Featured Article from Software Monetization

Gemalto is introducing a customizable portal that addresses the unique software supply chain needs of its customers. Those customers are companies that sell hardware in which software is a key component, or just pure software.

The Enhanced Partner Portal enables vendors using Sentinel EMS, Gemalto’s (News - Alert) enterprise license and entitlement management backoffice, to offer their channel partners more insight than ever into their customers’ software deployments. One of the biggest advantages of the Enhanced Partner Portal is its customizability.

“In our experience, every software vendor has unique business rules for moving goods through their distribution channel. Our approach was to give software vendors full control over defining their channel experience so we developed a channel partner portal that was 100 percent customizable in terms of branding, workflow and business rules” said David ‎DiMillo, Principal Consultant with Gemalto. “It’s a competitive differentiator.”

For example, some vendors enable distributors and resellers to buy their software in bulk and then sell it in piece parts to customers or others further down the line. However, other vendors require their channel partners to ink software deals directly between the vendor and the end customer so the vendor knows who is receiving the license.

Beyond allowing vendors to set workflow rules for their channel partners, the Enhanced Partner Portal enables them to have control over set visibility rules. By setting visibility rules, vendors can decide whether to give channel partners insight down the supply chain all the way to the end-customer. The Enhanced Partner Portal also gives the vendor the ability to decide whether or not to allow resellers to create new customers with the vendor’s EMS system.

DiMillo went on to add, “We believe the Enhanced Partner Portal hits the mark in terms of out-of-the-box channel functionality.  We made it easy for channel partners to search their own software license inventory, transfer licenses to their downstream partners and end-customers, quickly view and report on licenses assigned to their customers and finally, download and activate software on behalf of their customers. Combine all that with the ability for the vendor to customize it for their business and it’s pretty powerful”.

The Enhanced Partner Portal was unveiled at Gemalto’s recent Licensing Live 2016 event and becomes generally available starting next week. It is sold as an addition to Gemalto’s Entitlement Management System.