Kate Woodley, the head of global channel at IBM, recently spoke with CRN about IBM’s partner strategy, its new MSP program, and the channel’s transition to becoming a Palo Alto Networks partner following the sale of QRadar Security Business. Woodley highlighted the opportunity for partners to join the Palo Alto Networks program and emphasized the key role partners will play in the migration to Palo Alto Cortex XSIAM once the acquisition is complete.
IBM is set to launch a new MSP partner program at the end of this year, focusing on SaaS offerings within the automation portfolio. The program is being built in collaboration with partners, with several pilots running to ensure its effectiveness.
Woodley discussed IBM’s increased investment in its ecosystem, tripling the number of technical resources in support. This investment aligns with IBM’s strategy around hybrid cloud and AI, which is gaining market share.
Partners are encouraged to become part of the Palo Alto Networks partner program following the QRadar sale, with a seamless onboarding process planned for IBM partners. Woodley emphasized the importance of the expanded partnership with Palo Alto Networks and the mutual benefits it brings to both parties.
In addition to automation offerings, IBM’s new MSP program will include products like Apptio, Turbonomic, and Instana as core tenants. These products aim to provide value to MSPs and their customers in the FinOps space.
Woodley also highlighted new IBM products such as IBM Concert, Watsonx AI support, and InstructLab, which are geared towards addressing automation challenges and advancing generative AI.
The collaboration between IBM and Red Hat in open-sourcing large language models was discussed as a key differentiator for IBM, allowing customers, developers, and partners to contribute to AI development in an efficient and effective manner.
Partners are encouraged to double down on IBM in 2024 due to IBM’s winning strategy around hybrid cloud and AI, alongside initiatives like the Partner Plus program which has seen significant partner growth. Woodley emphasized IBM’s continued investment in its ecosystem and the strong product portfolio that resonates in the market.
Overall, partners are urged to take advantage of the opportunities presented by IBM’s strategic focus and robust partner programs as the company continues to pave the way in the technology industry.
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https://www.crn.com/news/ai/2024/ibm-exec-explains-qradar-sale-new-msp-program-and-partner-strategy
