EMC enhances Velocity^2 Authorised Services Network

EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC), the world leader in information infrastructure solutions, recently announced it is strengthening its commitment to provide more services opportunities to Velocity^2 partners with the simplification of its Velocity^2 Authorised Services Network (ASN) programme.

EMC launched two new ASN programme categories to meet the needs of partners around the world and has created a new quick-start certification curriculum to reduce cost and time out of the office.

These changes enable EMC Velocity2 partners to maximise services opportunities and profitability across EMC's product and solutions portfolio.

Rassie Jacobs, EMC's Channel Manager, said: "This announcement further complements the recently modified Velocity^2 Partner Programme in EMEA. Velocity partners want to deliver more services around EMC technology and solutions. We believe the enhancements to the EMC Authorised Services Network Programme will offer qualified partners the opportunity to increase their profitability by more fully addressing mid-size enterprise customer's information technology requirements."

Jacobs continued: "By simplifying the ASN Programme, EMC is effectively enabling our valued Velocity partners to get more engaged in our comprehensive and robust partner programme."

The new ASN categories in the consolidated programme are:

* ASN Implement - Partners are rigorously trained and certified to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of EMC's best in class implementation services, with access to EMC Global Services proprietary tools and methodologies.
* ASN Support - Building on the ASN Implement category, partners are further trained and certified to provide customers the full range of support and maintenance services and are able to leverage EMC for technical escalation and logistics.

In addition to the current EMC award-winning 'Proven Professional' certification programme that delivers the same high-quality certification that EMC Services personnel receive, EMC is now offering a new ASN certification level, ASN Associate QuickStart Curriculum.

This new level offers a self-study curriculum delivered in a Web-based e-learning format, enabling partners to perform CLARiiON CX-3 networked storage implementation in a Microsoft Windows environment. This Associate Certification is structured to reduce cost and time spent out of the field, and will expand to include other EMC platforms in the future.

The ASN is a select community of service partners that leverage EMC's award winning service brand, and today's announcement extends EMC's global coverage capabilities to open up new revenue opportunities for EMC partners. ASN partners have received advanced technical training from EMC and have access to the same EMC proprietary service methodologies and tools to deliver solutions as EMC Services specialists, to engage with customers on a deeper level, enabling them to deliver the highest quality of customer satisfaction. The enhancements to the Velocity ASN Programme will provide more partners the unique ability to distinguish themselves in the market and offer maximum customer value.

"We have seen many resellers modify their business model over recent years," said Christian Magirus, COO at Magirus. "They recognise that customers are looking for complete solutions, and by offering implementation and support services, it allows partners to become strategic suppliers, adding more value to the customer. EMC's strategy to fully involve its partners in services for the mid-market and to build a highly-qualified network of certified partners is a unique value proposition to our resellers."