APS Service Provider Certification Program
Parallels is offering service providers an Application Packaging Standard (APS) Certification Service, which is administered by the independent firm Tier 1 Research. The certification recognizes SaaS (software as a service) application providers with either an APS Gold Provider or APS Silver Provider certification. The certification levels designate that service providers who offer APS-compliant applications have the highest quality service.
Parallels is collaborating with Tier 1 Research to offer this program, which includes start-up services for certification, audits, as well as a support structure to make the initial certification as smooth as possible. Part of the certification involves running a test suite of software applications with the entire process estimated to take approximately 30 days. In addition, the program has an annual re-certification process to maintain or upgrade a certification level.
Importance of this certification:
The certification ensures that certified service providers use a high-quality, redundant infrastructure for application delivery to provide the best user experience for end users.
Importance to ISVs:
For ISVs (independent software vendors), Gold certification ensures that the most up-to-date version of their applications will be hosted in a state-of-the-art facility to deliver a superior user experience.
Importance to Application Users:
For end users of SaaS, Gold certification ensures that the service provider will provide most recent version of the application available in a high-quality operating environment which will minimize downtime.
| APS Service Provider Certification Program – Criteria and Fees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Silver Provider | Gold Provider | |
| Marketing | Mention of APS support Use of APS Silver Provider logo |
APS Prominence in Marketing Use of APS Gold Provider logo |
| Support | Online Only | Phone and Online |
| Control Panel | APS-Compliant | APS-Compliant |
| APS Applications | At least three APS application | At least seven APS compliant applications |
| Critical Security Fixes | Within 5 working days | |
| General Fixes Updates | Within 3 Weeks of APS Packaged Application Availability | |
| Initial Certification Cost | $2,500 for the first year | $10,000 for the first year |
| Certification Renewal | $1,250 annual renewal (every 12 months ) |
$5,000 annual renewal (every 12 months) |
There is also a no fee, base level "APS Partner" designation for service providers that use Parallels' products, which establishes a basis for delivering APS-compliant applications.
