Lenovo has officially launched its new partner programme for cloud and managed service providers (MSPs) in Australia and New Zealand, effective April 1.

The Lenovo Service Provider (LSP) Program aims to aid with the transition and integration of the System x service business to Lenovo, and offers ‘advantages' to service providers operating in the cloud computing market.

Advantages include competitive prices, financing plans, and the ability to choose infrastructure from Lenovo's product portfolio.

"Managed services spending is expected to triple globally in the next few years, and with the recent integration of the System x server, network and storage portfolio, Lenovo is well positioned to offer beneficial programmes to new and existing providers," says Anthony Smith, Lenovo Australia and New Zealand director enterprise business group.

"This new programme will provide approved service providers with a simple, efficient and profitable means to deliver 'As a Service' to their customers.

“In Australia and New Zealand, demand for cloud-based services has grown exponentially and we want our partners to be well-equipped to take advantage of new opportunities and we are here to help them do that," Smith says.

According to Lenovo, cloud technologies are becoming increasingly attractive to complex business processes, and in turn service providers are facing greater demand and tougher competition.

Service providers are required to develop and implement approaches that enable flexible infrastructure integration, reduce IT sprawl, enhance service quality for customers and lower expenses, Lenovo says.

The LSP Program is designed to help address these challenges by offering help in key areas, focusing on profitability, time to market and business growth.

• Qualified LSP Program enrollees are eligible to purchase systems at a discount from Lenovo Business Partners or directly.
• Lenovo's Kickstart programme allows service providers to defer payments for up to 120 days, the ‘Rent - Grow' option matches payments to the usage of the systems, and the Trade-In service assists in recovering capital from currently installed assets.
• Express solutions and special rate incentives on Lenovo's professional services are said to help with rapid infrastructure deployment.
• Business development funds further invest in company growth and Lenovo education vouchers can be used for certifications to improve technical skills.