SolarWinds used its 2026 Partner Summit this week to unveil a revitalized global partner program aimed at strengthening partner-led growth and improving predictability across its channel ecosystem.
Program updates promise to deepen partner relationships and scale outcomes
The updated program introduces new tiered benefits, expanded marketing investments, deeper enablement, and platform improvements designed to help partners scale more effectively while delivering stronger customer outcomes.
The changes reflect SolarWinds’ continued push toward a partner-first strategy as the company looks to deepen engagement across MSPs, resellers, and service providers.
“Our enhanced 2026 Partner Program provides a renewed foundation to drive great customer outcomes and an improved overall partner ecosystem,” said Barb Huelskamp, vice president of global channel sales and alliances at SolarWinds.
“By aligning our strategy with our purpose, mission, and CARE values, we’re establishing a framework that can support predictability for our partners and scalable growth for partners and their customers,” Huelskamp continued.
Tiered incentives and distributor alignment
At the center of the refreshed program is a new tiered benefits structure that rewards partners for growth and investment.
As partners move up in tier status, they gain access to expanded incentives, higher discounts, and additional program resources tied to metrics such as channel-initiated growth.
SolarWinds said it is working closely with distributors to ensure program benefits and requirements are consistently cascaded to resellers, including the publication of reseller-specific benefits.
The company also plans to pilot a rewards center in North America, allowing partner sellers to earn points toward cash incentives and prizes.
The move signals a broader effort to increase transparency and motivation across the channel while reinforcing SolarWinds’ reliance on distributor-led scale.
Expanded marketing and demand generation support
Recognizing the ongoing challenge of pipeline development, SolarWinds is increasing its investment in partner-led demand generation.
Based on program tier, partners will gain access to expanded marketing support designed to drive qualified leads and accelerate growth.
New offerings include proposal-based marketing development funds, co-brandable assets, and “campaigns in a box” that can be deployed quickly through the partner portal. SolarWinds said the goal is to make it easier for partners to execute repeatable, scalable campaigns tailored to their markets.
“This program reflects our serious commitment to a partner-first culture at SolarWinds,” said SolarWinds CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna. “By equipping partners to help customers predict disruptions, reduce risk, and recover faster, we enable real operational resilience.”
Why training and portal experiences are a key part of updates
The company is also building on enablement updates introduced in 2025, including role-based certifications. For 2026, SolarWinds plans to expand its curriculum with new training content and specialization tracks based on subject matter expertise, services, and vertical markets, including the public sector.
The updated enablement strategy is intended to help partners differentiate their offerings while aligning more closely with customer use cases around observability, IT management, and operational resilience.
SolarWinds promises a streamlined experience in partner portal functionality
SolarWinds said partners can also expect a more streamlined experience in 2026, driven by enhancements to its partner portal.
Planned improvements include simplified deal registration, improved lead sharing, a more efficient NFR request process, and clearer onboarding and business planning checklists.
Alongside the program updates, SolarWinds also announced its annual partner awards during the summit. An on-demand version of the event and additional details on the partner program are available through the SolarWinds partner portal.