Comptia Launches New Cloud Trustmark+ For IT Channel

New Business-Level IT Credential Helps Channel Partners Easily IdentifyBest-Practice Cloud Vendors and Distributors

CompTIA recently announced the IT industry’s first formal accreditation for cloud-focused IT vendors and distributors. The new CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ is a business-level credential designed to accredit and differentiate the IT channel’s best-practice cloud vendors and distributors. More information about CompTIA’s Cloud Trustmark+ will be available at the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit March 8-9 in Phoenix and at the CompTIA Annual Member Meeting March 24-26, 2015 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

“For decades the IT industry has been focused on the business credentials of the channel partner – from general testing, authorizations and certifications to more recently performance and business valuations,” says Neal Bradbury, vice president of Channel Development, Intronis and member of the CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ Steering Committee. “It’s great to see the spotlight turned on the vendor and distributor community – especially as it relates to cloud – and allow those of us who continue to invest in R&D, partner enablement and support services to more clearly differentiate our value proposition and business credentials by earning the vendor Cloud Trustmark from CompTIA.”

To obtain the CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ vendors and distributors must pass a comprehensive third-party review covering a detailed list of business and technology criteria. Several documents will also be required around five distinct categories including:

• Corporate and Product Overview
• Go to Market Strategy
• Partner / Channel Strategy
• Security and Infrastructure
• Internal Operations and Support

Businesses that earn the Cloud Trustmark+ have demonstrated a commitment to providing IT channel partners with best-in-class technology, integrations, support and enablement resources.

“CompTIA’s Cloud Trustmark+ removes the heavy lifting for channel partners when it comes to the time-consuming task of vetting emerging and established cloud vendors,” says Lester Keizer, CEO and co-owner of Business Continuity Technologies, a successful MSP and premier member of CompTIA.

“Too many cloud players and cloud technologies are here today, gone tomorrow,” says Chris Johnson, chairman of the CompTIA IT Security Community and CEO of Untangled Solutions, a specialty IT service provider and premier member of CompTIA. “The CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ acts as a seal of approval that channel partners can trust and cloud vendors and distributors should definitely pursue.”

Members of CompTIA’s Cloud and Security Communities including thought leaders from a number of channel distribution and vendor organizations, as well as several respected solution providers worked with CompTIA to develop the vendor-neutral Cloud Trustmark+ including Ingram Micro and Tech Data.

“As an IT distributor, this program will help us better onboard strategic vendor partners that are making significant investments in growing cloud in the channel,” says Stacy Nethercoat, vice president of Product Marketing, TDCloud and member of the CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ Steering Committee.

“CompTIA is uniquely positioned to offer this Trustmark+ and we applaud the hard work and dedication of our steering committee,” says Miles Jobgen, director, Trustmarks Program, CompTIA. “The Cloud Trustmark+ is fast-becoming one of our most sought after credentials and brings with it tremendous, long-standing business value for the entire IT channel ecosystem.”

For more information or to apply for the CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ click here(http://www.comptia.org/trustmarks/cloud-trustmark-plus).