As part of the annual Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some vendor channel programs as 5-Star Partner Programs. Here are the 5-Star Partner Programs among data center IT vendors for 2026.
Data centers remain the core of IT operations for many businesses, organizations and government agencies. Within those data centers are servers and other hardware, uninterruptable power supplies and other products from leading IT vendors that continue to be a big part of channel sales.
The CRN 2026 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the IT vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors outlining all aspects of their partner programs.
As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs because they provide the most comprehensive lineups of incentives, resources, training, services and benefits.
Here we provide snapshots of the 5-Star designees in the data center space, a category that includes providers of servers, converged and hyperconverged infrastructure systems, infrastructure management and monitoring tools, and power protection and management systems. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found at CRN.com.
Slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series include companies that provide products and services in nine technology categories: cloud, computing, data center, edge computing/IoT, MSP platforms, networking, security, software and storage. A separate list will highlight startup companies with 5-Star Partner Programs.
While many companies provide products and services that span multiple technologies, CRN has assigned each vendor to the slide show for the technology category in which they are most prominent.
CyberPower
Program Name: CyberPower Channel Partner Alliance
Channel Chief: Richard Wedmann, VP, Sales
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
The most significant change we’ve made to our partner program this year was the implementation of training modules on our partner portal. We were happy to fulfill this request made by our partners and have received feedback that they feel more comfortable sizing, pitching and selling our power protection solutions due to this training. Currently, we have six training modules covering selling UPS systems, basic concepts of power protection and new product launches. Since implementation in January 2025, usage and feedback on these trainings have exceeded expectations.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=49
Dell Technologies
Program Name: Dell Technologies Partner Program
Channel Chief: Denise Millard, Chief Partner Officer
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
Over the past year, Dell Technologies has maintained a simple, consistent program framework supported by a collaborative engagement model that rewards partner expertise and drives growth. Partners are incentivized to expand their business and acquire new customers, with additional profitability for selling focus products. Key initiatives launched in 2025 include the Titanium Tier Growth incentive and the Compete Select program, which offers a targeted end-user acquisition rebate. Dell is also helping partners capitalize on growing AI demand by offering AI networking product multipliers and enhanced training modules designed to drive demand beyond the node and build future-ready business capabilities. To further improve the partner experience, Dell continues to invest in tools and processes that streamline engagement and foster seamless collaboration.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=59
Eaton
Program Name: Eaton PowerAdvantage Partner Program
Channel Chief: Steve Loeb, VP, Marketing, Distributed IT
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
Over the past year, Eaton’s PowerAdvantage Partner Program has been enhanced to deliver more value and targeted support. We introduced a dedicated White Space Team to help partners uncover untapped opportunities and drive incremental growth. Our program now emphasizes segment-focused engagement, with tailored messaging through blogs and Power Half-Hour webinars designed for specific verticals like health care, retail and education. These changes, combined with revamped tier structures and richer benefits, ensure partners receive personalized resources and insight to accelerate success.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=63
HPE
Program Name: HPE Partner Ready Vantage
Channel Chief: Simon Ewington, SVP, Worldwide Channel, Partner Ecosystem
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
One program, one experience, HPE Partner Ready Vantage. As of Nov. 1, the start of HPE’s fiscal year, we introduced three new centers: Compute, Hybrid Cloud and Networking, while retiring the As-a-Service Center and integrating its competencies into the new Sell Track. As part of this change, several partner programs have retired and transitioned to HPE Partner Ready Vantage. These include HPE Partner Ready, HPE Partner Ready for Networking, HPE Partner Ready for Services, HPE Partner Ready Service Provider, and HPE Partner Ready for Networking: Partner Branded Support.
Partners will continue to enjoy the valuable benefits they receive today from HPE, now with the added advantage of maximizing those benefits more easily through a single, unified program. The new framework enables partners to achieve expertise quickly and resell across all three Sell Track Centers while also building out services practices based on HPE innovation to deliver however partners choose, under their brand, the HPE brand or both. HPE’s Partner Ready Vantage Program represents a forward-looking approach to channel collaboration, offering unified access, streamlined processes, and expanded opportunities for margin growth and specialization.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=90
Legrand
Program Name: Legrand PRO Channel Partner Program
Channel Chief: Mike Johnston, VP, Channel Sales
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
Our PRO Partner Program has expanded to provide our channel partners with access to a broader solution set. In addition to our industry-leading data center power and out-of-band solutions from Raritan and Server Technology, partners can now offer our cabinet and containment solutions, as well as network and infrastructure management solutions from our latest acquisition, ZPE Systems.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=111
Lenovo
Program Name: Lenovo 360
Channel Chief: Wade McFarland, VP, North America Channels
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
Lenovo is evolving the Lenovo 360 partner framework to make it simpler, smarter and more rewarding for partners worldwide. Simplified incentives and training: ‘Learn and earn’ opportunities are being streamlined through simplified program qualifications and reduced complexity. Expanded Solutions Hub: The Lenovo 360 Solutions Hub is available in 51 markets, offering 56 channel-ready solutions across eight languages, enabling partners to deliver comprehensive, multi-industry solutions with ease. Tailored partner journeys: Lenovo introduced new, specialized journeys for education, managed service providers and global system integrators, with plans to launch a new journey for AI-focused partners to better support selling across Lenovo’s full portfolio. Simplified processes: Lenovo continues to streamline partner engagement, making quoting, ordering and administrative processes faster and more efficient.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=112
Nutanix
Program Name: Nutanix Elevate Partner Program
Channel Chief: Dave Gwyn, SVP, Worldwide Channels
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
Guided by our ‘Big 4’ partner tenets: profitability, product, commitment and trust, our FY26 updates balanced innovation with the stability partners crave. We maintained program consistency and simplicity to ensure predictability, while simultaneously enhancing industry-leading profit potential. The most significant change is the continued growth of the Premier Reseller level, designed to reward our most invested partners with enhanced benefits like the Outperformance Rebate and dedicated sales coverage. Aligning with our ‘product’ tenet, we integrated application modernization into the core program by adding Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) enablement as a requirement. These updates demonstrate our long-term commitment: We protected the trusted, transparent engagement model partners rely on while aggressively modernizing incentives to ensure Nutanix remains the most profitable partnership in the market.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=129
Scale Computing
Program Name: Scale Computing Partner Community
Channel Chief: Kyle Fenske, Sr. Director, Global Channel, Global Channel Chief
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
As part of our continued efforts to support VMware alternative solutions, we will run partner promotions by offering discounts for partners switching customers from VMware. We also plan to support partners to be more self-sufficient by offering additional trainings and certifications to allow partners to move more quickly through the selling process.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=155
Schneider Electric
Program Name: mySchneider IT Partner program
Channel Chief: Gordon Lord, VP, U.S. Channels
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year
In 2025, we made meaningful enhancements to the mySchneider IT Partner Program to deliver clarity, flexibility and growth. First, we simplified the structure and communications: one program, multiple tracks, with clear guidance, so partners know exactly where they fit. Second, we introduced greater transparency, ensuring partners understand requirements and benefits without ambiguity, turning questions into confidence.
To accelerate success, we lowered annual thresholds for deal registration and revenue, making progression more achievable and encouraging stronger partner movement. We also launched business development funds alongside pooled MDF, enabling high-performing partners to earn individual rebates and plan marketing with certainty: Do well, get more.
Software-driven enablement was extended to customer engagement with the launch of our Power Infrastructure Assessment, powered by EcoStruxure IT Expert. This tool helps partners deepen relationships, identify opportunities and drive software adoption. To support this, we added the Gateway benefit, offering end-to-end enablement, complimentary training, and license reimbursement. Finally, we strengthened marketing support by adding three program marketing strategists and introduced a Partner Marketing Center, giving partners access to our best-performing assets for co-branding and deployment—all in one place. These enhancements make it easier to win, simpler to earn, and faster to scale.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2026-details?c=157
