Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announces the launch of its Edge Software & Digital Services Program - a complete suite of benefits, support tools and certifications that enables IT solution providers to create a Managed Power Services practice. Formulated in response to the significant growth in edge computing, this new program enables IT solution providers to establish recurring revenue streams by offering remote monitoring and management of the physical infrastructure across their customers’ networks, utilising Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT Software & Digital Services. This new Edge Software & Digital Services Program is part of the award-winning mySchneider IT Solutions Partner Program, formerly known as the APC Channel Partner Program.
According to Gartner[1], it is estimated that by 2025, 75 percent of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside a traditional, centralised data centre or cloud. However, because the edge infrastructure is geographically distributed, often with no on-site IT, it invariably requires remote monitoring and management. This paves the way for major opportunities in selling Managed Power Services. Yet, today, just 27 percent[2] of IT solution providers are offering Managed Power Services.
"The acceleration of edge computing presents an enormous opportunity for IT solution providers to increase their recurring revenue streams by selling Managed Power Services," said David Terry, VP IT Channels, Schneider Electric Europe. "We have built a comprehensive program for partners that simplifies and speeds up the time required to set up their Managed Power Service practice. This will enable partners to address their customers’ needs, through effective monitoring and management of their customers’ edge sites, which is now considered a mission-critical priority."
Core components of the Edge Software & Digital Services Program include:
- Lifecycle rebates – an ongoing financial benefit for IT solution providers to reinvest in their business
- Step-by-step operational e-guide – “The Essential Guide to Growing Your Business with Managed Power Services”
- Certification paths – educational courses designed to increase technical and business acumen related to digital remote monitoring software and service options
- EcoStruxure IT Software and Digital Services - access to Schneider Electric’s flexible portfolio, offering advanced, 24/7 remote monitoring, and remote/on-site support
The business case for building a Managed Power Services Practice
The managed services market has expanded significantly over the past decade, and now represents almost $160 billion in IT revenues managed through IT solution providers.[3] By establishing a Managed Power Services practice, IT solution providers can create new revenue streams by monitoring and managing customers’ physical infrastructure assets in their edge environment. This includes the power, cooling, environmental, and physical security assets. In fact, the addition of Managed Power Services adds 1.5-times additional revenue over the lifecycle of the asset. Moreover, IT solution providers can help improve resiliency of these sites with proactive maintenance, and identify hardware refreshes, to help reduce their customers’ operational expenses.
To offset the start-up costs, the Edge Software & Digital Services Program includes a Customer Lifecycle Rebate. This initiative has been developed based on feedback from IT solution providers, and rewards mySchneider IT Partners for various actions across the lifecycle of the customer [4]engagement, including attaching, monitoring, servicing and upgrading customer assets.
Resources to help IT Partners build their Managed Power Services
The Edge Software & Digital Services Program gives partners free access to resources including The Essential Guide to Growing your Business with Managed Power Services, a step-by-step guide that enables the smooth development of a managed services practice. The program also offers two new certification paths, tailored to partners’ specific focus, whether for reselling software and services or for full-service monitor and management. Both certifications are designed to elevate partners’ managed power services competencies, regardless of current business stage and capabilities.
Certified partners have access to an experienced, dedicated Partner Success Manager who will guide them through their development journey and accelerate time-to-revenue. All participants in the program have access to design tools, as well as to Schneider Electric’s Exchange Platform, which is an open business platform that connects industry experts and technology partners, to increase competitive positioning and business innovation.
EcoStruxure IT Software and Digital Services offers flexibility and scalability
EcoStruxure IT Software & Digital Services provides flexibility in managed services to enable IT solution providers to scale up their practice as required. Built with partners in mind, this flexible, customisable portfolio empowers IT solution providers to deliver advanced 24/7 remote monitoring, and remote/on-site support, with options for them to leverage their service investments or outsource to Schneider’s service experts. Schneider Electric’s digital services portfolio is enabled by its EcoStruxure IT Platform, which supports successful deployment, monitoring, and maintenance at the edge. mySchneider IT solution providers can select and layer software and digital services so that they can build a solution that best suits their business model and customers’ needs.
To learn more about the Edge Software & Digital Services Program, IT solution providers can visit the program page.
The Essential Guide to Growing Your Business with Managed Power Services is available today. For more information on the EcoStruxure IT Software & Digital Services go to the website.
Footnotes
- ^ [1] What Edge Computing Means for Infrastructure and Operations Leaders," Rob van der Meulen, Gartner Research, October 2018
- ^ [2] SolarWinds and The 2112 Group, “2019 Trends in North American Managed Services,” December 2019
- ^ [3] The Channel Co & IPED Consulting, Channelytics: Route To Market Playbook, 2020
- ^ [4] Schneider Electric survey data, 2020. For more information: The Essential Guide to Growing your Business with Managed Power Services, March 2021