Executive Summary

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Impartner’s Hybrid-Tenancy Model:The PRM industry’s most adaptable architecture brings the best

of single and multi-tenant technologies together

Impartner’s architecture is the most flexible in the PRM

(Partner Relationship Management) industry. Like

Salesforce, Oracle and other top SaaS companies,

Impartner uses multi-tenant technology to ensure ALL

customers INSTANTLY get critical security patches and

product upgrades. However, unlike other PRM vendors,

Impartner’s hybrid-tenancy model also incorporates

single-tenant functionality, making it possible to

customize updates for users with sophisticated vendor

networks.

What if you use a PRM without a hybrid-tenant option?

• With only single-tenant technology:

o You will wait in line for months for security

updates while the vendor works to apply

updates for each customer, including you –

leaving you with open security vulnerabilities.

o The same wait is true for product upgrades, which

must be customized one by one for each instance

– leaving money on the table while the upgrade is

configured.

o With such diversity in the code base, chances are

that individual users will need custom code to allow

new features to function.

• With only multi-tenant technology:

o The PRM vendor will not have the ability to

customize the partner-facing portal to your unique

branding requirements.

o Your functionality will be identical to all competitors

Why not use the best of both worlds?

By bringing the best of both technologies to the table in

a hybrid-tenancy model, Impartner ensures its software

can meet the needs of your business.

One of Impartner's key architectural differentiators, and one that deserves special attention, is the unique tenancy model which

forms the foundation of our flagship application, Impartner PRM (formerly known as Reseller View). Modern SaaS applications

are usually built using one of two tenancy models: multi-tenant or single-tenant – each having its own set of advantages and

disadvantages. However, at Impartner we have developed a forward thinking approach to tenancy by using a hybrid model that

combines the strengths of both.

In a single-tenant model, the application's code and data store are replicated on a per-customer basis, with an entirely new

instance for each new customer. The major advantage of this model is the flexibility it gives to make per-customer

modifications, since the application is not constrained by a common code base where changes would affect all tenants. The

drawback, however, is that rolling out updates needed by all customers is extremely difficult and time consuming, since each

application must be updated individually. This is especially undesirable when the update includes a critical security patch.

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Some PRM vendors use the single-tenant model exclusively, causing struggles with keeping their customer installs up to date, secure, patched, and bug free. It takes an inordinate amount of time to update, install bug fixes, and patch all the tenants, especially when they are housed on different platforms. Customers using a PRM with single-tenant technology alone could conceivably wait months before receiving a critical security patch thereby leaving their data at risk for an unacceptable amount of time.

The multi-tenant model, which was made ubiquitous by vendors such as Salesforce, addresses the shortcomings of the single-tenant model by using a single data store and single code base for all clients (or tenants). Application updates are easy to deploy, since only one application and data store must be altered. This is particularly valuable when it comes to installing security patches. However, the drawback of this model is increased difficulty in meeting the unique needs of individual clients since it requires a one-size-fits-all code base.

Typically in multi-tenancy an API (Application Program Interface) provides the means by which partner facing portals interact with the multi-tenant application, ensuring no mixing or incorrect exposure of data between tenants. The API provides an extra measure of security by adding a layer of abstraction between the portal and the data store. In the case of a PRM product, if company ABC and company XYZ compete with each other, they can be confident that all of the data used to run their respective channel programs is completely isolated from each other. There is no chance that data from one company could end up intermingled with data from a competing company. Many top SaaS companies, from Salesforce to LinkedIn to online banking giant Chase, follow a multi-tenant design. Just like Impartner, they have competing customers using the same application back end without worry of intermingled data.

The drawback of a multi-tenant only model, however, is that some customers, with very complex channel programs may require some customization – and, single-tenant capability is necessary to update those instances – meaning those customers cannot use a more advanced multi-tenant solution.

The hybrid-tenancy model (see illustration A,) which forms the foundation of Impartner PRM, addresses the shortcomings of each model by splitting the application up into two distinct pieces – a multi-tenant back end (providing the data store, API engine, and administration interface) and a single-tenant portal. The front-facing single-tenant portal, which communicates with

the data store through Impartner's powerful API, affords a high degree of flexibility to meet unique customer requirements, including a highly customizable user interface. However, the use of multi-tenancy at the back end allows Impartner to quickly roll out upgrades to business logic and the data store, including security patches and bug fixes.

Contrast that speed and flexibility to PRM companies who are tied to a single-tenant model. They must replicate security and products updates one customer at time - with resultant security gaps and replication issues. The single-tenant model may be great for those first in line, but it can create dangerous system vulnerabilities for those customers at the end of the line. (see illustration B)

Impartner's powerful API, which ties the front-end portals and the back-end application together, provides yet another security benefit. It is the only means by which our portals interact with the back end, providing a layer of abstraction between the two areas. This layer eliminates common security vulnerabilities found in many competitors' portals (single or multi-tenant) which interact directly with the data store, such as SQL injection errors, etc. However, the API is also flexible enough to allow large scale customization of both the user interface and business logic at the portal level. This is in contrast, to companies using a single-tenant architecture, who must replicate security and product updates one customer at time - with resultant security gaps and replication issues. The single-tenant model may be great for those first in line, but create dangerous system vulnerabilities for those at the end of the line. (see illustration B)

A

IMPARTNER PRM“Best of both worlds”

Feature 1

MultiTenant

SaaSCloud based

1

2 Feature 2

3 Feature 3

+ Feature...+

CustomFeature

* = Critical Update

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

31

5 8

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

31

5

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

21

4 7

Contact Impartner www.impartner.com sales@impartner.com @impartnerprm

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Impartner’s unique hybrid-tenancy model gives our customers several important benefits when compared to our

competitors’ solutions. It affords greater flexibility where it matters the most, tighter security over the data store,

and quicker deploy time for the critical pieces of the application. (see illustration C)

+

HYBRID MODELBest of both worlds

PRO PRO

easy tocustomize

Immediate updates &upgrades

CONWait dangerouslylong for updates &

upgrades

PROVery

customizeable

SINGLETENANT

MULTITENANT

PROimmediateupdates &upgrades

CONNot

customizeable

Impartner is the only PRM with both single and multi-tenancy, bringing together the best of both technologies with hybrid-tenancy

Impartner's Hybrid-Tenancy

B

C

CRITICALUPDATE

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

31

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

1

4 7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

21

7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

53

9

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

2

6

7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

2

6 7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

31

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

1

4 7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

21

7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

53

9

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

2

6 7

SaaSCloudBased

SingleTenant

2

6 7