Lotus and IBM Announce Joint Business Partner Track Targeted at Internet Service Providers
NetService Provider Track Enables Channel to Offer New Value-Added Solutions and Services to Customers
N/A (January 26, 1998) – Lotus Development Corp. and IBM today announced a new Business Partner track as part of a continued effort to identify and develop new business opportunities for a growing partner base. The new program, which has already attracted more than 400 Business Partners, recruits and enables ‘Net Service Providers (‘NSPs) who are eager to offer customers access to a commercial network infrastructure and related offerings for a fee-based service. Leveraging IBM’s telecommunications market experience, Lotus will offer ‘NSPs a family of proven Internet and Domino-based solutions with the security, reliability and scalability of carrier-grade services.
The ‘NSP track, the first Lotus and IBM combined partner track offered to both Lotus Business Partners and IBM BESTeam members, encourages and facilitates the delivery of solutions by Notes and Domino ISVs and Business Partners via Domino Instant! Host. Domino Instant! Host is a Lotus Domino-based hosting technology that enables a new class of Web-based, subscription-model applications developed by Lotus and Lotus Business Partners and offered by ‘NSPs. The platform, a joint development effort of Lotus and Interliant, includes system services for application registration, user registration, usage tracking and reporting, and data synchronization. ‘NSPs can now offer partner solutions developed on the Domino Instant! Host platform such as GWI Software’s Help! for the Web – Domino Version 2.0 that provides Web-based customer support and help desk services and Softnetics’ iSupport, a solution that provides high-end support and service capabilities for small- to medium-size businesses.
“Lotus and IBM are in the best position to enable ‘NSPs to meet the needs of a growing marketplace due to their leadership in carrier-grade availability and subscription-based business models, leveraging the large number of proven business applications that already exist on Notes and Domino,” said Ian Bonner, vice president, Lotus and IBM Worldwide Partner Marketing and Programs, IBM. “Customers seeking outsourced administration will reap the benefits of affordable, Web-based technology while Partners benefit from the opportunity of transitioning from being Internet service vendors to becoming full-fledged Internet service providers.”
“The announcement of the new ‘NSP track is evidence that Lotus has recognized a growing channel and marketplace,” said Jim Lidestri, president & CEO, Interliant, a Lotus ‘NSP Alliance Partner and co-developer of Domino Instant! Host. “‘NSPs link virtual infrastructures with a wide portfolio of innovative solutions available through Lotus, Internet service vendors and Business Partners. This new approach to providing Internet service facilitates Notes ISVs deployment of e-business solutions, enabling them to reach to a wider, global market, and offering new revenue opportunities with the user-initiated framework of Domino Instant! Host.”
Source: IBM