Converged data vendor MapR has launched a new global partner program for resellers and distributors to leverage the company's integrated data storage, processing and analytics platform.

MapR, whose data processing and analytics technology is built on top of open source solutions that include Hadoop and Spark, already has a sizable channel presence. The new offering, which MapR announced Thursday, extends it further.

Called the Converged Partners program, the offering has three tiers. The first is for new MapR partners, the second is for "established partners with regional presence" and the third is an invitation-only for partners "with significant global presence [and] a proven MapR track record," according to MapR.

The partner program includes access to MapR's converged data platform and product certifications for companies that resell or distribute MapR software.

MapR hopes the expanded channel presence will help partners to work more effectively with the wide range of data solutions that MapR now offers. The company in its early years was primarily a Hadoop distributor, but its current Converged Data Platform does much more than Hadoop.

The new partner program also reflects MapR's effort to capitalize on global growth in recent years. It reported 100% growth in the Americas and EMEA and 140% growth in APAC.

"Earlier this year we shipped the new MapR Converged Data Platform, which serves as a single agile platform to unify data and provide the flexibility to easily adapt to emerging technologies and changing business conditions,:  said Geneva Lake, VP, worldwide alliances, MapR Technologies.  The industry recognizes that we provide a highly differentiated data platform and we have built up this worldwide alliance program to help our partners drive new revenue and accelerate big data deployments worldwide."