NetApp Announces New Partner Program with NetApp Partner Sphere

NetApp has announced its intent to launch a new partner program in NetApp fiscal year 2024 (FY’24). The forthcoming NetApp Partner Sphere program is expected to offer upgraded training and support while also rewarding partners’ investments in competencies and services.

The program is intended to provide simplified, flexible, progressive tiering that includes Approved, Preferred, Prestige, and Prestige Plus levels. Advancement is based in large part on partner value and competencies. Benefits and support will grow as partners ascend tiers, with the partners generating the most impact seeing the broadest and most customized benefits, including solution specific marketing campaigns and enablement, proposal-based market development funds, and preferred value-based incentives.

“NetApp is committed to driving a partner-first culture, and the strategy behind our new partner program brings that commitment to life,” said Jenni Flinders, SVP of NetApp’s Worldwide Partner Organization. “With NetApp Partner Sphere, we’re accelerating growth and customer success across our partner ecosystem by extending their reach into the cloud and offering more business opportunities with our industry-leading portfolio and flexible consumption models.”

As part of these strategic changes NetApp will shift away from Specializations to identify partner capabilities and utilize Solution Competencies aligned to key NetApp focus areas – Cloud Solutions, Hybrid Cloud and AI & Analytics. These competencies will be included in the NetApp Partner Sphere program requirements. Partners will be able to begin earning associated competencies within each category, showcasing their ability to deliver customer success across the NetApp portfolio by the end of the calendar year.

Channel Impact^®
Partners that can drive digital and cloud transformation and come to the table with highly specialized services and capabilities are best positioned for the new program. However, a wide range of partner business models are expected to be included.