Qualified IBM Partners will become authorized to sell Netezza appliances under the Software Value Plus program, and SMB clients will gain access to IBM Global Financing resources.
Computing giant IBM has launched a global initiative to help its partners expand their business analytics portfolios. Leveraging Netezza appliances, the initiative includes sales, marketing, and technical resources to help make it easier for channel pros to market and sell Netezza products into verticals with strong demand for business analytics, like financial services, healthcare, and energy companies.
Netezza, which is now owned by IBM, offers appliances that are workload optimized systems based on IBM BladeCenter Technology. The systems sport integrated hardware and software designed for industry-specific needs.
Netezza suits SMBs because the systems can be up and running for SMBs within 24 hours. The appliances analyze petabytes of data at what IBM calls “a lower cost per terabyte.”
IBM partners can help credit-qualified SMB clients finance Netezza appliances through IBM Global Financing with fast approvals on zero percent financing for 12 months. Clients can also take advantage of flexible payment options and terms, including competitive 24- and 36-month rates with options. In addition, credit-qualified IBM partners in North America can take advantage of a new 24-month lease to place Netezza inside their data centers for demonstration, development, testing, and training purposes.
“Netezza appliances provide IBM resellers, systems integrators, and independent software vendors with a unique opportunity to grow their business,” explains Arvind Krishna, IBM’s general manager of information management. “Business analytics is going mainstream and IBM’s goal is to arm its partners with the right skills and support to help our clients take advantage of this trend. †These resources are geared to make it easy for our partners to quickly infuse Netezza into their business model.”
As of October 1, qualified IBM partners can become authorized to resell Netezza appliances under the Software Value Plus (SVP) program. SVP is IBM’s authorized distribution model. “Authorization will help ensure that clients get the right technology, reduce the risk inherent in any deployment, and increase return on investment,” states IBM in a press release submitted to Channel Pro-SMB. “Benefits to partners can include incremental co-marketing funds to drive new leads, the use of a mark to distinguish partners from their competitors, joint go to market planning, and financial incentives rewarding industry solution sales.”
In addition, partners will have access to so-called Global Skills Bootcamps, which are free-of-charge training camps. These “bootcamps” are designed to provide partners with hands-on training for setting up, managing, and maintain Netezza appliances. These four-day bootcamps cover both technical and business best practices. Participants can earn mastery certification upon completion of the course.
