Broadcom has refined its partner strategy and program over the past 18 months to align with our go-to-market mission to deliver the industry-leading private cloud platform that fuels our customers' innovation. We continue to prioritize partners who can lead customers through transformation to a modern private cloud and help them unlock the full potential of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).
Making this goal a reality requires partners who share our strategic direction and invest in the expertise and resources needed to deliver value for our customers. As I’ve highlighted in my earlier blog, Broadcom is focused on recognizing, elevating, and rewarding partners who have developed the core competencies our mutual customers rely on to be successful with VCF.
Program & Ecosystem Evolution
Given our strategic direction, and as a result of our comprehensive partner review, Broadcom is reducing the number of partners authorized to resell VMware solutions in the Americas, and Asia-Pacific and Japan regions.This decision will enable Broadcom to focus on deepening our relationships with those partners who are committed to delivering the transformative customer experience around VMware solutions, as demonstrated by their historical performance levels, technical and other relevant expertise, and ability to make the investments necessary to offer customers the levels of service they expect and deserve.
To enable more focused investment and deeper support for those partners, we are streamlining the Broadcom Advantage Partner Program for VMware Resellers from four tiers to three: Pinnacle, Premier, and Select. The Registered tier is being retired, as the vast majority of customer impact and business momentum comes from partners operating within the top three tiers.
Additionally, we are raising the bar across the program:
- Pinnacle partners will be required to hold Expert Advantage Professional Services Partner status, demonstrating advanced capability in the deployment and implementation of VCF. Alternatively, partners can qualify by maintaining a dedicated Small and Medium Business practice that supports scalable adoption.
- Pinnacle and Premier partners will be required to maintain dedicated sales and technical resources, ensuring they are equipped to support customer engagements across the lifecycle.
- Pinnacle and Premier partners will execute joint business plans with VMware to ensure alignment and delivery with mutual results.
- All partners must remain active and in good standing. We are beginning the process of transitioning partners who no longer meet the minimum program requirements or have not demonstrated consistent engagement. This is essential to preserve the integrity of our partner ecosystem and ensure every customer interaction is rooted in capability and commitment.
The Future of Our Partner Landscape
As we streamline our partner ecosystem, some customers will need to transition to a new partner relationship. That’s why the partners selected to move forward with Broadcom will carry a greater responsibility and a higher standard of performance. We’re entrusting this focused group with a broader set of customers and, in return, expect them to lead with excellence, operate at scale, and deliver real impact on the journey to a modern private cloud.
This is a pivotal moment. For customers, it means access to a stronger, more capable partner ecosystem—one built to support IT modernization, fast-track AI initiatives, and strengthen cyber resilience, all powered by VMware Cloud Foundation.
For our partners, it’s a clear opportunity to differentiate on value. With more customer opportunities, retained partners will have a more relevant and impactful role in the VMware business. We’re investing in those who invest in and have a shared commitment to our customers’ success, and we look forward to building the future together.