Emulex reconnects channel plan
Storage and networking vendor ups ante in battle for 10Gb Ethernet market supremacy
Emulex has introduced a raft of partner incentives to drive sales of its 10Gb Ethernet products and steal market share from its rivals.
Over the past 18 months, the storage vendor has been repositioning itself as a network convergence specialist, with particular emphasis on 10Gb Ethernet technology.
The firm cites Intel and Broadcom as its biggest competition, and claims to have steadily eaten into the latter's share of the market over the past 12 months.
Jason Phippen, senior director of marketing in EMEA at Emulex, said: "We are third place in the 10Gb Ethernet market, based on revenues. We are picking up sales from Broadcom."
To ensure its market share continues on its upward trajectory, the company has recently overhauled its partner programme by introducing a new certification level along with improved sales incentives.
Shaun Walsh, vice president of marketing at Emulex, said: "The updated programme provides all the tools required for Emulex and its channel partners to become the leading providers of 10Gb Ethernet-based solutions in the market."
The new Emulex Connect Partner Programme provides bigger SPIFs, product discounts and features a simplified claims process, designed to provide partners with faster access to marketing funds and deal registration rewards.
A new certification level has also been introduced, which will see VARs generating high-volume sales of the firm's 10Gb Ethernet products designated as Connect + partners.
The certification is open to all levels of partners (Authorised, Gold and Platinum) and will see them rewarded with a three-to-five per cent discount on Emulex's Ethernet products.
This is in addition to the five per cent offered to Authorised partners and the 10 per cent given to its Platinum and Gold ones when they sell any standard Fibre Channel or Ethernet product from Emulex.
Phippen said, as well as helping the firm gain share, the programme changes would improve the vendor's market visibility and attract new partners.
In particular, the vendor is looking for more network-centric VARs and white-box server resellers to supplement the high number of storage and server specialists on its books.
"A lot of the business we do is through our OEM partners, where our products are embedded into their hardware," added Phippen.
"If end users require extra performance, we want them to know that it is best to use our technology because it is already part of their infrastructure."
Paul Hickingbotham, solutions manager at Emulex distributor Hammer, said the new features of the programme should prove compelling for partners.
He said: "The programme will be an effective way of providing tools that will help resellers to grow their Emulex business further, while educating and supporting channel partners."
Mark Walker, director of converged infrastructure at distributor Azlan, added: "There are no revenue or training bars to enter the programme, and there are genuine benefits at every tier, which is something we haven't seen in many other partner programmes."