Cumulus Networks Creates Partner Program 

Cumulus Networks today announced its Technology Ecosystem Partner (TEP) program, enabling a broad range of partners to speed networking innovation and provide customers with a wider choice of data center solutions.

Customers benefit from the choice and speed enabled by the open Linux environment compared to long feature development cycles and limited choice inherent with traditional networking vendors. Currently, the TEP framework has 21 initial program members and several open source communities within three program tiers.

For customers deploying a modern data center, open networking enables affordable capacity and consistent automation. The TEP program facilitates the resulting shift in how IT organizations procure, build and choose data center solution elements based on loosely coupled infrastructure that best fit the needs of their business.

TEP program members are focused on key technologies such as cloud orchestration, data center automation, monitoring and visibility, and storage. Cumulus Networks is collaborating with industry leaders to publish validated solution guides for VMware vSphere, big data solution with Apache Hadoop, and cloud orchestration with OpenStack. The TEP program expands these solution development efforts by offering a range of partner benefits.

Illustrating the speed of innovation with open networking and this type of partnering, a leading network virtualization overlay software provider, Midokura, completed successful integration with Cumulus Linux, going from concept to showcasing functionality in 22 days.

The TEP program offers three membership tiers designed to optimize collaboration with Cumulus Networks across solution development, technical engagements and go-to-market strategy execution.

• Community: Cumulus Networks welcomes open source evangelists, communities and partners interested in getting involved. Program Community members can build functionality on Cumulus Linux and showcase joint solutions to customers with no risk or investment.
• Select: Integration with Cumulus Linux and joint solution development complement sales and channel development efforts. Select partners are able to host content through a microsite with Cumulus Networks.
• Premier: Advanced solution development and integration based on engineering engagements and roadmap collaboration. Premier partner solutions are hosted on the Cumulus Workbench remote customer test evaluation environment.