Egenera looks to restore value to disgruntled VCE VARs

Converged infrastructure specialist launches channel scheme and hits out at rivals' lack of value-add opportunities

Converged infrastructure software specialist Egenera is hoping its first formalised channel scheme will gain traction with Cisco VARs disenfranchised by a lack of value-add opportunities.

The Egenera Partner Network launches globally today and partner benefits include a deal registration scheme, market development funds and training for higher-volume partners. The vendor's vice president of marketing Ken Oestreich (pictured) claimed that resellers offering VMware, Cisco and EMC's (VCE) Vblock infrastructure packages are being cut out of valuable revenue streams.

"When you buy a Vblock, you buy a completely integrated product," he explained. "The vendors are doing all of the integration and taking the value out of the channel. We are taking an alternative approach; [partners] can choose their server and storage vendor."

Oestreich added that the Egenera offering would provide resellers with ample opportunities to build wrap-around professional services offerings. The software product also offers "very rich margins", according to Oestreich.

The vendor currently has no distribution partnerships in place, but is looking to cement some in the coming months. Ideal reseller partners will have expertise in SAN, networking and virtualisation technologies, said Oestreich, with disaster recovery skills a bonus.

"We prefer medium-to-large systems integrators," he added.