Shaping the future: Cloudflare's service partner strategy

A Network of Experts: Cloudflare’s Partner Strategy

Cloudflare’s infrastructure is vast—over 310 cities, 120 countries, and 13,000 interconnected networks—but its customer base is even more diverse. Serving millions of users across virtually every industry requires a level of specialization that no single organization can provide alone. For years, Cloudflare has addressed this through its Partner Services programs, which recruit and authorize consultancies and firms to deliver and manage Cloudflare solutions for customers who prefer to work in their own language, region, and industry context.

The Authorized Service Delivery Partner (ASDP) program is the centerpiece of that effort. It certifies a curated group of organizations to operate in specific technical domains:

Beyond ASDPs, Cloudflare maintains strategic alliances with Global System Integrators (GSIs) such as NTT and Kyndryl. These firms provide broad technology and business solutions across sectors, and the partnership program has been designed to enrich the ecosystem with bespoke service offerings—for example, Kyndryl’s managed network transformation services, announced in an earlier press release. The full partner ecosystem spans Value Added Resellers (VARs), boutique consultancies, regional Systems Integrators (SIs), GSIs, and Managed Service Providers (MSPs), each occupying a distinct role.

MSPs, in particular, are critical because they guide customers through the entire lifecycle—onboarding, integration, daily operations, and optimization. Cloudflare has streamlined its MSP specialization within the partner program to make it simpler for these providers to build and deliver end-to-end solutions on the Cloudflare platform.

Delivery Support Structure

Two internal roles carry the weight of partner success. Partner Service Delivery Managers (SDMs) are responsible for network expansion: identifying, engaging, and onboarding new partners, then ensuring those relationships align with Cloudflare’s strategic direction. After onboarding, the SDM shifts to advisory mode—helping partners refine service offerings, package them appropriately, and keep pace with market demands.

Partner Technical Services Managers (TSMs) handle the technical side of the relationship. They provide guidance on best practices from initial deployment through ongoing management, ensuring the journey from concept to delivered service stays coherent and strategically aligned with business objectives.

Engagement Models

Cloudflare operates its own internal Professional Services (PS) organization, but service partners multiply its reach and capability. These partners bring deep customer relationships and regional expertise, and their integration skills are especially valuable when blending Cloudflare solutions with third-party ecosystems like Okta, Crowdstrike, Intune, and Microsoft Active Directory.

Partners also go beyond technical deployment, offering managed services and strategic transformation support. Change management and proactive service are major parts of what GSIs provide in this arrangement. For customers who want some internal Cloudflare expertise and some partner expertise, a hybrid model is available, blending the two source of delivery into a single tailored solution.

The Growth Opportunity in Security

Market data points to a substantial opening for services partners. A McKinsey survey identifies a $2 trillion market opportunity for cybersecurity technology and service providers, driven by:

• A proliferation of cyber attacks targeting SMBs and midmarket companies
• Regulatory requirements
• Increased demand for visibility into security logs, detection, and analysis
• A shortage of talent and service offerings
• Demand for higher-level customer engagements

Per Forbes.com, MSPs’ proactive managed service model is well suited to subscription-based security offerings. With the cybersecurity market projected to grow 13% annually through 2025—fueled by frameworks like GDPR—the opportunity for MSPs to enter or expand in this space is significant. Specific areas include security assessments, managed security services, incident response and remediation, and compliance support.

Cloudflare is actively recruiting partners to expand its Services Partner Network. Interested organizations can apply via the ASDP form, the Partner Portal, or through a Cloudflare Channel Account Manager.

2024 Roadmap

Cloudflare has laid out several concrete expansions for its service partner program in 2024:

• Expanding ASDP portfolio: After launching with a focus on application services and Zero Trust, the program will add networking and edge service categories, seeking partners with expertise in network transformation and serverless edge development.
• New MSP specialization: A revised specialization for Managed Service Providers will integrate Cloudflare into MSPs’ managed security services, in line with industry standards.
• Solution Factory with service blueprints: This initiative will publish Cloudflare best practices and specific service offering blueprints, giving partners a head start in building new services on the platform.
• Partner SkillBoost Program: A hybrid-model enhancement designed to create opportunities for partners to learn from Cloudflare’s delivery experts through on-the-job training.
• Elevated service quality: New training modules will continue to equip partners with the tools needed for consistent, high-quality delivery.

As Cloudflare’s physical data center footprint grows, so does its network of delivery partners. The company is committing the necessary support and resources to ensure those partners can deliver the full range of services customers need from their Cloudflare deployments.