Technology Reseller v11

01732 759725 NETWORKING 32 A strong portfolio To challenge the pre-eminence of the big two requires a strong portfolio of products and a suite of services and support to match. John Campbell, EMEA Distribution Manager at Extreme Networks, believes that with the integration of WiNG Wireless from Zebra, SRA from Brocade and Campus Fabric from Avaya, the Extreme Networks solutions portfolio brings a host of new market opportunities. “Our strengths have deepened and our capabilities are more extensive,” he said. “We have always been a strong contender in sectors such as health, education and hospitality. Now, with our complete edge-to-core and open enterprise offering, partners operating in any vertical can benefit from our agile, adaptive, secure and innovative solutions.” He adds that with its new partner programme, Extreme Networks can also help partners save time and effort. “Our revised partner programme has none of the complexities you find elsewhere,” he said. “Deal registration and commercial support are rewarding and straightforward.” Extreme customers also benefit from award-winning, open architecture management and orchestration tools and from the fact that support services are 100% in-house. Change with confidence For reseller partners considering networking vendor options, enablement and support are vital considerations. To ensure that the transition to – or addition of – Extreme to a partner’s networking stable is smooth and swift, Westcon has a comprehensive enablement service, covering: n sales team training; n pre-sales scoping and design services from a team with decades of experience; n demo kit and training; n dedicated account management; n joint marketing support; and n Westcon Financial Services to ensure no partner is constrained from bidding for any size of business. As the only Extreme Networks distributor to be an EMEA Authorised Training Partner, Westcon can help partners grow their expertise and benefit further from their relationship with Extreme relationship in a timely and consistent manner. Danny Penny, Westcon UK&I Extreme Vendor Manager, added: “We want partners to be confident in promoting, supporting and investing in their Extreme business. That’s why we have de-risked the whole process. We’ll go to first meetings; scope and design solutions; come and do sales training; we have around $12m of profiled stock; and, like Extreme, we’ll pick up the phone and talk to partners. Being an Extreme partner is being part of a supportive and very enriching community. For me, any partner wanting the complete networking package with top class support and great growth potential needs to take an Extreme view of networking.” From niche to visionary Extreme’s evolution in the Gartner Magic Quadrant from Niche to Visionary, to standing on the steps of Leader and the toes of Cisco and HPE has benefited many partners. Customers also provide a telling insight into why Extreme Networks has become so successful, with Extreme topping the list of vendors in Gartner Peer Insight reviews, with a score of 4.8/5. Most revealingly of all, there are no critical reviews and 99% of customers would recommend the company, compared to figures of 77% for Cisco and 65% for HPE. Whilst not conclusive, these findings clearly indicate what enterprise networking customers think and add weight to the view that when it comes to networking now is an excellent time for partners to change their allegiance. http://uk.westcon.com A recent Gartner report on the critical capabilities for enterprise networking vendors, one that informed the associated Magic Quadrant, assesses 16 vendors’ capabilities across six criteria. In the Magic Quadrant, Extreme Networks is rated Visionary, positioned just shy of Cisco and HPE, and some distance from the other more niche players. The aggregate score of the report’s six criteria ranks Extreme Networks second overall, while its combination of capabilities and performance has secured it a clear number three market position. On the back of some strategic acquisitions, Extreme Networks is now considered a compelling option for partners who need a high-performance, end-to-end, service-focused, software- driven and agile networking partner. Time to change? Dave Garwood, Extreme Networks EMEA Vendor Manager at Westcon, believes a quiet revolution has been going on and that partners now have a more than viable alternative to the networking leviathans Cisco and HP. “Extreme Networks has strategically built a portfolio of products and technologies to match and, in some ways, outpace the market leaders,” he said. “It’s not just about technology though; it’s about how you conduct your business. Extreme Networks is an established, personal and responsive vendor and, when you consider that our partnership goes back over 20 years, there is no lack of support and services available to help partners consistently win business from the established order.” He added: “Partners now have a choice that is differentiated, competitive and accommodates any networking requirement. Where there’s a networking need, there’s an Extreme option. It’s a good time to change.” Networking: an Extreme View Distributor Westcon explains why now is the right time for partners to get on board with Extreme Networks We want partners to be confident in promoting, supporting and investing in their Extreme business. That’s why we have de-risked the whole process Danny Penny