Abiquo Hones Channel Focus With Cloud, Virtualization Partner Program

Officially launched this week, the Abiquo Partner Program is a reflection of the traction Abiquo's cloud and virtualization management platform is seeing in the service provider, reseller, distributor and systems integrator markets.

"We think the growth for us will come through partner relationships," Abiquo CEO Pete Malcolm said, adding that indirect sales for Abiquo are on the verge of eclipsing direct sales and now sit at a 50-50 split. And by the end of the year Malcolm said he wants Abiquo to do a significant amount of its business through the channel.

The launch of the Abiquo Partner Program comes on the heels of Abiquo's launch of an on-ramp program to get MSPs on board with cloud services.

According to Malcolm, the Abiquo Partner Program will give partners the tools and materials to offer their clients an effective and agile way to manage data center infrastructure as a self-service cloud.

Aimed at partners that target enterprises and with virtualization and cloud practices, the new channel partner program offers sales, technical, educational and marketing support for partners. Within the Abiquo Partner Program is the Abiquo Reseller Program which is specifically designed for resellers and distributors.

Malcolm said the program already boasts 10 partners in the formalized program.

"What we're really trying to do for resellers is to supply them the materials they need to be successful," Malcolm said. Some of those materials include substantial discounts of list price, the option to offer support and the ability to create an on-going revenue stream. "It's about putting the things in place to let the resellers make themselves successful."

The Abiquo Partner Program also offers partners marketing support, training, assistance with demo systems and sales support from field teams.

Malcolm said Abiquo internal sales teams have no incentive to take sales away from channel partners, ensuring there won't be competition between direct and indirect sales.

Malcolm said the company is looking to recruit more VARs, but is cautious about growing slowly and with the right kind of partnerships.

"We want people who have an understanding of the market we're selling into," he said.