Veeam Software is closely working with its partners to deliver modern data protection solutions for the multi-cloud enterprise and help customers manage and back up all the new types of data that are critical to their environment. In an Exclusive Interview Sandeep Bhambure, Managing Director, Veeam Software – India & SAARC believes the first step towards building resilient infrastructure is educating stakeholders and implementing accurate data backup and protection solutions/techniques
CRN India: How Veeam is transforming its partners to capitalize on the vast opportunities associated with Cloud and the Storage- as- a Service opportunity.
Veeam is a firm believer that the success of our partners reflects on our success as an organization. We continuously strive to bring constant innovation to our product portfolio as well as our partner programs to stay relevant in the industry. We have seen a change in the market dynamics and hence our partner programs are always innovative and relevant.
We have recognized that the move to cloud architectures and transition to agile OpEx and subscription-based IT is driving substantial change. The cloud is a convenient way to store backups offsite and a cost-effective alternative to a traditional DR site. With the primary aim to support our partners in meeting the changing needs/requirements of customers and to accelerate their business as well as strengthen their revenue, Veeam is constantly driving competencies, simplicity, and consistency so partners can ensure customer success and meet their business objectives.
In line with this, we have strengthened our Partner Perks program which has been specially developed to increase partner engagement, reward them, encourage focused solutions adoption, and drive business growth. Veeam also offers a variety of other network programs that allows ease of access and offer better support to our partners as well increase partner engagement, and encourage focused products/ solutions adoption amongst customers.
CRN India: Today’s businesses are increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure to meet the needs of their remote workers—a change that requires new tactical, as well as digital, transformation strategies. How Veeam’s partners are looking at this opportunity.
With the upsurge in digital and cloud-based services, the role of channel partners has become even more crucial to driving brand and product awareness. With businesses continuing to rapidly adopt digital and embrace multi-cloud and hybrid cloud, we want to help our partners add greater value and build more strategic relationships with our customers. Developing suitable skill sets, upskilling staff, and identifying additional revenue streams with software and services has become preeminent, and Veeam is constantly thriving to support its partners in their journey towards digital transformation.
Traditional partners recognize the need for change and quickly adapt to changing customer technology consumption patterns, particularly the acceleration of cloud computing. While new cloud service provider partners have emerged, the large providers have recognized the need for a specialist cloud team, which has aided our agenda in some ways. We continue to work with our traditional partners as they understand and appreciate the cloud business. For the new cloud divisions, we help them understand the challenges surrounding cloud data management and our customers’ changing backup and data protection expectations.
CRN India: How can partners use Veeam competencies to highlight their technical expertise to global customers? What does it take to achieve these competencies and how does it help partners?
At Veeam, we understand how important it is to have simple and flexible partner programs that meet the unique needs of a varied partner network. Our solutions are flexible, easy to install, simple to run, and always reliable, and we have designed our Partner Programs around the same principle. “Your success is our mission” is the foundation of our channel programs and our promise to our partners.
As a leader in backup, recovery, and data management solutions that deliver Modern Data Protection, we understand the challenges faced by customers and as a 100% channel-driven company, we are always there to help our partners. Veeam’s ProPartner Network value pillars are – You Profit. We Protect. Our Promise.
We believe Veeam is uniquely placed to help partners in this process. Veeam has launched new certifications – Veeam Sales Professional (VMSP) and Veeam Technical Sales Professional (VMTSP). With Veeam Certified Engineer (VMCE) program, a joint investment by partner and Veeam, we extend the best practices of deployment in the era of hybrid cloud.
These partner programs are about more than just resources and benefits; they are also about how we can assist partners in existing projects to increase service revenue We are committed to driving predictable profit through multiple routes to market-based on the business models of our partners through these programs- We also offer a unique opportunity for all of our partners to collaborate with partners from other regions (globally) through the Partner Xchange program, allowing them to learn from one another. To ensure more measurable success for all stakeholders, Veeam introduces innovative partner programs every year.
Moving on to how partners can achieve these competencies, Veeam enables cloud and service provider partners to not only leverage innovative solutions but gain a true partner dedicated to helping them build reliable, revenue-generating service offerings.
The Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) program is one such program designed for companies whose primary business function is to provide hosting, cloud, or managed services to multiple independent companies (i.e., other legal entities under different ownership). These services can include:
- Backup as a Service (BaaS)
- Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Hosting, cloud, and managed services for multi-cloud environments
The VCSP program also includes the VCSP Competency Program which is designed to strengthen the cooperation between a service provider and Veeam by offering greater market visibility for a partner’s solution offerings. The mission of this program is to provide VCSP partners the opportunity to be recognized and supported by Veeam in the promotion of their Veeam-powered solutions.
The program has a total of 7 competency logos, largely bucketed under two categories – Customer Focused and Reseller Focused. VCSP partners apply to the Competency program via the ProPartner Portal – once qualified, a partner may display the designated VCSP Competency logo.
CRN India: With having a large partner ecosystem in India, what is a common goal Veeam is driving for and with its partners?
With businesses continuing to rapidly adopt digital transformation and embrace hybrid cloud, we want to help our partners add greater value and build more strategic relationships with our customers. Our partner programs and our investments in the channel community are designed to help our partners grow, as we grow our business in the market, which makes it a very exciting prospect for our channel partners.
Veeam and its channel partners are committed to ensuring business continuity across industries through uninterrupted access to any data and application across any hybrid-cloud, multi-cloud infrastructure. Veeam’s partner programs are designed to build trusting, long-term relationships that meet our customers’ demands. Partners need to understand the way customers are consuming technology and how the cloud can help businesses be more agile in cutting down the cost enhancing customer experience and also be aware of the potential risk of moving business in a multi-cloud, hybrid cloud world.
Another key priority for Veeam is to deliver modern data protection solutions for the multi-cloud enterprise and help customers manage and back up all the new types of data that are critical to their environment. We believe the first step towards building resilient infrastructure is educating stakeholders and implementing accurate data backup and protection solutions/techniques. Furthermore, implementing a strong, multi-layered defense and strategy to address ransomware is the key, it comprises three key elements: education, implementation, and remediation. To sum it up, having an ultra-resilient approach to backing up, recovering, and restoring data are vital to protect business continuity in the event of a ransomware attack or any threat to data availability.
