(Pictured above: Pure Storage’s Michael Sotnick gives thanks to attendees from the Pure Accelerate stage, May 22.)

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PURE ACCELERATE — Data-storage vendor Pure Storage has launched a new channel program designed to create stronger bonds with its most valuable partners.

The announcement came at the company’s Pure//Accelerate 2018 conference in San Francisco.

It’s a critical move, considering that publicly traded Pure Storage, which on Monday reported quarterly revenues of nearly $256 million, depends entirely on select channel partners to get its products to market.

The Pure Partner Program introduces two tiers: entry-level preferred and top-tier elite. The difference between them can be seen in their requirements.

Elite partners have a proven track record and ability to scale in their region and log a minimum of $500,000 per year in non-renewal transactions, including a minimum of five non-renewal transactions per year. Preferred partners must meet a minimum of $250,000 non-renewal transactions per year.

“The game here is not ‘the biggest partners are the top partners,’” said Michael Sotnick, vice president of field and channel operations at Pure Storage. “Every partner, by demonstrating the level of investment, commitment and capability, has the opportunity to achieve the top level within our program.”

Elite-level partners will gain benefits in areas such as systematic lead sharing, referral opportunities, new investment models and, of course, standardized discounts. Elite partners get 55 percent off list price for registered deals, 45 percent for non-registered deals. Preferred partners get 53 percent for registered deals, 43 percent for non-registered deals.

The new channel program coincides with Pure Storage’s announcements of new products: FlashArray//X product line built for shared accelerated storage; and AIRI Mini, a scaled-down version of AIRI, a Pure Storage-NVIDIA hardware and software solution tuned for artificial intelligence workloads unveiled in March.

“When is the best time for a vendor to deliver a standardized and simplistic discount model to their partners?” Sotnick asked. “It’s with a new product launch.”

The FlashArray//X product line and changes to the Pure Partner Program go into effect Aug. 1.