Veeam Software, the leader in Modern Data Protection, has enhanced its ProPartner Network strategy with the launch of the Veeam Competency Program for Veeam Value-Added Resellers (VVARs) and Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) partners. The new program provides dedicated expertise and resources to support customers and fellow partners using the recently launched Veeam Data Platform, a single platform delivering more advanced data security, recovery and hybrid cloud capabilities with Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR) v12 as the foundation. Program alumni will be recognized with Veeam credentials for their technical and go-to-market offerings that help differentiate their portfolio in the market.

Modern Data Protection requires a customized approach to effectively support business continuity. This is especially true with the combination of rising data complexity across different systems and the risks posed by cyber-threats. The Veeam Data Protection Trends Report 2023 found that 55% of global organizations are focused on improving the reliability and success of backups to meet their internal Recovery Point objective (RPO), Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Service Level Agreement (SLA) needs. Companies are often lacking the necessary in-house skills and resources to optimize their existing IT strategy. An ecosystem of certified partners fills that gap, and the Veeam Competency Program connects the right skills for the specific demands of both customers and fellow partners.

"Our success is built upon working closely with our partners to provide customers with the best protection and recovery for their data," said Larissa Crandall, Vice President of Global Channel and Alliances at Veeam. "We bring unsurpassed innovation and combine that with the expertise of our partners to offer customers a perfectly matched solution for their needs. As a 100% channel-driven organization, Veeam is committed to ensuring our partners have access to the most valuable resources and training to deliver first-rate outcomes for customers. That's why these new program enhancements have been designed in collaboration with our partners to expand their capabilities in a way that enables them to tap into the potential of the total addressable market."

The Veeam Competency Program initiative aims to build "ProPartner Competency" through a high-value partner network across the globe. The program is designed in a simple but robust way: eligible VVARs¹ and VCSP partners² that have developed first-class solutions can apply to have their use case specific offering audited by Veeam. Every go-to-market and technical competency achieved will be rewarded with a verified Veeam badge. This new data protection proficiency level will be highlighted by a premium placement on the Veeam ProPartner Directory on Veeam.com, a partner list facilitating the process for customers looking for a suitable IT business partner.

VVAR competency categories include:

• Ransomware and Disaster Recovery Competencies: Enable partners to help organizations implement transparent and actionable Backup as a Service and Disaster Recovery as a Service strategies for detecting suspicious activities, protecting data with immutable backup options, and rapidly recovering backup data.
• Public Cloud Protection Competency: Nurtures a strong understanding of the cloud-native backup solutions market and customer challenges. A qualified VVAR is able to represent the public cloud Backup as a Service capability supported by all Veeam cloud-native backup solutions and deploy the adequate solution for the customer.
• Microsoft 365 Protection Competency: Understands that Microsoft's responsibility ends at application uptime, leaving the customer responsible for data loss avoidance. The trained VVAR supports the customer to protect against the risk of losing access and control over their most critical processes with Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365.
• Container Protection Competency: Warrants that a VVAR can implement the protection and mobility of customers' containerized workloads and help future-proof their customers' cloud-native strategy through knowledge development supported by Kasten by Veeam.

VCSP Customer Ready competencies recognize partners that provide Veeam-powered "as a service" solutions to customers. VCSP Reseller Ready competencies connect service providers with VVAR partners who are looking to resell cloud services. Existing VCSP competency categories include:

• Off-site Backup
• Disaster Recovery as a Service
• Backup as a Service (BaaS) for Microsoft 365
• Managed Service Provider (MSP) Backup (Reseller Ready only)

Today, Veeam is announcing new VCSP competencies, available for both Customer Ready and Reseller Ready partners:

• Backup as a Service (BaaS) for Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Backup as a Service (BaaS) for Microsoft Azure

The Veeam ProPartner Network is a global ecosystem of partners that work directly and indirectly with one another to build, market, and sell Veeam's on-premises, off-site, and cloud consumption models. VVAR and VCSP partners have access to customized programs, tools and resources designed to enable them to become more profitable and drive growth according to their business models and objectives. For partners interested in learning more or signing up for the Veeam Competency Program, please visit the Veeam ProPartner portal.

The Veeam Competency Program will be exclusively featured during VeeamON 2023, the community event for data recovery experts, which will take place May 22 - 25 in Miami, FL and online. Designed by and built for the backup and recovery professional, attendees will expand their skills, celebrate with the community, and share industry knowledge with exclusive content from AWS, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and more. Registration for the in-person event is now open.