VMware (NYSE: VMW) says that demand from channel partners for its vCenter Operations Management solutions is growing at an impressive clip, prompting the vendor to open a new VMware Partner Network Management Solution Competency, its sixth such proficiency highlighting partner expertise, skills and differentiation.

The virtualization kingpin’s rationale for the new Solution Competency is that customers need a powerful virtualization management solution — let’s take vCenter Operations Management, for example — to move to a private cloud, reduce operating expenses and deliver better service.

“Our newest Solution Competency enables you to sell and deliver vCenter Operations services and take advantage of a huge whitespace opportunity within the existing vSphere customer base,” said Doug Smith, VMware vice president, Partner Strategy and Operations in a blog post.

Findings from an April, 2012 VMware customer study conducted by Enterprise Strategy Group revealed that 97 percent of vSphere customers lack a management solution from which they’d likely benefit, opening up a market opportunity the vendor pegs at some $1.4 billion.

For early adopters, VMware is offering a 40 percent discount on post-sales training required to attain the Management Competency. Candidates that buy the vCenter Operations Manager: Analyze & Predict two-day instructor-led training (ILT) at regular price will receive a 40 percent discount on the vCenter Operations Manager: Introduction three-day ILT.

In addition, channel partners headed toward completing competency requirements can receive up to $1,500 in market development funds to underwrite activities to build demand for vCenter Operations Management. Partners will have to demonstrate an ROI and the activities must be pre-approved. VMware also is offering end user promotions and solutions rebates up to 20 percent.

VMware’s other Solution Competencies include Infrastructure Virtualization, Virtualization of Business Critical Applications, Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Business Continuity and Desktop Virtualization. The vendor promotes the competencies as levers for partners to deploy to improve customer credibility and visibility, gain marketing support tools, incentives and rewards, and attain recognition as a VMware go-to partner.