I know what you’re thinking…what does ‘blending’ have to do with technology? If you’re like me, you probably think of margaritas or Jamba Juice when you see the word ‘blend’. But, there’s something about the combination of Quest & Dell that’s smooth, unique, and dare I say – refreshing.
I can say this because I know it to be true. Since the July 2nd announcement that Dell intended to acquire Quest, our collective team has been hard at work, ensuring a smooth, frictionless transition. Our days have been filled with integration discussions, developing detailed communications and holding regular team and partner meetings—all singularly focused on building a strong future for Quest and our 5,000-member partner community (that would be you).
After one week as Quest, now a part of Dell, I can tell you with great confidence that the largest software acquisition in Dell’s history is truly tremendous news for our worldwide partner community. One common bond between Quest & Dell is the shared commitment to empowering partners that get smart on our solutions. On that note, we remain committed to leveraging your continuing investments in Quest’s portfolio of solutions for Database Management, Data Protection, Identity and Access Management, Monitoring, Windows Management and User Workspace Management.
In addition to the world-class hardware portfolio that you can now access, Dell has completed several other software acquisitions in the past 18 months that will help accelerate profitable revenue streams for each of your businesses. More importantly, you are now in a strong position to provide customers with complete, end-to-end solutions for a wide range of business requirements. We’re excited about what lies ahead, and our partners are as well! Here’s what Insight Enterprise President Kenneth Lamneck had to say about the combination: “Together, Dell Software and Quest offer a powerful combination of systems management, security, business intelligence and application software that aligns with Insight’s value proposition as a single source for our customers’ diverse IT needs.” And this is only the beginning!
Programmatically, Quest Partner Circle (QPC), launched in 2011, will unite with Dell PartnerDirect and provide you with a singular predictable point of entry into the industry’s most complete and compelling set of solutions. In just five years, PartnerDirect has become a leading channel program with 120,000 partners across 148 countries. In North America, we felt fortunate to learn that 70 percent of Quest’s top partners have already seen the value in PartnerDirect and are active members.
Looking forward as a member of the Dell Software leadership team, I will work closely with my colleagues and top partners to guide the evolution of PartnerDirect. Together, we’ll be strong advocates for the unique aspects of QPC and ensure that they remain as Dell delivers a simple and elegant partner experience through PartnerDirect.
You know Quest and our history of acquisitions, so it is not lost on us that transitions can be times of uncertainty. Our commitment to open and frequent communication remains unchanged and we will continue to actively listen and solicit input along the way. If you are a partner with a question about anything related to the acquisition, please reach out to your Partner Account Manager. Your contacts in the organization remain the same and they’re here to help. You’re also welcome to contact me at michael.sotnick@quest.com.
We are very excited about our future as we blend our channel program elements, resources and valued partners under the unified PartnerDirect banner. It may not be the cocktail you were enjoying in the early days of QPC, but we can assure you that the new mix will be top shelf. Cheers!