Stratus ® Global
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Stratus Technologies is a global leader in simplifed, protected, autonomous Edge Computing platforms for leaders who are digitally transforming business-critical operations. This includes IIoT-ready solutions that are critical for continuous availability, predictable peak performance, and improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) in production environments. As a Stratus value added reseller (VAR), you are in a unique position to capitalize on the growing need among organizations of all sizes to maintain business operations 24x7x365. Through the Stratus Global Value Added Reseller Program, you now have privileged access to the broad range of tools and resources we have developed to help you meet customer needs with your solutions and generate revenue from services associated with Stratus products.
This guide presents the structure, requirements, and benefits of the Stratus VAR Program, along with training and certification/accreditation guidelines, tools, terms and conditions, and resources available exclusively to our VAR partners.
The Stratus VAR Program Guide provides important information and guidelines to help you successfully grow your business using Stratus products and services. This guide is for reference only and subject to change by Stratus.
The guide is divided into three sections—program overview; Stratus service partnership; partner training, certification, and accreditation.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please reach out to your local Stratus representative, Channel Partner, or contact the VAR Partner Program team at partner.program@stratus.com
Program overview
The Stratus VAR Program is designed so you can confidently embed Stratus products and services into your machine or solution and create competitive advantage. The program has two main elements: established pricing and customized service offerings that meet your unique needs as a VAR.
We appreciate that when you embed our products and services into your offering, you need support during the early stages to ensure your requirements are met and that your product performs as expected, once commissioned. You want to reduce risk associated with your product from a price perspective and from a product performance perspective. After all, you need to be assured that the products you embed will perform as expected, can be purchased within your budget, and ultimately, give your customers a reliable machine/solution.
As a Stratus VAR you will be promoted on the Stratus Partner Locator where you can list solutions in the program. In addition, you can also use the “Powered by Stratus” badge on your website and promotional materials, as well as on your machine or solution, thereby providing confidence to your customers that your offering will be reliable, fault tolerant and always available.
Value Added Reseller Agreement
To participate in The Program, companies are required to sign the Stratus Value Added Reseller Agreement and any relevant Stratus Embedded Services Agreement commensurate with their Service capability (collectively, the “Agreement”). The Agreement sets out the commercial relationship between our companies, as well as authorizing you to use our logos and branding in promotional activities, promote yourselves as part of the Stratus VAR Program and submit content for inclusion in the Stratus Partner Locator.
Once the Agreement is signed, partners must comply fully with the terms and conditions of the Agreement while maintaining good standing with Stratus to qualify for VAR Program benefits.
The VAR Agreement is made between Stratus and you. However, where Stratus is using a Channel Partner to support the relationship with you, the Channel Partner will also work within the bounds of our relationship.
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Partnership Level Assignments
In addition to a Registered VAR, we also have VAR program tiers that are assigned based on the Embedded Services that are subscribed to as part of the VAR Agreement.
A Registered VAR will have signed the VAR Agreement and will include the Stratus standard Service offerings. For those wishing use Stratus® ztCTM Edge and participate with Embedded Services we also offer three additional program tiers, each will require a separate Embedded Services Agreement relevant to the participation tier.
• The Starter tier is designed for VARs that are bringing a new product to market and are uncertain on the potential sales volume and/or have a limited-service requirement at the initial stage. The Starter tier is available to VARs for up to 3 years or 10 machines/solutions, whichever comes first.
• The Standard tier is for VARs that are leveraging Edge computing to transform their offering and are expected to do more than 10 systems and are looking to include 24x7x365 service capability amongst other things.
• Our Premium tier is designed for VARs that provide business critical products or solutions and require 24x7x365 support, design consultation as well as the backup of remote commissioning support.
For a more complete list of what is available to each tier, please see Table 1 on page 5.
Stratus Service Partnership
Provision of Stratus Services Service is an integral part of Stratus’ solutions and our satisfaction rate is among the highest in both IT and OT industries. We appreciate the price sensitivity that certain products within your portfolio may be subject to, so rather than a one service levels fits all approach, our Stratus Embedded Services allow us to customize the level of services you provide to your customers.
The Stratus Embedded Services allow you to increase the value of your equipment/solution by augmenting it with services that maximize your end user’s return on their investment.
The VAR Program allows for you to select the services that you want to embed into your offering, paying only for the services you need, or desire, to include in your own service portfolio.
Participation with the Stratus Embedded Services can provide a new annuity revenue stream or enhance current service offerings. It is a way to differentiate your company and your offerings while providing your customers an improved ROI.
Table 1. Embedded Service Levels
Program Description
Designed for VAR/OEMs who are just beginning to integrate Edge Computing technologies into their solutions. Ten System maximum.
* Fees for these options are available within the Stratus Partner Portal.
Designed for VARs who are leveraging Edge Computing solutions to transform their solution offerings.
Designed for VAR/OEMs who deliver digital transformation solutions through the adoption and optimization of Edge Computing technologies and businesscritical services to support them.
Table 2. Other enablement and support options (available at all levels)
Element
Shadow system
Enterprise HQ Support
Price
Fee* per System per year
Custom quote
* Requires Stratus to quote based on customer application(s)
On-site training Fee* per day + T&E
On-site commissioning support Fee* per day + T&E
On-site design services Fee* per day + T&E
* Fees for these options are available within the Stratus Partner Portal.
Table 3. Program Entitlement Definitions
Entitlement
Stratus Partner Portal and Service Portal access
Online training seminars
Instructor led training (per year)
Technical Support (pre-deployment)
Definition
Description
A dedicated lab environment maintained by Stratus Customer Service configured and running VAR software suite and used to assist troubleshooting escalated cases. Customer provides any 3rd party OS and SW licenses at their expense.
A dedicated lab system maintained by Stratus development configured and running VAR software suite and used to test and qualify compatibility/ interoperability of new software (Stratus or VAR) releases. Negotiated cost of support based on large volume/specific customer capability, needs, etc.
Technical product training course performed by an instructor delivered onsite to a predefined number of students. Site specific requirements include appropriate facility and suitable number of lab systems used to conduct on-site training.
When an VAR solution is commissioned for production launch with the end customer, the VAR partner may request and schedule (at least 3 weeks prior) a Stratus technical resource to travel onsite and assist should a problem arise.
Stratus engineering resource will collaborate with VAR partner in a product/ solution design session performed on-site.
Partner Portal provides access to sales materials and resources which enable partners to sell Stratus products. The Service Portal provides self-help resources such as knowledgebase, documentation, software updates and case management tools. The Service Portal can be accessed directly or from the Partner Portal.
Product training sessions performed by an instructor and delivered online webinar style. Typically by invitation only and generally recorded and made available to registered users.
Product training performed live by instructor and delivered online webinar style.
Stratus will provide the VAR business day 8x5 technical escalation support via service portal or telephone. Calls are answered live by a support agent and a case is created for dispatch to a technical support engineer. Cases are assigned a Severity designation which drives the response SLA. Case meeting “Critical” Severity are immediately escalated and responded to <30 minutes by a technical support engineer based on VAR partner program or A la carte entitlement (8x5 or 24x7x365).
Warranty Stratus guarantees the hardware component product will function as designed and issue a replacement unit should a failure occur. Warranty periods defined for each program tier ranging from 6 months to 2 years from date shipped to VAR partner.
Ability to resell Stratus End User Services
(Stratus would have contract with the end-user)
Obsolescence notification
Advanced Part Replacement
VAR partners have the option to provide technical support to their end customers as a Service Provider or resell a Stratus Service Offering to the end customer. For the latter, Stratus provides all Customer Service to the end customer under a support agreement.
A formal written notification from Stratus to the VAR partner indicating the product end of sales life and end of service life for a specific product model(s) being used by the VAR.
For systems covered by Advanced Part Exchange service entitlement, Stratus will provide and ship a replacement unit. The SAL is expressed in business days representing the delivery time frame from the date shipped. Orders processed prior to the shipping cut-off time of 3:00pm of the logistics center processing the order are shipped same business day.
Table 3. Program Entitlement Definitions (continued)
Entitlement Definition
Ability to stock their own spare parts inventory at discounted rates
Business Review
Remote design consulting services
Remote Commissioning Support
On demand training
VAR partners who wish to stock spare replacement parts to support their customer base are able to do so. These spare parts carry the standard Stratus warranty and are offered at a discount rate for each program tier.
A joint meeting between Status and VAR partner used to discuss and review business performance across sales and service activities, product roadmap, relationship alignment and other important topics. Attended by cross functional teams, chaired by the account leader.
Stratus engineering resource will collaborate with VAR partner in a product/solution design session performed remotely via virtual meeting.
When a VAR solution is commissioned for production launch with the end customer, the VAR partner may request and schedule (at least 1 week prior) a Stratus support resource to be available to assist should a problem arise.
Sales and pre-sales certifications available via online training.
Table 4. A la carte Entitlement Definitions
Entitlement Definition
Technical Support (post-deployment)
Software (SW) maintenance releases
Advanced Part Replacement service (year 2 onwards)
Remote monitoring provided by Stratus (notification to VAR not end-user)
Media Retention Service
On-site Training
On-site Commissioning Support
On-site Design Consult (future machines)
Shadow System
Stratus Lab Access
NFR pricing including SW upgrades for NFR and support for NFR
Provides either 8x5 or 24x7x365 extended technical escalation support to the VAR for assistance with postproduction systems within their customer base.
Provides new software releases (maintenance updates and upgrades) to the VAR partner’s customer base.
Provides post warranty replacement coverage for all units purchased by the VAR partner. Stratus will provide replacement unit in advance of failed unit being returned. Delivery SLA based on program tier.
Stratus provides remote monitoring capability of all units purchased by the VAR partner. Systems configured to connect to the Stratus Active Service Network (ASN) will send system alarms to Stratus monitoring platform where they are reviewed and triaged on a 24x7x365 basis. Actionable alarms will result in a detailed notification sent to the VAR partner service operation for follow-up with the end customer.
A service option allowing retention of the hard disk media of systems being replaced under warranty and/or Advanced Replacement Part service.
Technical product training course performed by an instructor delivered onsite to a predefined number of students. Site specific requirements include appropriate facility and suitable number of lab systems used to conduct training.
When a VAR solution is commissioned for production launch with the end customer, the VAR partner may request and schedule (at least 3 weeks prior) a Stratus support resource to be available to assist should a problem arise.
Stratus engineering resource will collaborate with VAR partner in a product/solution design session performed onsite.
A dedicated lab environment maintained by Stratus Customer Service configured and running VAR software suite and used to assist troubleshooting escalated cases.
A dedicated lab system, maintained by Stratus, which can configure and running VAR software suite and used to test and qualify compatibility/interoperability of new software (Stratus or VAR) releases.
VAR partner can purchase Not for Resale (NFR) units to be used for sales demonstration and/or service lab systems in support of technical troubleshooting and training purposes. These systems are supported as part of the VAR partner program by Stratus.
Stratus Service Partnership
Partner Training, Certification, and Accreditation
Stratus develops and delivers industry-leading global support and services for our customers and partners, as such, training is imperative for partner success in positioning Stratus solutions, as well as in providing implementation and ongoing support.
These services enhance the value of your customer’s investments by ensuring continuous system availability, providing timely solutions, and building long-term relationships. We extend support options to our partners, enabling you to deliver reliable, valuable product support to your customers.
Stratus provides 24x7x365 technical support as well as pre-sales support through our network of experienced systems engineers. We also offer our partners extensive documentation to help you work with your customers. So, whether you choose to educate yourself through our technical training certification programs and provide your own implementation and support services, or you choose to rely on Stratus Professional Services, we are here to help you and your customers every step of the way.
Partner Sales and Technical Training
As part of the Stratus VAR Program, Stratus has developed a set of online and instructor led sales and technical training enablement designed for Stratus sales and pre-sales professionals, as well as Stratus Certified Support Specialists. Our Stratus Certified Sales Professional course will educate your sales team on the value of the Stratus offerings, enabling them to handle objections, show the return on investment and position your services. The Stratus Certified Pre-Sales courses will provide your more technical people the ability to discuss the technical aspects of the Stratus products embedded into your offerings and be fully capable of providing first level support.
Stratus Certified Implementation Specialists are authorized by Stratus to conduct product installations. Stratus Certified Support Specialists are also authorized by Stratus to provide customer support services and escalate issues to Stratus on behalf of the customer.
Stratus training certifications are available via the Stratus Partner Portal. On successful completion of the relevant course tracks and knowledge tests individuals are awarded with a digital credential rather than a paper certificate, although there is an option to print the certificate. The Stratus digital credentials are designed to be used on social media, web pages, embedded into documentation, or stored as a PDF. Because it is a digital credential, someone can click on the badge and be shown what the course entailed and the skills that have been gained and demonstrated.
Demonstration Equipment
Demonstrating the capabilities of Stratus’ solution remains a highly effective way to showcase the simplicity and ease of use of the Stratus products, whilst allowing you to build a compelling and differentiating value proposition for your prospective customers. You will have access to Stratus products on a “not for resale” (NFR) basis, at special NFR pricing, which can be used for customer demonstrations or proof of concept (PoC) purposes only.
Products purchased under NFR pricing may not be resold, leased, or licensed to a third party (including any end-user customers), or used for other purposes.
Not for resale pricing is available on the Partner Portal at https://partner.stratus.com
Other Terms and Conditions
Stratus VAR Program General Terms and Conditions
This document and your Agreement set out the exclusive terms and conditions of the Program. We reserve the right in our sole and absolute discretion to adopt, amend, and rescind such rules and regulations, to construe and interpret the VAR Program and the rules and regulations under the Stratus VAR Program, and to make all other determinations we deem necessary or advisable for the administration of The Program.
Any other Terms and Conditions will be as per the Terms of Use agreed to when accessing the Stratus Partner Portal.
