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Centrify added national systems integrators (SIs) and consulting partners to its channel program to support the deployment of SaaS applications. These partners now have access to Centrify’s identity management platform, which is designed to securely provision and deploy software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications.

The key challenges of cloud adoption, according to Centrify executives, include provisioning users and applications combined with identity integration for cloud applications, such as Office 365, which can be complex and time-consuming. Through new national SI partners, Centrify can help them drive more Office 365 deployments via its Microsoft Azure-powered cloud identity platform, enabling them to securely provision and deploy SaaS-based apps and secure the perimeter for new apps and mobile devices, the company said. They also can provision other cloud apps, such as ServiceNow, Box, Salesforce, Docusign, Concur as well as on-premises applications.

The system integrator and consulting category is designed to support organizations that provide informed guidance on software selection and solutions and focus on the delivery and deployment of services and solutions as their primary business goal, according to Craig Gadberry, senior director of business development, Centrify. Instead of reselling product and receiving transactional fees, they receive referral fees—as well as other incentives—for partner deal registration.

This new category of partner also is designed to expand Centrify’s reach, which has been more regional and less strategic in terms of practice areas, while providing a new revenue stream for these new partners through consulting and integration projects around identity-based security.

Centrify launched its partner program a little over two years ago with a focus on traditional reseller partners. The new channel partner category is a different approach to how Centrify traditionally partnered in the channel, said Gadberry. “We have a referral program, but it’s very limited and not nationally aligned and certainly not defined by a particular competency or specialty, such as a Microsoft or Salesforce.com practice, for example.”

“The goal is to go more national and strategic in nature with those organizations that are providing that informed guidance and delivery capability behind solutions like Centrify,” Gadberry said.

It’s not the traditional approach of lining up a transaction and just reselling Centrify, Gadberry added. “It’s understanding the full scope of business requirements for that customer; the apps they need to run in their environments, and how Centrify supports the security layer of those applications in the enterprise.”

This required some changes to the partner program. Although national SI and consultant partners receive similar benefits such as deal registration and access to sales leads and marketing funds and similar requirements around training and certification, Centrify also had to develop agreement and engagement structures that are collaborative rather than transactional.

This includes an internal use arrangement for partners to employ Centrify Identity Service as a backbone layer for security within their own organizations. It also calls for technical certification requirements across the partners’ practice areas to ensure they are well-educated and trained to deliver Centrify solutions to market and to work with the company to support mutual customers.

Partners that have recently joined the program include McGladrey, Perficient, Peters & Associates and Rightpoint.

Gina Roos, a Channel Insider contributor, focuses on technology and the channel.