Originally reported by Channel Futures. Original post date: April 24, 2020.
GitLab Broadens Its Global Partner Ecosystem
GitLab has expanded its global partner program to encompass both technology partners and channel partners, with the stated goal of helping more organizations navigate the DevOps transformation journey. The program is designed to function as a single destination where customers can access GitLab’s platform capabilities alongside complementary services and technology solutions delivered through partner relationships.
The expansion builds on earlier channel investments. In January 2020, GitLab hired Michelle Hodges as vice president of global channels, signaling a deliberate push to grow its indirect sales and services motion alongside its direct business.
Incentive-Driven Structure Replaces Traditional Tiers
One of the more notable design choices in the revamped program is the deliberate departure from a conventional tiered or medallion partner structure. Rather than classifying partners as Gold, Silver, or Bronze (or equivalent labels), GitLab instead focuses on propelling partner relationships through targeted incentives and investments.
The practical effect is that partners are rewarded for actively building GitLab-related services practices rather than simply hitting revenue thresholds. According to Brandon Jung, GitLab’s vice president of alliances, this approach addresses direct feedback from partners who wanted to build high-value joint offerings for customers rather than compete for badge status.
“When you look at the structure of the program, it is designed to allow partners to engage with customers in several different ways. In speaking with our partners, we got consistent feedback that they wanted to build joint high-value offerings for our customers. In order to do so, we are fostering a partner community that is built on more strategic relationships and creates an environment where every partner can contribute.”
Brandon Jung, VP of Alliances, GitLab
Key Technology Partner Integrations
The program strengthens existing relationships with major cloud and infrastructure providers. Jung specifically cited the following technology partners as central to the expanded ecosystem:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Platform
- VMware
- HashiCorp
These integrations are aimed at giving joint customers a cohesive experience across the DevOps lifecycle—from source code management and CI/CD pipelines through to infrastructure provisioning and secrets management.
“We are building on our current technology partner relationships with the largest cloud and Kubernetes providers (AWS, VMware, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, HashiCorp) to continue to strengthen the program and ensure success of our joint customers.”
Brandon Jung, VP of Alliances, GitLab
HashiCorp Integration: Terraform and Vault
HashiCorp’s VP of Global Alliances, Burzin Patel, highlighted two specific product integrations as delivering immediate customer value: HashiCorp Terraform for infrastructure-as-code provisioning and HashiCorp Vault for secrets management. Both are positioned as out-of-the-box integrations within the GitLab DevOps lifecycle.
“HashiCorp has been working closely with GitLab to enhance the experience for our joint customers, and we are looking forward to even greater connections between our companies and products as part of this new program. The HashiCorp Terraform and Vault product integrations offer a great out-of-the-box experience to customers looking to secure and manage their infrastructure as part of their DevOps lifecycle.”
Burzin Patel, VP of Global Alliances, HashiCorp
What the Program Means for Partners
From a business model perspective, the GitLab partner program is structured to create margin opportunities through services delivery rather than product resale alone. Jung acknowledged that many partners are actively looking to grow their services revenue, and the program is designed to reward those that build and staff GitLab-focused DevOps service practices.
The broader theme Jung articulated is that partners face the same organizational challenges their customers do—finding the right people, processes, and platforms to support digital transformation. The partner program is intended to provide resources and community structure to help partners solve those challenges at scale.
“Many businesses are looking for the right people, processes and technology platforms to enable them on their digital transformations. Bringing all of this together as we build these partnerships is critical to meeting customer demands and enabling their achievements.”
Brandon Jung, VP of Alliances, GitLab
Summary
GitLab’s expanded partner program reflects a broader trend in enterprise software: replacing rigid partner tiers with more flexible, incentive-driven structures that reward demonstrable customer outcomes and services investment. For DevOps practitioners, the practical takeaway is a growing ecosystem of certified partners capable of delivering integrated GitLab deployments alongside cloud, Kubernetes, and infrastructure-as-code tooling from major providers.