Global
Ness, a Full-Lifecycle Digital Services Transformation company, announced today that is has achieved Premier Partner status in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN). Achieving APN Premier Partner status differentiates Ness as an AWS Partner who demonstrated expertise and notable success in helping customers design, architect, build, migrate, and manage their workloads on AWS.
In this blog, we will delve deeper into what it means to be an AWS Premier Partner, the benefits of being a part of the AWS Partner Network, and the steps required to become an AWS Partner.
What is the AWS Partner Network
AWS Partner Network or APN Partner Network is a worldwide community of information technology and consulting enterprises willing to collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to innovate advanced cloud computing solutions for their global customers. AWS premier partners can attain many status levels with the APN. This is purely based on their capability, competency, and performance record in delivering and deploying AWS solutions. It is also commonly known as Amazon Partner Network.
Explanation of the AWS Partner Network (APN)
APN or Amazon Partner Network offers multiple programs and resources to help APN premier partners and APN technology partners expand their business and AWS expertise. The programs include APN Partner Central, which offers ready access to technical and business resources, training and certification, and marketing support to help an APN Partner succeed. There is also an AWS StatusPage, a real-time dashboard with the status of AWS services and region information. This is an essential tool for APN technology partners and customers to remain updated on any outages or issues impacting their daily operations. ASW StatusPage is a critical tool for AWS specialists. AWS StatusPage is a platform to get real-time information on the status of AWS services and regions. AWS StatusPage gives an update on the AWS services, helps monitor issues, and updates on any disruptions. With AWS StatusPage, you can keep track of services such as Amazon S3, Amazon EC2, and AWS Lambda, among others. AWS StatusPage enables you to subscribe for email or SMS alerts in AWS services.
Overview of the APN Partner types (Technology, Consulting, and Managed Service Providers)
There are various partner types in the AWS Partner Network or Amazon Partner Network. This includes Technology Partners, Consulting Partners, and Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Each of them has a unique role in the APN or AWS Partner ecosystem in offering specific services and solutions.
- Technology partners: They build software and hardware solution integrated with AWS services. The range of solutions includes infrastructure software, security, DevOps, big data, machine learning, etc. These partners can develop AWS Competencies to showcase their expertise in healthcare, financial services, and gaming domains.
- Consulting Partners: AWS APN Consulting Partners offer services like designing, architecting, building, migrating, and managing customer workloads on AWS. Their grasp of AWS services and solutions is deep, and they are experienced in helping customers optimize their AWS infrastructure for performance, scalability, and cost efficiency. They can enhance their expertise in AWS Competencies in domains such as DevOps, migration, and cybersecurity.
- Managed Service Providers (MSPs): A MSP can offer continuous management and optimization of AWS infrastructure. They enable customers by monitoring, automating, and maintaining their AWS environment to ensure it is available, robust, and secure. Additional services they offer include cost optimization, compliance, and disaster recovery. The AWS MSP partner designation recognizes a company’s ability to deliver high-quality managed services on AWS.
Importance of the APN in AWS ecosystem
AWS Partner Network is an integral part of the AWS ecosystem. APN partners can leverage the network to expand their business and improve their expertise in AWS.
Here are some key reasons for the importance of APN in the AWS ecosystem:
- Access to a Wide Range of Partners: Customers can access a diverse range of partners which be either AWS Premier Partners, APN Technology Partners, or APN Consulting Partners. This choice gives customers a partner best suited to their business needs and technical expertise.
- Enhanced AWS Expertise: APN partners can access various technical and business resources. This can be either training, certification, or marketing support. This is very helpful for partners who want to develop their AWS expertise further and offer innovative solutions.
- Faster Time to Value: Customers can leverage the expertise of APN partners to speed up their cloud journey and accomplish a faster time to value. Partners can also support customers in their AWS infrastructure’s design, deployment, and management efforts.
- Access to Innovative Solutions: APN Technology Partners have the expertise to offer innovative software and hardware solutions well integrated into AWS services. The solutions can help optimize customers’ AWS infrastructure for performance and efficiency.
- Support for Complex Projects: APN Consulting Partners can provide end-to-end services to manage large complex projects. These projects include cloud migration, cloud-native application development, or data analytics.
What is an AWS Premier Partner
Explanation of the AWS Premier Partner status
A top-tier partner in the AWS Partner Network can be called an AWS Premier Partner. The partner is known for their high level of AWS expertise and customer success. They have demonstrated the ability to develop cutting-edge solutions and exceptional customer services, which makes them trusted advisors for customers who want services on the AWS platform.
Here are the AWS Premier Partner requirements.
- Technical Expertise: Partners must showcase a deep-dive understanding of AWS services and solutions. They should have practical experience and expertise in DevOps, big data, machine learning, security, etc.
- Customer Success: Their track record of delivering successful customer projects on AWS must be exceptional. They should have worked on offering high-quality services and solutions and must the proven excellence in customer service and support.
- Business Investment: Partner must have a dedicated AWS practice and certified AWS professionals.
- AWS Certifications: They should have a good number of AWS-certified professionals on staff, including two AWS Certified Solutions Architects.
Benefits of being an AWS Premier Partner
AWS Premier partners also get a dedicated AWS Partner Development Manager (PDM). The PDM offers customized support and guidance to enable partners to grow their AWS business. They can access programs such as the AWS Well-Architected Partner Program. The program offers various resources to help them deliver high-quality and well-architected solutions. They can also access training and certification programs, free training, technical boot camps, and certification exam vouchers to maintain high technical competency. Partners can participate in AWS Partner Solution Showcase to display their solutions to customers. They get better credibility and visibility in the market, helping them acquire new customers and differentiate themselves from the competition.
Partner Comparison between Premier and Standard Partner status
There are two types of partners in the network, Premier Partners and Standard Partners. Here are some key differences between them.
Partner requirement: To be a Premier Partner, the requirement is deep technical expertise, customer success, investments in AWS practice development in the organization, and AWS certifications. Standard Partners has low requirements; they just need to showcase their ability to offer AWS services and solutions, they must have at least one AWS certified staff, meet KPIs such as CSAT ratings, customer references, and revenue generated, etc. They must also invest in developing the AWS practice, such as staffing, training, marketing, and sales resources.
Benefits: Premier Partners get more benefits than Standard Partners. This can be technical support, business support, access to training and certification and marketing and sales support. They can get access to AWS Well-Architected Partner Program and a Partner Development Manager (PDM) to ensure custom support and guidance.
Recognition: Premier Partners are top-tier partners due to their deep expertise and customer success. They have a high level of credibility and visibility. Standard Partners do not get this recognition.
Customer Focus: Premier Partners are trusted advisors for AWS customers. Standard Partners are more focused on building their AWS business or might offer a limited set of solutions.
Investment: Premier Partners invest heavily to grow their AWS business, such as a dedicated AWS practice with a team of certified AWS professionals. Standard Partners are relatively new and have a small AWS practice.
APN Partner Types and Requirements
1. APN Technology Partner: Who can become one and what are the requirements?
There are a few requirements that must be met to be an APN Technology Partner. Here are they.
- AWS Competency: They should have good technical expertise and customer success rates along with one of these AWS Competencies: DevOps, Big Data, Security, Machine Learning, Storage, Migration, IoT, or any specialty areas.
- Customer References: They should provide customer references that highlight the implementation of AWS solutions. This includes case studies to mention the value and impact of their solution in customer business.
- AWS Technical Requirements: There must be at least two AWS Certified professionals capable of deploying and managing AWS applications.
- Business Requirements: They must be committed to building their AWS practices by actively using AWS services, offering customer support, and being a part of every marketing and promotional activity.
- Legal Requirements: The terms and conditions of the AWS Partner Network Agreement must be adhered to; this agreement has legal and financial guidelines to be followed by the partners.
- Payment of APN Fees: Partners must pay an annual APN Technology Partner fee. This can vary depending on the type of partner level, which can be either Registered, Standard, Advanced, or Premier and the region of the partner.
2. APN Consulting Partner: Who can become one and what are the requirements?
There are a few requirements that must be met to be an APN Technology Partner; here are they.
- AWS Certification: There must be one AWS-certified professional in the team who is an AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate, AWS Certified Developer - Associate, or an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator.
- AWS Technical Requirements: They should have the experience to deploy and manage AWS applications, with a minimum of three customer references to demonstrate the implementation of AWS solutions.
- Business Requirements: They must be committed to AWS usage, from providing customer support, to participating in marketing or any promotional activity.
- Legal Requirements: The terms and conditions of the AWS Partner Network Agreement must be adhered to. This outlines the legal and financial obligations of an APN Consulting Partner.
- Payment of APN Fees: There is an annual APN Consulting Partner fee that depends on the partner level Registered, Standard, Advanced, or Premier and region.
3. AWS Managed Service Provider: Who can become one and what are the requirements?
There are a few requirements that must be met for being an APN Managed Service Provider. Here are they.
- AWS Certification: There must be at least four AWS-certified professionals - AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate, AWS Certified Developer - Associate, or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator.
- AWS Technical Requirements: Partners must have experience of managing large-scale AWS environments with a minimum of three customer references to showcase the successful delivery of managed services.
- Business Requirements: There should be a commitment to active AWS usages, such as customer support and active participation in marketing or promotional activities.
- Legal Requirements: They must agree to adhere to the terms and conditions of the AWS Partner Network Agreement, which mentions the legal and financial obligations of AWS MSPs.
- Payment of APN Fees: They must pay the annual AWS Managed Service Provider fee, which can vary based on the partner level, Registered, Standard, Advanced, or Premier and the region.
How to Become an AWS Partner?
An AWS Partner can get many opportunities to grow their business with AWS. Becoming a partner takes a lot of time, effort, and resources. However, the benefits are huge. Here are the AWS Partner Program requirements.
Understand the Partner Tiers: There are three tiers, Consulting Partners, Technology Partners, and Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Every tier has a set of requirements and benefits. So, first, determine the tier which is the right fit for your business.
Meet the Partner Requirements: Based on the chosen partner tiers, there are some requirements that should be fulfilled. This includes showcasing expertise in AWS services, and having the required AWS certified professionals and customer references.
Apply for Partnership: When the requirements are met, the company can apply for partnership in AWS Partner Network (APN) portal. Here every information on the business, company profile, customer references and the AWS solutions and services offered should be clearly mentioned.
Complete the Application Process: After submitting your application, AWS will review your information and determine if you meet the criteria for partnership. If your application is approved, you’ll be notified and given access to the partner portal, where you can access partner resources, training, and support.
Maintain Partner Status: The partnership status must be maintained on a continuous basis. This can be done through updating customer references, ensuring the team has more AWS certified members and they participate in partner training and certification programs.
Steps to becoming an AWS Partner
Become an AWS partner to avail all the benefits such as resources, training, and support from AWS. This includes getting listed in the AWS partner directory. Let us look at the AWS Partnership requirements.
- Create an AWS Account: The first step is to create an AWS account if you don’t already have one. You can sign up for a free account on the AWS website.
- Choose a Partner Program: There are several partner programs to choose from. This can be based on the business needs and goals, the programs include Consulting Partners, Technology Partners, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and others.
- Meet the Program Requirements: Every partner program has a prescribed set of requirements that must be met. Consulting Partners should have a certain number of AWS certified professionals and Technology Partners should have a product or service which can be integrated with AWS.
- Apply to the Partner Program: After meeting the requirements, apply for the partner program. Provide every information on your business, including company size, location, and areas of expertise.
- Pass the Partner Validation: After you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed, and AWS will validate eligibility. The process includes an audit of your business practices and a review of customer references.
- Sign the Partner Agreement: Once your application is approved, you must sign the partnership agreement. The agreement has the terms and conditions of the partnership program.
- Complete the Training Requirements: Training and certification requirements need to be completed, this can be AWS technical training and sales training. The training can help you understand AWS services and how to position and sell AWS services to customers.
- Launch Your Partnership: Once the above steps are completed, you can announce the partnership to your customers and list your business in AWS Partner Directory.
Tips on how to qualify for APN Partner status
Here are some tips to get qualified for APN partner status. First, choose the partner program that suits your needs. Meet the eligibility requirement of each program, and showcase the AWS expertise through AWS technical training and certifications, case studies, and customer references. Build your AWS business and successfully deliver AWS projects. You can leverage AWS Marketplace and Quick Starts to build and nurture your AWS practice. Participate in AWS events, collaborate with AWS teams, keep yourself updated on AWS services, and build healthy relationships with AWS partners. Finally, sustain your partnership status by consistently meeting the requirements mentioned in the partnership agreement with AWS.
Benefits of being an AWS Partner
Once you have met the AWS Partner requirement, you are called an AWS Partner. The many benefits help you increase your success rate with AWS.
- Access to AWS Partner resources: You can get technical training and business training support from AWS Partner Central, AWS Marketplace, and AWS Solution Space. This will help in building your AWS business and in developing expertise. There will be an increase in business credibility, reputation, and access to AWS customers through AWS Marketplace, AWS Solution Provider Program, etc. You also get more revenue generating opportunities through the sale of AWS, AWS Marketplace listings, and by developing AWS solutions for customers. AWS experts can help you in solving complex technical issues. You also get access to marketing and sales support which includes marketing collaterals, lead generation best practices, and ways to close deals. You can collaborate with AWS partners, experts, and customers and develop partnerships, and share knowledge on trending services and practices.
- Opportunities to grow your business: Expand your range of services offered to customers. There are many services, from compute to storage to AI and ML. Develop best-in-class customized solutions to meet specific needs of customers. Regularly participate in AWS APN network program to grow your business and collaborate with AWS partners. List solutions in AWS Marketplace so that customers can find and buy them. Listing your solutions here will help in reaching out to a broader audience. Stay focused on customer success and differentiate your business from competition, leverage AWS resources such as AWS Well-Architected Framework and AWS Professional Services. Develop niche expertise in a specific industry such as healthcare, financial services or machine learning to distinguish yourself from others. Get more certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect and AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, to enhance your skills in AWS services. Keep track of the promotion and incentives for partners, which can either be discounts, rebates, or joint marketing activities. Leverage AWS Marketplace tools to optimize your listing and get more customers. These tools can be on analytics, reporting, pricing, billing, or payments. You can also use resources such as AWS support and AWS managed services to offer continuous support to customers to build long-term profitable relationships. There are also programs such as AWS Activate for startups and AWS Public Sector Partner Program for government organizations. AWS also organizes AWS re:Invent conferences to drive networking and learning opportunities for its partners. Finally, build a strong online presence to grow your AWS business such as a website, social media presence, or engaging in online communities and forums.
- Showcase your solutions to a wider audience
Showcasing your AWS solutions is vital to expanding your business and to acquire new customers. Here are some tips. Regularly participate in AWS events such as the annual re:Invent conference, regional summits, and workshops. They provide a good opportunity to showcase solutions and network with your AWS peers and customers. Develop case studies and success stories to discuss your expertise, and add important metrics and data to demonstrate the impact. List solutions in the AWS Marketplace for maximizing market outreach, collaborate with AWS partners, and offer free trail or demos of your solutions so that customers can understand your offering and benefits. Create webinars and online events, and provide educational materials and use cases to highlight solution benefits. Have a referral program to get new customers, including incentives and rewards for customers who get referrals. Build a strong brand identity, and leverage customer testimonials by featuring them in your marketing mediums. Engage in thought leadership by speaking at industry conferences or publishing such content. Narrow your market focus by offering solutions to verticals such as healthcare, finance, etc., which will help you establish yourself as an expert in the field. You can also partner with industry experts and leaders to promote your services. Offer free resources such as eBooks or how-to guides and highlight your differentiators. And more importantly, do not forget to attend industry events or conferences outside of AWS events, which help expand your business network.
AWS Migration Partners
Explanation of AWS Migration Partners
AWS migration partners help companies to migrate workloads to AWS cloud. They have undergone a rigorous process of evaluation where they have proven their skills and expertise in guiding customers across the migration process. There are two types of migration partners. Consulting partners who help customers to plan, execute and optimize the cloud migration process. They have proven experience in project management, application migration, and IT infrastructure modernization. Technology partners help customers to migrate workloads to AWS cloud using solutions such as migration tools, automation software and products to facilitate the migration process.
Benefits of working with an AWS Migration Partner
Working with an AWS Migration Partner has many benefits. They have immense experience and expertise to guide organizations new to the cloud. These partners can ease the process by navigating the complexities of the migration such as choosing the right AWS service, designing the cloud architecture and performance optimization. They ensure faster migration by quickly identifying and resolving the roadblocks before they become issues. The migration risks are significantly reduced as they follow a methodical approach to migration. They also help in choosing the right AWS services and configuring them correctly to optimize application performance and reduce costs. The partners also implement security controls and continuously monitor the cloud infrastructure for any threats. Once the migration is complete, they offer ongoing support to optimize the infrastructure, monitor it for any potential issues and offer guidance to optimize performance and costs.
Conclusion
Recap of the importance of being an AWS Partner
Being an AWS partner is the most valuable investment you can make to build and grow your cloud business. The leverages you get are the resources and tools offered by AWS to differentiate yourself from the competition, improve your brand visibility and drive growth and profits are indispensable. AWS offers training and certification programs, marketing support and resources to collaborate with other partners and customers. AWS partners must be committed to continually building expertise in AWS services and solutions and invest in ways to support customers in the cloud. The reward of becoming a partner is high: increased revenue, better customer satisfaction, and a competitive edge in the market. The importance of becoming an AWS partner will only grow in the coming years, and it is an ideal choice for companies to upgrade and grow their reputation as cloud solution providers.
Explanation of how being an AWS Premier Partner helps Ness in their digital transformation solutions
Ness Digital Engineering is an AWS Premier Partner offering innovative digital transformation solutions to a global clientele. They have achieved a high level of technical proficiency and deep-dive understanding of AWS services. The company has extensive experience in cloud-native application development, data analytics, and machine learning. Ness has successfully delivered multiple cloud-based projects across verticals, and they are committed to offering the highest level of customer service and support.
Here are a few AWS programs which have helped Ness.
AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP): This program helps clients migrate to AWS Cloud quickly and reduce costs. Ness follows the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework to accelerate this migration in iterations.
AWS Re-Orchestration: A program that helps to unlock data trapped in silos through KAFKA, and reorchestrate business logic to leverage cloud advantages and migrate to cloud.
AWS Well-Architected Reviews: This is a framework to review and improvize AWS architectures. It ensures the workloads are secure, reliable, and cost-efficient.
AWS Security Reviews: A comprehensive security assessment of AWS deployments to mitigate risk due to security vulnerabilities.
AWS Immersion Days: A program where Ness gives hands-on training to help clients design, build, and deploy applications on AWS.
AWS Financial Services GameDay: This is simulation-based learning which helps financial clients gain experience in building portfolio management tools using AWS Glue, AWS Comprehend, and AWS Forecast.
AWS Managed Service For Apache Kafka (MSK): This helps businesses with a secure, managed, highly available Apache Kafka service hosted in AWS. Using AWS MSK enables Ness to help clients to build scalable real-time streaming applications in AWS.
Other APN Partner Types
AWS Development Partner: Who can become one and what are the requirements?
AWS Development partners are the ones who specialize in the development and delivery of AWS services and solutions. They are a part of the AWS APN. To become a development partner, you must join AWS Partner Network and showcase expertise in designing, building and deployment of AWS applications. The applications must adhere to the requirements and practices prescribed by AWS. Customer references must be provided, and revenue targets, training, and certification requirement and KPIs must be met.
APN Ambassador: Who can become one and what are the requirements?
An AWS technical expert and advocate can be called an APN Ambassador. They are usually individuals who have excellent knowledge and expertise in AWS and a desire to share their knowledge with others. To be an ambassador, they should have the certification, attend speaking engagements, write thought leadership articles and showcase other forms of relevant experience. They must be active in the AWS community and attend conferences and meet-ups. They should have good communication skills and must be able to engage with technical and non-technical audiences. As an ambassador, they should be customer-centric and provide solutioning guidance to meet their needs.
AWS Global Premier Consulting Partners: Who are they and what do they do?
These top-tier Amazon AWS Partners have showcased their expertise in helping customers design, architect, build, migrate, and manage their workloads to AWS. AWS Premier Consulting Partners should have delivered successful AWS projects and a good customer satisfaction track record. They should have good customer references demonstrating their ability to offer high-end AWS solutions. They should have a good regional presence across geographies and a strong AWS practice. An AWS premier consulting partner must guide and support customers in security, compliance, performance, and cost optimization areas. The services they provide must include AWS consulting, implementation, migration, and managed services which can help customers get the best out of their AWS investments.
