Equinix launches first global channel programme

Data Center and cloud infrastructure company Equinix has launched its first ever global Channel Partner Program, with Australian businesses among those set to reap the benefits.

The programme, designed for managed service providers, network service providers, system integrators and solution providers, allows partners to both resell and refer Equinix services.

Equinix, which utilises data centers in Sydney and Melbourne, says the programme is intended to help enterprise customers obtain IT services and expertise from the channel community they are used to working with.

The company says partners will be able to expand their margin and grow new revenue streams by adding next-generation IT solutions to existing product offerings.

Nearly 100 companies, including service providers and enterprises, have joined the Equinix Cloud Exchange, an interconnection solution offering direct access to multiple clouds and networks from a single port. Partners will gain access to the cloud and network ecosystem, while also being able to add value through system and network design, deployment and management.

The company says partners can also create new recurring revenue streams by implementing the Equinix Performance Hub, a solution that distributes a company's data center infrastructure across multiple locations to accelerate application delivery.

Peter Hayes, Equinix chief sales officer says the programme empowers channel partners to capitalise on the significant business opportunity to support their customers' cloud transformation needs and not only increase their 'trusted advisor' status, but also make it easier for them to extend their services and increase wallet share by offering new services.

"This programme represents one of the top strategic initiatives for Equinix," says Hayes.

"We have made significant investments to ensure our partners are set up for success. As part of this investment, we have increased our internal resources six-fold this past year, and hired industry veteran, Christopher Rajiah, vice president of worldwide partner and alliances, to run the programme.

The company has strategic partnerships with cloud service providers, including AWS, Cisco, Google Cloud Platform, IBM SoftLayer, Microsoft Azure and NetApp.

"[This] enables the Equinix partner community to help enterprises truly leverage the power of the cloud to support all their mission critical applications," Equinix says.

"Equinix channel partners will also leverage Equinix's global footprint, advanced interconnection solutions, and vast ecosystems to meet customers' IT performance, reliability and cost requirements, while unlocking new revenue streams in an expanding global market.