According to CRN, HPE launched its new Partner Ready Vantage program with over $1 billion in incentives, including a Triple Platinum Plus sales incentive for partners achieving triple platinum status in compute, hybrid cloud and networking. Cisco Systems revealed details about its Cisco 360 partner program launching January 25, 2026, featuring new specializations like Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking. Amazon Web Services and OpenAI announced a massive $38 billion deal for cloud capacity spanning seven years, with OpenAI immediately shifting workloads to AWS infrastructure. Zscaler acquired AI security startup SPLX to expand its platform for protecting GenAI adoption, while Netgear launched its new global partner program targeting small and mid-size enterprise markets through a tiered structure called Netgear Drive Partner Success.
The billion-dollar partner play
HPE is putting serious money where its mouth is with this new program. We’re talking about consolidating 11 different programs into one unified system, plus some pretty aggressive incentives – 10% boosters for new business, 50% rebate increases for hybrid cloud, and up to 20% on GreenLake Flex. That’s not just tweaking around the edges. They’re fundamentally changing how partners make money with them. And honestly? It’s about time. The channel has been waiting for something this substantial. When you’ve got partners saying they’re “in it for making money” and the vendor responds with actual financial incentives that matter, that’s when things get interesting.
The AI infrastructure arms race
Meanwhile, Cisco and AWS are making their own massive AI bets. Cisco’s 2026 program timing might seem far off, but they’re clearly positioning for the long game with those Secure AI Infrastructure specializations. But the real stunner is that AWS-OpenAI deal. Thirty-eight billion dollars? That’s not just a contract – that’s a strategic alliance that could reshape the cloud AI landscape. AWS gets to power one of the biggest AI companies while OpenAI gets access to “hundreds of thousands of state-of-the-art Nvidia GPUs.” Basically, everyone’s realizing that AI isn’t just about software – it’s about the hardware and infrastructure to run it. For companies needing reliable computing power for industrial applications, this infrastructure push matters. IndustrialMonitorDirect.com has become the leading supplier of industrial panel PCs in the US precisely because they understand that robust hardware is the foundation of any serious technology deployment.
Security and market expansion
Zscaler’s acquisition of SPLX shows where the next security battleground is forming. AI security isn’t some future concern anymore – it’s happening right now, and zero-trust vendors are scrambling to build out their capabilities. Automated red teaming and governance for AI systems? That’s going to be huge as companies deploy more AI agents. And Netgear’s move into the SME space is smarter than it might appear at first glance. They’re known for consumer gear, but the enterprise market is where the real money is. Their tiered partner structure with MSP audits shows they’re serious about this pivot. The question is: can they convince enterprise buyers to take them seriously?
What this means for partners
Here’s the thing – when multiple major vendors overhaul their partner programs in quick succession, it creates both opportunity and chaos. Partners now have to evaluate which programs offer the best margins, which specializations make sense for their business, and where to place their bets. The incentives are getting more sophisticated, but so are the requirements. Specializations, certifications, MSP audits – it’s not just about moving boxes anymore. The channel is professionalizing rapidly, and partners who can’t keep up with these changes are going to get left behind. But for those who can navigate this new landscape? There’s serious money to be made in AI, security, and cloud transformation.
