Avnet Cloud Marketplace Extends IBM Cloud into the Channel

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), a leading global technology distributor, today introduced IBM (NYSE: IBM) as the first member of the newly launched Avnet Cloud Marketplace. Through this membership, IBM’s cloud offerings will be available through the Avnet Cloud Marketplace to IBM Business Partners, including value-added resellers (VARs), independent software vendors (ISVs,) managed service providers (MSPs) and system integrators (SIs) in the U.S. and Canada.

“We’re at a pivotal moment where new cognitive and cloud computing capabilities are bringing about a major structural change,” said Robert LeBlanc, senior vice president, Cloud, IBM. “Avnet is taking advantage of this opportunity to simplify how cloud service providers, IBM Business Partners, ISVs and customers create new routes to market, drive new revenue and inspire new ‘born in the cloud’ IBM solutions.”

The Avnet Cloud Marketplace will provide the broader channel with a one-stop shop to access IBM Cloud infrastructure through SoftLayer and IBM Bluemix – IBM’s Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) to help developers quickly integrate applications and speed deployment of new cloud services. IBM Business Partners will also have access to IBM Software-as-a Service (SaaS) solutions related to cloud, analytics, mobile, social and security applications, and can leverage Avnet Cloud Marketplace’s cloud management toolset and flexible payment options, including consumption- and subscription-based models.

Additionally, Business Partners can create branded storefronts in the Avnet Cloud Marketplace to help them quickly and cost-effectively feature bundled cloud offerings with their own IP and services. This is especially relevant as Business Partners will be able to use IBM Bluemix within the Avnet Cloud Marketplace to develop cloud-based, creative mobile and web applications without having to spend large amounts of time and resources on configuring infrastructure and multiple software licenses. Business Partners will then be able to incorporate these newly developed applications into their own branded storefronts, immediately creating routes to market for their innovations.

“Avnet and IBM have continually evolved solutions together for more than 30 years to ensure that our joint business partners have innovative resources like the Avnet Cloud Marketplace to accelerate their success,” said Patrick Zammit, global president of Avnet Technology Solutions. “The Avnet Cloud Marketplace provides a clear way to quickly become cloud masters. Business partners can create their own cloud storefronts to showcase and sell the unique solutions they’ve developed for the IBM platform, giving them a clear competitive advantage and leadership position in the cloud solutions market. Also, the Avnet Cloud Marketplace will enhance their customer relationships and roles as trusted advisors by providing them with close connections throughout the entire cloud engagement.”

IBM Business Partners will also have access to Avnet’s sophisticated management and optimization tools powered by the Avnet Cloud Toolset. This will provide Business Partners with analytics that they can leverage to offer dashboards that give them and their customers access to real-time, full-detail cloud usage with drill-down capabilities to better understand how and what services are being consumed. These analytics capabilities can also assess cloud spending and provide recommendations on changes the customer can make to save money, as well as insights into security risks and recommendations on best practice changes to remove potential vulnerabilities in customers’ environments.

Avnet will also offer IBM Business Partners a host of educational and training resources to further expand their cloud expertise. For example, Avnet offers a wide range of courses on IBM’s Bluemix through the award-winning Avnet Academy, Avnet’s technical education and training organization, and an IBM Global Training Provider. These courses range from the essentials of cloud application development to immersive development experiences.

“We’ve built a solid cloud solutions practice, and the time has come for us to scale and expand our cloud offerings,” said Jay Johnson, vice president of Managed Services and Cloud at Sirius Computer Solutions, a leading national IT solutions integrator and an Avnet partner. “The Avnet Cloud Marketplace is exactly the type of platform we need to do this, especially with the depth of IBM solutions available. We will have the capabilities to launch our own storefront, create a new revenue stream for solutions designed with our intellectual property, rapidly provision our clients, simplify billing, and even leverage the tools to develop additional cloud-based applications for our portfolio.”

Additionally, IBM Business Partners can rely on Avnet’s 30+ years of in-depth expertise in IBM solutions, as well as the Avnet Cloud Solutions team. This team helps partners and customers transform IT with data center automation and cloud solutions that embrace new consumption models and enable services delivery. Avnet’s cloud team has developed deep expertise and extensive cloud capabilities through its role in deploying more than 900,000 workloads in the cloud in the past two years alone across a range of public, private and hybrid cloud environments.

Stay up to date on the latest developments with IBM offerings in the Avnet Cloud Marketplace here.

Learn more about Avnet’s cloud solutions through the Avnet Cloud Solutions Blog.

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About Avnet, Inc.

From components to cloud and design to disposal, Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT) accelerates the success of customers who build, sell and use technology globally by providing them with a comprehensive portfolio of innovative products, services and solutions. Avnet is a Fortune 500 company with revenues of $27.9 billion for the fiscal year 2015. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

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