Value-Added Distributors (VADs) have long been responsible for managing spend, optimizing pricing, and supporting entire partner ecosystems. But as the cloud landscape has grown more layered and dynamic, they’ve been left to operate with tools that weren’t built specifically for them.
So we asked:
What would it take to build a FinOps platform designed for distributors, not just adapted to them?
The result is Umbrella Distributor Edition, the first FinOps platform built specifically for the three-tier cloud model, where distributors sit at the top, managing indirect partners and their downstream customers.
Cloud Growth Outpaced the Tools Distributors Rely On
For VADs, cloud cost management means more than tracking spend. It’s about maintaining transparency, protecting margins, and supporting partners at scale.
That responsibility spans multiple clouds, hundreds of MSPs, and thousands of end customers, making clarity harder, rebilling more complex, and optimization an ongoing challenge.
Distributors have to:
- Break down complex cloud billing across providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
- Manage pooled savings commitments without clear allocation tools.
- Rebill costs accurately across indirect partners and end customers, each with their own pricing model.
- Balance aggressive cost savings with performance needs across an entire ecosystem.
It’s a layered structure that demands more than workarounds. It calls for a platform purpose-built for distributors and the ecosystems they manage.
So We Built Something Different
We built Distributor Edition as a direct response to the challenges distributors face managing complex, three-tier cloud ecosystems.
It wasn’t a feature rename or a product pivot. It’s a platform built from the ground up to meet the specific needs of cloud distributors managing partner ecosystems at scale.
“Distributors are the connective tissue of the cloud economy, but they’ve had to manage financial complexity with tools that weren’t built for them. This launch gives them automation, control, and insights tailored to their model.”
—David Drai, CEO of Umbrella
What Each Role Gets from Distributor Edition
Cloud FinOps Analyst
Distributors depend on analysts to make sense of massive volumes of cost and usage data, often across multiple clouds and dozens of MSPs. It’s a tough job, and it’s even harder without the right tools.
That’s why Distributor Edition offers:
- A single interface to view spend across cloud providers, MSPs, and customers.
- Anomaly alerts that surface spikes without manual effort.
- Cost attribution tools that work, even without perfect tagging.
With these capabilities, analysts can focus on delivering insights instead of cleaning up fragmented data.
MSP Program Manager / FinOps Lead
Managing MSP relationships and FinOps workflows at scale is no small task, especially when spreadsheets are still the default system.
Distributor Edition brings structure and clarity with:
- Support for pooled commitment optimization and custom chargeback logic.
- Flexible cost views by provider, partner, or customer.
- Automated savings recommendations that drive action without disrupting service
It’s the kind of operational backbone that makes FinOps repeatable, scalable, and easier to own across your partner ecosystem.
Distributor CFO / CTO / Executive
For executive teams, the challenge is making confident decisions without drowning in details. You need financial clarity and control, without operational friction.
That’s why Distributor Edition brings:
- Reliable, transparent rebilling across all partner tiers
- A clear view of partner costs, spend trends, and accountability
- Strategic insights that support pricing models, margin targets, and long-term growth\
It’s the kind of financial infrastructure that keeps everything aligned—from the boardroom to the partner network.
What Makes It Purpose-Built
Distributor Edition wasn’t adapted from an existing platform. It was shaped from the start around how distributors operate. Every feature reflects the scale and interdependencies of a three-tier ecosystem.
Here’s what makes it different:
- A centralized cost picture across providers, partners, and customers
Instead of bouncing between portals and spreadsheets, you get a unified view of cloud spend that spans your entire partner network. - Three-tier chargeback that adapts to real-world data gaps
Distributor Edition accounts for tagging inconsistencies, letting you allocate costs across indirect partners and end customers, even when metadata is incomplete or misaligned. - Savings optimization that respects pooled commitments and usage variability
Our platform helps VADs apply them intelligently across your ecosystem, identifying where savings are being left on the table. - Automated rebilling aligned to real-world contracts and partner models
Manual rebilling can produce delays, errors, and friction with your partners. Distributor Edition automates the process, adapting to the way you structure pricing and agreements. - AI-powered anomaly detection that surfaces issues before they scale
When issues like unexpected usage spikes or budget overages occur, it’s best not to discover them only at month’s end. Our anomaly detection engine identifies problems instantly, enabling your team to respond promptly.
All of this is made scalable and secure through User Management 2.0—our foundation for role and access control in three-tier ecosystems.
Powering the Three-Tier Model with User Management 2.0
To handle the complexity of value-added distribution, we didn’t just develop new FinOps workflows; we also built the infrastructure to support them.
That foundation is our User Management 2.0.
Designed to support the relationship from distributor to indirect partner to end customer, User Management 2.0 allows organizations to map relationships, assign roles, and control access with clarity at every level.
With this foundation, VADs can:
- Create cost centers that reflect real business structures, making it easier to align cost accountability across teams, partners, or business units.
- Assign predefined or custom roles across the ecosystem, so every stakeholder gets the right level of access without over-permissioning.
- Control who sees what down to individual accounts or nested partners, giving you full oversight without sacrificing operational clarity.
- Reduce risk and overhead with scalable role management, enabling confident delegation as your ecosystem grows.
This isn’t just about managing roles; User Management 2.0 is about maintaining control, even as your ecosystem expands.
A FinOps Platform VADs Can Finally Call Their Own
Distributor Edition represents a revolutionary shift in how FinOps can work for those who have been waiting for a platform built specifically for them.
It gives every stakeholder something they’ve been missing:
- Analysts get a clear view across clouds, MSPs, and end customers, without hours spent stitching together spreadsheets.
- Operators gain automation where it matters most, from commitment optimization to chargebacks, so they can stop managing FinOps out of Google Sheets and start focusing on strategy.
- Executives get the confidence to lead, knowing the numbers are accurate, partners are aligned, and the business has the financial infrastructure to scale.
We see the value you create and the leadership you bring to the cloud economy. Distributor Edition was built to support that work and help you do it with greater clarity, control, and confidence.
If you’re ready to strengthen your entire partner ecosystem, let’s talk.
