Google is expanding its channel partner program for the Google Cloud Platform, which launched in 2012. The search giant is adding a range of tiers to the structure of the initiaive and is lookingto expand its roster.
Since June 2012, it’s added 161 partners to the fold for the platform, separated into technology partners and service partners. Now, Google is segmenting its partners into further “premier” and “authorized” buckets, in order to recognize top participants. It’s also added a “registered company” tier.
Premier partners get all the benefits of the core partner program and access to premier level services; authorized partners can access the core partner program with branding, relationship management and access to online resources and training. Registered companies now have entry-level status, with access to online resources and training.
“These tiers are the first steps of many to further develop our partner community so we can provide the best possible experiences for everyone out there while working hand in hand with those companies that make it possible,” said Mark Hodgson, head of global partner programs at Google.
The Google Cloud Platform Partner Program aims to help partners move their customers to the cloud using integrated capabilities.
Service Partners provide consulting and implementation services on various Google Cloud Platform products, developing integrated business, mobile and social applications. As an example, Google partners Orangescape Technologies integrated Google App Engine as part of its platform to help United Biscuits, a manufacturer of biscuits and snacks in Europe, migrate their legacy Lotus Notes applications to the cloud. Also, a company called Agosto built a smartphone app running on Google App Engine to help the Minneapolis Loppet Foundation register thousands of participants in a Nordic ski event.
Technology Partners provide tools that integrate with Google’s platform or use one of its services as a foundation for their products. For instance, they can use Google Compute Engine technology partners offer a set of management services that help customers configure and manage applications running on Google’s infrastructure. Google BigQuery technology partners can import data from a wide range of existing on-premise and cloud data sources into BigQuery, as well as build rich, visually interactive dashboards on top of that platform. And Google Cloud Storage technology partners have integrated Google Cloud Storage directly into their offerings to provide you with active archiving, backup and recovery, and primary storage solutions.
