Oracle arms VARs with internal schemes

Database titan to give VARs a peek at internal sales strategy and product information at Virtual Kickoff event

Words of wisdom: Oracle is to provide partners with strategy advice

Software behemoth Oracle is opening up internal sales strategies and product information to VARs at its Virtual Partner Kickoff event.

Resellers across the globe will have remote access to the event, which will provide presentations from Oracle's internal sales get-togethers. Senior executives, including president Charles Phillips, chief financial officer Safra Katz and global channel chief Judson Althoff, will give speeches on sales strategies.

Database product development executives will offer insight into key technologies, such as cloud computing and open source. Regional executives and channel managers will also offer advice for partners around their specific geographic territories.

The database colossus will also offer partners advice on how to make money through the software of the many firms it has acquired. Oracle's biggest recent acquisition was its shock deal to buy server and storage giant Sun Microsystems.

Other recent acquisitions have included Virtual Iron, mValent, BEA and Primavera. Judson Althoff, Oracle's group vice president of worldwide alliances and channels, said: “This event symbolises a new level of transparency between Oracle and our global partner community of more than 20,000. Globally, partner business accounts for more than 40 per cent of our revenue.

"Empowering our partners with the same information that our own sales teams have will help align our strategies and sales efforts. Ultimately, this should produce the most value for our end customers.”