Citrix has expanded its Citrix Advisor Rewards program in an effort to encourage partners to ramp up sales.

The expanded Citrix Advisor Rewards program pays channel partners for sales of Citrix XenServer software shipped as an embedded feature in servers from OEMs partners including HP and Dell. The program is designed to prevent potential channel conflict between Citrix Solutions Advisors and OEM partners.

The original program, launched in 2004, only paid Citrix Solution Advisors for designing and delivering solutions based on Citrix application delivery products. It still paid the partner if a different channel partner ultimately fulfils the order, but didn't extend to OEMs.

Citrix manager of channel development, Dean Vaughan, said the goal was to protect the investments partners are making in Citrix.

"We don't want to dishearten partners by having them lose business to OEMs such as HP and Dell. Under this program they will still get paid for securing business even if the final sale goes elsewhere," he said.

Partners need to identify an opportunity and lodge it with Citrix. Once the deal is closed the partner is paid a dividend.

"It's a positive incentive for us as well because it helps to drive early visibility for us on pipeline opportunities," Vaughan said.