Big Switch Networks Launches Big Partner Program to Extend Reach of Mature SDN Solutions

SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 11, 2015) - Big Switch Networks, the leader in bringing hyperscale networking to data centers worldwide, today announced the global launch of its Big Partner Program™, which offers incentives, in-depth training and enablement programs, and pre-configured starter kits to facilitate proof-of-concept SDN networking engagements. The announcement comes on the heels of success at the VMware Partner Exchange and OpenStack Tokyo events where the channel expressed deep interest in growing their businesses with competitive, next-generation SDN solutions. Additionally, Big Switch was just named one of the Top 20 Virtualization Vendors on CRN's 2015 Data Center 100 list.

Big Switch has built strong relationships with more than 25 partners globally to date, with strategic alliances across North America, EMEA and the Asia-Pacific markets. With the global launch of the Big Partner Program, Big Switch will deliver enhanced incentives, enablement programs, and simplified processes to facilitate business through partners as the company scales and expands into new global regions.

The Big Partner Program gives VARs, system integrators, and consultants clear differentiation with mature SDN solutions and partners are teed up to drive new revenue, expand data center footprints, and stay ahead of industry transformation. Partners and customers dramatically lower POC risk and accelerate production deployments with pre-configured starter kits including hardware, cables, optics and Big Switch software, available for rapid onsite deployment. The Big Partner Program delivers Big Cloud Fabric™ and Big Tap™ Monitoring Fabric solutions with compelling margins to partners, and differentiated network monitoring and switching solutions that offer CapEx savings and ongoing OpEx benefits.

"Big Switch partners have a significant advantage developing competitive SDN networking practices on networking software that's purpose-built to run on bare-metal white-box hardware and open networking switches from Dell," said Shaun Page, VP Worldwide Sales, Big Switch Networks. "With Big Cloud Fabric and Big Tap Monitoring Fabric, partners can deliver solutions on par with those implemented by Google and Facebook, including bare-metal hardware, centralized software control with logical hardware abstraction, and scale-out design. These solutions empower customers to drive new levels of business agility, flexibility, and reduced cost of ownership of network operations."

The Big Partner Program was designed around three key pillars:

• Collaboration: Big Switch invests in partner enablement and training, with dedicated marketing development funds including channel marketing support and packaged channel campaigns to deepen new and existing partner relationships.
  
  
• Channel Friendly: Big Switch provides a clear program and easy to use platforms to register opportunities and protect investments. Big Switch Networks hosts a robust labs environment that channel customers can access online to experience the ease of use and simplicity of network operations through a centralized controller approach without the need to ship physical hardware. Additionally, pre-configured hardware, software, cables and optics are packaged as starter kits that simplify POCs and accelerate pilot deployment success. 
  
  
• Profitable: The Big Partner Program introduces a new authorized reseller/distributor discount and incentive structure to help maximize profitability while providing valuable incentives for proactive pipeline creation and effective deal registration. The new program is designed to be flat and simple with standard discounts by partner type, stackable incentives for deal registration and promotions for deal accelerators in the first half of 2015.
  
  

Supporting Quotes
"By partnering with Big Switch Networks we are able to extend our portfolio of vendors to include their Big Cloud Fabric and Big Tap Monitoring Fabric solutions, which are optimal for some of our core customers," said Boladji Agueh, Director of Sales, Copper River IT. "Big Switch and Copper River are aligned in our beliefs of an open networking approach and through this partnership we are able to provide our customers the best solutions, whether it be for ease of use, to meet scalability needs or the unprecedented CapEx opportunities customers get with Big Cloud Fabric and Big Tap Monitoring Fabric."

"At Dell, we are working to reshape the open networking landscape by providing more application agility and operational simplicity to cloud and big data deployments," said Adnan Bhutta, Dell. "Big Switch's market leading bare-metal SDN offerings help us to deliver unprecedented improvements in this area. We're fully committed to this partnership, and we now have more than 1000 Dell field representatives trained in both the Big Tap/Big Cloud Fabric and Dell joint solutions."

"Through our partnership with Big Switch we are able to provide a broad range of customers with SDN bare-metal solutions that best fit their needs," said Bill Burger, Director of Business Development, Edgecore Networks. "Using Big Cloud Fabric and Edgecore switch hardware together not only reduces CapEx up to 50% but it provides our customers with the hyperscale design approach of Core and Pod via the industry's first bare-metal SDN data center switching fabric."

For more information on the Big Partner Program and elegibility requirements, please visit http://www.bigswitch.com/resellers

About Big Switch Networks:
Big Switch Networks is the market leader in bringing hyperscale data center networking technologies to a mainstream datacenter audience. The company is taking three key hyperscale technologies -- OEM/ODM bare metal and open Ethernet switch hardware, sophisticated SDN control software, and core-and-pod data center designs -- and leveraging them in fit-for-purpose products designed for use in enterprises, cloud providers, and service providers. The company's Big Tap Monitoring Fabric is a feature-rich solution to monitor existing networks, and Big Cloud Fabric is the industry's most advanced bare metal switching fabric intended for new data center pods such as private cloud, big data, and VDI. For additional information, email info@bigswitch.com, follow @bigswitch, or visit www.bigswitch.com.

Big Switch Networks, Big Cloud Fabric, Big Tap, Switch Light OS, and Switch Light vSwitch are trademarks or registered trademarks of Big Switch Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered marks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.