Channel Focus: All you need to know about Dell's partner program

Dell Technologies’ journey began with customizing and selling PCs, broadening significantly after its $67 billion acquisition of storage giant EMC completed in 2016. This new acquisition blended SMB go-to-market strengths with EMC’s enterprise focus. 

Once famed for only selling direct, Dell Technologies today promotes partner opportunities across everything from AI, data center, and multi-cloud to edge computing. Dell also cites leadership in external RAID enterprise storage, hyper converged and converged systems, purpose-built backup appliances, storage software, x86 servers, PC workstations and monitors, and commercial AI PCs. Its Client Solutions Group (CSG) reported revenues down 12% year-on-year in 2024 to $11.7 billion including $9.6 billion from commercial clients. That's versus full-year 2024 revenues of $88.4 billion. 

Founded in 1984 and still led by Michael Dell, Dell Technologies' headquarters is in Round Rock, Texas.  The vendor has an estimated 120,000 employees - including some 30,000 salespeople. Partners contributed 50% of net revenues across four quarters to Q3 2025. Partner numbers were estimated at 220,000 as of  mid-2023. 

Chief partner officer Denise Millard oversees major technology and channel partners worldwide like MySQL and Red Hat and myriad VARs and solution providers like GovPlace, Ensono, or Unisys.

Key offerings

Likely channel "big hitters", Dell Technologies told ITPro, include: AI Factory. For example, PowerEdge servers - an Intel-Dell deal is set to harness PowerEdge servers in a digital twin of a UK fusion power plant. That's in addition to storage via the likes of Dell PowerStore Prime and PowerStore 4.0 software and hardware; and the PC market, targeting imminent PC refreshes with new-architecture AI PCs.

Recent news: 

• In November 2024, the company announced further advancements for its broad AI Factory solutions portfolio, aiming to accelerate enterprise AI adoption following the creation of its new AI group in August.
• The company’s AI focus bears early fruit in the quarterly earnings call, reported September 2024.
• Also in September 2024, Dell Technologies and Red Hat partnered to bring Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) to PowerEdge servers, aiming to ease the development, testing, and deployment of gen AI models.

Dell for partners

August 2023 saw Dell Technologies announce a partner-first storage strategy, with more than 99% of customers and potential customers considered partner-first for storage. 

The then global channel sales president Diego Majdalani said: "We are encouraging greater partner teaming by compensating Dell sellers more when they transact storage through a partner. This will further incentivize Dell sales reps to work with you for storage deals."

Dell Technologies; UK channel head, Ian Heath told ITPro this has so far quintupled the number of accounts available for storage Partner of Record. All lines of Dell Technologies’ business are becoming eligible for Partner of Record status in 2024

"When a partner has achieved that status on an account, our sales team will work with that partner on deals. So when we say partners are front and center, we really mean it," Heath said. "Partners enable us to innovate and scale faster."

The company’s two biggest genAI deals in the UK to date came through the channel, Heath added. "From my perspective, there’s no better route to market to deliver the AI Factory than with our partners, especially those who demonstrate advanced AI capabilities."

Partner programs, tiers, and partner types

Overall, the Dell Technologies Partner Program offers a familiar array of training, sales support, and marketing resources. Authorized, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium partners are eligible for and earning different incentives, rebates, or rewards as they grow revenues and complete training competencies or specialize. 

Solution providers, distributors, SIs, cloud service providers,s and OEM partners follow different tracks. 

Partners can also resell Dell Technologies’ services such as consulting, education, managed services, deployment, or education, co-deliver products and services, deliver their own services or combine the above in some way. 

Further benefits, rewards, and incentives

• Partner portal access.
• Financial incentives include earned and proposal-based marketing development funds (MDF). Partners can be awarded MDFs for proposals that expand regional sales and marketing priorities. Also, for Platinum and Titanium partners, MDF rewards can be accrued on a predictable revenue-based rate per tier.
• Gold, Platinum, and Titanium partners can qualify for rebates around targeted business sales and customer acquisition. Base rebates for sales on certain lines of business can be paid from dollar one with no caps with multipliers for the sale of focus lines. Additionally, bringing in new customers or lines of business can earn incremental acquisition rebates.
• Service rebates are available to assist with enhanced customer solutions.
• Partner Academy training and related content can be provided on solutions, product, technical, sales, or marketing skills, based on specializations relevant to Dell Technologies service areas -- such as pre-sales, sales, or services.
• Additional partner tools for sales and demand generation, quoting, configuration, and purchasing.
• Additional partner tools for sales and demand generation, quoting, configuration, and purchasing.
• Ability to resell approved Dell Technologies Cloud Service Provider solutions via Cloud Partner Connect.
• Access to go-to-market initiatives including Partner of Record, through Power Up or Partner of Record Incumbency programs. Interested partners must apply online in English, via the global partner site selector page. For instance, select 'United States' for the US partner portal page; from there, click the 'Become a Partner' tab for registration, selecting a partner type to proceed.
• Use of solution or briefing centers including the online demo center.
• Can be listed on the public Find A Partner database.

Click here for a full solution-provider overview on the Dell Technologies website. 

How to get on board

Interested partners must apply online in English, via the global partner site selector page. For instance, select 'United States' for the US partner portal page; from there, click the 'Become a Partner' tab for registration, selecting a partner type to proceed.

Candidates must provide as a reference a sponsoring distributor already working with Dell. You'll need a tax ID, VAT or registered business number or similar and proof of the same, a corporate URL and matching corporate email domain, and, potentially, a reseller certificate or license. On approval, the new Authorized partner receives login access to the partner portal.