Q&A: IBM's Dupaquier On x86, SoftLayer And Moving Partners Up The Stack

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The security piece is something you are also growing at quite a fast clip. What's the partner take there?

First, it's the one that they are selling the most. It's one where we made a number of acquisitions in the space. We had technology as well, so we had a strong methodology. What we did was we developed a service line that was looking at how to implement an IBM security capability to a midsize client. That's where we defined the sweet spot for that. What we have is we educate the business partner on the same time on the software portfolios, the methodology from a consulting standpoint and the delivery of the service. They do the three. They win, they make money on the license resell, they make money at the consulting engagement, and they make money at the delivery of this on an ongoing basis. It's a very good practice. It's a typical example of moving from several disconnected brands to one integrated solution.