Riverbed Launches Technology Alliance Program

Riverbed Technology (RVBD) launched its Riverbed-Ready Technology Alliance Program this week, which promises to give reseller partners access to the larger Riverbed reseller ecosystem packaged around an industry-standard partner program infrastructure. The program was announced during Riverbed FORCE 14 in San Jose, California, and promises to help foster a community of partners around Riverbed’s Application Performance Platform and bring new benefits to customers.

The Riverbed Application Performance Platform is built specifically around enabling users to develop their own hybrid enterprise solutions and embrace location-independent computing, meaning enterprises can run and grow their business and applications via the cloud. Riverbed said the partner program will provide resellers with new technologies to take advantage of the platform, extend the value and functionality of its existing solutions and create new opportunities for reseller and technology partners, according to the press release.

As with other partner programs throughout the channel, Riverbed is offering three levels of membership, from the entry-level Silver to the premier Gold and Platinum levels. Riverbed-Ready members will be able to test their solutions with Riverbed products, while Gold and Platinum partners will have increased opportunities for deeper product integration and joint testing, according to the company. All members will also have access to joint marketing, sales and channel alignment, online training, product info and free software and discounts on lab units.

According to Jerome Noll, director of Technology Alliances at Riverbed, the company developed the new partner program to broaden its focus—the previous program focused specifically on its SteelHead WAN optimization solution. Now that Riverbed offers a more extensive platform, the company needed to rethink how it approached its partner solutions, he said.

“Our joint customers are the primary beneficiary of the Riverbed-Ready Technology Alliance program as they gain the benefit of integrated solutions that more fully meet their needs,” said Noll, in a blog post. “All members gain the benefit of Riverbed’s global sales and channel reach and can mutually leverage each other to provide more to joint customers and prospects.”