India, Aug. 13 -- For years, the IT channel followed a familiar rhythm. A customer identified a need, a partner recommended the right product, the deal was closed, and the solution was deployed. Once the installation and handover were complete, the partner moved to the next opportunity.

That model built thousands of channel businesses. It created strong distribution networks, deep local expertise and trusted relationships between technology providers, partners and customers.

But the ground beneath that model is shifting.

Customers no longer want a partner to appear only when it is time to buy or replace technology. They increasingly expect the partner to remain involved after the sale, manage the environment, improve performance, stre...