Dell expands cloud reach to Europe

Originally piloted through selected resellers in the US, vendor's Cloud Channel programme becomes part of PartnerDirect

Dell has widened the scope of its cloud offering by extending its Cloud Services scheme to all PartnerDirect members across Europe.

A number of Dell's partners in the US have been involved in a pilot of its Cloud Channel programme since June this year, but the vendor has only now made it available to its wider channel community.

It has also extended its channel certification programme, with the Cloud Services & Solutions competency certification – originally unveiled in March. The competency is divided into three specialist areas: Cloud Builder, Cloud Provider and Cloud Services Enabler.

Declan Murphy, vice president of Dell Services EMEA, said: “Our cloud certification brings Dell’s offerings together, in one easy package for partners. The intention is to make the journey to the cloud as easy as possible and give partners a flexible, scalable solution that meets customers’ needs.

“We have already seen significant interest from our partners in leveraging Dell’s vCloud platform for customers. Our partners are a critical part of our go-to-market strategy and play an essential role in delivering our full suite of offerings," he added.

The move has been praised by its partners.

Roger Harry, managing director of Circle IT Solutions, said: "Customers want to know we understand their needs and can provide a suitable solution to address them. The Cloud Services Enabler Certifications allow us to demonstrate that we know how to solve real-world issues, and have the backing of Dell’s cloud solution experts.

“We can position ourselves in the trusted adviser role, and we are one of the first partners to gain this accreditation, which builds on the existing success of the PartnerDirect programme.”