CA Technologies lifts lid on new partner models
CA Technologies (NASDAQ:CA) has today unveiled a range of go-to-market plans for its channel partners.
CA says the new “mix and match” agreements will help its partners respond to new customer buying patterns.
“We’re adding more flexibility to our partnering models,” says Tom Griffin, partner solutions advisor at CA Technologies, who says the changes include “modular agreements to make it easier for partners to transact with different customer types.”
CA categorizes its channel into three types of partner: solution provider or reseller, alliance partner and, its fastest growing constituent, managed service providers.
“MSPs and the cloud are two of the biggest growth areas. The end customers’ buying behaviour is changing. Part is the financial climate – there’s less cash going around. IT as a service is timely…We are working with MSPs much more to try to enable their services,” explains Griffin, who explains the vendor will be wrapping more consultancy and advice around its products to help MSPs’ best practices.
CA says it will work with MSPs to create new cloud-based services, track and meet service level agreements (SLAs), and help bridge the gap between the traditional enterprise environment and the service provider platform.
Elsewhere, CA says it says it has allocated resources for its alliance partners –comprising technology providers, system integrators and consultancy companies such as Accenture and Cisco – that drive joint programmes and initiatives.
Meanwhile, it will offer VARS no-compete deal registration, and compensate them for bringing opportunities to CA, with “increased margins”. The firm’s business and marketing development funds (MDF) programme has also been simplified to maximise lead generation and business development, and a new rebate programme will reward strong performance, says the firm.
Last week CA announced a recruitment drive to sign up Microsoft partners to sell its ARCserve D2D On Demand data protection product on the Azure Cloud Platform. “The attraction is that it’s an additional service offering on top of Azure, another offering in the bag,” says Griffin.
As well as its partner portal, CA this year launched the CA Virtual Partner Solution Center and CA Service Assurance Partner Solution Center, offering content such as solution briefs and demonstrations across various environments.
