Veritas Rolls Out Independent Partner Program as It Separates From Symantec
**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of September’s important channel-program changes you should know.**
As it prepares to become a standalone company, Veritas Technologies has announced its independent global partner program focused on its information-management partners.
In August, Symantec announced the sale of its Veritas information management business to The Carlyle Group. Earlier this month marked the operational separation of Symantec and Veritas, and the two now have separate partner programs.
Rick Kramer, Veritas’ vice president of Americas channel sales, tells Channel Partners that when Symantec first announced its separation plans, one of the stated goals was to focus on growth opportunities and go-to-market capabilities for the respective information management and enterprise security businesses.
“Veritas and the Veritas Partner Force program focus on partners with relevant capabilities and goals to drive growth by serving customers in that market,” he said. “Globally, 98 percent of the overall Symantec channel partner ecosystem and metal (platinum, gold, and silver) partners are anticipated to move to Veritas. These partners have invested in the information management competencies defined within the Veritas Partner Force program.”
Program changes include: an increased opportunity registration cap, from $500,000 to $1 million, while maintaining payout rates; a three-step payout program that increases high-growth accelerators and simplifies quarterly payouts; and a streamlined path to achieve platinum status by requiring two, rather than three, expert competencies and replacing the customer reference requirement with the opportunity for partners to better showcase customer successes.
“The foundation of Veritas’ independent partner program stands on the partner program rolled out last year when the business was still a part of Symantec,” Kramer said. “As we prepared for the separation, we gathered extensive feedback from our partners to ensure Veritas’ independent program was optimized for the information management partner. With the roll out of Partner Force, Veritas has made it easier for partners to earn money quickly and predictably while selling Veritas solutions.”
Partners are key to Veritas’ success as an independent company, and “we will continue to deliver innovative solutions for our partners to differentiate in the market and drive value for their customers,” he said. The Veritas business is growing, and the company is “eager” to work with its partners to achieve mutual success, he said.
“In this highly competitive channel marketplace, it is good news for partners that Veritas is continuing to focus on its partner program with these new benefits and rewards,” said Darren Bibby, IDC’s program vice president, channels and alliances research. “These changes underscore that a stand-alone Veritas is committed to the channel and rewarding those partners who invest in the company and its products.”
