Monday Morning Impact – October 6

By Ken Presti, Senior Consultant, Channel Impact

Oracle Introduces Six New Cloud Services

At its OpenWorld Conference in San Francisco last week, Oracle extended its cloud platform services to include big data analytics, integration, process management, Java Platform, Standard Edition, and Node.js. for server-side JavaScript.

The Oracle Cloud Platform functions as a platform upon which customers and channel partners can build new applications, extend the vendor’s SaaS applications, and migrate existing on-premises applications to the cloud.

The new offering to support big data analytics uses the Hadoop framework on a secure, managed infrastructure platform that integrates with other Oracle Cloud services. The new Oracle Mobile Cloud is designed to speed time to market on enterprise-grade mobile apps, leveraging a cloud-based mobile back end. The Oracle Integration Cloud supports cloud any hybrid environments using a browser-based interface. The Oracle Process Cloud is intended to help users design, deploy, monitor, and optimize business processes. Oracle Node.js Cloud support JavaScript application deployment and management while Java SE Cloud supports deployment and management for Java SE 7 or 8 applications.

According to the company, Oracle Cloud serves 62 million users and 23 billion transactions each day, running on 30,000 devices and 400 petabytes of storage in 19 data centers worldwide.

Channel Impact:
The announcement represents more arrows in the proverbial quiver for partners, service providers and consultants. Oracle also recently announced a new two-tier VAD distribution program, a new community called Oracle Cloud Connection, and the expansion of the Oracle Cloud Marketplace to include system integrators.

HP Launches SDN App Store

HP has announced the general availability of the HP SDN App Store, providing ecosystem partners with a centralized sales platform combined with consulting and support services intended to help drive the business value of software defined networking.

HP will offer four different categories of applications defined by their support and test process. The HP Circle will feature applications built and tested exclusively by HP. The Premium Circle will be made up of top-selling applications that have been jointly tested by HP and its partners. The Partner Circle will be based on applications that have been self-tested by HP partners and reviewed by HP. Finally, the Community Circle will offer open-access and community-supported applications to demonstrate open source and concept SDN applications.

As part of the HP SDN App Store launch, HP is introducing six partner applications, in addition to two applications developed by HP.

Channel Impact:
Simplified routes to market have emerged as key strategies in the sale of applications, SDN-focused or otherwise. It’s also notable that HP’s store will segment the applications based on HP’s level of participation in the development of the software. To a certain extent, this practice will provide de facto seals of approval for jointly developed apps while, at the same time, providing partners functioning as independent software vendors with an effective venue to market their offerings.

VMware Announces vCloud Air ISV Partner Program

VMware has announced a new program to help independent software vendors (ISVs) move their applications to VMware vCloud Air, the platform for cloud services delivered by VMware.

The new vCloud Air ISV Partner Program offers technical assistance and guidance to help ISVs provide a flexible and scalable cloud/hybrid cloud offering. ISVs participating in the program will also be able to attain VMware Ready certification, indicating that the solution has undergone technical validation within the vCloud Air environment, and is supported on vCloud Air.

In addition, the program is designed to help ISVs transition to software as a service models through a variety of enablement services that accelerate the on-boarding process, streamlines application provisioning, monitors utilization and manages customer lifecycles.

The vCloud Air ISV Partner Program includes requirements and benefits that scale with the familiar three-level structure; in this case, Access, Elite and Premier levels. Partner solutions are featured in the vCloud Air Marketplace of the VMware Solution Exchange, VMware’s online virtualization and cloud solutions marketplace.

Channel Impact:
As vendors continue to pursue the high ground in the overall cloud computing opportunity, programs and resources aimed at partners will continue to see brisk growth. This development also suggests that major vendors continue to see partners as key players in their routes to market, especially when those partners are in a position to step forward with differentiated, compatible offers.