Monday Morning Impact – December 18

AWS Updates Partner Network

Amazon Web Services, (AWS), has rolled out new features for the AWS Marketplace intended to simplify the purchasing and deployment of third-party software. The company also introduced new programs to better support consulting partners, help ISVs expand their AWS SaaS businesses, and promote increased partner competencies in machine learning and networking.

Among the highlights, the “Enterprise Contract for AWS Marketplace,” currently in preview mode, is a standardized contract template between enterprise software buyers and sellers that puts a stake in the ground for challenging terms including liability, dispute resolution, IP protection, warranty, etc.

In addition, a new offering called, “Private Image Build” enables customers to build and run custom Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) that combine their own IT-approved base operating system images with installable software provided by AWS Marketplace sellers. By running third-party software on their own private images, customers can better comply with their organizations’ specific IT policies and internal security requirements, while still using AWS Marketplace features, including consolidated AWS billing, Marketplace pricing and licensing models. This rollout is also in preview mode at the current time.

The AWS Solution Provider Program, which will be available in early 2018, will replace the Channel Reseller Program and offers a new, tiered incentive structure that rewards consulting partners in the areas of migration, MSP, and DevOps.

The new AWS Software as a Service (SaaS) Factory provides enablement content, including reference architectures with best practices for building SaaS solutions on AWS.

The new SaaS Accelerate Program will provide funding for lead generation and customer proof-of-concepts, plus resources for joint sales support. This program is expected to become operational early next year.

The AWS Competency Program identifies partners who have demonstrated technical proficiency and customer success in 17 categories. The company is expanding this program with two new competency areas for Networking and Machine Learning.

Channel Impact^®
These updates will likely strengthen partner relations while also encouraging increased growth and depth of the company’s indirect sales.

Ormuco Launches Global Channel Partner Program to Support Cloud

Ormuco has launched a global channel partner program for its Ormuco Stack cloud software, targeting cloud and managed service providers, VARs, and ISVs.

Ormuco Stack is a turnkey cloud platform built on open-source OpenStack cloud software working across private, public and hybrid environments to manage workloads while addressing performance, security and compliance.

In addition to product discounts, partner program benefits include MDF; the ability to define end-customer service bundles, pricing and billing structures; a partner-branded portal for billing and provisioning; lead-sharing; and training.

Channel Impact^®
The program is intended for consistent channel support across on-premises and off-premises deployments.

Aktana Announces Analytics Partner Program

Aktana, a San Francisco company, specializing in decision support for life science companies, has announced the launch of its Analytics Partner Program intended to provide high-quality data sources and advanced analytics to support sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical vertical.

The program is aimed at companies that generate unique data assets focused on specialty markets or therapies, and those that perform data consolidation and standardization across multiple existing data sources.

“As pharmaceutical companies grapple with putting immense amounts of data into action, Aktana focuses on finding the nuggets of true value within,” said James Wong, vice president of product management, Aktana. “By expanding our roster of data partners and the information they provide through our platform, we can now deliver value more quickly and across even more use cases, from primary care to specialty care to oncology.”

The company’s data-sourced suggestions and insights are delivered within a sales professional’s existing CRM workflow, serving as an aid to better decision-making.

Channel Impact^®
As information technology becomes more tightly interwoven with the needs of vertical markets, look for more companies to roll out such programs in support of indirect sales.