The AMI-Partners Blog

“The cloud services companies of all sizes; the cloud is for everyone. The cloud is a democracy.”

- Marc Benioff, founder of Salesforce.com.

The Cloud is changing the business ecosystem, as we know it. While Indian SMBs are yet to migrate to the cloud in droves, a partner ecosystem has already developed within the Cloud computing space, where Cloud enablers and solution providers are hard at work–collaborating their solutions and platforms for the anticipated future wave of growth.

Corporate Partnering Institute’s Curtis E. Sahakian notes, “Partnering is the quickest and most effective way to re-engineer a business.” In a partner ecosystem, various partner entities such as Cisco, NetApp, and VMware bring their technologies and products together and back this with their combined strengths in integration, technology consulting, services, sales and marketing.

Similarly, cloud computing companies like Salesforce.com have teamed up with reputed education/ training institutions like NIIT, SEED Infotech, etc. in an endeavor to increase the levels of Cloud awareness among potential users.  Thus a wide set of players are converging on the cloud partner ecosystems, including Web and Cloud Masters, Virtualization and Automation Software Specialists, Enterprise Software Specialists, Pure-Play ISVs, System integrators, Service Providers, Equipment Makers (in the computing, PC, handset/device, and network equipment spaces), Web VAPs, Aggregators, etc. This is creating a parallel ecosystem in the Cloud sphere.

While SIs, ISVs, Telcos, and OEMs join hands and form partner ecosystems, there are others who work to simplify the Cloud experience for the customer. For instance, Google and BigRock have mastered the art of including non-traditional partners in their ecosystem. BigRock has their “BigRock Affiliate program” which  is an online marketing program that allows affiliation by signing up for free promotion of BigRock products to their friends, family, customers, etc.

In addition, there are commissions for every successful purchase. On the other hand, Yahoo offers their partners three membership options tailored to their growth plans wherein they offer their customers affordable web hosting plans combining superior and easy-to-use features at attractive prices. Thus, these large vendors are providing mass internet users the benefit of partnering with a world-class brand and also earning money at steady rates with high ROI and low investments.

–Paulomi Paul