Originally reported by CRN (crn.com), April 2020.
GitLab Formalizes Its Channel Strategy
GitLab rolled out its first formal channel partner program in April 2020, marking a significant step in the DevOps platform vendor’s go-to-market maturity. The move was aimed at deepening relationships with resellers, managed service providers (MSPs), systems integrators, and independent software vendors (ISVs) as enterprise adoption of GitLab’s end-to-end DevOps platform continued to accelerate.
Michelle Hodges, GitLab’s Vice President of Global Channel — hired in January 2020 specifically to build out channel strategy — described the program as designed to “expose the tremendous growth opportunity in the DevOps market.” Hodges assembled a dedicated team covering programs, operations, channel marketing, solutions architecture, and a channel help desk before launching the formal program.
Three Partner Tracks, No Traditional Tiers
One of the most distinctive features of the GitLab Partner Program is its deliberate departure from the conventional tiered partner model — where status is determined by retroactive revenue thresholds. Instead, GitLab structured the program around three distinct tracks based on partner type and depth of investment:
- Open Track: Available to all resellers, systems integrators, and services providers. This track reflects GitLab’s open-source ethos — anyone can participate without needing to meet revenue minimums upfront.
- Select Track: Designed for DevOps specialists who are making substantial investments in building a strategic relationship with GitLab. Partners in this track commit deeper resources and receive more tailored support in return.
- Technology Track: Targeted at ISVs seeking to participate in GitLab’s ecosystem through product integrations, with access to incentives tied to those integrations.
Incentive mechanisms across the program include rebates, discounts, and referral fees. The goal, according to Hodges, is to motivate partners either to identify net-new customers or to help existing customers extract more value from GitLab’s platform — which spans planning, source control, CI/CD, security, and monitoring across the full DevOps lifecycle.
New Partner Portal and Badging System
Alongside the program launch, GitLab debuted its first dedicated partner portal, offering deal registration and pipeline tracking capabilities. The portal gives partners the infrastructure needed to manage and track their sales activity with GitLab in a structured way.
GitLab also introduced a badging and accreditation system. Initial accreditations were set to begin with sales and solutions architecture competencies, providing partners with credentials that signal expertise to enterprise buyers evaluating DevOps services providers.
Rooted in a Public Sector Channel-First Model
The partner program did not emerge in a vacuum. GitLab’s channel approach grew directly from its public sector business strategy, which by 2020 had become entirely channel-driven. Applying that model across the broader commercial market was a logical evolution for the company.
“We’re focused on relationships,” Hodges told CRN. “Let’s invest in companies that are wanting to invest in us, and our customers, but keeping it wide open so anyone can contribute.”
Partner Perspectives: 2nd Watch and HashiCorp
2nd Watch: From Reseller to Managed DevOps Provider
Seattle-based cloud solutions provider 2nd Watch began its relationship with GitLab in August 2019 as a basic reseller. By early 2020, that relationship had evolved considerably. Stefana Muller, 2nd Watch’s Senior Product Manager for DevOps & Migration, told CRN that the company was able to build an MSP structure around GitLab’s toolchain and launch a managed DevOps offering in a short timeframe.
“Many enterprises want a customized version of GitLab and that’s something 2nd Watch can do. And they’re able to support us when we’re already on site with a client,” Muller said. She also highlighted joint go-to-market collaboration — including GitLab sales agents actively involving 2nd Watch in client calls — as a level of engagement not commonly seen from other ISV partners.
HashiCorp: Expanding the DevOps Ecosystem
HashiCorp, whose tools like Terraform and Vault are widely used alongside GitLab in enterprise DevOps workflows, participates in the Technology track as a close ISV partner. HashiCorp itself uses GitLab for internal CI/CD management.
Amith Nair, HashiCorp’s Vice President for Product Marketing, told CRN that the new program changes the scope of what’s possible: “What the program changes is the ecosystem of partners they’re bringing in both from a technology standpoint and a channel one. It will help customers be successful in this DevOps space.”
Nair also emphasized the compounding value of a broader partner network: “Together we can tell a better story as we get more SI and channel partners bringing to market the combined solution.”
What This Means for the DevOps Channel
GitLab’s channel program launch in 2020 reflected a broader industry pattern: mature DevOps platform vendors formalizing partner ecosystems to scale enterprise reach beyond what direct sales alone can achieve. By structuring the program around openness and relationship depth rather than revenue tiers, GitLab positioned itself to attract a wide range of partners — from boutique DevOps consultancies to large global systems integrators — without creating the lock-in friction common to traditional tiered programs.
For DevOps engineers and architects evaluating platform vendors, the existence of a structured partner ecosystem matters: it affects the availability of certified implementation partners, integration support, and managed service options — all of which influence the total cost and risk of enterprise GitLab adoption.