IBM takes partners into the cloud
Big Blue stresses the importance of helping VARs develop cloud offerings from the ground up
Steven Heeney: Partners need to have a cloud strategy in place
IBM is taking a hands-on approach to helping partners move to the cloud and has claimed rival vendors leave VARs to do the heavy lifting of developing cloud services.
Big Blue’s recently appointed cloud channel chief has also been given the backing to invest in growing IBM’s indirect cloud business.
Last week, the vendor opened the doors of its inaugural cloud computing lab at its Innovation Centre in Hursley. The lab will give partners access to the latest IBM technology and a development team will help resellers test and develop cloud services and build a go-to-market plan.
Steven Heeney joined IBM in July as cloud leader for the UK and Ireland Business Partner Organisation. The channel cloud chief quickly brought several people into his team and said the vendor will continue to back channel-focused cloud investment.
“My remit is to help business partners get enabled and educated on the cloud and to be a conduit to IBM’s resources,” said Heeney. “[Cloud] is one of our fundamental growth areas.”
Recent cloud initiatives from IBM include the launch of its Cloud Computing Architecture Certifications for software partners and IT professionals, and the Cloud Service Provider Platform to help deliver cloud offerings to the telecoms industry.
Big Blue said its competitors expect resellers to do all the work of developing services and formulating a go-to-market strategy.
Heeney stressed that it is “absolutely crucial” to be hands-on with partners.
“Some people are looking to [cloud] and asking if it is a threat,” he said. “But partners need to have a strategy in place and we owe it to our partners to give them our thought leadership.”
Shaune Parsons, managing director of partner Computerworld Wales, welcomed the lab’s launch.
“You have to make an investment in skills at the moment and need all the funds you can reap from vendors to help,” he said. “We have been doing a lot of work on [cloud] but we really need to up the ante and now is a good time.”