OpenStack Player Platform9 Rolls Out Channel Partner Program
As the OpenStack arena consolidates, there are still many business models evolving around it, and OpenStack-as-a-Service is emerging as an interesting choice. Platform9, which focuses on OpenStack-based private clouds, has announced a new release of its Platform9 Managed OpenStack, which is a SaaS-based solution with integration for single sign-on (SSO) solutions. The company also updated its private-cloud-as-a service offering from OpenStack Juno to OpenStack Liberty.
Now, the company has rolled out a channel partner program designed for resellers, service providers and systems integrators. It will be focused on cloud computing, and enabling enterprise-ready private clouds in particular.
According to Wikibon, true private cloud (on-premise and hosted together) is expected to grow from $7 billion in 2015 to $201 billion in 2026 (36% CAGR) and be 31% of infrastructure spend. At last month's OpenStack Summit, the OpenStack Foundation said half of the Fortune 100 use OpenStack. Wal-Mart, AT&T, SAP and Wells Fargo all spoke about how they're using open source code to build their private clouds.
"As trusted partners, channel partners want to offer their customers alternatives that leverage open source technology to reduce lock-in, help them avoid the VMware or AWS "tax" but are still enterprise-ready to support their data center needs. Platform9 Managed OpenStack provides just that. The solution transforms an organization's existing servers into an AWS-like agile, self-service private cloud within minutes -- enabling organizations small or large to run their private clouds efficiently, at scale, while leveraging latest open source innovations."
"The Platform9 Channel Partner Program gives partners the tools and resources to implement an on-premises private cloud for their customers that delivers the same easy self-service provisioning, open APIs, integration with automation frameworks that users have come to expect with public cloud offerings. The program offers industry-leading incentives, including access to Platform9's sales and marketing support, joint marketing and demand generation programs, deal registration and compensation on all contracted services."
"Our new channel program helps our partners capitalize on the significant business opportunity surrounding customers' cloud transformation needs. Platform9's unique SaaS-based OpenStack solution enables partners to deliver immediate value to their customers while enhancing their status as a private cloud 'trusted advisor,'" said Adam Ulfers, Platform9 vice president of sales. "Most importantly, we can help increase our partners' share of cloud spending by extending their solutions and services as they build out their customers' data center ecosystems."
Alvin Chu, Senior Director, Cloud Practice, FusionStorm, added: "With growing concerns about runaway costs and data lock-in with the public cloud, many customers are pursuing hybrid cloud strategy, with IT as internal service providers. With Platform9's private-cloud-as-a-service, we can transform our customers' existing data center resources into flexible, enterprise-grade private cloud infrastructure in just minutes -- all backed by an operational SLA. Platform9 accelerates the time to value for our customers and for our business as well."
"CIOs are looking to transform their highly virtualized datacenters into private cloud infrastructures, delivering greater management automation and efficiency to their organizations. They have been evaluating open source projects like OpenStack and KVM, but needed simplifications to the packaging and operational experience," said Mark Bowker, Senior Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, in a statement made previously. "Platform9's OpenStack-as-a-Service model simplifies the operational experience for OpenStack to make it accessible to a wide range of organizations. This innovative new approach to private cloud management could trigger the inflection point for OpenStack and private clouds we've been waiting for."