In July, the TAP team launched an updated partner program to better meet the needs of our technology partners. In this blog, I’ll dive into the key changes to the TAP Program and resources that you can use to get the most our of your engagement with VMware.
Updated Program Structure
The new program structure consists of three tiers –Standard, Advanced and Strategic—and four solution areas, Data Center, Public Cloud, Digital Workspace and Networking and Security—which represent the way that your solutions combine with VMware’s and are delivered to our shared customers in the market.
Partners can earn badges in each of the solution areas and tiers and can enroll in more than one solution area as well depending on their areas of integration with VMware. Unlike the previous program structure, however, a partner joining the program can only start at the Standard tier. Partners who are already members of the TAP program will have to meet a set of requirements, including training, certification, and go-to-market requirements, in order to maintain their current status in the program. This progression-based model provides you with the roadmap to more actively engage with VMware, and the structure by which you can grow your partnership.
New Go-to-Market Opportunities
In order to help support the completion of your TAP go-to-market requirements, the TAP Program now offers all benefits that were previously available only to partners at the Elite and Global levels to partners in all tiers and all solution areas. These include all of the previous go-to-market benefits, including the opportunity to request press releases, solution briefs, webinars, and whitepapers. Additionally, for partners in the Advanced and Strategic tiers of the program, there are new opportunities to take advantage of, including vmLIVE (channel-facing webinar) support, social media amplification, and inclusion in channel-facing communications.
With the addition of these new go-to-market opportunities, the TAP team has also implemented a process to help streamline the review, approval, and creation of technical and go to market collateral. For more information on the updated processes or how to get engaged, please review the following blog or contact [email protected].
Updated Licenses for Technical Integrations
Unlike the previous license policy, in which TAP partners receive all product licenses regardless of their integration areas with VMware, the updated policy provides only the licenses you need to work with VMware. Partners receive a separate allocation per solution area that compounds when partners are in more than one solution area, ensuring you have enough licenses to complete your technical integrations. These licenses can be accessed through the newly released On-Demand NFR Partner Portal, although licenses are still managed through My VMware.
Additionally, support offerings have changed so that break/fix and developer (SDK) support are leveraged through the same 5-pack bundles, provided by VMware’s Global Support Services team. The number of support bundles differs by program tier, with the quantity increasing as you progress within the program.
A complete list of NFR and Evaluation licenses provided through the TAP Program can be found in the TAP NFR/Evaluation Software and Hosted Services Guide.
Learn More
For more information about the updated TAP Program, you can review the following resources:
If you have any questions about the TAP Program, you can contact the TAP team via [email protected].
