Oracle Channel Chief Reaches Out to Sun Partners

Oracle Channel Chief Judson Althoff is using web video to directly reach Sun Microsystems partners. In a video posted February 15, Althoff describes how Sun partners can begin to participate in the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) specialized program. The video certainly answers a few questions… but The VAR Guy has some additional queries that he hopes Oracle will address soon. Here are the details.

Sure, the video is Oracle-produced and therefore Oracle-controlled. But Althoff does offer some worthwhile info. Althoff points out that OPN Specialized launched in December 2009, so Sun VARs can essentially get up to speed just as quickly as Oracle’s established partner base. Althoff is directing Sun’s partners to the OPN portal and related Knowledge Zones. Basic advice, but timely nonetheless.

Call to action No. 2 involves Sun partners pushing beyond “components” (such as storage) to also sell the database, warehousing, analytics, and business intelligence solutions on top of that, Althoff noted. “All the skills required to do that are basically available through the Enablement 2.0 framework that we’ve set up,” Althoff states.

Here are his words, firsthand:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBZMzSpEH4s

The conversation doesn’t end there. Oracle has set up an OraclePartnerNetwork video destination on YouTube. Scores of videos are now posted there.

Next Questions, And SAP Moves…

Meanwhile, The VAR Guy still has four nagging questions about Oracle’s partner strategy for Sun solutions. As our resident blogger stated on January 28, partners need to know if Oracle plans to introduce additional specialized efforts involving (1) MySQL, (2) a so-called Unbreakable MySQL, (3) Solaris and SPARC and (4) Java.

Also of note: Oracle may soon face more intense channel partner competition from SAP, despite a recent CEO shakeup at the German software company. There are signals that SAP plans to host a partner conference in Las Vegas the week of March 1, 2010. The VAR Guy isn’t much for Sin City. But our resident blogger will be listening closely for clues about ongoing channel moves at SAP and Oracle.