activities around SASE, secure networking and security operations.
HP Inc.
Program Name: Amplify
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Kobi Elbaz, SVP, GM, Global Channel, Sales Innovation, Operations
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=116
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
HP is introducing incremental opportunities for partners with Growth Plays, based on partner capabilities and eligibility criteria. It also is expanding the Amplify Impact sustainability program to distribution partners and more countries.
IBM
Program Name: IBM Partner Plus
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Kate Woolley, GM, IBM Ecosystem
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=120
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
IBM’s goal is to help enterprises capture the AI and hybrid cloud market opportunity through expertise, an expansive network and commitment to helping customers—driven by a combination of Sell, Build and Service business models.
IGEL
Program Name: IGEL Velocity
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Phil Eden, VP, Channel Sales, North America
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=121
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
IGEL is focused on expanding its partner program for predictable profitability and developing vertical industry go-to-market partner toolkits. It also is deepening programs to enable partners to increase the delivery of key customer outcomes.
Lookout
Program Name: Lookout Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Eva-Maria Elya, VP, Worldwide Channel, MSP
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=150
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Lookout aims to recruit and certify more MSPs so they can provide a fully managed mobile EDR service to their customers to close the security gap on mobile. It also plans to create marketing campaigns to target and grow the SMB segment.
Morpheus Data
Program Name: Morpheus Data Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2019
Channel Chief: Heather Somerville Gonzalez, VP, Global Channels
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=158
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Morpheus Data’s goal is to have partners utilize its value-added distributors and the cloud marketplace to accelerate their selling cycle by leveraging special financing options and tools, like consolidating cloud spend, for their customers.
NinjaOne
Program Name: NinjaOne Now
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Joe Lohmeier, VP, Global Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=169
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
NinjaOne is investing in more go-to-market routes and focusing on growing its public sector business through new partner relationships. As part of this, it will be investing in building out a more robust channel infrastructure.
Oracle NetSuite
Program Name: NetSuite Solution Provider Program
Year Program Established: 2002
Channel Chief: Craig West, Group VP, Channel Sales, Alliances
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=180
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
NetSuite will continue to scale talent development resources and broaden competency in the NetSuite ecosystem to meet growing customer demand. It also will accelerate investments into emerging partner models.
Palo Alto Networks
Program Name: NextWave Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2011
Channel Chief: Tom Evans, VP, Worldwide Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=182
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Palo Alto Networks will launch new certifications and training and release new product and vertical specializations that will give partners more ways to earn rebates. It also is encouraging partners to sell a broader part of the portfolio.
Qlik
Program Name: Qlik Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2015
Channel Chief: Susie LeMay, Director, Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=191
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Qlik is launching two-tier distribution, continuing to simplify its operations and processes, and rolling out a new partner portal.
Sophos
Program Name: Sophos Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1985
Channel Chief: Kendra Krause, SVP, Global Channels, Sales Operations
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=231
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Sophos will continue to focus on the adoption of Cybersecurity as a Service, MDR and more. It will help partners understand the opportunity to add additional layers of threat defense to their portfolio, bolstered by lucrative partner incentives.
Torq
Program Name: Torq Partner Acceleration Program
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Sheldon Muir, Head of Global Channels, Alliances
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=256
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Torq is looking to expand its partner program by improving partner sales skills, partner profitability and channel MDF. It wants partners and future partners to know that the program is designed to drive ROI for their customers.
Veeam Software
Program Name: Veeam ProPartner Program for Veeam Value-Added Resellers
Year Program Established: 2006
Channel Chief: Larissa Crandall, VP, Global Channel, Alliances
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=263
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Veeam’s program initiatives focus on front-end margin improvement, enhanced deal protection, phased global rollout of price protection to incumbent partners, and expansion of competency and enablement offerings.
WatchGuard Technologies
Program Name: WatchGuardONE
Year Program Established: 1996
Channel Chief: Adam Otis, Sr. Manager, Partner Programs, Operations
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=275
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
WatchGuard’s goals are to add more qualified partners, increase the amount of recurring revenue going through partners, and boost the number of cross-sell activities across its security platform.
Zero Networks
Program Name: ZeroToSixty Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Adam Hofeler, VP, Sales, Go-to-Market
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=280
What goals are you setting for your partner program in 2024?
Zero Networks aims to be recognized by its partners as a top vendor by measuring, improving and achieving a Net Promoter Score of at least 85. It also will increase the number of partner technical certifications by 30 percent.