Big Switch Launches Global Channel Partner Program to Expand Adoption of Next-Gen Data Center Networking

SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 8, 2017) - Big Switch Networks®, The Next-Generation Data Center Networking Company, today announced the launch of its two-tiered Big Switch Networks Channel Partner Program, which will enable the company to continue scaling and expanding into new markets and regions across the globe. The program will offer partners incentives, in-depth training, certification and enablement programs as well as professional services opportunities.

Through this program, Big Switch will address strategic objectives for its channel partners, including training and enablement on the Big Switch product portfolio: Big Monitoring Fabric™ (Big Mon), a network packet broker offering feature parity, operational efficiency and reduced CapEx compared to traditional NPBs, Big Mon Inline for software-based DMZ security service chaining, and Big Cloud Fabric™ (BCF), the most agile, automated data center switching fabric optimized for OpenStack private cloud, VMware workloads, including: VMware vSphere®, VMware NSX®, VMware vSAN™, and VMware vCloud® NFV™ for service providers, and container networking workloads, including Kubernetes, Mesosphere, and Docker.

"As market adoption of Big Switch products accelerates, we are experiencing an increased level of interest from channel partners looking to be enabled and trained on the solutions that their customers are asking for and actively deploying," said Susheel Chitre, VP of Business Development, Big Switch Networks. "We are launching the partner program to ensure that we can provide partners with a structured framework around training and certifications as well as financial incentives and marketing opportunities. We have designed the program to be inclusive for all partners irrespective of whether they source Big Switch solutions from our switching partners, Dell EMC, HPE, Edgecore Networks, or our Value Added Distributor partners."

The Big Switch Networks Channel Partner Program is a value-based program with incentives and rewards aligned to the value partners bring to customers with investments in solution training, certifications, ability to do demos and professional services. There are two tiers to the program, Authorized Partner and Premier Partner:

• Big Switch Authorized Partner -- Open to all partners who are authorized to resell the Big Switch products. Partners are eligible to be an Authorized Partner if they are an authorized networking reseller of either Dell EMC or HPE or by signing a Big Switch VAR agreement for selling Edgecore + Big Switch solutions. The Authorized Partner requirements are minimal, so as to encourage interested VARs to get familiar with Big Switch's next-generation solutions.
  
  
• Big Switch Premier Partner -- Open to all partners who have met the Authorized Partner tier requirements and meet the additional Premier Partner tier requirements, which includes: a defined number of partner sales and engineering employees who are trained and certified on Big Switch solutions, hosted demo labs in partner environments for on-going training and customer demos, and meeting quarterly minimum requirements for deal registrations and deals closed. Partners who meet the requirements for the Premier tier are eligible for benefits from Big Switch that include rebates, marketing support and qualified leads.

Partners benefit from the opportunity to be trained and certified by the industry's leading next-generation networking company, and will be able to differentiate themselves in the market by adding Big Switch's innovative data center network switching fabric, network monitoring and DMZ security solutions to their portfolio, and will also be able to drive incremental recurring revenue streams with subscription licensing models

Customers will benefit from having a group of qualified partners who can help them through their data center digital network transformation and resolve challenges with network visibility, monitoring and security with a single source for certified engineers skilled in all components of the Big Switch solutions - SDN software, industry standard x86 controller and switch hardware from Dell EMC, Edgecore Networks (Accton Group) or HPE, and validated cables & optics.

Big Switch was positioned in the Visionaries Quadrant of Gartner's 2017 Magic Quadrant for Data Center Networkingⁱ, which highlights the shift underway by end users to deploy solutions that remove vendor lock-in and enable choice. Gartner's report findings include:

• "There is a growing willingness to move away from proprietary solutions. Our end-user survey (n = 83) indicated that 42% of clients consider open standards and multi-vendor interoperability support a mandatory requirement, 34% consider it very important, and 20% consider it somewhat important, so openness is a relevant buying criterion for 96% of the end users"
• "Disaggregation of hardware and software can be seen as a first step toward more vendor independence. Interest and adoption of white-/brite-box switching has increased significantly within hyperscale data centers over the past several quarters, and we expect it to reach 22% of the total data center Ethernet switch market by 2020"
• "These results are quite impressive, but in addition, 75% of the end users indicated that they expect an increase in relevance of open networking in their purchasing decisions in the next 24 months."

For partners interested in joining this program, go to: https://www.bigswitch.com/channel-partners for more details on the program requirements and to fill out a program application, sign appropriate agreements and register for training.

Supporting Quotes
"At Dell EMC, we believe the network provides the foundation for IT transformation. Together with like-minded companies such as Big Switch and using our Open Networking approach, we continue to reshape the networking landscape," said Tom Burns, senior vice president, Networking, Enterprise Infrastructure and Service Provider Solutions, Dell EMC. "Driving increased adoption of our joint open networking solutions, channel partners play a significant role and the Big Switch Channel Partner Program provides foundational enablement and skill sets that will only enhance this effort."

"HPE is 100% committed to the channel, so the Big Switch Channel Partner Program perfectly complements our goals and our vision," said Melissa D'Arcangelo, Director, North America Channel Sales, HPE. "HPE also sees the program as an excellent opportunity to leverage our global partner network to offer easy-to- use, easy-to- deploy solutions from Big Switch for network management, visibility and security to our customers. Networks are critical to our success with hyperconverged and customer networks. We are convinced that joint solutions with HPE Altoline hardware and Big Switch software will play a key role in their network infrastructures. We look forward to working closely with the Big Switch Channel Partner Program to ensure our VARs are trained and enabled on these differentiated, open networking solutions."

"As a long-time partner of Big Switch, we are pleased to be part of its Global Channel Partner Program, which enables us to provide customers with intelligent, open networking solutions that offer our customers a next-gen, flexible infrastructure aligned to support their operational requirements," Youngcor Shueh, VP Sales, Edgecore Networks. "Edgecore Networks open network switches, together with Big Switch Networks' Big Cloud Fabric or Big Monitoring Fabric provide customers with complete SDN solutions that reduce capital and operating costs while enabling more rapid provisioning of new applications and capacity."

"We have been working with Big Switch products for some time and the ease-of-use, scalability and cost savings resonate with our customers," said Steve Rogers, VP of Solutions and Alliances for Groupware Technology. "Formalizing the partner program is welcome news to us as it provides a structured program with training, certifications and marketing. The fact that partners are eligible to participate and eligible for the benefits even when we source the BSN products from our switching partner Dell EMC is unique in the marketplace and appreciated."

"We are excited to be part of the Big Switch Channel Partner Program to bring our end-users next-gen data centre switching, visibility and security solutions," said Reuben Bennett, Managing Partner, Ikara Group. "As demand for open networking solutions continues to increase across Australia, Big Switch is an ideal partner for Ikara to bring differentiated networking solutions and services to end users."

"As customers look at open networking alternatives for data center modernization, we are pleased to join the Big Switch Channel Partner Program to offer our customers comprehensive, next-gen solutions that will accelerate business growth," said Tomasz Tatar, Branch Manager, Warsaw, Mediarecovery. "In working with Big Switch we will be able to better support our mission to deliver innovative services and solutions and to also reach a new customer base. This program is really a win-win for us, as we will also be able to receive training, certifications and marketing and other program benefits."

Supporting Materials
Partner page: https://www.bigswitch.com/channel-partners
Data sheet: Big Cloud Fabric
Data sheet: Big Monitoring Fabric
Video: BCF explained
Video: Big Mon explained
Video: Big Mon Inline explained

ⁱ Gartner "Magic Quadrant for Data Center Networking" by Danilo Ciscato, Mark Fabbi, Andrew Lerner, 03 July 2017.

Disclaimer

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About Big Switch
Big Switch Networks is the Next-Generation Data Center Networking Company. We disrupt the status quo of networking by designing intelligent, automated, and flexible networks for our customers around the world. We do so by leveraging the principles of software-defined networking (SDN), coupled with a choice of industry-standard hardware. Big Switch Networks has two solutions: Big Monitoring Fabric, a Next-Generation network packet broker, which enables pervasive security and monitoring of data center and cloud traffic for inline or out-of-band deployments and Big Cloud Fabric, the industry's first Next-Generation switching fabric that allows for choice of switching hardware for OpenStack, VMware, Container, and Big Data use cases. Big Switch Networks is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. For additional information, email info@bigswitch.com, visit www.bigswitch.com or follow us on Twitter @bigswitch,  LinkedIn and YouTube.

Big Switch Networks, the Big Switch Logo, Big Cloud Fabric, Big Monitoring Fabric, BigSecure, Big Chain, Switch Light OS, and Switch Light VX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Big Switch Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered marks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.