HP to lend sales might to cloud partners

Vendor launches new cloud-focused channel programmes, training and consultancy offerings

HP is continuing its indirect push towards the cloud by launching a channel scheme for service providers and opening up certain consultancy services to resellers.

Unveiled today is the HP CloudAgile Service Provider Programme, the first four EMEA partners for which are: UKFast; Attenda; Centric; and Eshgro. Savvis has also been confirmed as a global partner. Companies on the programme will benefit from a bigger services portfolio and can lean on HP's worldwide sales force to speed up sales cycles.

Kevin Matthews, HP's UK and Ireland channel manager for Enterprise Storage, Servers and Networking (ESSN), claimed the CloudAgile programme will apply both to pure-play service providers and VARs looking to branch into service provision.

"We have a sales commission programme for our HP account managers that rewards them for when their customer goes to a service provider [not just for] buying the product and running it in house," added Matthews (pictured, below). "A lot of vendors talk about [doing this], but not a lot actually do. It has always been a difficult thing for vendors to get to grips with."

Also launched by HP today is a range of certifications for IT professionals based around its CloudSystem platform. The Accredited Solutions Expert (ASE) Cloud Architect badge validates techies' ability to "identify, position and tailor" offerings based on HP's cloud technology.

The ASE Cloud Integrator certificate focuses on IT pros that build, install and integrate cloud offerings based on HP Cloud Service Automation for Matrix. It also covers "provisioning software for cloud services".

Those holding the top-level Master ASE Cloud Integrator are certified to "build, install and integrate hybrid enterprise and service provider cloud solutions".

HP Cloud Protection Consulting, also launched today, provides a range of security- and storage-focused cloud consultancy services, which channel partners can sell collaboratively with HP.

Paul Early, channel manager at HP technology services UK, told ChannelWeb the vendor hoped to open up more consultancy revenue streams to the channel over the coming years.

"We have a roadmap of bringing down some of our high-availability services [to the channel] over the next three years," he said. "It is about bringing more value."

Read more about HP's 2012 plans for the cloud and the channel in CRN on 12 December.