Emulex Enhances Connect Partner Program

Emulex Corporation announced
enhancements to its Connect Partner Program, including a loyalty
program, enhanced reseller training tools, and streamlined deal registration
and web enablement.

The Connect Partner Program will also be extended to Emulex reseller partners
in the AsiaPac region in 2013. It arms
resellers with the tools, training, and incentives to drive I/O technologies
and joint solutions into the channel, enabling the high-performing data
centers across the globe.

"The next generation of our Connect Partner
Program is designed to maximize partner profits and revenues, while helping
them bring high-performing FC and network convergence solutions to the market,
enabling customers’ applications such as big data, software defined networking,
I/O caching and server virtualization deployments worldwide," said
Shaun Walsh, SVP marketing and corporate development, Emulex. "We’ve done this by giving partners faster
access to cash incentives, extending some top tier benefits to smaller loyal
resellers, and expanding our lead generation efforts for the channel, based on
their direct feedback. Additionally, this year, we’re extending all of these
benefits to our partners in the APAC region."

Emulex’s
three-tiered partner community, which has been designated for the third
straight year as one of CRN Magazine‘s 5-Star Partner Programs, provides partners
with the tools, training, support and information required to promote and sell
network and storage connectivity solutions.

Enhancements and benefits
of the
Connect Partner Program include:

• Loyalty Program: This program provides a path for resellers in the
  lower program tiers to earn limited Platinum-level benefits by displaying
  consistent purchase behaviors. Examples of these benefits include demonstration
  and proof of concept equipment, priority lead distribution, and priority access
  to Market Development Funds (MDF).
• Reseller Incentives: Unlike
  competing partner programs, all Connect Partners, regardless of tier, now
  receive complete sales cycle incentives, including project registration, deal
  registration and SPIFs. Emulex also offers a range of Emulex reward
  SPIFs, including both Emulex-branded and OEM-branded I/O connectivity solutions.
• Lead and Demand Generation: The
  Connect Partner Program includes enhanced CRM tools, allowing Emulex to provide qualified leads to Connect+ and
  Platinum tier partners. This is in response to feedback that leads are the top
  priority for partners’ participation in vendor channel programs, according to
  the CRN Annual Reseller Survey.
• Reseller Training and Sales
  Tools: The Connect Partner Program online training now includes
  content for all Emulex solutions, including LightPulse 16Gb FC HBAs, OneConnect Network Acceleration (NX) solutions and OneCommand Vision.
  Training was the second highest priority for partners’ participation in vendor
  channel programs, based on the CRN Annual Reseller Survey.
• Streamlined Enablement and
  Administrative Tools: Emulex has rolled out a new Salesforce.com-based portal for
  streamlined deal registration and SPIF claims, which also reduces
  administrative cycles for resellers.
• Expansion into APAC: Emulex is
  expanding the reach of the Connect Partner Program by offering Connect benefits
  to eligible APAC partners in 2013. This now provides APAC resellers access to
  the lucrative deal registration and Connect Rewards SPIF programs as well
  access to a range of training and business development tools.

"The loyalty program was a
compelling reason for us to join the Connect Partner Program, in addition to
the revenue incentives, lead generation and competitive pricing, which will
enable us to maximize our profits," said Gary Johnston, president, IT
Partners. "The onboard process for
new members is clear and streamlined, and we have been very pleased with
interoperability testing, as well as the process to get up-to-speed quickly on
the market and key selling points for customers’ next-generation data centers."

"The Emulex Connect Partner
Program is different than other programs as it provides incentives to all of
its partners, no matter what tier they fall into, along with a broad range of
rewards and promotions to benefit both partner and end user," said
Gordon Esslemont, commercial director of Ultima Business Solutions Ltd. "And, with such a broad range of I/O
connectivity solutions for our customers, we feel we have the right solution
for virtually any customers’ deployment needs, from flash to virtualization, to
the cloud."