Q: Why is Oracle changing the OPN program?
A: OPN is evolving to recognize the tremendous growth Oracle has experienced in terms our product portfolio, partner base and market opportunity.   Key to the program advancement includes better serving our partners and customers by offering partners an opportunity to differentiate through Specialization.  Recognized by Oracle, Preferred by Customers.

Q: What has changed in the OPN program?
A: The newly re-designed program is the most significant evolution of the program in over a decade.  The focus of the new program is on specialization and gives you the opportunity to gain the differentiation and competitive edge you need to stand out in the marketplace. Specialization is achieved through competency development, business results, expertise and proven success to be recognized by Oracle, and preferred by customers. 

Join OPN Specialized today and:

• Differentiate yourself through expertise in leading Oracle IT solutions
• Get recognized by Oracle in your Specialized services and solutions
• Be preferred by customers seeking value added solutions for their business

Q: What are the new levels of OPN Specialized?

• Remarketer – Our entry level is our successful Remarketer program which via our VADs, allows partner to resell our 1-Click mid market products with no contract or fees yet access to a online training and sales tools. Please click here for details
• Silver - This level also focuses on the 1-Click products and has a wealth of Oracle engaged benefits including access to the Oracle Partner Business Center, Support, enhanced educational offerings and development licenses to increase competitive positioning and profitability with midsize companies. Please click here for details
• Gold – This level of OPN Specialized offers access and resell rights to the full Technology portfolio, and also allows partners to apply for Applications where you can start developing your specializations. Please click here for details
• Platinum - The new elite level of OPN Specialized, receives the highest engagement, commitment and benefits by showcasing the depth and breadth of your company’s expertise in 5 or more specializations of Oracle solutions. Please click here for details

Q: What are the key benefits per level in OPN Specialized?

Q: I am a Certified Advantage Partner (CAP), do I need to take more training to continue being a top-level partner?
A: As top-level partners, CAP’s have consistently demonstrated a commitment to Oracle technology through unparalleled skills and competency. To continue being a top-level Platinum partner, CAP’s can apply to join at the Platinum level and utilizing their existing competency and business investment be quick off the mark to gain 5 Specializations in the first year.

Q: How do I request resell rights after I join OPN Specialized?
A: To resell technology products simply sign either a Full Use Program Distribution Agreement (FUDA) or an Application Specific Program Full Use Agreement (ASFU) and if you are a Silver level partner you will be able to resell all the technology products in the 1-Click Knowledge Zone. If you are a Gold or Platinum partner you will also get resell rights to the Database and Middleware Knowledge zones.
For Applications, a Gold or Platinum partner can simply register in the desired Knowledge Zones and review the resell criteria listed there. Apply for reselling rights once the stated criteria are met and wait for a confirmation notification that reselling rights have been granted.

Q: How does OPN Specialized affect my existing distribution agreements?
A: Existing distribution agreements will remain in effect until time of distribution agreement date renewal.

Q: What activities will OPN Specialized support me with?
A: OPN Specialized will support our partners with all areas within development, resell, co-sell, influencing and implementing Oracle Solutions.

Q: How has the OPN Portal been developed to support OPN Specialized?
A: Our OPN Portal has gone through extensive work to enhance navigation and ease of use. Everything you will need to find out about products, Specialization, develop, sell and implementation can be found by joining the product area specific “Knowledge Zones” that aligned with Oracle.com and located on our home page.  These replace the Product Focus Areas and Go-to-Market initiatives of the old program and portal.

Specialization Questions

Q: What are the benefits of Specialization? How does this affect me? What is the "return on partnering"? 
A: Specialization offers partners the opportunity to gain competitive advantage through differentiation.  Partners that become specialized put themselves in a position to grow their business by being recognized by Oracle, and preferred by customers. 
Specialization allows:

• Partners to differentiate themselves showcasing their areas of expertise
• Customers to select preferred partners based on their expertise
• Oracle Sales teams to recognize partners that have invested in the Oracle portfolio

Additionally, specialized partners receive specialized branding, internal and external promotion in newsletters, websites, advertising, etc., free Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) exam vouchers, free support, and much more. Please click here for details

Q: How do I become specialized?
A: 1. Join at the appropriate level of the new OPN program. 2. Register in the respective Knowledge Zones. 3. Fulfill competency and business requirements of specialization and submit your application.

Q: What areas can I Specialize in?
A: For a complete list of specializations, Please click here More areas of specialization will be added going forward.

Q: What is the approximate time  investments required for training and assessments in order to become Specialized?
A: There are many options of training available, but for the online Guided Learning Paths (GLP) and assessments for each specialist type for the respective solution Specialization the following gives approximate average time needed

• Sales Specialist - 4 hrs
• PreSales Specialist - 4 hrs
• Support Specialist - 2-3 hrs
• Implementation Specialist - 8 hrs
• Partner bootcamps - 1-5 days

Q: What is the cost to become specialized?
A: Training costs vary by area and your exisiting level of knowledge on the specific solutions.
Sales and Pre-sales assessments = $0
Implementation or developer assessments = $ 125 for Technology areas and $199 for Applications areas.

Q: Do I have to take all the training or can I simply take the assessment?
A: Partners that feel competent can take the assessments without taking the courses.

Q: Will my existing competency qualifications help towards achieving Specialization?
A: Yes, if you have the relevant Oracle Champion or Oracle Certified Professional qualifications on the current versions, then these will count towards the competency criteria of specialization.

Q: What are the criteria to become specialized? Is this regional or global? 
A: There is a single set of global criteria tables for each specialization.  These criteria vary by specialization but include fulfillment of competency criteria and business criteria (i.e. Customer references and transactions). To learn about the criteria for your solution specialization, go to partner.oracle.com, select the respective Knowledge Zone for your desired solution, and review the “Specialize” tab.

Q: How will my Specialization be communicated internally and externally?
A: Partner specializations are highlighted in the OPN Solutions Catalog, on Oracle.com, in internal newsletters, in internal partner-finder databases, and through other vehicles when available.

Q: Does being specialized mean that Oracle is warranting my performance or services?
A: Specialization does not imply an express warrantee by Oracle of partner performance or services.

Q: How does specialization fit into the new program? Is this another layer?
A: Specialization complements the new OPN program levels: Remarketer, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.  Platinum partners are required to be specialized. Gold partners are eligible to become specialized. Silver partners and Remarketers are not eligible to become specialized.

MIGRATION QUESTIONS

Q: I am an existing OPN Partner, how can I migrate to OPN Specialized?
A: Existing partners can join the new OPN program before expiry of current OPN membership or continue with current membership until time of renewal. However for partners who wish to make the most of OPN Specialized and start their way toward Specialization, we will have a limited promotional membership fee.

Q: When can I join OPN Specialized?
A: Partners can join the new OPN program in December 2009.

Q: Do I have to join OPN Specialized?
A:  Partners can wait until their membership renewal to join OPN Specialized. There will be no option to rejoin the old program.

Q: What should I do between now and launch? 
A: Choose the level of OPN Specialized that’s right for your business and identify your initial areas of specialization.

Q: What level of OPN Specialized is right for me?
A: The Silver level is for our Partners that are focused on reselling and developing with our 1-Click mid market products. The Gold level is for Partners who wish to develop, sell or implement the full Technology product portfolio, apply to resell Applications and develop Specializations. While the Platinum level is for Partners who are looking to get the top level benefits and are committed to reaching a minimum of 5 Specializations within the first year.

Q: How long do I have to meet the requirements of my chosen level?
A: Partners that enroll at the Platinum level before expiry of their current OPN membership term will have 12 months to fulfill the Platinum-level requirements of reaching a minimum of 5 Specializations

Q: What partner logo should I use?
A: All partners should use the logo corresponding to their level in OPN.  The Specialized logo can only be used by partners that have achieved specialization.

Q: Can I migrate into specialization?
A: To earn specialization and use the Specialized logo to leverage the power of the brand, partners must meet all required criteria.

Q: What happens to the initiatives I’ve signed up for, like Product Focus Areas (PFA), and Go-To-Market initiatives (GTMi)?
A: Where appropriate, partner affiliations will be mapped into the relevant new Knowledge Zones (KZ). Partners are encouraged to review the new Knowledge Zones and register as appropriate at partner.oracle.com

Q: What happens to my existing benefits?
A: Partners can continue to enjoy the benefits of the current OPN program until their membership expires or they join OPN Specialization; whichever comes first. 

Q: What happens to my Service Request Packs (SR Packs)?
A: Remaining Service Requests (SR's) will be honored until their natural expiry. New SR Packs that allow partners to log both Application and Technology SR’s will be made available with the launch of OPN Specialized.

Q: What is the cost to migrate to OPN Specialized? Are there any incentives for existing partners that join early?

• Remarketer $0 USD          
• Silver $500 USD
• Gold $2,500 USD. Promotional price of $995 USD for existing partners enrolling before February 28, 2010. Promotional price of $1,995 for existing partners enrolling between March 1, 2010 and April 30, 2010.
• Platinum $9,995 USD. Promotional price of $4,995 USD for existing partners enrolling by April 30, 2010.

Q: What are the fees for Associates? Do they need to join OPN Specialized too?
A: Migration to OPN Specialized is not automatic for Associates. Partners that choose to migrate to the new program before expiry of their current membership will need to enroll at partner.oracle.com.

• Associates of Platinum partners are not required to pay a fee.
• Associates of Gold partners Pay 50% of the OPN fee of the level they are applying to.

More Information

Q: Where can I find more information?

• Go partner.oracle.com and select the “OPN Program” tab to learn about OPN Specialized, Specialization and the new program levels. 
• Select the “Most popular resources” tab to navigate to short online training modules, which provide you with key information on all major improvements and aspects of OPN Specialized.
• Contact an Oracle expert in one of Oracle Partner Business centers to discuss specific questions in more detail.