Specifically, QLogic has combined its award-winning QLogic Signature Partner and QLogic SignatureHPC Partner programs into one integrated, enterprise-class channel partner program that fuses together the best of both programs and accommodates the company's expanding portfolio of networking solutions, which includes rapidly emerging technologies such as Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and 10Gb Ethernet.

"We remain committed to our continuously expanding community of resellers who offer a variety of unique and innovative means to solve the networking challenges of the marketplace," said Scott Genereux, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales & Marketing, QLogic. "Now with one integrated channel program, QLogic VARs worldwide will be able to combine a Fibre Channel track with an InfiniBand track and an Ethernet track for significantly more revenue opportunities."

Commenting on today's announcement, Janet Waxman, vice president, Infrastructure Channels and Alliances, IDC, said "QLogic has taken the ease-of-doing business to a whole new level by offering its channel partners choices as to how QLogic products are delivered to customers. QLogic's new channel program enables a broad ecosystem of solution partners that allow the company to expand its addressable market without forcing the partners to choose which system the product is delivered through. Integrating the channel programs allows worldwide access to channel partners to QLogic's breadth of solutions and new business opportunities and levels the playing field for all types of partners engaged with QLogic."

The new QLogic Signature Partner Program extends the existing Fibre Channel "Guaranteed Best Price" model to partners in the HPC, FCoE and Ethernet markets, where the first partner who registers a deal will receive the best possible QLogic channel price for that particular deal-regardless of their current program status or size. The new program also includes a specialty partner track, Signature Elite, which enables resellers to enjoy significant benefits-regardless of revenue attainment-by leading with QLogic products or by cross-selling the company's entire technology portfolio.

"By providing additional benefits that open up new technology markets for its resellers and makes them more profitable, QLogic is demonstrating a commitment to the channel in a tangible way," said Paul Myerson, senior analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. "By combining and simplifying programs, resellers of any size, type or level can now earn additional benefits from QLogic."

To assist with tight reseller budgets, QLogic has eliminated the expenses and time associated with travel for technical certification. Technical certification is now conducted on a virtual basis and for a limited time QLogic is waiving technical certification fees. The new program also includes a new test-out option for technical certification that eliminates up to three days out of the office for VARs.

"QLogic has raised the stakes with the latest version of its channel program," said Mike Thompson, president and CEO, Groupware Technology. "The Signature Partner Program historically has been rewarding, but with this latest version QLogic has incorporated key elements that enable channel partners to be even more profitable selling their technology. QLogic now offers one of the industry's broadest portfolios of networking solutions spanning Fibre Channel, iSCSI, Fibre Channel over Ethernet, InfiniBand and 10Gb Ethernet. Combined with an award-winning channel program that just got even better, QLogic is definitely playing to win."

"QLogic truly owns the technology behind their solutions. Everything is based on their own ASIC designs and that's a critical factor for us," said Howie Evans, vice president, Dallas Digital Solutions. "With a channel program that truly recognizes our continued loyalty to QLogic, we are able to mutually succeed in providing customers with all the right answers to their data and storage networking challenges."

QLogic has also developed a user-friendly education portal-Networking University. The portal is designed to facilitate technical education across a variety of networking protocols, including Fibre Channel, InfiniBand and Fibre Channel over Ethernet. Each protocol has a classroom, library, laboratory and partner tabs to make finding the information channel partners need fast, simple and effective. Visit networkinguniversity.org