Channel Register

Oracle unveils new hoops for partners to jump through

Silver, Gold, Platinum? Yes, Larry will take all of them

By Joe Fay • Get more from this author

Posted in Software & Security, 12th October 2009 13:40 GMT

Free whitepaper – Managing desktop software for fun and profit

Oracle is overhauling its partner programs, forcing resellers to fit into one of four new levels from the beginning of December.

The vendor unveiled the revamped program at its OpenWorld conference in San Francisco yesterday.

While the vendor - shortly to enswell itself by swallowing Sun Microsystems - described the revamped scheme as "the most significant evolution of the program in over a decade", it's shown little originality in naming its tiers.

The new schemes are remarketer, silver, gold and platinum.

The first two are focused on its mid-market products. Remarketer costs nothing to join, while the second requires a $500 annual fee but promises a "wealth of Oracle engaged benefits".

Gold, at $2,500, gives access to the full Oracle technology portfolio, and the right to try out for specialisations. If you want to join the elite Platinum tier, you're going to need at least five of those specialisations. And cough up $9995.

It seems that existing Certified Advantage Partners will be on a fast track to the Platinum level, with a year to gain those five specialisations.

Given Oracle's breakneck acquisition rate, it's no surprise that it would need to overhaul its partner management. A quick browse of the specialisations list shows, in addition to six industry specialisations, a host of faintly-recalled brand names under the database, middleware and applications headings.

More details here. ®

Free whitepaper – What Exchange can't do - and Dell can