DataCore has released new versions of its flagship SANmelody and SANsymphony software, and has added enhancements to its channel partner program to make it more profitable for solution providers selling the vendor’s storage virtualization solutions.

Incentives such as increased margins, a more flexible deal registration program and an “open door” model that will allow more solution providers to sell DataCore’s flagship SANmelody and SANsymphony solutions, says Brooks Butler, North American Central Region Sales Director, Data Core.

“One of the major things we’ve done is to add 10 points of margin for each registered deal,” Butler says. “That’s in addition to the previous 5 points solution providers used to get that didn’t offer them a lot of incentive or protection. Now they can get 15 points, and that’s resonated a lot with our partners,” he says.

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Butler also says DataCore has changed its deal registration program to allow solution provider to register any deal, including upgrades and add-ons to existing customers’ deployments. Previously, DataCore only allowed solution providers to register deals with new customers, he says.

A new "open door" policy will also extend DataCore’s reach, Butler says. The change will allow any solution provider to order SANmelody and SANsymphony from major broadline distributors including Lifeboat, Ingram Micro, Tech Data, Promark and Alternative Technologies, he says.

“This open program means that any solution provider can sell our products as long as they have a relationship with one of those distributors,” says Butler, opening the door for more solution providers to add DataCore solutions to their linecard.

These partner program enhancements come as DataCore also is announcing SANmelody 3.0 and SANsymphony 7.0 versions, says Butler. The newest versions include performance enhancements, easier data migration, thin provisioning and high-availability that improve storage performance and capacity, Butler says.

Currently, Butler says there are about 60 solution providers eager to take advantage of the new enhancements in his territory alone, which stretches from Minnesota to Texas.

He says the new incentives serve as a sort of "stimulus program" for solution providers looking to accelerate their storage and virtualization practices, and expects partners to jump at the chance to sell the solutions.

“Right now, I have about 60 partners participating and I expect that number to triple by the end of 2009,” he says.