Enterprise security company, Palo Alto Networks, has updated its NextWave channel partner program. The company’s worldwide channels senior vice-president, Ron Myers, said the changes include new differentiation and specialisations, new profitability opportunities, as well as new loyalty opportunities.
New differentiation and specialisations now include pre-sales training within the enablement framework, pre-sales, sales and post-sales individual accreditations and certifications, nine pre-sales specialisations with different levels and expertise (within cybersecurity, platform, endpoint, mobile, and datacentre) by role (foundation, associate and professional), and TRAPS advanced endpoint specialisation.
Partners that achieve this will be granted the highest deal registration protection (up to 25 per cent) for one year.
Changes to its profitability opportunities includes improved diamond and platinum partner margins that reward partners who exceed quarterly growth targets, predictable NFR discounts based on NextWave level, and real-time reporting on the utilisation of NFR equipment, NFR return-on-investment and proof-of-concept activities.
Myers said this move aims to achieve higher deal closure rates and reduce costs of doing business.
New loyalty features include a simplified partner framework with new silver-level requirements, a global availability of the highest NextWave diamond-level partner status, an upgraded deal registration system, an updated partner learning center, and a new renewals platform.
“It inspires us to keep redefining how we engage with and enable partners to become next-generation security innovators – experts equipped to help mutual customers around the globe prevent successful cyber breaches.
“It goes without saying that the cyberthreat landscape is constantly evolving. Today, many different vendors are clamoring about how their pseudo “platforms” – often legacy technologies cobbled together – are the best way for customers to protect themselves against the latest threats,” he said.
As such, Myers claimed partners that have the expertise to assist in the technical evaluations by becoming next-generation security innovators create deeper relationships with their customers and are more profitable.
“With the newest updates to our NextWave channel partner program, we are committed to helping enable this, fostering your success not just by enabling technical differentiation and specialisations, but also by enhancing profitability opportunities, simplifying the way we interact with and support partners, and helping them build sustainable, breach prevention-focused security practices,” he added.
