Customer requirements for data infrastructure are changing rapidly as they recognize the value of software and increasingly look for application-centric and cloud-ready solutions or applications tailored to their vertical market. The new channel setup enables NetApp to better address these needs and allows customers to identify and leverage new, software-driven and service-based business models built on macro-trends like the Internet of Things, mobility, and Big Data.
“Market analysts like IDC, Forrester, and Ovum agree that cloud adoption grows across all market segments. This proves that customers are considering and choosing new ways of doing business. NetApp and our partners need to be ready for this change,” Manhart says. “Our channel ecosystem is the foundation of NetApp’s go-to-market strategy from enterprise to MSB. More importantly, partners are a critical success factor when it comes to demonstrating how NetApp’s Data Fabric vision can enable new thinking and new business models. I will invest my full experience to support this process.”