Distributor Magirus and vendor partner VMware have formed the vPartner programme to support resellers that have previously undertaken minimal virtualisation implementations.

Magirus’s three-step offering builds upon the virtualisation vendor’s Activ8 programme and includes business development and marketing consultancy, education and training, and pre-sales support.

It is available to either existing Professional and Enterprise level resellers in the VMware VIP Partner Programme or to new resellers wanting to develop their virtualisation strategy.

Andrew Binding, vice president for Northern Europe at Magirus, said: “We are encouraging those partners already on VMware’s Activ8 to also join the vPartner programme for training and marketing support.

“The less experienced virtualisation partners will receive help to build their own pipeline and the existing partners will be shown how to use a wider portfolio or target particular areas of the market.”

Magirus constructed the programme after VMware research revealed resellers want training and marketing support to help them expand their virtualisation practices in 2009.

Ruth Schofield, alliances development manager at SBL, a Magirus reseller and VMware Enterprise partner said: “Our strategy was initially security, but Magirus picked up on how we could expand in the virtualisation space and offer a service delivery instead of just a licence.”

Schofield said Magirus helped SBL move up from Professional to Enterprise status with VMware.

Binding concluded: “Magirus is encouraging resellers to take a step back and take time to breathe with a bigger distributor partner. From there the VAR can see the best way to expand its virtualisation strategy.”