Opening more opportunities for VMware Cloud Service Providers

Last month I had the opportunity to provide a comprehensive update on our new Broadcom Advantage Partner Program for VMware Cloud Service Provider (VCSP) partners, and since that time, the response from our partner community has been tremendous. Many VCSP Pinnacle Partners have announced their expanded relationship with Broadcom, and hundreds of our partners have signed up for the Broadcom Advantage Program Premier and Registered tiers.

Now, change has been constant since the acquisition closed, but we are working closely with our partners and customers through this time of business transformation. Based on partner input, and consistent with our strategy to make VMware Cloud Foundation the industry-leading solution for enabling customers’ digital innovation, our CEO, Hock Tan, announced updates to the VCSP program. Below are the details:

Expansion of VMware Cloud Service Provider Premier Tier: Premier Tier partners have highly-developed VMware practices and a consistent track record of delivering customer satisfaction. Broadcom is expanding access to the VCSP Premier Tier to any existing, qualified VCSP Registered Tier partner. Additionally, Broadcom in partnership with our Cloud Commerce Managers, will consider special exception requests to the qualification level from partners not yet signed up for the program and that may have unique regulatory constraints or country specific sovereign data requirements (example: European Economic Area and United Kingdom). 

Broader Access to White Label Services for VCSP Registered Tier Partners: Broadcom is responding to partner feedback by allowing Cloud Commerce Managers to offer white label services, providing more flexibility and choice to VCSP Registered Tier partners.

Extended Timeline for VCSP Registered Partner Business Transition: Current VCSP Registered Tier partners and former VMware Cloud Provider partners that are still evaluating a go forward business strategy now have until May 31, 2024, to apply for and receive a special exception, sign up with a white label provider, or inform Broadcom of their intent to exit the program. May 31, 2024, is only the deadline for a partner to make an election as to which of these options it will be taking. Each of the options provides additional time beyond May 31, 2024, to implement new program conditions.

Service Continuity for Exiting Partners: Partners choosing to exit the program can continue to serve existing customers through the end of April 2025, provided they are signed up with Broadcom as a VCSP Registered Tier partner. These partners will continue to be billed by Broadcom and will continue to leverage Broadcom global support.

VCSP partners can grow revenue opportunities by integrating VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and adjacent solutions into their cloud and managed service offerings. Our VCSP partners will help customers achieve maximum value for VMware Cloud Foundation in less time while accelerating customers’ transition to the cloud. I encourage all of our partners to visit the VCSP section of the Broadcom Partner Portal to learn more about these important changes and their associated requirements.

About Ahmar Mohammad:

Ahmar Mohammad is Vice President for Partners and Advanced Solutions Sales at Broadcom, leading strategic partnerships to drive growth, innovation, and market leadership with the partner ecosystem, across Cloud Service Providers, OEMs, Hyperscalers, and Technology Alliances. Prior to this role, Ahmar led the Global Transformation Office at VMware, where he orchestrated the company’s evolution from a software-centric model to a cloud and subscription-focused organization. His responsibilities encompassed the development and execution of various initiatives, including standardized go-to-market plays, multi-cloud offerings, and subscription conversion programs. Under his leadership, VMware witnessed significant strides in transforming to the subscription licensing model, aligning business strategies with market trends and customer needs. In past roles at VMware, Ahmar has been responsible for VMware Cloud on AWS, AWS Sales Synergy, and Cloud Economics business development. His efforts were instrumental in accelerating cloud sales motions, fostering strategic partnerships, and delivering compelling value propositions to customers. Bringing over 24 years of cloud industry experience, Ahmar has led several business development, sales, and marketing teams at Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, prior to joining VMware. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Ahmar holds majors in Information Systems and Decision Sciences.