Storage giant EMC has made another tweak to its channel model, announcing the compression of its Velocity2 Partner Programme with its Authorised Services Network (ASN).

After slashing the number of tiers in Velocity from five to three last year (CRN, 12 March), Signature and Premier Velocity partners will now be asked to pass an accreditation in at least one of the ASN’s five technology areas: consolidation; backup; archive; security; or content.

The change will also apply to EMC’s value-added distributors. The consolidation, backup and archive specialities will be introduced into Velocity on 1 July, with security and content following in the first quarter of 2009.

Willem Hendrickx, EMEA vice president for channel and mid-market at EMC, said: “Combining the two programmes was a request from EMC’s partners. They want to sell and implement products, so it made sense to combine them as they both clearly need each other.
“Partners can choose more than one speciality. End users want partners that can build end-to-end solutions in specialist areas. Partners at the moment are embracing the change and will benefit from end-to-end skills in selling and marketing.”

Hendrickx said the news of the programmes’ integration has been received positively by EMC partners.
Shaun Elliott, EMC sales mana-ger for Magirus UK, said: “Compressing the two programmes together is an excellent idea. It will provide Magirus’s resellers with better opportunities for improving their margins and EMC with a motivated reseller community.”

He added: “Resellers have flexibility ­ those not wanting to join the ASN programme can look to Magirus ­ we will support the VARs that do not want to go down the ASN route, so they do not miss out.”