1. ACE Partner Program
PROGRAM OVERVIEW

2. Cloud Solutions
Bringing Clarity to the Cloud

3. Arrow’s Cloud Strategy
With ACE, a rich management platform and a set of "best in class" products and managed services, Arrow is the trusted advisor for VAR and MSP’s in their journey to the Cloud
Arrow offers the channel partner community the opportunity to sharpen their cloud go to market reach and strategy by delivering:
A set of compelling offerings (Cloud Services - IaaS, PaaS and SaaS; Cloud builder products; & complementary Cloud enabling services and products)
A platform (ArrowSphere) managing the aggregation, brokerage and reporting of best of breed reliable cloud services and PAYGO (e.g. SPLA & VSPP) software
A methodical enablement approach that includes business transformation, technical expertise, lead generation, channel creation and financial services
Supporting partners in either the build and/or the resell of best in class Cloud Services
Cloud computing is now being embraced by the majority of enterprises of all sizes. A recent IDC study shows that the cloud market is growing at 22.8% CAGR through Meanwhile, 60% of business customers plan to source cloud services through a value-added business partner of the vendor. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to learn about the latest technology developments and solutions.
By aggregating and integrating multiple outsourcing solutions, Arrow ECS Cloud Solutions adds value to our solution providers by giving them access to options that make it less expensive, easier and faster to navigate. Arrow ECS Cloud Solutions provides our partners with the tools, information, products, and support they need to create a cloud environment for their customers. With the ACE Program, we can provide a quick start to help partner teams get up to speed quickly and help identify an initial success that can build confidence. Our partners have created trusted business relationships with end users selling their specific product lines. These end users most likely are buying cloud services as well, albeit not from the existing partner. This may be the result of the partner not being comfortable selling cloud solutions or the end user simply doesn’t know that cloud services are being offered by the partner.
Selling Cloud Services should be COMPLIMENTARY to the partners product’s they sell today. Partners can not STOP selling products, but now is the time to add Cloud Services as a way to expand and grow the business. The cloud offerings should be a natural extension of the partner offerings today. If the partner is knowledgeable around Data Center Migrations or Virtualization, IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) may be a option. If the partner is known in the marketplace for storage, BaaS (Backup as a Service) or DRaaS (Disaster Recover as a Service) may be good options.

4. ACE Program for Partners
ACE is the Arrow enablement program designed to help our Channel Partners accelerate their on ramp to the Cloud and build a business based on high demand, profitable Cloud solutions using the ArrowSphere platform and Arrow’s robust cloud portfolio.
Program Phases
Helping Partners prepare and plan for Cloud business model transformation
1. ENABLE
2. EDUCATE
Building technical and sales expertise
3. EXECUTE
Providing pre-sales support, ArrowSphere (ERP for Cloud) provisioning, ordering and billing
4. DEMAND
Utilizing marketing and demand generation tools to build pipeline
Arrow has recognized the need to help partners incorporate Cloud Based Business Solutions into their portfolio. Depending on their respective level of cloud business maturity, a partner can take between eighteen and twenty four months to successfully adopt a cloud-based managed services model. The ACE Program helps our partners “get it right” faster, with less pain. ACE will become synonymous with Arrow partners getting their cloud-based managed services practices built faster and with greater success.
ACE consists of four phases and is based on proven business best practices for assisting channel partners to adopt cloud-based managed services.
PHASE 1: Enable – Helping partners prepare and plan for Cloud through a step by step process and creating measurable goals
PHASE 2: Educate – Building technical staff and sales expertise through education and real world examples
PHASE 3: Execute – Design and launch the ArrowSphere platform and providing pre and post support
PHASE 4: Demand – Utilize marketing, social media and demand generation tools to build a qualified pipeline of opportunities

5. What are the benefits for our partners?
Shorten the time to market for cloud solutions while reducing risk
Becoming a trusted advisor with your existing customer base
Increase sales efficiency, while creating profitable, measureable growth
Increase end user mind share and attract more of the shifting I.T. spend while maintaining current lines of business
Pre-sales and post-sales cloud opportunity support
There are many different benefits to the partner community when it comes to cloud opportunities. Cloud Partners make 1.6x more gross profit margin as a percentage and cloud oriented partners have 2.4x faster growth (IDC Study 2013) than their product only counterparts. Business customers are adopting cloud and looking to the partner community for support.
Shorten the time to market for cloud solutions while reducing risk – Utilizing our custom questionnaires and processes we meet partners where they are currently at in their cloud maturity and help them define a scalable, repeatable process while avoid common mistakes developing a new offering.
Becoming a trusted advisor for cloud solutions in an existing business base - Partners have created trusted business relationships with end users selling their specific product lines. These end users most likely are buying cloud services as well, albeit not from the existing partner. This may be the result of the partner not being comfortable selling cloud solutions or the end user simply doesn’t know that cloud services are being offered by the partner. Someone is discussing cloud services with these end users.
Increase sales efficiency, while creating profitable, measureable growth –There is money to be made selling cloud solutions. ($128b opportunity by 2018, IDC “Public IT Cloud Services,” October 2014) Working with the Partner we create repeatable sales playbooks and processes that help identify a process that is applicable to the partners specific business. The sales goals are identified and measured on a quarterly basis to ensure the targets are being met.
Pre-sales and post-sales cloud opportunity support – Arrow’s Cloud Solutions Architect’s are available to help identify, architect and quote opportunities. They become a part of your ‘virtual’ team and support specific cloud opportunities. Once an a deal is won, our 24x7 NOC can support any of the Arrow cloud vendors as a “white label” team or stand alone entity.
Increase end user mind share and attract more of the shifting I.T. spend while maintaining current lines of business - Selling Cloud Services should be COMPLIMENTARY to the partners product’s they sell today. Partners can not STOP selling products, but now is the time to add Cloud Services as a way to expand and grow the business. The cloud offerings should be a natural extension of the partner offerings today.
Access to the ArrowSphere portal for simplified ordering and billing – The ArrowSphere portal is used to address the unique transformation requirements of our partners. Our service framework provides the essential cloud service platform, tools, training, marketing and management resources needed to rapidly launch and build your cloud services practice.
Increase business valuation by introducing reoccurring revenue streams – Reoccurring revenue sources drive business valuation.
Cloud focused solution provider:
2 to 6 times revenue
5 to 14 times EBITDA
IT solutions provider (Product Only):
0.2 to 1.5 times revenue
2.0 to 3.5 times EBITDA
Access to the ArrowSphere portal for simplified ordering and billing
Increase business valuation by introducing reoccurring revenue streams

6. Enabling partners for success
1. ENABLE
Enabling partners for success
Measure and Adjust
Learn the Tools
Identify maturity level
Arrow has developed a multi-step program that evaluates where a partner is in their cloud business maturity and then determines the steps that are necessary for success
Connect with strategic service providers
The Arrow Cloud team has developed a multi-step program that evaluates where a partner is in their cloud business maturity and then determines the steps that are necessary for success. Then Enablement phase helps identify where a partner is at in the cloud cycle and defines a road map and creates measurable objectives to help ensure success.
Identify: Utilization of custom developed questionnaires and live consulting to help identify the partner’s maturity and comfort level in cloud offerings.
Define: Based on the partner’s cloud maturity level, three distinct paths are used Emerge, Grow or Focus. This approach is custom to each partner and will help facilitate cloud business and reduce risk associated with introducing a new line of business.
Connect: The Arrow Enablement team connects strategic vendors that are complimentary to the partner’s business. This enables our partners to create wins that we can develop into a repeatable process.
Learn: The Arrow Enablement team works to help launch the ArrowSphere portal and educates partners on how to place orders and run reports necessary to run the cloud business.
Measure and Adjust: Progress of the cloud business is monitored quarterly and KPI metric’s are used to chart growth. Utilization of quarterly check in's are schedule to ensure the partners objectives are being met.
Define the roadmap
Emerging, Growth or Focus

7. Technical and Sales Education
2. EDUCATE
Technical and Sales Education
As cloud computing becomes more mainstream, cloud certification is a way to demonstrate value, market specialties, and keep up to date on cloud technology.
ACE Cloud Certified
Core Cloud Fundamentals
Technical and/or Sales Tracks
Cloud certification demonstrates that an individual knows what cloud computing means from a business and technical perspective, as well as what is involved in moving to and governing the cloud. By educating our partner’s on cloud terminology, cloud solutions and solutions selling we give the ability and confidence needed to identify and win opportunities.
Becoming an ACE (Arrow Cloud Enablement) designated partner gives distinction and credibility in the cloud marketplace, validates knowledge of cloud computing and highlights a commitment to building a cloud business.
Arrow Cloud Services has teamed with cloud education providers to provide a certification path that demonstrates a working knowledge of cloud concepts that is specific to partners.
Once a partner completes the certification path they will receive the ACE Program Cloud Certification accreditation that can be used in marketing their cloud solutions. The certification is available at both the individual level AND the firm level.

8. Core Cloud Fundamentals (Solution Provider Focused )
2. EDUCATE
Education Components
Core Cloud Fundamentals
Technical Track
(Solution Provider Focused )
Sales Track
ACE Certification
Cloud Essentials
ArrowSphere Fundamentals
Infrastructure/Storage
Migration
Security
General Cloud
Sales and Solution Selling (Part One)
Sales and Solution Selling (Part Two)
On-going Education Modules
Partner Level Accreditation
Individual Level Certification
The ACE Cloud Education consists of four tracks. Each partner must have, at a minimum, one individual complete a Vendor Focused Technical Track and a Sales Track.
The Core Cloud Fundamentals workshop is required of all participating individuals and creates a ‘base level’ of cloud knowledge. The Core Cloud Fundamentals consists of the Cloud Essentials workshop and an overview of the ArrowSphere portal.
After completion of the Core Cloud Fundamentals, individuals can choose to take either a technical track or solutions sales track, depending on their role in the partner organization. Upon completion of the requirements, the partner is then Partner Level ACE Certified. Individuals completing the training, on behalf of the partner, achieve Individual Level Certification.
Core Cloud Fundamentals –
Cloud Essentials covers:
Characteristics of cloud services from a business perspective
Business value of cloud computing
Technical perspective/cloud types
Steps to successful adoption
Impact and changes on IT service management
Risks and consequences
ArrowSphere Fundamentals:
Overview of the platform and general functions
Introduction to products and vendors available in your catalog
Creating reports that can be used to report back usage to vendors
Introduction into Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) finder and modeling tools
Technical Track:
Infrastructure: Technical focus on cloud compute and resources available in the Arrow Cloud Portfolio (ex: SoftLayer; RackSpace)
Storage: Technical focus on cloud storage and resources available in the Arrow Cloud Portfolio
Security: Technical focus on cloud security and resources available in the Arrow Cloud Portfolio (ex: Intel Security)
General Cloud: Technical focus on cloud computing in general that includes topics on compute, storage and security but includes options around disaster recovery and back up services.
Sales Track:
Sales and Solution Selling – Part One Key Objectives:
Gain insight, ideas and practice related to selling cloud solutions
• The current cloud services landscape
• The CxO business landscape
• Bridging IT capabilities with business requirements
• The financial drivers of cloud services
• A cloud services case sales case study
Sales and Solution Selling – Part Two Key Objectives:
• Developing customer insights related to cloud services
• The business justification process for cloud
• Creating your cloud business conversation
• Practice your cloud services conversation
• Developing your customer action plan
On-Going Education Modules:
On going sales education modules developed specifically for the solution selling professional
ACE Certification:
Once a partner completes the certification path they will receive the ACE Program Cloud accreditation that can be used in marketing their cloud solutions.
Once the Fundamentals, Technical and Sales Track’s are completed, a partner can be an ACE Certified Partner. Individuals completing either the technical or sales track, in addition to the core cloud Fundamentals will be certified receive an ACE Certified Individual accreditation.
Associated Fee

9. Core Cloud Fundamentals
2. EDUCATE
Core Cloud Fundamentals
Cloud Essentials
ArrowSphere Fundamentals
Characteristics of cloud services from a business perspective
Business value of cloud computing
Technical perspective/cloud types
Steps to successful adoption
Impact and changes on IT service management
Risks and consequences
Overview of the platform and general functions
Introduction to solution providers available in your catalog
Creating reports that can be used to report usage to solution providers
Introduction to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) finder and modeling tools
To ensure that the partner has the basic fundamentals to be successful selling cloud services, partners need to have a foundational knowledge of cloud computing. Arrow offers the following courses to provide the foundational knowledge of cloud computing and the platform to simplify the business process for selling cloud services.
Cloud Essentials:
The foundation used for all of our cloud learning paths. This certification demonstrates that an individual knows what cloud computing means from a business and technical perspective, as well as what is involved in moving to and governing the cloud.
ArrowSphere Fundamentals:
Provides a streamlined platform that allows simplified ordering of cloud services through a growing, best of breed services catalog. Through ArrowSphere; solution providers can start selling cloud services immediately with minimal investment.

10. Provider Focused Technical Track
2. EDUCATE
Provider Focused Technical Track
Infrastructure
Instruction and hands on labs from cloud service providers like SoftLayer, RackSpace, CenturyLink and others.
Cloud Migration
Training on the tools and methodology required to migrate applications and data to a cloud environment.
Security
Training programs providing the tools needed to sell and support security services from providers like Intel and IBM.
General Cloud
Validates the knowledge and best practices required of IT practitioners working in cloud computing environments.
For individuals interested in focusing on a specific technical area, these vendor’s have made specific training available. Education can be remotely delivered or in some cases, on-site education is available.
Infrastructure:
SoftLayer: This two-day instructor-led training course introduces SoftLayer Infrastructure-as-a-Solution (laaS) solutions through instruction and hands-on labs activities. Attendees will gain the basic fundamentals needed to become more proficient in SoftLayer and make informed decisions about laaS solutions based on business requirements.
RackSpace: RackSpace has developed a Cloud 101 video and is available via Arrow University.
TBD
Storage:
Security:
Intel Security: Intel Security's Training Program will provide you with the tools needed to sell and support Protection, Web Protection and Archiving Services. The training is specifically designed for partners who provision and support their end user customers. Training is offered via an instructor lead WebEx and a test for each module is offered following the session. A score of 80% or higher is needed for certification.
General Cloud:
General Cloud: The general cloud certification validates the knowledge and best practices required of IT practitioners working in cloud computing environments, who must understand and deliver cloud infrastructure. Recommended experience includes at least months of work experience in IT networking, storage, or data center administration, and familiarity with any major hypervisor technologies for server virtualization.

11. 2. EDUCATE
Sales Track
Day 1
Gain insight, ideas and practice related to selling cloud solutions
The current cloud services landscape
The CxO business landscape
Bridging IT capabilities with business requirements
The financial drivers of cloud services
A cloud services case sales case study
Day 2
Developing customer insights related to cloud services
The business justification process for cloud
Creating a cloud business conversation
Practice the cloud services conversation
Developing your customer action plan
The Sales Track is designed for partner sales professionals who are interested in learning more about and becoming successful at solutions sales. For those interested in focusing on the solutions sales area, we have partnered with a third party, cloud sales skills training provider the will deliver two half-day workshops.
Education can be remotely delivered or in some cases on-site.
Both sessions will be completed within 5 to 7 days of each other in order to maintain momentum.
Ongoing – continuing education that builds off the core two day learning

12. Ace Certification Partner Level Individual Level
2. EDUCATE
Ace Certification
Partner Level
ACE Accreditation at the partner level gives distinction and credibility in the cloud marketplace, validates the firms knowledge of cloud computing and provides a focused commitment to cloud technology for their end users.
Individual Level
ACE Certification at the individual level gives distinction and credibility in the cloud marketplace, validates their own individual understanding of cloud computing and highlights a commitment to their customers utilizing cloud technology.
Certification is achieved at the Partner Level and at the Individual Level

13. Execution on pre-sales and order support
3. EXECUTE
Execution on pre-sales and order support
Arrow Cloud Services has developed a start to finish process
that can help partners identify, architect and win cloud business.
ArrowSphere portal
Pre-Sales Support
Post sales support
Consolidated invoicing
The ArrowSphere portal is designed to help partners facilitate cloud business and scale operationally. The portal is a single point of focus and gives our partners the necessary cloud service platform and management resources needed to rapidly launch and build a cloud services practice. The ArrowSphere Portal can enhance your business by providing best practices and by expanding the skills and capabilities you may need to asses, plan, design, implement and manage cloud opportunities.
Pre-Sales Architecture Support to assist in developing, quoting and helping close opportunities. With our team you will be able to deliver the full end-to-end solutions required by your customers, add your own services capabilities and gain regular insight into evolving trends and best practices.
Post sales support to include 24x7 single point of contact for partner escalation, delivered via our Partnership with Arrow SI in Austin TX.
ArrowSphere has the ability to provide consolidated, single invoicing by end user. This helps when it comes time to bill your end-users and can increase your operational efficiency. Billing information can be provided electronically and can be integrated into most partners billing systems to further add to the scalability of cloud solutions for our partners.

14. Marketing and Demand Generation
Working in tandem with Arrow’s cloud solution providers, we have developed MDF opportunities that can help fund different types of demand programs.
Market Development
Marketing tools and collaboration
End user lead gen programs
Utilization of web and social media to create awareness
Lead tracking and activity effectiveness assessment

15. Next steps Engage with the Arrow Cloud Business Development Team
Participate in the Partner Qualification Assessment with Arrow
Sign up for the ArrowSphere portal

16. Contact us Find out more about ArrowSphere and Arrow Cloud Services