Vendor looks to increase 60 per cent rate

Storage vendor Network Appliance (NetApp) has revealed it is keen to boost the percentage of sales taken through the channel above their current 60 per cent rate.

Pete Rawden, channel sales director at NetApp, which recently signed Bell as its second UK distributor, said: “NetApp wants to spread its partner programme message further and gain new signings.”

Rawden cited NetApp’s partner academies, which take place every three to four months, as a major pull for new partners.

“Partner academies take place in various locations across the country and the next one is due to take place sometime in November,” he said.

Richard Wallis, manager of the NetApp business unit at distributor DNS Arrow, said the academies have proved very useful.

“The academies give regular updates and discuss any plans for the future. The event has become quite big so it is streamed into sales and technology workshops and then into an overview for everyone,” Wallis said.