Cisco and NetApp to Accelerate FlexPod Momentum with Premium Partner Framework Joint Channel Initiative to Streamline and Accelerate FlexPod Sales for Top Partners FlexPod Passes 1,000th Customer Milestone
SAN JOSE AND SUNNYVALE, Calif. - JUNE 11, 2012 - Cisco and NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) today announced the launch of a global channel initiative to accelerate the market momentum of the popular FlexPod converged infrastructure solution. The FlexPod Premium Partner Framework will reward elite FlexPod channel partners for investing in sophisticated sales capabilities and services practices.
The companies also announced that more than 1,000 customers have deployed the FlexPod solution since it was launched in November 2010. The FlexPod series combines computing, networking and storage solutions from Cisco and NetApp into a flexible, scalable, shared infrastructure. Nearly 100 percent of FlexPod solutions are now sold through Cisco-NetApp channel partners.
Highlights/Key Facts:
The objective of the FlexPod Premium Partner Framework is to recognize and reward partners who have invested in developing FlexPod solution competencies.
Built on feedback from the global channel community, the framework is designed to deliver increased differentiation, streamline multi-vendor interactions, and enhance profitability.
Benefits that help differentiate channel partners include:
Use of unique branding that can be leveraged in marketing and communications
Special listings in NetApp and Cisco partner locator tools
Differentiated marketing and communications support
Benefits to enable channel partners sales and technical solutions capabilities include:
Access to a FlexPod help desk that assists post-sales engineers in the plan, design and implementation of a production FlexPod stack
Priority access to lab resources for technical training, demonstrations, and proof-of-concept efforts
Joint learning maps from Cisco and NetApp for sales, pre-sales and post-sales personnel
Benefits to drive partner growth include:
Access to Cisco Collaborative Professional Services and the FlexPod Technical Consulting Accelerator offers partners tools, templates, validated designs, leading practices, and business and technology methodologies, all designed to help partners enhance their FlexPod practices
Enhanced focus and support for demand generation campaigns related to the FlexPod solution
There are currently 22 FlexPod Premium Partners that have qualified for the initiative, including seven partners across North America and 15 in Europe.
Cisco and NetApp have collaborated to produce more than 20 Cisco Validated Designs; supporting hypervisors from VMware, Red Hat, Microsoft and Citrix.
Executive Quotes:
Peter Howard, Senior Director, Data Center Alliances, NetApp
Our partners play a critical, consultative role helping customers understand and achieve the financial and operational benefits of moving from inefficient infrastructure silos to converged, virtualized environments built on FlexPod. The FlexPod Premium Partner Framework reflects Ciscos and NetApps commitment to recognizing partners who have achieved the highest levels of sales, technical, and professional services capability. It builds upon our consistent and shared vision to accelerate customer success through strong, profitable channel partners.
Brian Allison, Director, Data Center Go-To-Market Solutions, Cisco
Cisco and NetApp have heard from many of our joint channel partners that they want us to reduce complexity and streamline multi-vendor interactions, all while continuing to drive profitability. Through the FlexPod Premium Partner initiative were rewarding partners for investing in elite sales, technical and services capabilities necessary to capture the rapidly growing market for converged infrastructure solutions.
Paul Lidsky, President & CEO, Datalink, FlexPod Premium Partner
FlexPod continues to play a foundational role in the future of data centers and private cloud environments. For that reason, it is a linchpin of the converged infrastructure consulting, analysis, design, deployment and support services that we offer to midmarket and enterprise customers. We are the first channel partner to achieve the requirements of the FlexPod Premium Partner Framework because we have been training our engineers in cross-discipline architectures since the inception of FlexPod and have completed dozens of deployments. This new designation from Cisco and NetApp will help organizations identify the most qualified providers to ensure successful implementations that transform their data centers.
Additional Resources
Learn more about the Inaugural FlexPod Premium Partners: newsroom.cisco.com/documents/10157/1142732/Inaugural_FlexPod_Premium_Partners.pdf
Learn more about FlexPod: www.netapp.com/us/technology/flexpod or www.cisco.com/go/flexpod
Connect with NetApp experts and storage enthusiasts in the NetApp Community: communities.netapp.com/community/products_and_solutions/efficient_it
Follow NetApp on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NetApp
Join NetApp on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NetApp
View NetApp videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/NetAppTV
Connect with NetApp on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=111681
Follow Cisco on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Visit the Cisco Channels blog
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to newsroom.cisco.com.
About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs. Our commitment to living our core values and consistently being recognized as a great place to work around the world are fundamental to our long-term g
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Cisco and NetApp to Accelerate FlexPod Momentum with Premium Partner Framework Joint Channel Initiative to Streamline and Accelerate FlexPod Sales for Top Partners FlexPod Passes 1,000th Customer Milestone 
