XSI becomes NetApp's first services professional

XSI Data Solutions has achieved an Australian first

Storage integrator, XSI Data Solutions, has become the first Australian NetApp partner to achieve Authorised Professional Services Partner (APSP) status.

XSI services general manger, Philip Morrisey, said the new certification would allow it to deliver professional NetApp services.

"We're using their [NetApp's] corporate tools, practices and methodologies to deliver a standard to the customer," he said.

All up XSI had eight staff trained up to attain the status.

"It involved a fairly intensive training program for our staff that covered tools, techniques, technologies and the processes around those," he said.

The vendor introduced the APSP installation accreditation program in November to help skill up VIP partners around configuring, installing and supporting its technologies. The Web-based training is based on NetApp's internal methodologies and best practices.

According to Morrisey, the qualification will enable XSI to deliver the vendor's solutions to customers in a shorter time period.

"There's a whole raft of benefits that we and the user get out of it," he said. "It's about deploying consistent and reliable solutions in a certain timeframe and these techniques allow us to do that with a standard-based system."

NetApp partner director, Scott Morris, said XSI went through a significant amount of investment in training and course material to achieve APSP status.

"Part of the challenge for me is how do I put the right the tools into the hands of our partners to ensure they become successful in delivering NetApp solutions, provide a profitable revenue stream and not be in a market place where we're competing for the same professional services," he said.

Morris said two more partners were currently in the process to achieve APSP status. His goal for the 2009 financial year was to have five APSP partners certified.

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