Climb: Scale Your Sales and Customer Success Teams with Expert Talent
Climb Channel Solutions is a global specialty IT distributor connecting VARs and MSPs with emerging and established cloud, security, and infrastructure vendors.
Overview
Climb Channel Solutions (formerly known in legacy operations as Wayside Technology Group / Lifeboat Distribution) is an international specialty technology distributor focused on emerging and innovative enterprise software and infrastructure products. The company bridges the gap between disruptive technology vendors and a broad global network of Value-Added Resellers (VARs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs), system integrators, and software providers.
With operations spanning North America and Europe (including dedicated presence in the United States and the United Kingdom), Climb provides a specialized alternative to legacy, broadline IT distributors. The organization curates an agile vendor ecosystem centered around key high-growth categories:
- Cybersecurity: Advanced threat detection, cloud security, and endpoint defense.
- Data Management and Storage: High-performance cloud object storage, backup, and recovery architectures.
- Cloud & Infrastructure: Next-generation virtualization, migration tools, and hybrid cloud solutions.
- Artificial Intelligence and Modern Workplace: Tools supporting enterprise productivity, collaboration, and modern IT lifecycle management.
In addition to core distribution, Climb operates dedicated programs such as Climb Elevate, which helps emerging software vendors scale their channel presence, and the Expedition Marketplace, tailored to MSP subscription management. Climb also maintains public sector divisions supporting State, Local, and Education (SLED) purchasing vehicles and cooperative contract agreements like OMNIA Partners, enabling channel partners to secure public sector procurement opportunities seamlessly.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Positioning
Climb Channel Solutions positions itself as "IT Distribution, Reimagined"—a dynamic, fast-moving alternative to monolithic tier-one distributors. Its market positioning centers on agility, emerging technology advocacy, and high-touch channel enablement.
Key components of Climb's market positioning include:
- Champion of Emerging and Disruptive Tech: While major distributors prioritize volume from legacy software giants, Climb markets itself as the premier launchpad for high-growth, innovative technology brands seeking rapid channel scale.
- High-Touch Partner Support: Climb emphasizes relational engagement over transactional interactions, assuring VARs and MSPs of direct access to technical specialists, responsive credit terms, and dedicated sales support.
- Solution-Centric Aggregation: Instead of distributing disconnected SKUs, Climb's messaging revolves around comprehensive solution showcases that guide partners on how to bundle AI, cloud storage, security, and infrastructure tools to boost margins.
- MSP and Public Sector Enablement: By targeting MSP growth through the Expedition Marketplace and public procurement via specialized SLED agreements, Climb communicates a clear value proposition: empowering IT service providers to expand into underserved, high-margin verticals.
Through this strategy, Climb effectively differentiates itself from traditional distributors by serving as an agile growth engine that brings innovative tech to market faster and with greater execution focus.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Differentiation
While Climb Channel Solutions does not produce proprietary software, its portfolio differentiation lies in its curated, multi-vendor technology showcases, channel enablement programs, and digital delivery ecosystems:
- Curated Technology Pillars: Rather than distributing commodity IT hardware, Climb designs complete enterprise-ready solution stacks spanning Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity (e.g., Sophos), Data Management & Storage (e.g., Wasabi), Modern Workplace, Cloud, and Software Lifecycle management. Resellers can package complementary solutions to maximize upsell and cross-sell margins.
- Climb Expedition Marketplace: A streamlined digital platform designed for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), simplifying provisioning, billing, license management, and consumption monitoring for cloud and SaaS applications.
- Climb Elevate Program: A dedicated operational engine and launchpad that allows early-stage, cutting-edge technology vendors to enter the IT channel quickly without standard administrative friction.
- Public Sector Contracting Vehicles: Integrated procurement pathways that bundle vendor software into government-approved frameworks (such as SLED and OMNIA Partners), giving channel partners access to pre-negotiated, compliant contract pricing.
By assembling interconnected software architectures rather than individual point products, Climb ensures its reseller network can deploy robust, end-to-end IT environments.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Ideal Customer Profile
Climb Channel Solutions serves B2B technology channel businesses rather than direct end-user enterprises:
- Target Organizations: Value-Added Resellers (VARs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Systems Integrators (SIs), and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).
- Organization Size: Mid-tier to large IT solution providers (from regional MSPs with 10–50 employees to national channel organizations with hundreds of technical staff).
- Industry Focus: Technology service providers delivering solutions into Commercial Enterprise, SMB, and Public Sector / SLED (State, Local, and Education) verticals.
- Technical Maturity: Channel partners with established pre-sales and technical delivery practices seeking specialized, high-margin, emerging alternatives to traditional, saturated legacy portfolios.
- Budget & Commercial Profile: Companies requiring flexible distribution credit facilities, centralized quoting, and automated multi-tenant cloud marketplace billing.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Best Fit
Climb Channel Solutions excels in the following organizational scenarios:
- Emerging Tech Adoption for Resellers: VARs and MSPs seeking to differentiate their catalogs beyond legacy, commoditized enterprise brands by adopting high-growth, disruptive technologies in cloud, security, and data infrastructure.
- Rapid Channel Expansion for ISVs (Climb Elevate): High-growth SaaS and infrastructure software vendors looking to scale global distribution through an active network of resellers without managing thousands of direct reseller contracts and billing operations internally.
- Streamlined MSP Provisioning (Expedition Marketplace): Managed service providers requiring a consolidated marketplace to provision, license, and bill cloud infrastructure, data management, and cybersecurity tools for multiple end-tenants.
- Public Sector and SLED Contracting: Channel partners pursuing State, Local, and Education opportunities needing a distribution partner with established purchasing vehicles such as OMNIA Partners.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Offerings
Climb Channel Solutions structures its distribution offerings and programs into several key tracks:
- Core Distribution Portfolio: Wholesale access and distribution for enterprise software, hardware, and cloud solutions categorized under:
- Virtualization & Cloud
- Security
- Storage & HCI
- Data Management
- Software Lifecycle
- Connectivity
- Climb Elevate: A dedicated vendor acceleration program that identifies, incubates, and launches emerging technology companies into the global reseller ecosystem with streamlined onboarding and dedicated sales engagement.
- Expedition Marketplace: A digital transactional platform tailored for MSPs, enabling single-pane-of-glass procurement, licensing, and billing for multi-tenant cloud and SaaS tools.
- Climb Public Sector (SLED): Distribution services and contract vehicles designed specifically for government and educational institutions, including access to national cooperative purchasing through OMNIA Partners.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
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Introduction
Climb Channel Solutions (climbcs.com) is a global specialty IT distributor focused on delivering both emerging and established technologies to the IT channel. Unlike broadline distributors that manage massive, commoditized catalogs, Climb differentiates itself by curating high-growth solutions across cloud, cybersecurity, data management, and infrastructure.
This buying guide provides IT decision-makers—primarily Value-Added Resellers (VARs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and Systems Integrators (SIs)—with an objective evaluation framework for partnering with Climb. Readers will learn about Climb's core technology pillars, specialized partner programs like Climb Elevate, public sector contract vehicles (such as OMNIA Partners), the Expedition Marketplace, technical and operational prerequisites, and commercial structures to determine if Climb is the right distribution partner for their practice.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Key Features
Climb Channel Solutions provides distribution, enablement, and procurement capabilities structured across core technology domains and partner services:
-
Technology Solution Pillars:
- Virtualization & Cloud: Access to next-generation virtualization platforms and hyperscale/alternative cloud infrastructure to support hybrid deployments.
- Security: Integrated cybersecurity portfolio spanning endpoint, network, and cloud security (e.g., Sophos Fusion) designed to address modern threat landscapes.
- Storage & HCI: High-performance, cost-effective cloud object storage (e.g., Wasabi), hyperconverged infrastructure, and enterprise primary/secondary storage systems.
- Data Management: Enterprise backup, recovery, data protection, and governance tools to ensure business continuity.
- Software Lifecycle & Connectivity: Developer tools, application lifecycle management, and enterprise networking hardware and software.
-
Channel Programs & Marketplaces:
- Expedition Marketplace: Digital distribution platform enabling MSPs to discover, provision, manage, and bill cloud and SaaS solutions for multiple clients in a unified interface.
- Climb Elevate: Specialized incubation and scale program designed to help emerging technology vendors break through channel barriers and gain rapid reseller adoption.
- Public Sector (SLED) Support: Dedicated support and established purchasing vehicles, including OMNIA Partners contracts, to facilitate State, Local, and Education procurement.
- Deal Registration & Quoting Support: Coordinated pricing programs and vendor deal registration to protect partner margins and accelerate quote turnaround.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Use Cases
- Managed Service Provider Expanding Cloud Backup Services: An MSP utilizes Climb’s Expedition Marketplace to source and provision Wasabi cloud object storage, delivering high-performance, cost-predictable backup targets to multiple mid-market clients while centralizing monthly billing.
- VAR Capitalizing on Enterprise AI Security Demands: An enterprise reseller leverages Climb’s security team to architect and quote advanced Sophos cybersecurity packages, utilizing deal registration to protect margins on complex client migrations.
- Emerging ISV Entering the IT Channel: A high-growth software company joins the Climb Elevate program to immediately access hundreds of qualified channel resellers, offloading credit management, billing operations, and partner onboarding to Climb.
- Regional Partner Winning SLED Contracts: A local IT solutions provider accesses Climb’s public sector contracts, including OMNIA Partners, to bid on and win municipal and school district infrastructure modernization tenders without independent contract vehicle overhead.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Pricing Models
As a specialty technology distributor, Climb Channel Solutions operates on standard channel wholesale and agency pricing structures rather than fixed software subscription tiers:
- Wholesale Distribution Pricing: Authorized resellers purchase hardware, software licenses, and cloud subscriptions at discounted wholesale rates and resell to end-customers with margin flexibility.
- Cloud & SaaS Consumption: Monthly, usage-based, or annualized subscription billing facilitated through the Expedition Marketplace (e.g., pay-as-you-go cloud storage or monthly per-seat security licenses).
- Deal Registration Discounts: Enhanced margins and protected discount structures negotiated directly with underlying software and hardware vendors on qualified opportunities.
- Commercial Credit Lines: Net-30 or custom credit terms offered to qualified partners based on financial underwriting, enabling resellers to manage operational cash flow during large deployments.
- Additional Cost Considerations: Partners should consider any vendor-mandated training or certification fees required to achieve specific vendor authorization tiers.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Technical Requirements
Because Climb is an IT distributor and marketplace operator rather than a single software application, technical requirements pertain to partner portal access and underlying product compatibility:
- Marketplace & Portal Access: Supported via any modern web browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari) with standard secure HTTPS connectivity and cookie/JavaScript enablement.
- API & System Requirements: Integration with the Expedition Marketplace or vendor provisioning consoles requires secure REST/JSON connectivity for automated licensing and webhook notifications.
- Underlying Solution Requirements: Specific server, operating system, hypervisor, or cloud infrastructure specifications depend entirely on the individual vendor products sourced through Climb (e.g., cloud object storage requiring S3-compatible API clients or virtualization hypervisor compatibility).
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Business Requirements
To maximize the value of engaging with Climb Channel Solutions, partner organizations should evaluate several operational and business readiness factors:
- Partner Onboarding and Credit Setup: Resellers must establish distribution agreements, undergo standard commercial credit checks, and configure payment terms to ensure smooth transactional processing.
- Sales and Technical Enablement: Reseller sales and engineering teams must allocate time to participate in vendor certification, solution webinars, and joint pipeline generation activities coordinated by Climb.
- Catalog Rationalization: MSPs and VARs should review their existing software portfolios to identify gaps in cloud storage, HCI, cybersecurity, or data management where Climb’s emerging vendors provide better margin or technical differentiation.
- Contract Vehicle Familiarity: Partners transacting in the public sector must understand compliance, quoting, and procurement guidelines associated with purchasing frameworks like OMNIA Partners.
- Internal Billing and Operations Alignment: Finance and procurement teams need established processes to handle software renewals, co-terming, and recurring consumption-based invoicing generated through distribution marketplaces.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Implementation Timeline
Onboarding with Climb Channel Solutions focuses on partner qualification, credit facility establishment, and operational integration rather than software deployment:
- Phase 1: Discovery & Application (Weeks 1–2): Initial partner consultation, catalog alignment, reseller application submission, and evaluation of target vendor lines.
- Phase 2: Commercial Credit & Legal Agreements (Weeks 2–3): Completion of distribution partner agreements, tax exemption documentation, and credit line underwriting.
- Phase 3: Portal & Marketplace Setup (Weeks 3–4): Account provisioning for internal sales, licensing, and billing portals (including the Expedition Marketplace for MSPs).
- Phase 4: Sales Enablement & Vendor Alignment (Weeks 4–5): Sales team briefing, introduction to dedicated Climb brand managers, and participation in vendor partner programs.
- Phase 5: First Transaction & Ongoing Go-Live (Week 6 onwards): Sourcing active quotes, registering deals for margin protection, and establishing recurring procurement rhythms.
Factors Affecting Timeline: Completeness of credit applications, complexity of specific vendor partner certification requirements, and public sector contract vehicle authorizations.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Support Options
Climb Channel Solutions provides hands-on channel support designed to act as an extension of the partner's sales and engineering teams:
- Dedicated Channel Account Teams: Partners are assigned dedicated account managers and inside sales representatives for prompt quote generation, order processing, and order tracking.
- Vendor Brand Champions: Dedicated product specialists and business development managers who provide deep product knowledge and assist with joint customer calls.
- Technical & Pre-Sales Assistance: Pre-sales architectural guidance, product sizing assistance, and proof-of-concept (POC) coordination for complex data and security implementations.
- Partner Marketing & Co-Op Support: Marketing resources, campaign-in-a-box assets, and joint demand-generation support to help resellers build pipeline for new vendor offerings.
- Telephone & Digital Support: Centralized partner support via phone (including direct regional numbers such as 800-847-7078) and digital ticketing for rapid operational inquiries.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Integration Requirements
Operational integration with Climb centers on procurement data exchange, cloud licensing APIs, and billing synchronization:
- Marketplace Integrations: The Expedition Marketplace supports multi-tenant cloud and SaaS provisioning, allowing MSPs to allocate and adjust licenses across their customer base.
- B2B Procurement Protocols: Support for standard electronic data interchange (EDI) and secure web-based order placement for high-volume transactions and quoting.
- Vendor API Synchronization: Cloud storage and cybersecurity vendors distributed through Climb (such as Wasabi or Sophos) leverage direct API integrations for automated provisioning, usage monitoring, and automated license key generation.
- Reporting & Invoicing Feeds: Consolidated invoice generation across multiple vendors to simplify accounts payable reconciliation and customer re-billing.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
Security & Compliance
Climb distributes enterprise-grade security and compliance technologies while maintaining robust corporate governance standards:
- Security Vendor Portfolio: Climb curates solutions specifically engineered to help organizations comply with SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, and public sector security frameworks (e.g., advanced threat protection, encryption, and secure cloud storage).
- Corporate Data Protection: Compliance with standard global privacy regulations, including GDPR and regional data privacy notices, supported by strict cookie and data handling controls.
- Secure Portal Access: Role-based access controls (RBAC) and secure authentication protocols for partners managing procurement and customer licensing in Climb portals.
- Supply Chain Integrity: Verification and authorized distribution status for all partnered hardware and software brands, preventing counterfeit licenses and gray-market equipment risks.
Research sources
Pages consulted; not independent verification of every claim.
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