https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Master Agents
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • MSSP Insider
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Apply Now
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Channel Educational Series
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
    • Channel Convergence
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Content Resources
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Master Agents
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • MSSP Insider
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Apply Now
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Channel Educational Series
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
    • Channel Convergence
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Content Resources
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

SDN/SD-WAN


Channel Partners Top Gun 51 logo

Top Gun 51 Profile: Nitel’s Taylor Castronova on SD-WAN, Changing Channel Approach

Castranova has seen a big shift away from a one-size-fits-all approach.

There are loads of suppliers in the marketplace but their channel programs aren’t all on equal footing. Partner and customer success demand a channel leader who stands a cut above, and who can work closely with stakeholders while navigating an industry where change is an ongoing phenomenon.

Today, Channel Partners and Channel Futures turn our attention to another such executive in our inaugural Top Gun 51 class: Nitel channel chief and SVP of sales and account development Taylor Castranova.

Nitel's Taylor Castranova

Nitel’s Taylor Castranova

It’s been a busy year for Nitel, which rebranded in 2018. Castranova took us through not only the organization’s own change, but some of its recent channel highlights and future plans — plus her thoughts on the best part about working in the channel.

Channel Partners: We’re coming up on the one-year mark since Nitel rebranded. Can you share your perspective on how that’s gone so far, particularly from a partner perspective?

Taylor Castranova: We not only rebranded Nitel in terms of logo, website [and so on], but we took an entirely different approach to the channel as a whole. The visual rebranding was just one element of a broader transformation we went through as an organization. We regionalized the sales teams, sales engineers, project management and account management teams to provide dedicated resources and to support the promise of the new brand to deliver simplicity to all partners and customers. From a partner perspective, the rebranding allowed us to more effectively communicate who Nitel is and what our core competencies are.

CP: What kinds of feedback are you getting from partners about Nitel’s expanded partnership with Cisco?

TC: The partnership has been well-received. Cisco is a respected industry name and teaming up with them allows us to offer unique SD-WAN features and functionalities. With multiple SD-WAN platforms to choose from, partners can focus on a customer’s business needs instead of forcing them into a specific solution. Also, since we’re delivering the service over the Nitel Connect SD-WAN platform, we can offer customers more predictable application performance by routing select traffic over our private backbone.

We recently unveiled our “Top Gun 51,” a list of today’s channel executives who deserve recognition for building and executing programs in a way that drives partner, customer and supplier success.

CP: On a related note, where do you see the SD-WAN market going?

TC: With hybrid networking continuing to grow, customers are implementing SD-WAN as a way of diversifying their existing MPLS service. SD-WAN is not the MPLS replacement we originally thought it would be; at the same time, security is almost always part of SD-WAN conversations. With the most prominent SD-WAN platforms integrating firewall capabilities – including every platform Nitel supports – we see an increasing convergence of these two technologies.

CP: What have some of your other highlights of 2019 so far?

TC: In 2019, we launched our Cisco Secure SD-WAN solution and articulated the benefits of the Nitel Connect SD-WAN platform as a way to improve predictability in the middle mile. Partners have seen the value of our multiplatform SD-WAN strategy coupled with last-mile options ranging from common DIA and cable to technologies like fixed wireless, 4G and satellite. This has resulted in year-over-year growth in SD-WAN sales of 173%. This year we also expanded our sales support and partner support teams as a result of onboarding over 200 new subagents so far this year.

CF: The channel business – like the IT industry overall – has obviously changed in recent years. What are the biggest evolutions in the channel from your point of view? What changes do you see coming in the near future?

TC: The biggest shift I’ve seen is a move toward providing total solutions through a more consultative approach versus the one-product-fits-all approach of yesterday. As businesses become more complex, customers require …

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
Tags: Agents Channel Partners Event Coverage Industry Honors Mobility & Wireless SDN/SD-WAN Security

Related


  • Channel Chief Nameplate
    AT&T, Telarus, MicroCorp Vet to Lead RSI's Channel
    The MSSP entered the channel in early 2019.
  • Merge road sign
    Agents Voice Concerns, Hopes for Master Agent Consolidation
    Subagents weigh in on how mergers and acquisitions could impact them long-term.
  • Cloud on mobile devices
    AT&T Adds Mobile Cloud PBX to RingCentral-Powered Collaboration Solution
    The carrier has been partnering with RingCentral around unified communication for several years.
  • Advantage
    TBI Adds Rival Intelisys Alum, Tech Data, 8x8 Vets
    The new leadership members are already making improvements at TBI.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • T-Mobile Acquisition Fallout: Shentel Wireless Job Cuts Create 'Disruption and Uncertainty'
  • AireSpring Partners Get Additional Support from Axis, Star2Star, TPx Vets
  • The CF List: 20 Top UCaaS Providers You Should Know
  • SMBs Weigh 5G Impact as Verizon, AWS Launch New Use Cases

Galleries

View all

Biden Administration Issues Russian Sanctions in Response to SolarWinds Hack, Election Interference

April 16, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

SD-WAN Supports More Purposeful Shift to Cloud

April 16, 2021

How Tech Is Transforming Public Safety–and the Implications for Channel Partners

April 15, 2021

Exercising Your Organization’s Data Loss Recovery Abilities

April 13, 2021

Webinars

View all

What to Look For: 2021 Threat Report

April 22, 2021

Health Care and SD-WAN: A Seller’s Guide

April 27, 2021

How MSPs Can Leverage SOCaaS to Improve Security & Grow Revenue

May 4, 2021

White Papers

View all

Carbonite Data Protection and Cyber Resilience

April 15, 2021

Top Tips: How Resellers Can Leverage Rackspace to Enhance Customer’s Cyber Security Protection with Microsoft 365 Security

March 30, 2021

Top Tips: Optimize Your Microsoft 365 Investment with Rackspace Technology

March 30, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

MSP Summit

November 1, 2021 - November 2, 2021

Channel Evolution Europe

November 30, 2021 - December 1, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

5 Reasons Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Is Important

Five9 Shares Insights on Implementing a DE&I Strategy

April 13, 2021

FASTCHAT: How Fortinet Reduces Complexity Through Networking, Security

March 31, 2021

Strong Customer Experience Needs Strong Partner Experience

December 22, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

#SDWAN supports a more purposeful shift to the #cloud @ComcastBusiness #networksecurity #hybridwork #security #SaaS… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 16, 2021
ChannelFutures

RT @alysfitz: 67% of respondents reported burning out since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We need to do better to support #WomenInTech, especi…

April 16, 2021
ChannelFutures

RT @AllianceofCW: #ACW members Mayka Rosales-Peterson and Raquel Wiley were elected to @ChannelFutures' #Diversity, #Equity, & #Inclusion B…

April 16, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@ZiplyFiber rolls out agent #partnerprogram. #networking dlvr.it/RxmM4K

April 16, 2021
ChannelFutures

New #Microsoft #SurfaceLaptop4 is an incremental update with an improved CPUs webcam, speakers and dual mics.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 16, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@okta hires @InsightEnt vet as global channel chief. #cybersecurity dlvr.it/RxmM20 https://t.co/ImWRZp2qHt

April 16, 2021
ChannelFutures

These technology trends are transforming #public safety @GetWirelessLLC #firstresponders #cloud #connectivity #IoT… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 15, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@intel has appointed 24-year Intel veteran Dawn Jones as chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO) and vice pre… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 15, 2021

MSSP Insider

Business advice for MSSPs and news from the broader security channel.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X