**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of recent channel-program changes you should know.**

By Edward Gately

IT service providers Connected Data and Neo Technology are announcing new partner programs to capitalize on market opportunities for their offerings.

Connected Data is launching its Excelerate Partner Program, designed to “fuel partner success in the white-hot file sync and share (FSS) market” with its Transporter private cloud storage appliances. The company says the program offers VARs, VADs, systems integrators and service providers an aggressive pricing model, financial incentives, and sales and marketing resources.

“The Excelerate Partner Program has been designed from the ground up to give our partners everything they need to quickly drive new revenue opportunities and capitalize on the explosive demand for secure file sync and share solutions,” said Russ Johnson, Connected Data’s COO. “With a 20 percent-plus protected margin for Gold-level partners, we’ve designed a program where partners can quickly benefit from a recurring revenue stream while giving them the opportunity to broaden their footprint into existing customers and easily land new ones.”

For program members, Connected Data offers not-for-resale pricing of 45 percent off manufacturers’ suggested retail prices, and supports partner customers with a 30-day free trial offer so end users can test the product. The program offers two levels of membership, each with comprehensive onboarding, including sales and technical training.

The partner opportunity is clearly there. IDC forecasts the FSS market to grow at more than a 23 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2018, to $2.3 billion. The growth will continue to be driven by the shift to cloud, mobile use of FSS, and the ability to share and collaborate with others effectively.

Also this week, Neo Technology, creator of the Neo4j graph database, launched its new global partner program aimed at systems integrators, independent software vendors and original equipment manufacturers of all sizes. The program is designed to boost awareness of …

… graph databases, while building a community of expert partners to meet business demands for this technology.

“We already have a network of 160 partners, but there’s definitely a growing appetite from business to learn more about graphs,” said Erik Nolten, Neo Technology’s director of alliances and channel. “In response, we are launching a more scalable program that provides specialist guidance and support, so our partners can really champion this technology.”

The program will provide enhanced support, training and education on the roles graph databases can play in solving a range of business challenges, including fraud detection, recommendations, graph-based search, master data management, networking and IT management, and identity and access management.

The program includes two new partner levels: Neo4j Solution Partner, aimed at partners looking to resell Neo4j licenses and provide higher-level customer support; and Neo4j OEM Partner, targeted at startup-to-enterprise-size OEMs with extensive experience in graph technology.