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Greetings, APN Partners!
We are excited to announce the introduction of enhanced benefits and requirements for the AWS Partner Network (APN) in 2015. This update aims to support your growth and success as you build your business on AWS. Since the inception of the APN in 2012, we’ve devoted ourselves to providing you with essential business, technical, and marketing assistance. It’s been rewarding to witness the rapid expansion of our global APN Partner ecosystem, which grew by over 75% in 2014. As our community flourishes, we continue to evolve the APN to better serve your needs.
We truly value your feedback, and as a result, we are pleased to offer additional benefits at each APN Partner tier. We’ve also revised the requirements per APN tier to align more closely with AWS customers’ expectations of our partners.
New 2015 APN Benefits
Here are some key benefits you should be aware of:
Benefits for All APN Partners:
To assist partners at every stage of their business with AWS, we provide training, business enablement, and marketing benefits to all APN Partners.
- Training: We recently introduced a new online course on TCO and Cloud Economics, along with updated Business Professional and Technical Professional courses. These are available to all APN Partners at no cost when you log into the APN Portal.
- Marketing: All APN Partners can now utilize AWS Syndicated Marketing for website content, enabling you to automate the distribution of AWS content and generate leads through your digital properties.
- Business Enablement: We encourage APN Partners to utilize the Customer Opportunity Submission tool in the APN Portal, designed to ensure you receive the AWS-related technical support necessary for pursuing new opportunities. This tool captures opportunity records and status tracking, providing increased visibility for AWS and your organization.
- Programs: We have launched a new program for APN Technology Partners developing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. The AWS SaaS Partner Program offers technical and business enablement for Technology Partners building on-demand cloud software on AWS.
Benefits as You Scale:
To assist your firm in growing and advancing through APN tiers, we offer scaling benefits, investing more in your business as it develops on AWS. Here are some of the key benefits available to APN Partners in qualifying tiers:
- Training: Advanced and Premier APN Partners are eligible for AWS Classroom Training subsidies and AWS Partner Educate training, which is a one-day workshop aimed at helping your sales and pre-sales teams identify use cases and engage customers about AWS’s value. Additionally, Premier APN Consulting Partners receive AWS Professional Services Boot Camp Training, a comprehensive four-day program focused on service methodology and strategy.
- Marketing: As a Standard or higher-tier APN Partner, you’ll gain access to an APN Logo that distinguishes your firm’s type and tier within the APN. You can also create a listing in the AWS Partner Directory, a valuable tool for AWS customers to discover and learn about your firm’s services. Advanced and Premier APN Partners are eligible for Market Development Funding (MDF) to support qualified marketing activities as part of broader initiatives. Furthermore, Premier APN Consulting Partners and Advanced APN Technology Partners can receive an AWS-written case study featuring your firm, showcased on the AWS site and promoted by AWS for your use.
- Business Enablement: Once you achieve Standard or higher-tier APN Partner status, you’ll receive $2,500 in free AWS usage credits, offsetting the cost of the APN Program fee. There are various funding packages available for Standard, Advanced, and Premier APN Partners to apply for. Standard APN Partners can apply for the APN FastTrack Funding Package, designed to support your business growth on AWS and help you qualify for a higher APN tier. Advanced and Premier APN Partners can apply for the Acceleration Funding Package, aimed at enhancing your capacity for delivering AWS Solutions and accelerating the adoption of your solutions on AWS. Additionally, Premier APN Consulting Partners are eligible for two free weeks of AWS Professional Services engagement on qualified opportunities.
- Programs: Qualified Standard, Advanced, and Premier APN Consulting Partners can apply for the AWS Channel Reseller Program, the newly launched AWS Managed Service Program, and the APN Competency Program. Advanced APN Technology Partners can apply for the APN Competency Program, which helps customers identify partners with proven expertise in key solution areas.
Updated 2015 APN Requirements
Alongside new benefits, we have updated the requirements for Standard, Advanced, and Premier APN Partner tiers. Our customers consistently request assistance in identifying successful APN Partners to collaborate with, and we aim to maintain high standards for APN Partners at each tier. Please note that you have until June 2015 to meet the new requirements for your current tier. The annual APN Program fee remains at $2,500/year, charged upon renewal of your APN membership, offset by the $2,500 in AWS Usage Credits your firm will now receive annually.
Changes for APN Consulting Partners:
To ensure our Consulting Partners are well-versed in AWS, we have increased the requirements for AWS Business and Technical Accreditations and added new certification requirements. Additionally, we now require public customer references to validate our top APN Partners’ experience on AWS. As AWS has expanded, so have our APN Partners’ businesses, leading to increased direct and influenced billing requirements for the Advanced tier, alongside defined requirements for the Premier tier. We have also made several additional requirements public for achieving APN Premier Consulting status, which is our highest tier. For instance, applicants for the Premier tier must hold an APN Competency, maintain an AWS Partner Practice Plan, and have dedicated personnel for Partner Alliance Management and Project Management, in addition to adhering to AWS security best practices. For specific 2015 requirements, click here.
Changes for APN Technology Partners:
Standard and Advanced APN Technology Partners are now required to have a product available on AWS. Customer reference requirements have replaced our previous billing requirements, aligning better with Technology Partners’ business models. Moreover, we have introduced additional requirements for those seeking to apply for the Advanced APN Technology tier, including a validated support statement.
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