Laura Hailstone, CRN,  13 Apr 2006

Enterprise grid software vendor Platform Computing has amalgamated its existing partner programmes into a single scheme called the Platform Alliance Network.

The programme is intended to help Platform grow in the virtualisation space. The vendor recently launched a virtualisation management product called Platform VM Orchestrator (VMO), which provides heterogeneous support across multiple vendor platforms.

Platform began life 14 years ago with a completely direct route to market. It now has a 50/50 split between direct and indirect.

Simon Lonsdale, head of the Platform Alliance Network programme, said: "The idea behind the Platform Alliance Network is to help us build a broad network of partners to deliver virtualisation solutions for the data centre. We’ve taken the best bits of our existing partner programmes to create the Alliance."

The Platform Alliance Network consists of three tiered partner levels: Select, Premier and Strategic.

"Under the Alliance we’ll be able to provide better support for our partners and help them understand our direction and strategies more clearly," Lonsdale added.

Platform Computing has also appointed system integrator VirtualizeIT as a new partner to help it expand in the virtualisation arena.

Julian Box, managing director of VirtualizeIT, said: "We specialise in virtualisation. Platform’s VMO product fits nicely with what we do. The new partner programme is a good idea because it gives us more clarity."

Last month VitualizeIT launched its Virtualisation Academy, a type of showroom/education centre, which includes technology from server, storage and application virtualisation vendors including EMC, HewlettPackard, IBM, Intel and VMware.