VMware plans to buy the technology and team within Dell EMC's Service Assurance Suite, which includes software spanning network health, performance monitoring and root cause analysis.
'There is a huge amount of headroom here for partners to grow in the midmarket,' Beth Phalen, president and general manager of Dell EMC's Data Protection division, tells CRN.
"Dell Technologies is focused on making it easier for partners and customers to transact across the entire family of businesses," said top Dell executives Marius Haas and Bill Scannell, in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Carl Icahn, who has invested millions in VMware, is deciding whether to challenge Dell CEO Michael Dell for a higher payout in the VMware tracking stock swap, according to a report.
"[Dell and VMware] have clearly set themselves up to dominate in that market and investors are responding to that," said Gartner Research Director Craig Lowery.
Dell's move to go public comes from a position of strength, partners say, and new resources will help make their solution provider businesses stronger as well.
Partners say that the decision to have VMware remain independent while still being able to closely develop products with Dell is a win-win for the channel.
VMware channel partners are excited and relieved that CEO Pat Gelsinger will not pursue the opening position as Intel CEO following Brian Krzanich recent resignation.
"We are specifically spending a ton of time with our sales teams to focus on account plans for key customers and getting very very specific about, 'Here's where the partners can help the most,'" said Dell EMC's channel chief Joyce Mullen, in an interview with CRN.
"If they rationalize their midrange portfolio and truly commit their go-to-market with the channel – that's game over," said Michael Girouard, EVP of enterprise sales for Teklinks.
"The competitors that are focused on one particular silo, I think that game is going to get harder and harder," said Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, in an interview with CRN.
"We're really proud of our [storage] results, but we also know that it's a very competitive industry -- we're not going to be complacent," said Dell EMC's storage Senior Vice President David Singer.
Winslow Technology Group President Scott Winslow talks to CRN about his bullish thoughts on Dell and a unique sales strategy during the company's 14th annual WTG Transform event in Boston on Friday.
"Our storage business has gained more than 500 basis points of share year-over-year in the first calendar quarter of 2018. That's a big deal," said Dell Vice Chairman Jeff Clarke, in a blog post today.
Qumulo expects this to be the last round of funding it needs as it continues to invest in the innovation and channel capabilities to eventually reach profitability.
New details on Dell EMC's storage strategy, PowerEdge server growth and a spike in deferred revenues are some of the most important takeaways from Dell Technologies first fiscal quarter earnings report on Monday.
