2020 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star Networking And Unified Communications Vendors
CRN designated the partner programs of these networking and unified communications companies as 5-Star.
Making A Connection With Partners
Networking and unified communications remain a critical component of the IT industry and of many solution providers’ business. While some technology segments of IT networking are mature, newer technologies like SD-WAN and collaboration tools are generating a lot of business for the channel. And the coming 5G wireless wave holds a lot of promise for solution and service providers. These new technologies are also increasing partner demands for more training, enablement and other resources from the networking, carrier and software vendors they work with.
The 2020 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the IT vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors – more than 230 this year – outlining all aspects of their partner programs.
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, training, services and benefits.
Here we provide snapshots of the 5-Star designees in the networking and Unified Communications space. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found here.
Other slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series running this week will include companies that provide products and services for networking and unified communications, cloud, software and applications, systems and data center, security, devices and peripherals, and data storage and backup. While many companies provide products and services that span multiple technologies, we’ve assigned each vendor to the slide show for the technology category in which they are most prominent.
Aruba Networks, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company
Program Name: Partner Ready for Networking
Year Program Established: 2016
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Service Provider, Gold, Silver, Business
Channel Chief: Donna Grothjan, VP, Worldwide Channels
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=19
Avaya
Program Name: Avaya Edge
Year Program Established: 2016
Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Sapphire, Emerald
Channel Chief: Jon Brinton, VP, North America Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=24
BlackBerry
Program Name: BlackBerry Enterprise Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2016
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized
Channel Chief: Richard McLeod, Global Channels
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=31
CenturyLink
Program Name: CenturyLink Channel Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1998
Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze
Channel Chief: Garrett Gee, SVP, Indirect Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=40
Cisco Systems
Program Name: Cisco Channel Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1996
Partner Program Tiers: Global Gold, Gold, Premier, Select
Channel Chief: Oliver Tuszik, SVP, Global Partner Organization
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=42
Cisco Systems
Program Name: Perform Plus
Year Program Established: 2019
Partner Program Tiers: Global Gold, Gold, Premier, Select
Channel Chief: Oliver Tuszik, SVP, Global Partner Organization
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=44
Citrix Systems
Program Name: Citrix Partner Network
Year Program Established: 1989
Partner Program Tiers: Citrix Solution Advisor – Platinum, Citrix Solution Advisor – Gold, Citrix Solution Advisor – Silver, Citrix Solution Advisor – Authorized, Citrix System Integrator – Authorized
Channel Chief: Bronwyn Hastings, SVP, Worldwide Channel Sales, Ecosystems
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=46
Comcast Business
Program Name: Comcast Business Solutions Provider Program
Year Program Established: 2011
Partner Program Tiers: Pinnacle Master Agent, Diamond Master Agent, Master Agent, Platinum Solutions Provider, Gold Solutions Provider, Silver Solutions Provider, Solutions Provider
Channel Chief: Craig Schlagbaum, VP and Channel Chief
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=53
CommScope
Program Name: CommScope PartnerPRO Network
Year Program Established: 2012
Partner Program Tiers: Elite Solution Provider, Solution Provider
Channel Chief: Raelyn Kritzer, VP, Worldwide Channel
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=54
Extreme Networks
Program Name: Extreme Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1996
Partner Program Tiers: Diamond, Gold, Authorized
Channel Chief: Kyle Brown, Director of Channel Sales, Americas
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=86
F5 Networks
Program Name: F5 Unity+ Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2008
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized
Channel Chief: Lisa Citron, VP Worldwide Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=87
Fuze
Program Name: Fuze Global Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2016
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver/Referral
Channel Chief: Timothy Puccio, VP, Global Channel & Alliances
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=95
Gigamon
Program Name: Catalyst Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2013
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Elemental
Channel Chief: Larissa Crandall, Senior Director, Channel Sales Americas
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=97
Infoblox
Program Name: BuildingBlox Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2017
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Authorized
Channel Chief: Lori Cornmesser, VP, Worldwide Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=109
Intermedia
Program Name: Intermedia Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2006
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Registered
Channel Chief: Jonathan McCormick, COO/Head of Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=115
Juniper Networks
Program Name: Juniper Partner Advantage Program
Year Program Established: 2012
Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Select, Reseller
Channel Chief: Gordon Mackintosh, VP, Global Partner, Virtual Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=118
Mist, a Juniper Company
Program Name: Mist Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2016
Partner Program Tiers: AI Master, AI Practitioner, AI Adopter
Channel Chief: Mike Anderson, Head of Worldwide Channels
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=132
Mitel
Program Name: Mitel Global Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2018
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Authorized
Channel Chief: John Lindsley, VP, Channels
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=133
Netsurion
Program Name: Netsurion Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2016
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver
Channel Chief: Guy Cunningham, VP, Channel Sales, Alliances
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=140
Nextiva
Program Name: Nextiva Amazing Partner Program (evolving to Nextiva Partner NeXus in 7/2020)
Year Program Established: 2012
Partner Program Tiers: Premier Elect, Premier, Authorized
Channel Chief: Carl Katz, Channel Chief
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=143
QOS Networks
Program Name: QOS Networks Channel Program
Year Program Established: 2012
Partner Program Tiers: QOS Partner
Channel Chief: Mike Kalas, SVP of Go To Market
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=166
RingCentral
Program Name: RingCentral Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2010
Partner Program Tiers: RingCentral Platinum Partner Program, RingCentral Preferred Partner Program, RingCentral Partner Program
Channel Chief: Zane Long, SVP, Global Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=173
Riverbed Technology
Program Name: Riverbed Rise
Year Program Established: 2018
Partner Program Tiers: Elite, Premier, Authorized
Channel Chief: Bridget Bisnette, SVP, Global Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=174
Silver Peak Systems
Program Name: Silver Peak Global Partner Edge Channel Program
Year Program Established: 2018
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver
Channel Chief: Michael O’Brien, VP, Worldwide Partner Sales
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=187
Star2Star Communications
Program Name: Star2Star Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2006
Partner Program Tiers: (Not Specified)
Channel Chief: Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=198
Verizon
Program Name: Verizon Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2013
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Member
Channel Chief: Pete Leuzzi, Global VP and Head of Worldwide Channels and Alliances
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=220
Vonage
Program Name: Vonage Partner Network
Year Program Established: 2018
Partner Program Tiers: Platinum, Gold, Silver Emerging
Channel Chief: Mario DeRiggi, SVP, National Channel Sales, Operations
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=225
Zoom
Program Name: ZOOM International Channel Program
Year Program Established: 2015
Partner Program Tiers: No Tiers
Channel Chief: Matt Schaefer, VP Channels
Partner Program Details: /partner-program-guide/ppg2020-details.htm?c=235