Virtualization and cloud infrastructure specialist VMware announced
new specializations, certification, solution competency and toolkits at
the company’s annual Partner Exchange conference, designed to help
partners deliver enterprise hybrid cloud solutions. In an effort to
further increase partner revenue streams, VMware introduced
specializations, certification and solution competency, including
academic and federal specializations, desktop certification and
virtualization of business critical applications solution competency.
VMware now offers specializations that distinguish and reward partners
globally for their vertical market expertise. Solution providers,
corporate resellers, system integrators and outsourcers that focus on
academic and U.S. Federal government customers are eligible for these
specializations.
The three-tier VMware desktop certification validates and recognizes
individuals with the education, experience and expertise needed to
implement virtual desktops. The first tier, VMware Certified Associate
4 - Desktop, is in beta and will be generally available in April 2011.
The VMware Certified Professional 4 - Desktop and Certified Advanced
Professional - Desktop certifications will follow later in 2011.
The solution competency will focus on enabling partners to migrate
their customers’ business-critical applications and infrastructures to
virtualized environments, and is designed to help partners be better
equipped to move their customers toward 100 percent virtualized
environments.
“In 2010, we outlined our vision for taking customers on a journey to
the cloud as the industry continues its shift toward IT as a Service,”
said Carl Eschenbach, co-president of customer operations for VMware.
“Our partners are on the frontlines in delivering this vision to
customers, and Partner Exchange 2011 is about educating partners and
arming them with the right mix of programs and tools to help them
become trusted advisers within the new hybrid cloud paradigm – teaching
them how to provide solutions across the new IT stack today while
preparing them for how customers will consume IT in the future.”
Beginning in April 2011, VMware partners’ renewal business will be
incorporated into the Partner Rewards quarterly rebate program.
Designed to reward accredited sales representatives within the VMware
solution provider community for sales and training activities, the
company also announced Sales Rewards, a points-based rewards program
enabling partners to earn and redeem points for merchandise, gift
cards, travel experiences and more.
VMware launched Solution Enablement Toolkits (SETs) in September 2010:
The company said more than 26,000 SET documents have been downloaded
since then. At Partner Exchange 2011, VMware introduced seven more SETs
within the three current SET libraries: In the Infrastructure
Virtualization Library, vSphere Plan and Design and Virtualization
Assessment were added. For the Desktop Library, ThinApp Plan and
Design, Optimization Kit for Windows 7 and View Plan and Design joined
the roster, and in the Business Continuity Library, the company added
vCenter Site Recovery Manager Accelerator and vCenter Site Recovery
Manager Plan and Design.
Virtualization 
