By Celestine Okorie
A global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, Vertiv announced a distribution partnership with Cyber Security South Africa (CSSA), an industry-leading cyber security technology distributor.
While Africa expands its focus on fast tracking digital transformation and upscale cloud migration, Vertiv continues to expand its footprint in the region. The partnership will address the current data center challenges being faced in the country, by enabling availability through Vertiv’s premium infrastructure technologies and speed of delivery through CSSA’s developed distribution capabilities.
The timing of this partnership is particularly opportune. Remote workforces have escalated demand for connectivity, and South Africa has not been exempt from this trend. This has placed pressure on data centres and seen an increase of, and urgent need for, back-up power solutions due to extensive load shedding, rolling black-outs, and power-cuts across all South African borders. Telecom Service Providers have also reported a 40 per cent jump in data usage, and with no signs of this upsurge subsiding, mechanisms have to be in place to safeguard against overloads with a focus on back-up power sources.
Despite the pandemic, Vertiv’s commitment to offering a full spectrum of IT solutions is shown by their latest product releases as well as existing flagship products. This includes the Vertiv™ Liebert® GXT5 UPS, and the Vertiv™ Edge 500 to 3000VA. With output power factors of up to 1.0 and 0.9 respectively, both products are state-of-the-art, flexible, and highly-efficient UPS solutions that offer reliable protection for a diverse range of use cases.
“We are excited to add the Vertiv product range to our extensive offering, utilising our existing distribution footprint as well as engaging with new partners on our offering as an aggregator of products and services,” said CEO of Cyber Security South Africa, Martin Britz. He added: “We look forward to a successful relationship, not only between our two companies, but across our reseller network and customer base.”
“When Vertiv seeks out channel partners, the backbone of our distribution strategy in Africa, we look for game changers who can help us continue to innovate and disrupt new markets with industry-leading infrastructure”, said managing director of Vertiv in the Middle East and Africa region, Pierre Havenga. “What sets CSSA apart for us, is not just their extensive knowledge of the market, or their network of relationships and people, but ultimately their ability to leverage those networks and work with their channel partners to help meet customer demands fast.”
Through the award-winning Vertiv Partner Programme (VPP), the company has been able to give partners full knowledge and confidence about Vertiv’s IT infrastructure solutions and pass on new skills to the wider IT community in the process.
A cornerstone of the VPP is the Vertiv Incentive Program (VIP) that is being rolled out across Africa in 2020. Through the VIP, Vertiv partners are rewarded for buying Vertiv products, earning cash back when purchasing from the Vertiv channel portfolio. An enhanced program known as VIP+ has brought even more benefits to resellers through the silver, gold and platinum level of membership, including lower entry barriers, additional incentives upon registering and higher returns. These additions will enable even more partners to take advantage of the program while developing key skills and knowledge at their own pace.
