This article was authored by our guest Daniel Quattrocchi, EMEA Cloud Partnerships Sales Manager, Infoblox.
Having worked both in channel partnerships and vendor roles, I've witnessed firsthand how hyperscalers have become one of the most disruptive routes to market in our industry. The transformation isn't just about new buying patterns—it's fundamentally reshaping how partners deliver value and how customers procure software. This new reality represents perhaps the most significant shift in channel dynamics we've seen in decades.
Market growth and channel opportunity
The numbers tell a compelling story—by 2028, the hyperscaler market is projected to reach $85 billion, with channel participation expected to grow from 33% to 50%. This significant increase demonstrates how main players like AWS Marketplace have matured from an alternative purchasing method to a primary route to market that partners need to grow and scale.
Understanding the drivers
The way I see it, there are two drivers to this transformation.
First, you've got cloud-native vendors who are making this their standard procurement route through their channel. These aren't traditional vendors trying to adapt—these are companies born in the cloud who are setting new rules for the game.
On the other hand, you've got customers actively looking to extract more value from their cloud contracts and streamline their procurement processes. This isn't just a trend, it's a fundamental shift in how business gets done.
Success through strategic positioning
From our experience at Infoblox, the most successful sales engagements treat hyperscalers like AWS Marketplace as a procurement strategy from day one, not as an afterthought. This approach requires:
- Early identification of cloud procurement stakeholders
- Understanding customer's AWS commitment strategies
- Positioning marketplace benefits from initial discussions
The role of distribution
Unlike cloud-native companies that were born into this model, established vendors face unique challenges in reinventing themselves for the hyperscaler era. This is where distribution partners like Westcon-Comstor play a crucial role, enabling vendors to quickly establish and scale their AWS Marketplace presence while maintaining strong channel relationships. Their expertise allows organisations that haven't traditionally operated in the cloud to rapidly adapt and meet evolving customer procurement needs.
Looking forward
For channel partners considering AWS Marketplace, the writing is on the wall: this isn't just an alternative procurement method—it's a fundamental business strategy. Success requires understanding both the technical and commercial aspects of marketplace transactions and working with relevant parties who can support this journey.
In the same vein, as the marketplace continues to evolve, the ability to quickly adapt and provide value-added services around marketplace transactions will also become increasingly important for channel success.
How to get started
The AWS Marketplace opportunity is too significant to overlook. Based on our experience at Infoblox, here's how to begin your marketplace journey:
- Position marketplace as a procurement strategy from day one
- Identify and engage with key stakeholders in your customers' cloud procurement teams
- Connect with Westcon-Comstor's AWS Marketplace specialists to establish your marketplace capabilities
4. Start building marketplace into your sales strategy for all customers—regardless of where they are on their cloud journey.
Empowering partner success
As we navigate this evolving scene together, Infoblox remains committed to making the transition to hyperscalers like AWS Marketplace seamless for our partners. Your ability to meet customer demands through modern procurement channels directly impacts our shared success.
Through our collaboration with Westcon-Comstor, we're delivering on this commitment by becoming the first vendor to enable private listing of our software products outside the US in AWS Marketplace. This strategic partnership allows partners to benefit from accelerated transaction times, expanded deal sizes, higher win rates, and shortened sales cycles— all while maintaining a seamless end-to-end sales journey for BloxOne, UDDI and NIOS solutions.
