Imperva Rolls Out New Partner Program For Better Channel Foundation

When Karl Soderlund joined Imperva a year ago as channel chief, he said the security vendor had ’great technology,’ but its partner program was overdue for an update to make it easier for partners to work with and see profits from the vendor.

On Thursday, the company revamped its program to address those challenges, with a focus on partner profitability, training and bringing all of the Redwood Shores, Calif.-based company’s technology under the same program.

’The real goal is to expand the relationships with our channel partners around the globe and support our growth and the growth of our partners,’ Soderlund, senior vice president of worldwide channels and alliances, said in an interview with CRN.

[Related: Cisco Acquiring Imperva Would Be A 'Huge Hit' In Filling Out Security Portfolio, Partners Say]

’This is a key step for us to be that channel leveraged company. We have had a successful history with the channel, but we believe there can more of a relationship,’ he said. ’I think it’s a win-win now.’

The new iteration of the Imperva PartnerSphere Channel Program improves its deal registration process and increases margins ’across the board’ for its three tiers: silver, gold and platinum. The new margins are ’best in class’ for the industry, Soderlund said. Imperva also announced a formal market development fund program for all tiers, where previously MDF had been handled on a case-by-case basis, Soderlund said.

Imperva also announced that it would make all of its technology portfolio available to its partner program. As the company has grown organically and through acquisitions, not all of those products have made it into the program, Soderlund said. Now the program will include all products, he said, including from the company’s Incapsula and Skyfence acquisitions.

Partner enablement is also a key focus under the revamped program, with new training programs around sales and technology, Soderlund said. Imperva, he said, has a ’great subset of partners’ that will now have the ’tools and support they need and are asking for to enhance their businesses.’

’We believe this program will help us gain closer trust and alignment with partners and incent them and motivate them to sell more Imperva,’ Soderlund said.

Chris Bihary, CEO and co-founder of Garland Technology, a Richardson, Tex.-based Imperva partner, said in an email that he was ’energized’ to see the company’s commitment to the channel at its recent Sales Kick Off event. He said the company’s new program will help partners ’grow and add value to both companies’ bottom lines.’

’With the PartnerSphere program focused on partner training, the partners become trusted security advisors, which allows them to provide a turnkey security solution,’ Bihary said in an email.

Soderlund said this latest partner program update is only one of many that Imperva plans as it expands. He said the new program will provide the foundation for a better and more consistent go-to-market strategy through partners.

’This is what I consider a baseline foundation. Now that we have the new program in place, as new technology becomes available, we will have building blocks on top of this program,’ Soderlund said.