Salesforce.com launched a new VAR program, trying to entice the channel to begin pushing its cloud-based CRM applications and more. (Via Techcrunch.)  You can read details of the program here. (PDF)

Essentially, Salesforce says that there’s no cost to join the VAR program but at least one person inside a VAR organization must receive certification on its Force.com platform through Salesforce.com's Partner University.

Salesforce's moves come as other companies are making moves to give their cloud initiatives a boost. NetApp announced a bunch of changes and enhancements on Tuesday, and Amazon recently slashed pricing on its subscription-based cloud offerings.

All this adds up to questions as to whether cloud computing will simply reach much-predicted growth rates organically, or whether vendors are getting antsy. Forrester Research, for example, has said that it found in its own study this year that three out of four businesses either don't want to move to cloud computing, can't afford to move there or have no idea what cloud computing is.

Is Salesforce.com's new VAR program enticing? Are customers talking to their solution providers in a serious way about moving to cloud-based applications? Or is this another example of the hype machine outrunning the market?  We'll know more as the weeks and quarters move along.