CENTENNIAL PLEDGES TO GROW ITS CHANNEL PARTNER NETWORK BY 100%

Centennial Software (www.centennial-software.com), a leading supplier of network discovery solutions, has announced major expansion plans for its global channel. The software vendor is launching its first formal partner program and is looking to significantly expand its reseller base across the UK and globally by early 2005.

Recently-appointed CEO Andy Burton commented, Were investing heavily in this initiative as the recruitment and retention of the right channel partners is fundamental to our future success. With this in mind, we have developed the Centennial Partner Program and established Channel Councils in combination; these will deliver commercial, sales and marketing support, and enable partners to play an active role in the ongoing development of Centennial products and its channel strategy.

Burton believes that Centennial is well placed to capitalise on the increasing global demand for IT asset management. He stated, In May alone, the Business Software Alliance fined US organizations over $1 million for under-licensing software applications. And with FAST (Federation Against Software Theft) currently prosecuting two UK cases which carry a potential sentence of up to ten years imprisonment plus the closure of the defendants businesses, there are clear incentives for companies to take charge of IT asset management.

The Centennial partner program for VARs comprises three distinct levels of accreditation: Platinum, Gold and Authorized. For Platinum Partners, the partner program provides not only healthy reseller margins, but also unprecedented access to Centennial sales, marketing and technical support.

Asset management specialist, CTMS, is one of the first resellers to achieve Centennial Platinum Partner status. Mary Roy, Managing Director at CTMS, can see clear benefits of the new formalised program: Over the last seven years, we have built a close working relationship with Centennial. The creation of a formal Partner Program is a clear indication of Centennials dedication to rewarding those partners who commit to its solutions.

By creating regional Channel Councils, Centennial is ensuring that partners have a voice in the future direction of the company and that the Partner Program is shaped to provide the maximum benefits to resellers.

FAST recently launched a campaign to encourage organizations to reduce the amount of money they waste through poor management of software assets and has appointed Centennials Glenn Stephens to provide expert advice to members of the Asset Management Group.

Andy Burton continued, Glenns appointment to the FAST advisory committee reinforces our position as a market-leader and proves that network discovery and asset management are moving rapidly up the IT Directors agenda."